Chapter 323

Chapter 323

“Senior, what on earth... is going on?”

“I don’t know. The important thing is, we mustn’t get involved in that matter.”

Olivia and Adriana were making their way through the forested hills. Olivia held Adriana’s hand tightly, leading the way so that they wouldn’t get separated.

When that demonic creature had suddenly kidnapped Adriana, it seemed the already dire situation had worsened even further.

Then, Olivia felt her heart sink when that demon grabbed her as well.

She dangled in mid-air, being dragged away—kidnapped—yet she couldn’t use her Divine Power recklessly. She feared that Adriana might fall to her death, so she decided to bide her time.

The demon unceremoniously dropped Adriana and Olivia off in a forest far from the monastery and simply left, leaving Olivia dumbfounded.

She had expected something terrible or life-threatening to happen. However, the demon released both her and Adriana without saying anything, and then flew away on its massive black wings.

Olivia had been contemplating how to fight this demon she had never seen before, but she didn’t even get the chance to fight.

She had considered whether to draw Tiamata as well, but the moment never came.

When the thunderstorm gathered in the distance, lightning flashed, and a crimson firestorm began to rage, it looked to Olivia as though chaos had truly erupted.

She was desperate to find out what was happening, but she didn’t head in that direction solely because of Adriana.

Though it was unclear what was actually going on, securing Adriana’s safety was the priority.

Thus, Olivia walked briskly in the opposite direction of the madness.

Adriana was just as confused by the situation.

“Listen carefully, Adriana.”

“Yes, senior?”

“We mustn’t tell anyone what happened to us.”

“Yes.”

Adriana understood why Olivia was saying this.

“Whatever it is, if someone finds out, it won’t end well.”

“... Yes.”

Given what was happening, a thorough investigation into the chaos that was occuring would soon be launched, even though it was happening on the outskirts of the capital.

Moreover, for some inexplicable reason, a demon had rescued the two of them. Such a thing would never be seen in a good light, and they might even be branded as demon collaborators.

For their silence to be effective, all the holy knights at the scene would have to die.

Olivia didn’t know what was happening, but she knew they had to leave the area.

Olivia continued to walk forward, holding Adriana’s hand firmly.

***

Given the considerable commotion, it was certain that troops would be dispatched, and an investigation would soon follow.

We regrouped at a location far from the ruined monastery.

“Did you handle everything?”

“Yes.”

It was me, Sarkegar, Loyar, Eleris, and a trembling Radia Schmidt...

Radia Schmidt hadn’t seen the full extent of the battle.

But she had seen the demon flying through the night sky, the large-scale destructive magic cast by the Vampire Lord, and the silver beast Loyar.

She had witnessed those three individuals—four, counting me—massacring the elite holy knights, including Leverier Lanche.

We would not have emerged victorious if they had been prepared and able to fight in their best condition. Normally, I wouldn’t have stood a chance against Leverier Lanche.

He had fought in a whirlwind of destructive magic so intense that it would be enough to instantly turn a normal person to ash, and he had lost his life because of Tiamata’s unexpected transformation into a demonic sword.

Strictly speaking, all of this was merely a stroke of luck achieved through my use of Revise and the demonic sword Tiamata, and not because of any significant increase in my own abilities.

However, the fact that I had faced and killed Leverier Lanche remained unchanged.

Loyar and Sarkegar had dealt with the remaining fleeing holy knights.

“Who... who are you... really...?”

In the face of this incomprehensible situation, Radia Schmidt could only see me and my subordinates as unfathomable overlords of the Demon Realm.

I had to decide what to do with the terrified Radia Schmidt.

The only thing I had needed from her was Leverier Lanche’s location, which we obtained. The matter was resolved. Therefore, Radia Schmidt was no longer useful.

I looked at the terrified Radia Schmidt.

The others hadn’t yet addressed me as “Your Highness,” so Radia Schmidt didn’t know my exact identity.

However, given that I commanded demons, she likely had some idea of who I was: the re-emerged Demon King.

I couldn’t let Radia Schmidt go quietly, since she knew too much.

I had to choose between killing her or turning her into a vampire.

“Your Highness.” But Eleris quietly called out to me. “Can you leave this child to me?”

“... You want to be responsible for her?”

Eleris didn’t enjoy killing, but she had been commanded by me to repeatedly unleash large-scale destructive magic.

While Loyar had dealt with the elite knights, Eleris had massacred those who couldn’t protect themselves.

It was no wonder that Eleris’s expression was grim.

Ellen looked at the trophy, the evidence of her victory as Miss Temple, sitting in her room.

It wasn’t bad to receive such a thing. It was proof of others’ recognition. But it wasn’t something she needed.

Ellen stared at the trophy for a moment, then opened the door.

She needed a change of pace.

Ellen stepped outside.

She just wanted to take a walk. There was no other reason.

As she looked around the hallway and the lobby, she wondered if someone had returned. If someone was there.

She was just trying to change her mood.

Ellen quietly glanced around the Class A dormitory and headed outside.

She was dressed in light training clothes. Not much had changed, but Ellen found her reflection in the window fascinating. It was as if she had suddenly realized that clothing was very important.

Ellen looked at herself in the window, dressed in training clothes, and felt the vast gap between her recent self and her current self.

When she had been dressed up in a fancy dress, wearing heavy makeup, she had felt miserable.

Now, having returned to her original appearance, she felt even more miserable than before.

She had wanted to show it to him.

She was curious as to what expression he would make when he saw her dressed up like that.

She had been thinking about what to say while in that appearance.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Ellen headed outside the dormitory.

‘Isn’t he coming back today? Did something serious happen?’

Even though she tried not to think about it, the same thoughts kept rising, making Ellen confused.

She had asked him to come, but he hadn’t, so there must have been a reason.

‘Then, did he run across something dangerous again, as usual? Shouldn’t I be worried rather than feeling disappointed that he didn’t come? Shouldn’t I go look for him?’

As Ellen felt her imagination spiraling out of control, she headed towards the dormitory entrance.

And there, she saw it. A familiar-looking silhouette, from behind...

Someone was sitting on the steps of the dormitory entrance.

He wasn’t wearing the Temple uniform, but casual clothes.

She recognized the back of his head.

“...”

All the confusion, questions, and feelings of disappointment swirling in her mind momentarily subsided.

Ellen quietly approached the familiar figure.

“What are you doing?”

“Oh, oh!” Startled by her voice coming from behind him, Reinhart almost rolled forward as he stood up. “Oh, uh... that... um.”

It was a cold day.

Reinhart’s face was red from the cold, as if he had been sitting there for a long time. He looked at her with a dazed expression.

His fingertips, face, and nose were all red.

‘Why is he sitting on the dormitory steps instead of coming inside?’

Ellen tilted her head as she looked at Reinhart.

“Aren’t you cold?”

“... Well, uh... um...”

“...”

‘Is he unable to come inside because it was cold?’

He could have gone inside, but he didn’t.

He must have felt like he needed to say something, but no words seemed adequate.

On this cold night, Reinhart had long ago returned, but couldn’t bring himself to enter the dormitory.

He probably didn’t know what to say if he ran into her. He was likely to encounter her, whether in the dormitory lobby or anywhere else.

So, he had been sitting outside the dormitory, unable to decide whether to go in or not, just endlessly sitting there.

Ellen looked at the shivering Reinhart.

He wasn’t shivering from the cold; it was clear he was trembling for another reason.

He looked so foolish.

“Aren’t you cold, I asked.”

“... Oh, well, uh... a bit?”

“Well, I want to take a walk.”

At Ellen’s words, Reinhart shook his head vigorously.

“Oh, yeah, no, not cold at all. Yeah, this is nothing.”

Ellen smiled faintly at Reinhart.

“Let’s go,” she said.

Ellen took the lead, as though leading him somewhere, and Reinhart followed behind.