CH 449

Her thoughts had been wrong.

It wasn't that he had deceived her, knowing everything.

It wasn't that he had tried to deceive her and take revenge, knowing everything.

He had cared for her, knowing everything.

He had cherished her, knowing everything.

The person who had no choice but to hate her.

The person who was strange for not killing her on the spot.

He had cared for her.

She didn't know that simple thought, that simple answer.

Reinhardt's love for her must have been greater than her love for him.

Loving a classmate and loving the family of one's enemy were entirely different issues.

He cared for someone who he should not love, but she couldn't trust that.

Just once, at the most crucial moment.

If she had trusted him.

But she couldn't, and the world was on the verge of destruction.

It was all her fault.

The situation was caused by the minions of the Demon King who possessed a strange artifact called Akasha.

But Reinhardt didn't want this situation.

If Reinhardt hadn't been captured.

If the minions of the Demon King hadn't created such a desperate situation to save Reinhardt.

This wouldn't have happened.

In that case.

It was her fault for not trusting Reinhardt at the most crucial moment, causing all this.

In the end, it wasn't the Demon King but herself who caused this situation.

That's why.

Everything was her fault.

It was just a day's difference.

The clue was right in front of her, and at that time, Reinhardt was not in the Imperial Palace.

If she had only endured for one more day.

If she had held on for a day and asked Reinhardt everything first.

This wouldn't have happened.

That's why.

It was all her fault.

Entangled in piled-up misunderstandings and lies, the situation had become so confusing that she didn't know what to believe, and time dragged on, leading to this.

A single day of misunderstandings and distrust had brought about all this.

It had ruined everything.

Liana, Olivia, and Harriet tried to trust Reinhardt even in this situation.

But she couldn't.

If the world was to be destroyed.

The greatest responsibility lay not with the Demon King's minions but with herself.

Ellen thought so.

She didn't know what Reinhardt's dream was, but since she had ruined it, she no longer had the right to care for him.

She was the sinner of the world.

And Reinhardt's sinner.

I must.

Take responsibility for this situation.

Whether by death or something else.

Ellen Artorius had to take responsibility.

"Crack!"

"Ugh!"

"Ellen! What are you doing right now!"

In front of the knights of Shanafel, Ellen broke a third sword, as if she wouldn't let anyone leave the temple.

The Swordmasters of Shanafel were astonished by Ellen Artorius, wielding the Void Sword that shattered and cut through even the Aura Blade with just a touch.

"Step back. I don't want to hurt you."

"At this rate, we'll lose... we'll lose the Demon King!"

"Let him go. That's why I'm doing this."

There were five Swordmasters, but Ellen exuded an aura that if they crossed the line she had drawn, her Void Sword would cut not their swords but their necks.

Ellen's skill was formidable, but the power of the Void Sword Lament was an absolute cutting force that even troubled the Swordmasters.

Combined with the divine artifact of the Sun God, Ellen's defense did not allow the Swordmasters' attacks to breach her in the slightest.

The knights of Shanafel began to retreat.

-Screeeeaa

Flying monsters began to enter the temple through the broken barriers.

"We should prioritize killing the monsters, not chasing the Demon King."

The world might be destroyed because one couldn't trust the person they loved.

Ellen Artorius had become the protagonist of such a ludicrous situation.

How much responsibility would she bear if the world were to end?

Perhaps.

It could be all her fault.

She shouldn't love Reinhardt anymore; someone like her shouldn't.

Since she had made up her mind, Ellen had to do something else. She couldn't allow herself to help Reinhardt. That was a task for those who had trusted him.

She had no place there.

She wasn't qualified.

That's why she had to do something else.

The only other thing she could do.

Take responsibility for this situation.

Hold up the world that crumbles because of her.

Protect the world that might be destroyed.

Even though she knew it wouldn't be enough to atone for her sins.

There was nothing else she could do.

Regain Reinhardt's trust, rebuild their relationship.

Someone like her shouldn't hope for such things.

That's what Ellen thought.

—---

When they left the temple gate, they expected a worse situation than inside the temple.

However, the situation wasn't as terrible as they thought.

Krrrrr

The colossal warp gate in front of the temple gate had already been destroyed.

The interior of the temple originally had the strongest human forces gathered. Therefore, their response was swift.

The royal court magicians and grand wizards were usually dispatched throughout the continent. But now, due to his existence, they had gathered at the imperial capital.

Of course, there were monsters appearing, corpses strewn in the streets, and collapsed buildings everywhere. People screamed and fled.

But the Imperial Capital didn't seem to be on the brink of collapse.

Flying monsters in the sky were shot down by lightning, fireballs, or unidentified magic from the ground.

The emperor drastically reduced the forces around him and chose to deal with the disaster in the capital.

It seemed that he had properly understood and accepted his statement that the colossal warp gate must be destroyed first.

It was good that the damage in the imperial capital was reduced, but it meant that the damage to the regional bases would be amplified, as more forces were gathered here.

The empire couldn't intervene in every location.

As the capital quickly stabilized, the damage to the entire continent would grow.

And, the rapid stabilization of the capital's chaos wasn't good for him.

They had to escape the capital.

Fortunately, not only the guards but also the elite imperial and holy knights were busy dealing with the situation. The area around the monster-free temple gate was deserted, albeit with signs of destruction.

Krrrrrrr!

A crack appeared in the air, and a woman with red hair emerged from it.

"Your Highness!"

Eleris appeared and hugged me tightly.

"Are you alright?"

"..."

Instead of answering my worried question, Eleris bit her lip, unable to say anything.

Eleris had done the only thing she could do – operating Akasha.

Without causing such a level of chaos, there would have been no way for our meager forces to rescue me.

And even then, it wasn't enough. If it weren't for the unexpected help of Olivia, Harriet, Liana, and Ellen, I wouldn't have even been able to leave the temple's main entrance.

"First of all, we must leave this place."

Eleris spoke with trembling eyes, as if her feelings and thoughts were not worth mentioning.

Everyone seemed a bit cautious because they didn't know who Eleris was.

"Who is that person?"

Harriet, however, had seen Eleris before. The person I had been supporting in the Lich's tomb.

She had appeared again, the one who had lent her tremendous magical power. I spoke to Harriet.

"We don't have time to explain in detail. Let's get out of here first, and then I'll tell you everything."

At my words, Harriet nodded with a stern expression.

“Aaaaaah!”

-Grrrrrrrr!

The nameless monsters cried out, filling the air.

“Aaaaaah!”

“The judgment of the gods has descended!”

The screams of terrified people echoed all around.

"Gallarush and Luvien are casting Mass Teleport from the southern part of the Imperial Capital. If we can just make it there..."

How far had we run?

Some knights, who seemed to be rushing to deal with the monsters, discovered us.

"Scottla Kelton..."

We had run into the Shanafel's third squad led by the captain, Scottla Kelton.

He had been present during the recent interrogation.

Would we be able to break through Shanafel's knights, even with Eleris's help?

Seeing their expressions, Eleris spread her arms to shield us and moved us behind her.

Scottla Kelton looked at us intently.

The Demon King had escaped.

As a knight of Shanafel, it was his duty to prevent our escape.

The knights, including the Swordmasters, slowly approached us.

"Your Highness, let me..."

"Be quiet."

I knew what Eleris was trying to do.

I knew what she wanted.

"Do not search for the tomb in front of me."

It was obvious what Eleris wanted.

I couldn't just let her die like that.

Though she wasn't my real mother.

Since I arrived in this world, Eleris had always been like a mother to me.

Even if the plan failed.

Even if the wind collapsed.

Even if I opened the door to destruction with my own hands.

I have no intention of letting her find peace in death.

She must live a little longer.

As if trying to force this life, exchanged for countless others, to survive despite knowing that everything could have been resolved if I hadn't done anything, and unknowingly bringing about this insane situation.

Eleris also must live.

She must live and do something.

Even if she can't atone for her sins, escaping from everything through death would be a cowardly act.

Death won't atone for her sins.

I wouldn't let Eleris find a place to die.

Watching the approaching Swordmasters, including Scottla Kelton.

I grasp the Flame of Tuesday.

"It reacts to dark emotions, you said."

Eleris had told me that the Flame of Tuesday, a sinister artifact, reacted more intensely to killing intent, hatred, and anger.

Certainly, the emotions I'm feeling now are dark.

No, they're closer to the abyss itself.

Despair, rage, pain.

And yet, the compulsion to live.

In the midst of annihilation, not even knowing what to do, I must live because I brought this about.

Without knowing what my current emotions are, only knowing that they are darker than any emotion I've ever felt while living.

I hold the Flame of Tuesday.

Infusing it with the power of Self-Suggestion.

The power of Word Magic.

The Flame of Tuesday, reflecting my current despair.

To the Essence of Flames.

"Ascend."

I commanded.

Rumble!

"Ugh!"

"What is this...!"

A colossal wall of flames, seemingly capable of melting the world, erupted between the Swordmasters and us.

Where the wall of fire rose, the ground melted and bubbled like lava.

"Let's go."

With the fiery barrier separating us from our enemies,

We ran southward.

—---

The defensive posture of the Imperial Capital had collapsed.

Though some measures were taken against the monsters pouring out of the warp gate, there was no strength left to catch the Demon King, who was running to escape the heart of the empire.

Scottla Kelton's forces, too, had no choice but to focus on dealing with the monsters that were slaughtering civilians, instead of chasing the Demon King.

As a price for capturing the Demon King,

As a price for not trusting the Demon King, humanity had to pay the cost.

Rumble

The collapsed main building, the debris of the great hall.

Epinhauser and Loyar's legs were bound by Saviolin Turner.

Epinhauser, Loyar, Sarkegaar, and even Lucinil.

They had to pay the price for stopping time.

Lucinil was incapacitated, her limbs bound by magic chains, Sarkegaar, who had annoyed everyone with his shapeshifting abilities, was tied up in a spatial barrier, and Loyar was groaning, having returned to human form with her body covered in blood.

And then,

Epinhauser, with Tempesta embedded in his abdomen, bleeding from the debris of the collapsed building, was being silently watched by Saviolin Turner.

"Why."

Saviolin Turner's voice trembled.

"Why did you have to do this, Epinhauser?"

As far as she knew, Epinhauser was a patriot. He had a strong desire to love and protect the empire more than anyone else.

He had joined Shanafel and been active, but at some point, he had decided to train successors and had been appointed as a teacher of the Temple Royal Class instead of Shanafel.

Saviolin Turner, who had seen Epinhauser up close, had no doubt about his character.

But he had sided with the Demon King.

The demon forces could do so because they were demons.

But she could not understand why Epinhauser, a human and someone who loved the empire more than anyone else, had made such a choice.

She was the one who dealt the decisive blow, but she was also the most confused.

"Why did you, who were on the empire's side more than anyone else, do this?"

"..."

Bleeding from his forehead, Epinhauser looked up at Saviolin Turner.

"That, too, was... more than anyone else... for the empire... for humanity..."

"…The Demon King?"

Epinhauser silently nodded his head.

Saviolin Turner could not yet fully accept that the Demon King did not wish for destruction.

After all, hadn't the calamity that seemed to crumble the world begun? Even if the Demon King had taught them a solution, wasn't that the truth?

But Epinhauser was Reinhardt's teacher.

At the very least, he had been watching Reinhardt for much longer than she had.

"Did you already know that Reinhardt was the Demon King?"

"..."

Epinhauser did not answer.

Epinhauser was not a man to plot something without reason or act impulsively.

He must have done something so utterly incomprehensible because it was backed by his convictions and determination.

Even knowing that he would die, he faced off against Saviolin Turner, the strongest human.

He wouldn't have dug his own grave in such a meaningless place.

Epinhauser, bleeding and dying, showed a subtle smile in the face of death.

"And..."

Epinhauser had been observed for quite some time, but this was the first time she had seen him smile.

"The teacher... saving his disciple..."

The teacher, who had always seemed cold, was slowly dying.

As he died, she spoke.

"Is it... such a special thing..."

It seemed as if it was something he only had to do.

Saviolin Turner watched Epinhauser's breath stop until the end.

"..."

These days, she was filled with doubt about everything she had built up.

Reinhardt.

The Demon King.

The humans who believe in and follow the Demon King, even though he is the Demon King.

Despite not having to do so, there exist those who believe in and love the Demon King.

The countless appearances and aspects of the Demon King she had seen.

While seeing the Demon King's appearance as he claimed he didn't desire destruction and wanted to save humans.

If he had wanted humans to be divided, the Demon King, who should have said that the raid of Rajeurn by the Demon King was a self-written drama of the Empire, didn't mention it even once.

And, in a situation where it was almost certain that if she had really believed the Demon King's words, such things wouldn't have happened.

"Now... I don't know anything."

Saviolin Turner felt lost.