CH 505

To save the Demon King, no one in Edina need to be sacrificed.

For that would entail a loss of Edina's power.

A being who possesses two sacred relics, exceptional beyond measure.

Ellen is fated to battle the Demon King eventually. Therefore, she cannot be with him, regardless of what the future holds.

It merely solidifies their destined enmity.

Whether Ellen is dominated by vengeful spirits or not, she is still destined to fight the Demon King.

Hence, nothing significant truly changes.

From this perspective, Antirianus's claim that no one in this room needed to be sacrificed was reasonable.

Not everyone here knows the full details about Ellen Artorius. However, they are all aware that she has reluctantly become humanity's hope as the Demon King's adversary.

Charlotte gazed down at the table with a stern expression.

Two years since the Gate incident.

Charlotte and Ellen shared the same guilt.

Both blamed themselves for not trusting Reinhardt when it mattered most, leading to the current situation.

They tormented themselves with endless self-reproach.

Charlotte could have been with Reinhardt, but Ellen could not and was fated not to.

Charlotte knew that there was no way for Ellen to escape the lengthy guilt and remorse.

But now, Reinhardt's very existence might vanish.

Ellen would be willing to give up her life to save Reinhardt.

By shouldering the hatred and hope of all the wandering souls, and by being corroded by them, she would try to save Reinhardt.

Even if, in the end, her very existence merged with the vengeful spirits and disappeared.

Charlotte knew that Ellen Artorius would do so if she could save Reinhardt.

She wouldn't hesitate to make that choice.

Later, even if the day came when she truly had to fight Reinhardt for their lives, if the only way to save him now was that choice, Ellen would have no other option.

Charlotte knew what decision Ellen would make, having experienced the same guilt and self-blame.

Harriet's face turned pale as she violently shook her head.

"Reinhardt would never, ever accept it."

Regardless of whether Ellen accepted it or not, Harriet believed Reinhardt would never allow such a situation.

And everyone agreed with Harriet's thoughts.

The vengeful spirits within Olivia hated him, and he thought he deserved their punishment, so he willingly accepted it into his body.

The present Reinhardt is slowly dying because of the hatred, anger, despair, and vengeance of too many vengeful spirits.

So even if Ellen tried to bear that burden for him, it was evident that he would never accept it.

"Of course, we must proceed with this matter in utmost secrecy. The great being must never know what we, the lesser beings, are planning."

"In his current weakened state, a simple hypnosis or sleep spell should keep him asleep for an extended period."

"By the time the great being awakens from his deep sleep, everything will be over."

"There is no reason why we can't deceive him twice."

With a sinister smile, Antirianus glanced at a spot in the meeting room.

"Thunder King, don't you agree?"

"..."

Faced with that malicious gaze implying she should understand his words, having already deceived the king once under the pretext of serving him, Liana clenched her fists and tightly closed her eyes.

"This wretched creature..."

Lucinil clenched her teeth as she glared at Antirianus. Frustrated by the malicious behavior, Lucinil burst out.

"Why on earth do you do this? Why... why do you do this?"

"Lord of Wednesday, is what I said incorrect? Or, do you have any other solution besides the one I have proposed?"

Finally, Lucinil exploded.

"I don't have one! I know I don't! You're right! Yes, you must be right! There's no other way... there must be no other way! But... why do you only think in such a way? Why do you only think in a direction that causes someone suffering?"

"Well..."

Antirianus laughed.

"Isn't it... entertaining?"

At the bizarrely cruel laughter, Charlotte shuddered.

Lucinil, fed up with the malice, stood up and muttered coldly.

"You're like a monster that feeds on tears."

Lucinil kicked the door of the conference room in disgust and left, casting one last glance at Antirianus.

"I really hate you."

"What a pity."

-Bang!

Not wanting to deal with it anymore, Lucinil left the conference room.

Antirianus was right.

It had to be the best choice.

To deceive Reinhardt once more.

In the name of doing it for Reinhardt.

Make an offer that only someone with the ability to handle it all can accept.

The words themselves were correct.

Antirianus, too, had found the option to save his lord as a loyal servant to Reinhardt.

Is it acceptable for the process to be like this, even if the conclusion is that of loyalty?

If his intentions were merely to seek pleasure.

Is that really loyalty?

"It seems there is no other way."

But. In the end, only such a conclusion is necessary for a true loyalist.

"I agree."

Sarkegaar, too, agreed with the conclusion.

After the Council of Elders meeting, Harriet walked absentmindedly down the hallway of Lazak Castle.

The thought of the terrible plan lingered in her mind.

Harriet absentmindedly walked to Reinhardt's bedroom door.

When she opened the door, there was Reinhardt, asleep.

Three people were by the bedside.

Olivia Lanze, holding Reinhardt's hand with a worried expression.

Airi, with her hand on Reinhardt's forehead.

And Liana, unable to look directly at Reinhardt, staring blankly out the window.

Olivia continued to restore the weakening body.

Airi somehow held onto the crumbling spirit.

The two were barely holding on to Reinhardt's dying body and soul.

"How is he...?"

Olivia shook her head with a depressed expression.

There was no sign of improvement, only deterioration.

"His conscious time is getting shorter."

"...Is that so?"

Airi had been adjusting to make Reinhardt dream peacefully when he lost consciousness, so he wouldn't be exposed to the despair of the wandering souls.

It was possible because she was a demon who controlled dreams, one of the most powerful among them.

The fortunate thing was that Airi was adept at using this power for healing purposes, not for bewitchment.

Having soothed the dreams of many people for healing, she was able to somewhat handle Reinhardt's unconsciousness, which was no different from being in the midst of chaos.

Harriet stood quietly, looking down at Reinhardt, who looked much worse just by his complexion.

Harriet could not even begin to fathom how much pain Reinhardt must be enduring.

"Just how... dire is the situation?"

Harriet asked Olivia, who was the only one present who knew what Reinhardt was going through. Despite knowing that Airi was controlling the dream, Olivia spoke softly as she looked at Reinhardt asleep in agony.

"In my life, I've never experienced anything so horrifying."

Olivia looked up at Harriet.

"Even if I could handle it, even if I could take on Reinhardt's pain and continue to live... it was so terrifying that I'd be afraid to accept it."

At the mention of such terrible pain, Harriet's expression hardened. She knew how Olivia felt about Reinhardt.

Olivia had been saved by Reinhardt numerous times, and she had saved him as well.

Harriet knew that Olivia was someone who would die for Reinhardt without hesitation.

Olivia would do so if she could bear the burden herself.

However, that didn't mean there was no fear or terror involved.

The experience was so horrifying that even Olivia could not help but hesitate to some extent.

The countless spirits of hatred were attempting to dominate her soul, causing immense spiritual pain.

Not knowing what spiritual pain even was, Harriet felt even more fearful and pitied Reinhardt.

Enduring this alone was already an incredible feat, but hoping for Reinhardt to overcome more than this was nothing short of wishful thinking.

That's why the ruler of Saturday proposed a dreadful plan to pass this burden onto Ellen.

Olivia, holding Reinhardt's hand, lowered her gaze.

"Is it... possible for that person... to endure this...?"

Her tone was a mixture of crushing defeat and a sense of inferiority.

Many people would rather bear this burden themselves.

Airi, Harriet, Olivia, Liana, and even some of the Elders like Sarkegaar.

Many wanted to take on this burden themselves.

"Why can't I...?"

Olivia expressed her miserable feelings.

"It's not like that,"

Harriet shook her head.

"What do you mean?"

"It's just that it doesn't matter if you can't endure it."

"…What?"

The Lord of Saturday did not suggest this plan because Ellen could handle what Reinhardt was going through.

Putting aside Antirianus's dreadful proposal, there's no need to discuss what choice Ellen would make if she were to accept such an offer.

Ellen would undoubtedly accept it.

Ellen would be manipulated by her own sense of guilt towards Reinhardt.

Someone must make a sacrifice, and the majority of people there can't even make that sacrifice.

If these people are devoured by the vengeful spirits, the loss would be immense. After all, they're all needed in Edina.

The logic of sacrificing Ellen by Antirianus is simple.

It's not because Ellen Artorius is extraordinary that she can handle these vengeful spirits.

Ellen is destined to be an enemy of Edina and the Demon King.

So, what does it matter if she becomes an enemy through hatred and assimilation with the spirits? She's destined to be an enemy anyway, so she might as well take on the burden that Reinhardt carries and become a true enemy.

Ellen was expendable to Edina, and she was prepared to be sacrificed.

That was Antirianus's logic for suggesting the sacrifice.

"Even if she can't bear it, even if Ellen collapses and loses her sense of self, it doesn't matter because she's an enemy... that's what this is about..."

"..."

Putting aside whether it was possible or not, it was simply a matter of cost-benefit analysis.

Everyone in Edina was necessary to Edina.

It would be a loss for Edina if any of them were burdened with this task and banished.

So, if Ellen, who was fated to become an enemy and willing to bear any burden, took on this task, Edina would not suffer any loss.

It was just a cruel cost-benefit argument.

Ellen might be able to handle it, or she might be assimilated.

But as an extraordinary being, she wouldn't die like the others when her body gave out.

At least, she could become as strong as Olivia.

If she endured well, perhaps as strong as Reinhardt.

Or she might even surpass him, but from Edina's perspective, Ellen's fate didn't matter, and that's why the plan was proposed.

So, Olivia didn't need to feel inferior or defeated by Ellen.

The proposal wasn't made because Ellen could handle it.

Clearly, Ellen was a good person from Edina's standpoint, but not from Reinhardt's.

So, they had to deceive Reinhardt again.

With wide eyes, Olivia tightly grasped Reinhardt's hand.

Olivia didn't like Ellen.

Even more so than before, she didn't like her.

"..."

But was it acceptable?

Just because Ellen would accept the sacrifice, was it right to make such a proposal?

"Instead, let me..."

Liana, looking out the window, spoke.

"Shouldn't I be the one to do it?"

Ellen was an outsider in this matter, and the responsibility fell on Liana.

Instead of suddenly imposing the sacrifice on Ellen, wouldn't it be right for Liana to bear it herself?

Not being controlled by those vengeful spirits, but enduring until her body collapsed from mental exhaustion.

Shouldn't Liana at least attempt to bear it?

Liana's face, as she spoke with determination, was filled with deep guilt and self-blame.

It was unclear if Ellen could handle it.

Liana couldn't shake the thought that she should take on the burden and be banished from Edina instead.

Liana struggled with the situation where someone else constantly had to shoulder the burden stemming from her actions.

Liana was needed in Edina.

So Antirianus's logic was that she shouldn't be sacrificed, but Liana didn't necessarily have to follow that suggestion.

"Liana."

Airi softly called Liana.

"Come here, please."

"…Yes."

Airi beckoned Liana to her side as she placed her hand on Reinhardt's forehead.

"I'll show you the visions of despair and vengeful spirits that Reinhardt is experiencing for a moment."

The images of despair and vengeful spirits existing in the depths of Reinhardt's consciousness.

"I only saw it briefly, but I don't think I could bear it."

Airi looked at Liana, as if asking if she was ready, and promised to show her only a small portion of the painful visions.

"…Yes, show me."

If Liana could endure this, she might truly be the one to bear it.

If she couldn't even handle a part of it, Liana would only meet a miserable end.

Airi cautiously took Liana's hand.

"…!"

As a result of seeing just a fragment of that pain, Liana fell into a coma for two days.

------

Shhrrring

Ellen, with Lament returned to an ordinary sword and sheathed, stepped down from the heap of brutally slain monster corpses.

The soldiers saluted Ellen, who was wearing a silver plate armor.

"You've done well."

"Have all the nearby areas been cleared?"

Surveying the plain where the monsters' cries had subsided, Ellen mounted the horse that a squad member had brought.

"Yes, we just received word from Shanafel that securing the safety of the troops' march has just been completed."

"Then I'll head back. Please take care of leading the squad."

"Understood!"

Hee-hee-heeng!

As Ellen spurred her horse, the white steed began to gallop.

The hero, wearing magnificent silver plate armor with the Cloak of the Sun God draped over it and the Sword of The God of Moon at her waist, raced across the plain filled with the corpses of monsters.

At the edge of the plain, the bodies of monsters were continuously spread out.

After riding for a while, Ellen could see white smoke rising beyond the hills.

As Ellen crossed the last hill, a vast plain unfolded before her, where densely packed tents filled every corner of her view.

The strongest army of humankind.

And for that reason, the last army of humankind.

Ellen slowly guided her horse towards the massive encampment where cooking smoke rose from various places.