CH 552

The Royal Mausoleum is located within the Imperial Palace.

Infiltrating the Imperial Palace is almost as difficult as infiltrating the Temple.

Of course, now that the Temple is nearly empty, infiltrating the Imperial Palace may be more difficult, but the condition of breaking through the entrance is the same.

One must have a pass related to entry, and unauthorized entry is impossible.

Naturally, entering through magic, including teleportation, is impossible.

The warp gate in the Palace of Spring is inoperative without the activation artifact, and even if it were present, the gate is already broken, making entry impossible.

Sarkegaar could change into a bird and enter the Temple, but I cannot do that. Strictly speaking, even if I could transform, I wouldn't be able to fly.

Even if I could, there would be no use in me entering alone. I can wield the power of corruption that resides in Tiamata, but I cannot control it as freely as Olivia can.

Charlotte suggested several ways for us to infiltrate the Imperial Palace, but all involved significant risks and were far from perfect.

It would be strange if Charlotte knew how to infiltrate the Imperial Palace without permission in the first place.

Most of the Empire's elite, including Shanafel, have left their posts.

Even if we somehow infiltrate the Imperial Palace and are discovered, we may be able to cause havoc and escape, but the news of the Demon King's return would be problematic for both the Empire and the Alliance.

People are afraid of me.

Just the thought that the Empire might collapse under the Demon King's attack while I destroy the gate could send the Alliance into a panic.

We came here to carry out a daring plan, hoping that no commotion would arise.

Infiltrating the Imperial Palace is not solely my responsibility, at least for now...

Not yet, since we're not entering now.

So, for now, we're in a safer place: the National Cemetery in the northern hills of the Imperial Palace.

This place is indeed an honorable resting place for those who have made great achievements.

Not only those who entered the Royal Mausoleum are heroes.

"It's amazing."

We were standing on a plain where the National Cemetery in the northern part of Imperial Palace could be seen from afar.

It was more like a park than a cemetery, being a large, well-maintained area.

The reason it remains intact despite being on the outskirts of the Imperial Palace is that monsters see no value in destroying this place.

Monsters are not interested in corpses, after all.

"Surprisingly, there are people coming and going."

"They have to be here."

Of course, there were troops at the massive entrance, and quite a few visitors were seen.

They could be family members or people who came to comfort the deceased warriors.

No matter how difficult life is, there must be those who come to pay their respects. In fact, there might be even more visitors during such times.

People mourning, remembering, and grieving for the dead.

We came here to steal corpses from them.

Anyone can come to pay their respects, and anyone can be in this place.

There are troops and gatekeepers, but one doesn't need a special status to enter here.

That's why we were able to enter the National Cemetery without any hindrance, just like the others who came and went freely.

It's more like a massive park than a cemetery.

The Royal Mausoleum is, of course, a place where only royalty can enter, while this place is open to the public.

One might wonder what the point of having such a massive park-like National Cemetery is for those struggling to survive.

Perhaps it was fortunate that the foundation of the royal capital had not crumbled enough for outright tomb raiding to occur in this place.

Given that it was a burial site, the people passing by maintained a somber demeanor, regardless of their appearances.

As they entered, they did not immediately find a dense collection of tombs, but instead discovered a map indicating various spaces designated for memorial purposes.

Looking at the map, Olivia crossed her arms.

"The area is divided into sections. It seems the cemetery has been expanded to the east. There's a section specifically for the fallen soldiers."

The areas accessible to them differed according to the level of their achievements.

Some were buried in outdoor tombs, while there were temples and underground catacombs for those with great accomplishments.

"First, we'll visit the soldiers' cemetery, and then we'll head to the central catacombs."

They were certainly strange people, considering they wouldn't be punished for their actions...

While others mourned with somber expressions, they were plotting to steal.

No, their intentions were even worse than theft.

"There are quite a few people around. It's still early in the day. We should wait until night to take action."

Though time had passed since they arrived at the royal capital due to their walk, it was still daytime.

"We have some time. Let's go there."

Seeing where I pointed, Olivia tilted her head, and Harriet did the same.

The place I pointed to on the map was no ordinary location.

The Unclaimed Graves.

Merely looking at it weighed heavily on their hearts, but Charlotte had told them.

"...They're there."

Epinhauser and Loyarl.

They had heard that their tombs were here.

------

On the day the Gate incident happened.

Epinhauser, Loyar, Lucinil, and Sarkegaar had come to rescue me.

Epinhauser and Loyar died, while Lucinil and Sarkegaar were captured.

Their corpses wouldn't have been placed in this national cemetery from the beginning.

Although the details were unknown, they were buried in the Unclaimed Graves of the national cemetery through some means.

Both were seen as humanity's traitors, siding with the Demon King. Thus, they couldn't have their names engraved on tombstones.

Burying them in the national cemetery's Unclaimed Graves might have been a form of regret and atonement by the Gardias royal family.

Not that it would bring back the dead.

Olivia and Harriet knew that Epinhauser, a teacher, had died fighting to save me, and they also knew about Loyar.

Epinhauser and Loyar, who couldn't have their names engraved on tombstones due to their identity, became the owners of the Unclaimed Graves.

"..."

Nameless tombstones spread out around the memorial tower.

I didn't know which of the numerous tombstones belonged to Loyar and which to Epinhauser.

Harriet and Olivia had stern expressions as well.

Were they afraid of what I might say?

A dreadful imagination.

They couldn't help but think of our purpose here and its connection.

They might think I would try to resurrect Loyar and Epinhauser as Death Knights.

"Reinhardt... even if they come back, they probably won't have their consciousness or self-awareness..."

"..."

"Raising the dead is different from becoming a Death Knight while alive."

Epinhauser, who had been a Swordmaster.

Loyar, who was believed to have been even more skilled.

Naturally, turning them into Death Knights would be helpful.

But that wouldn't be the case.

"Why would I do that?"

It might be selfish, but there was no other way.

"I don't want to turn someone I know into something like that."

I came here to create expendable tools for war.

And I have no intention of engaging in the horrible act of using those who were once precious to me.

However, creating such things from strangers doesn't make the act any less horrifying.

No, the very idea of considering it acceptable for strangers, but not for loved ones, is even more disgustingly selfish.

As horrifying as the thought may be, I must create tools that I can treat as expendable. And these people are beings I cannot consider as mere tools.

They are the ones who sacrificed themselves for me.

Let's leave them be, at least.

Raising them again won't bring back their souls. No, if their souls were to return, it would be a horrifying thing.

I can't say for certain how much of a difference there is between exploiting the deaths of strangers and exploiting the deaths of those who mattered to me.

But perhaps such favoritism is unavoidable.

What did Loyar want?

It seemed like she wanted the reconstruction of the demon realm, but it also seemed like she didn't.

She didn't seem to be very loyal to me, but in the end, she was a loyal subordinate, no different from Sarkegaar.

Everyone in the Rotary Club died.

After losing everything, Loyar died while trying to protect me, the last thing she had left.

I don't know much about Loyar.

And I know even less about Epinhauser.

"I still don't understand."

"What don't you understand?"

"Why Epinhauser died trying to save me."

Epinhauser's attempt to save me was not related to the Black Order.

In fact, the Order tried to kill me, and the remaining core forces were annihilated. The scattered remnants were not worth worrying about, so in a sense, the Black Order was essentially destroyed.

Epinhauser believed in me.

I don't know what he believed, but he tried to save me because of that belief.

"Do you remember when I fought against the Orbis-class guys?"

"Yeah…"

The fights against Lilka Eren and Oscar de Gardias.

Those events eventually led to the Orbis-class academy crisis.

"Epinhauser said something in the disciplinary committee."

"What did he say?"

"He said that I was the most talented individual in Temple history."

I thought it was just a lie to protect me.

How could I be called that when Ellen was around? After the disciplinary committee ended, I told Epinhauser that, and he sternly replied that he genuinely believed it.

"I know my abilities better than anyone else. But no matter how much I thought about it, I didn't think I was that exceptional. So, it was a bit… disconcerting."

What did Epinhauser see in me?

"But looking back now, I can't say that Epinhauser was wrong."

Neither Harriet nor Olivia could respond to my words.

I don't know if I am comparable to Ellen.

But at this point, only a handful of people could face Ellen, and I am one of them.

If I can defeat Ellen, then Epinhauser's words would be true.

I don't know why he died protecting me, or what he saw in me.

I have no intention of reviving him as a Death Knight, and even if I were to revive him, conversation would be impossible, so I will never know.

From the start, I preferred the curt and seemingly uninterested in students, A-class teacher Epinhauser, over the gentle and affectionate B-class teacher like Mustlang.

But I was wrong.

Epinhauser was not a teacher who lacked interest in his students.

I still don't know Epinhauser.

"Let's stop here."

However, it seems he knew me.