CH 595

No one could predict where the four pursuers would end up.

It was clear that an unusual group was involved.

However, if political issues were also tangled up in the matter, it would be even more of a headache.

If they were to investigate incidents related to the undead and end up interfering with the Holy Knights, things could become far more complicated.

"But, you know, there's something I've been wondering..."

While Ellen and Louise were pondering, Heinrich spoke up as if he had a question.

"What is it?"

"Are we really sure that the skeletons have turned into the undead?"

At Heinrich's question, Louise slowly nodded her head.

"We couldn't confirm it ourselves. It seemed the Holy Knights weren't certain about that part either."

The possibility that the skeletons had turned into the undead. That was merely a conjecture based on the destroyed coffin, but strictly speaking, they hadn't confirmed the presence of the undead.

It was merely a strong possibility.

Heinrich's question drew the attention of Ellen, Ludwig, and Louise, who all looked at him.

Feeling the intensity of their gazes, Heinrich began to sweat.

"I was just wondering if creating undead is really that easy..."

"Hmm...?"

At his words, Louise tilted her head.

"Didn't you say that those buried in the cemetery were saints?"

"Yes, they were. They must have been the remains of people who achieved great feats during their lifetimes."

"The tomb of the former Holy Knights Commander was there too."

That was the answer from Louise and Ellen. Hearing it, Heinrich seemed to be choosing his words carefully with a serious expression.

"It's just that I don't quite understand how the skeletons could become undead in the first place..."

They had become undead.

The inference itself was reasonable, but Heinrich had been considering a more fundamental aspect.

These were the remains of priests and Holy Knights who had undoubtedly achieved great feats in their lifetimes and possessed strong divine powers.

Was it even possible for them to be resurrected as undead?

"Well... I don't know much about wicked arts like the undead or dark magic. And for mages who walk the righteous path, it's an unknown area. So, I'm not sure if the divine powers they possessed in life would continue to protect their remains after death."

"I'm not sure either."

The possibility of undead created from the remains of saints, which were not ordinary remains.

Was it even possible to create so many undead in such a short time?

Ellen's thoughts kept returning to Tiamata.

Tiamata had once appeared in the form of a cursed demon sword, creating a massive number of undead.

'No... it can't be. It's not Reinhardt...'

Ellen was convinced that Reinhardt couldn't be the culprit given the circumstances.

Ultimately, Heinrich's question was this:

Was it even plausible to create undead from the remains of the saints in the first place?

"Let's ask."

Surprisingly, the answer came from Ludwig.

"Anna should at least know more than we do."

A mage with talent in dark magic.

Anna de Gerna.

At his words, both Ellen and Heinrich nodded.

------

There was no guarantee that dark magic had been used in the tomb raiding incident of the saints’ tombs. It could just as well be the work of priests of the Demon God Cult, involving a power different from magic.

The two were separate powers.

However, there might be some common ground in their ability to produce similar results.

The priest of the Demon God Cult was nowhere to be found, so Ludwig suggested they try asking Anna first. It seemed like a reasonable idea.

"She won't be at the dormitory. She comes back every few days, then leaves again the next day and doesn't return for several days."

"Where would she be? Let's go ask her."

Ellen thought it would be as simple as finding Anna at the temple and asking her.

"Huh? I'm not quite sure..."

Ludwig, of course, had no idea where the three of them were conducting their magic research.

Naturally, Louise and Heinrich's gazes met.

"The Magic University."

That morning, while the two had been strolling around the temple, they had discovered that some research was being conducted at the Magic University.

"I'm not certain, but I think she might be there."

It was Heinrich who spoke, and Louise furrowed her brow.

"I wonder if they'll let us in..."

Louise seemed unsure, having seen how strict the security was.

However, they were now accompanied by Ellen Artorius, who could gain entry to practically anywhere.

So there should have been no issue getting in.

------

Of course, that was a misconception.

"You are not permitted to enter."

No sooner had they stepped foot on the grounds of the Temple Magic University's research building, than a guard blocked Ellen's path.

It wasn't that the people behind her were attempting to enter. The guard had directly addressed Ellen when she tried to enter.

"...Why?"

"His Majesty the Emperor has ordered that no one other than those involved in the research may enter."

Ellen was included in that order, since the guard was blocking her way.

Ellen stared at the eyes of the guard inside the helmet.

What kind of top-secret research were they conducting that even she couldn't gain entry?

Ellen would have forced her way in if it had been the door of the Holy Knights.

However, the fact that it was an 'Emperor's order' mattered.

Emperor Bertus was a friend to Ellen.

They shared secrets that others must not know, and both bore the responsibility of the Gate incident.

They shared an indescribable relationship, bound together by guilt and lingering sadness.

If her friend had forbidden even her own entry, there must have been a reason.

Ellen accepted that.

"I don't need to go in. I just need to know if my classmate, Anna de Gerna, is participating in the research in that lab. And if possible, could you call her for me?"

"I cannot reveal any information related to the research."

Even the participants' identities were classified. Ellen couldn't fathom why the security was so ironclad.

"However, I can report to my superiors that the Hero has come on such an errand."

Ellen wasn't particularly curious about the nature of the research.

She simply assumed that it was something helpful to the war effort, and that its secrecy was necessary to prevent potential abuse.

That was good enough. Ellen didn't feel slighted or compelled to force her way in.

Whatever research was being conducted here had nothing to do with their current situation.

"Then that will do. Can you pass that message along?"

"Yes, I understand."

Ellen didn't know whether Anna would be here, but if she wasn't, they would just have to wait for her to return to the Royal Class dormitory.

After a few days, Anna would return once again.

------

With no immediate means to report their findings, the group had no choice but to return to the temple dormitory at the behest of the guard.

For reasons unknown, the emperor had issued orders preventing not only others, but also Ellen, from entering the Magic University.

Royal Class, second-year, B-class dormitory lobby.

Everyone gathered and took a break while sipping the tea Heinrich had brought.

Although they hadn't suffered physically from wandering around in the snow until now, it was inevitable that they would experience mental fatigue.

"It seems to be a highly confidential experiment, although we don't know what it is."

"That's true."

At Louise's words, Ellen quietly nodded.

Everyone present was curious about the research being conducted at the Magic University, but they didn't harbor any further suspicions.

That was due to their preconceptions.

"Come to think of it, it was strange that the Titan project had been conducted without maintaining confidentiality. That's why the archduke has been greatly inconvenienced by the mages from the Mage Guild and the Mage Corps."

"Inconvenienced?"

At Ellen's question, Louise shrugged.

"Mages are individuals who can't help but be curious about new magic or technology. And for those who have devoted their lives to magic, the Titan must be...shocking to behold, right?"

"Indeed…"

"Yes... That's right. Definitely."

Heinrich and Ludwig also shuddered at the thought of the Titan's overwhelming power, even though it wasn't in front of them.

The Titan's appearance in the Serandia battle had been gigantic and overwhelming, visible from anywhere on the battlefield.

"Although the higher-ups and mages generally knew that such a thing was being made, seeing it with their own eyes was a different matter. Even I felt that it was unfair that such a thing was possible with magic."

Although the Titan was a war weapon created with magic, everyone couldn't help but feel as if they were witnessing a divine manifestation or apparition in front of it.

"So it's only natural that the archduke, who was the main pillar of that project, is being tormented by the mages. And... it's not just the archduke."

Class A's Adelia.

The archduke is the archduke, but Adelia is a student from the Royal Class.

Heinrich muttered absentmindedly.

"Adelia must be going through a great ordeal as well."

"Of course."

Although the Titan project was not strictly confidential, not all of its technology had been disclosed. So it was inevitable that mages, whether out of curiosity or greed for that knowledge, would pester the archduke and Adelia.

Mages swarmed like a pack of dogs, asking them various questions, and Adelia, being who she was, couldn't turn them away coldly.

Heinrich couldn't help but worry about Adelia's mental state when he imagined the scene.

Adelia is a researcher of the highest order. She is not suited for direct combat, nor is she good at it.

Of course, Adelia didn't fight directly, but by completing the Titan, she would be remembered as the mage who killed the most monsters in the world.

Magic research is generally confidential.

This time was no different, and because of this preconception, no one harbored any significant doubts. Of course, everyone found it strange that even Ellen couldn't enter the research facility.

"I wonder when Anna will return?"

In response to Ludwig's question, none of them could be certain.

In the end, the guards wouldn't tell them whether Anna was at the Magic University or not. They only agreed to relay the message that Ellen had come looking for her.

Asking Anna about the dark magic related to the undead wouldn't provide a clever solution to their current situation. They simply wanted to know if it was easy to create undead from the remains of the saints.

Ultimately, they were all feeling anxious, but there was no immediate solution or new idea to be found.

They could request an audience with the high priests of the Five Great Religions, but that was a sensitive issue that required further consideration.

If they were to join the search for the heretics in the refugee camp, there would be no guarantees.

Rowan didn't work alone; she had dispersed numerous inquisitors throughout the camp to gather and consolidate information.

They couldn't tell if Rowan had discovered the true identity of the culprits.

It was a case Rowan had been pursuing, and they had even fewer resources available to them.

They couldn't know whether they would reach the end of this matter before winter's end.

So there was no point in rushing today.

"Let's call it a day."

Ellen suggested that they organize the information they had gathered today and rest.

"Ludwig, when Anna returns, ask her the questions we wanted to ask, and let us know... No, just call me."

Ellen corrected herself, realizing it would be better for her to ask Anna directly.

"Alright, I got it."

Ludwig nodded with a determined expression.

"I don't think we need to rush too much. Even if we don't know who killed Rowan, if they find out we're chasing them..."

Louise looked at everyone with a serious expression and continued.

"We must always keep in mind that they might try to harm us."

They were dealing with the people who had killed Rowan.

They couldn't be sure if the culprits would go after the heroes as well, but they couldn't rule out the possibility that the same fate awaited them once they knew they were being pursued.

Heinrich, Ludwig, and Ellen.

They all understood that pursuing this matter came with considerable risk.

"I feel like I dragged you into this mess..."

Ludwig hadn't thought it was a simple matter.

But when he had asked for Ellen's help, he couldn't have known it would turn into such a huge incident.

The thought that Ellen might be in danger because of him sent shivers down Ludwig's spine.

Moreover, it felt like causing an irreversible inconvenience.

"No."

Ellen shook her head at Ludwig's self-blame.

"At this point, we can't just let it go."

She added that it would be better for everyone if they could take action before the situation escalated, regardless of what might happen.

It wasn't a statement meant to console.

She genuinely believed it and said it for that reason alone.