CH 655

In truth, it wasn't necessary for Liana to meet Cliffman.

Whether Cliffman sided with us or not, it wouldn't make much of a difference.

However, Liana had met Cliffman.

Seeing that, I thought the same.

At least once, I did.

After all, up until now, I had always pursued a purposeful goal.

Perhaps it wouldn't hurt for me to meet someone I just wanted to see, even if it were only once.

As Liana had been afraid, I too was scared.

I feared that Adriana might unleash her anger towards me.

But like Cliffman, Adriana didn't resent me.

I wanted to take Adriana off the battlefield inappropriately, but she refused. I knew she would refuse.

In fact, if someone shouldn't fight for such a reason, there shouldn't be a single soldier in the allied forces. There wouldn't be anyone who absolutely had to fight.

So it was only natural that Adriana rejected the words I selfishly uttered.

I wished for survival.

For Adriana, for myself, and for anyone else.

A promise of survival wouldn't guarantee one's life.

Regardless of such a promise, someone would eventually die.

Because that's what war and battles were about.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

After returning to Lazak, I nodded in response to Harriet's question.

"Your expression has worsened."

Had it?

With a worried look, Harriet touched my cheek and scanned my face.

Liana seemed somewhat relieved.

After meeting Adriana, my heart felt even heavier. There was no quarrel, and Adriana was even worried about me.

I should feel better, but my mood sank further.

Still, I didn't regret meeting Adriana.

"I just want to do better."

"…?"

"That's why I'm like this."

At the end of a brief break, I resolved to do better.

I might not be able to protect everyone.

But isn't it right to want to protect everyone?

------

"Christina, what's wrong with you?"

"…"

To Louis Ancton's question, Christina remained silent with a rigid expression, seated in front of the desk.

It was Christina's sole decision to try to use Ellen as a hostage.

Louis Ancton, Anna, and Ludwig had no idea that Christina would attempt such a thing.

Therefore, to the others, Christina appeared suddenly pale and speechless.

Christina couldn't speak of her involvement in the matter.

"What's going on?"

"No, it's nothing."

"It doesn't seem like it's nothing. Why have you been like this for the past few days? You should eat something."

Ellen Artorius.

To overthrow the Demon King, Ellen had to be used.

Christina was confident in that idea.

That's why she believed it was just a matter of execution.

She didn't think it would be easy to suppress Ellen.

That's why she led the elite Immortals and waited for a moment when they wouldn't be watched.

However, instead of subduing Ellen in a place without watchful eyes, the Immortals were brutally slaughtered.

And after overpowering Christina, Ellen hesitated for a moment before she put Christina down and walked away.

Christina hadn't even managed to put up the slightest resistance.

It was true that the Immortals had suffered because Ellen was strong.

However, it wasn't Ellen's strength that rendered Christina unable to resist.

Christina felt in her bones that she had underestimated the nature of combat.

Even a fellow battle mage was unnecessary.

There was no need for Magic Body Strengthening.

Simply fighting against a robust soldier would have been enough for Christina to realize how weak she was, vulnerable to death.

Creating an Immortal didn't make Christina herself stronger.

She had been under the illusion that wielding great power made her powerful.

But there were more important things than regretting her miserable arrogance.

For several days after that day, the moment when Ellen was choking her haunted her dreams, but even that wasn't the most important thing.

'It's not human... That's not a human.'

She had discovered something very strange while trying to take Ellen hostage.

Ellen's voice.

A bizarre voice that could never belong to a human.

A pain unlike anything she had ever felt before, as if tens of thousands of people were speaking simultaneously, tearing her soul apart just by listening.

Ellen wasn't simply a formidable opponent.

It wasn't something that could be described to that extent.

Ellen had become something other than human.

Dangerous, terrifying, and horrifying at the same time.

Something that seemed to possess its own will.

'It's dangerous... This, this is dangerous.'

Originally, Christina intended to capture Ellen to kill the Demon King and lure him out.

However, she had made the mistake of stepping forward and provoking Ellen while intoxicated by her own arrogance.

But now, that mistake seemed almost fortunate.

The most dangerous thing wasn't the Demon King, the Empire, the Immortals, or even the Gate Incident.

The sword that cut through anything.

The cloak that blocked any attack.

Ellen Artorius, who wielded those two relics, had been swallowed up by something strange.

Christina had paid the price for her arrogance and error.

And she learned a crucial fact as a result.

The most dangerous existence now was none other than Ellen Artorius.

Having suffered such a humiliating defeat, Christina wouldn't step forward again.

She didn't plan to become a battle mage, unfamiliar as she was with fighting.

As she had been doing, she would simply command from behind, using the Immortals in a manner befitting her status.

Christina believed she had already addressed the threat of Scarlett.

But what about the other threat?

How should she deal with Ellen, who could cut down the Immortals like a scythe through wheat?

Was there anyone in the world who could face Ellen?

What had Ellen Artorius become?

What did she want?

But one thing was clear.

Ellen, who had become something unknown, had definitely said this.

She wouldn't kill Christina yet because she still had a use for her.

Ellen could break through the barrage and attack of the Immortals' army.

She was the only one who could actually do that.

It meant she would kill Christina, regardless of what happened to the Immortals, once everything was over.

Ellen represented neither the Empire nor the Demon King.

Thus, Ellen was the only one who could try to annihilate the Immortals without regard for the world's interests and kill Christina without hesitation.

Only then did Christina truly understand the strength of Ellen Artorius, which she had only heard of before.

People naturally assumed that the hero was on their side.

And so, they simply praised the hero's strength.

But they couldn't imagine what would happen if Ellen Artorious, the hero, became their enemy.

However, Christina had seen it with her own eyes.

If the hero became an enemy, nobody could stop her.

She had seen that no army, sword, or magic could stand against her.

Ellen was better when she still had some semblance of humanity.

Ellen Artorious, who was crumbling under the weight of guilt, could still communicate as a human. That's why it was possible to make her retreat by touching upon that guilt.

But now, there was no dialogue to be had.

Suppose the hero had become a monster-like existence. What should be done then?

Humankind had developed weapons to end the Gate incident.

They were neither Titans nor Immortals.

The strongest weapon of humankind had always been in human hands since the Gate incident.

Ellen Artorious was that ultimate weapon.

But now, only the aspect of a weapon remained in her.

Although the hero without humanity was still on the side of humankind, she was not on Christina's side.

From the beginning, she was not a being that could be treated like bait.

It was unclear whether Ellen would be a threat to humanity, but she was definitely a threat to Christina.

'I have to kill Ellen.'

The unknown itself was the biggest threat.

If Ellen was not eliminated, everything might be ruined.

Christina began to become consumed by this thought.

"Christina, what's wrong? There's obviously something going on. Don't worry by yourself, talk to me."

But it was clear that no one would agree to the idea that Ellen had to be killed.

So Christina couldn't bring herself to voice that thought.

------

The allied forces had now begun their advance towards their final target, Diane.

Would the Gate incident end, or would humankind end?

Under normal circumstances, the military's combat power should weaken as they advance. However, strangely enough, the allied forces' combat power was exponentially increasing as they fought.

Firstly, it was because of the Titan's involvement, and secondly, it was after the Immortals joined.

As the Gate incident became more dangerous, the allied forces grew stronger.

Everyone knew the identity of the Titan.

It was a gigantic golem created under the leadership of the brilliant mage of the Archduke of Saint Owan and the Temple.

However, nobody knew what the second power was, even though they had all seen it.

It might have been fortunate that the horrifying military force was part of the allied forces, but ultimately, everyone was bound to feel fear as long as they didn't know what it was.

But the truth couldn't be kept secret forever by those who knew it.

Inevitably, stories began to spread throughout the allied forces, starting from an unknown source.

The mysterious and powerful army was said to be an undead legion created by the empire, using the corpses of fallen soldiers.

That's why all the soldiers wore helmets with face-covering visors or robes that covered their faces.

It was said that they covered themselves so thoroughly because someone might recognize the face beneath the helmet or robe.

Rumors spread that the emperor had turned to forbidden power to end the war.

The truth, which was too hard to believe, spread like a groundless rumor.

The rumors didn't end there.

Whispers spread that there were traitors within the allied forces, individuals who had sworn loyalty to the Demon King.

The Emperor had intervened that week.

Those who pledged loyalty to the Demon King were emerging from the allied forces.

Heading towards their final battle, the allied forces were shaken by two bizarre rumors that threatened to disrupt their unity.

And lastly,

Another piece of news spread through those who had no choice but to travel to the Imperial Capital for supplies and other reasons.

In the Imperial Capital, a preposterous rumor circulated that the gate crisis wasn't the doing of the Demon King, but rather the Emperor himself.

That's nonsense.

What would the Emperor be lacking to do such a thing?

Naturally, there were very few who believed the rumor.

There were many starving people on the Imperial Capital, so they have no one to blame but His Majesty.

Yes, there was a huge disaster last time, and many people died, right? It must be because of that.

Whenever something went wrong, people assumed it was their fault.

The majority didn't believe the rumors.

However, rumors have a way of growing and becoming entwined.

The first rumor.

An army made of the dead.

The second rumor.

Those who swore loyalty to the Demon King.

The third rumor.

The bizarre notion that the Emperor was the mastermind behind the gate crisis.

There were those who didn't believe the rumors, but there were also those who were susceptible to them.

And those who were weak to rumors often combined them.

But... if it was true that the Emperor caused the gate crisis... then what exactly is the Demon King?

Don't say such crazy things. It's a dangerous claim.

No... it's strange... don't you think it's weird that the Demon King hasn't attacked us so far?

The Demon King's inaction in attacking humanity thus far had already become a foundation for speculation.

The assumptions people had never made before were now becoming solidified within the unbelievable and bizarre rumors.

Think about it. If the Demon King really wanted to eradicate humans, he could have done it already. He just needs to target a different place instead of here. So why doesn't he?

Ordinary thinking would have deemed it impossible that humanity was still alive.

But no one had ever thought of it that way, and even if they had, they hadn't voiced it.

However, once the name was mentioned, it became unstoppable.

Conversations about the Demon King circulated throughout the allied forces.

Could it be that the Demon King doesn't really care about destroying humanity?

That's nonsense! Didn't the Demon King attack the Imperial Capital last time? During... the princess's execution ceremony. It was said that he turned the Imperial Capital into a wasteland then.

No, from what I heard, he just took the princess and disappeared. There were very few casualties.

I heard thousands of people burned to death.

Are there any witnesses from the Imperial Capital?

In the end, rumors gave birth to speculation, and conjecture disguised as truth became yet another rumor that haunted the allied forces.

Eventually, everyone couldn't help but arrive at the greatest suspicion.

Why was the Demon King leaving humanity alone?

It was an undisputed fact that the Demon King had caused the gate crisis to eradicate humanity.

But why were there no further actions taken?

Though the Demon King had seemingly vanished, there was a clear record of his appearance not too long ago at the execution of the princess.

There were those who had witnessed the battle themselves.

Whether it was the Imperial Army or another force, the Demon King had appeared at that time, mercilessly slaughtering the Swordmaster and the Archmages. In the end, the hero who emerged struck the Demon King's heart, and he disappeared.

Did the Demon King actually die then...?

There's no way he died just like that...

Rumors began to circulate, suggesting that the Demon King had actually died at that moment.

Had the Demon King already died long ago?

If the Demon King had died, what about the traitors who now claim to have sided with him?

Right?

Rumors spread, and it was impossible to tell where the truth ended and the lies began, plunging people into confusion.

That's why rumor-mongers were created.

It was only natural for people to gather scattered stories and create their own version of the truth.

The Demon King never intended to annihilate humanity; the fact that he hadn't attacked humans so far was evidence of that.

The Gate incident was a conspiracy or accident orchestrated by the emperor, who then pinned the blame on the Demon King.

Upon discovering the truth, some of the alliance's leaders, who learned that the true culprit was the emperor, began to side with the Demon King.

Feeling threatened, the emperor started to secretly remove the corpses of fallen warriors and created an army of the undead to protect the empire and himself.

This story had no real connection to the facts, and the cause-and-effect relationship was arbitrary.

There was no explanation for what the emperor would gain from causing the Gate incident, nor why he would organize the alliance to end the Gate incident if he was responsible for it.

Even the background of the Immortals and the emergence of the Demon King's supporters had a reversed cause-and-effect relationship.

In the end, fabricated stories that were more believable gained credibility.

At any rate, stories that began with the assumption that the Demon King was evil garnered people's trust.

Now, stories that began with the assumption that the emperor was evil started to gain credibility.

Some stories were easier to believe when there was someone who had clearly done something wrong.

Naturally, there were many who dismissed these stories as nonsense.

The important thing was that confusion began to spread among the people regarding what to believe.

When rumors became too exaggerated, even though only a few people believed in the overly inflated rumors, some small parts of the rumors could not help but be treated as the truth.

Those who believed in the fabricated truths were few.

However, people began to believe in the sources of those rumors as the truth.

The emperor had created an army of the dead.

The Demon King was interfering with the alliance.

There were leaders within the alliance who had sided with the Demon King.

Since the Gate incident, the Demon King had not attacked humanity even once.

These four truths became deeply ingrained in people's minds.

The exaggerated and baseless rumors made people recognize the foundations of those rumors as facts, regardless of whether they trusted the rumors themselves.

Really, did the Demon King cause the Gate incident?

If the Demon King didn't cause the Gate incident, it made sense that he hadn't attacked humanity thus far.

On the contrary, if the Demon King was indeed responsible for the Gate incident, it became incomprehensible why he had allowed humanity to continue existing until now.

In reality, there were no stories of the Demon King personally slaughtering people or destroying human cities, aside from the Gate Incident.

And so.

The Allied Forces advanced toward Diane in confusion.

With an inherent chaos of not knowing who to hate.

Thus, the path to the final battlefield.

"There's no need to do more. It’s already reached the maximum charge."

Redina spoke as she looked at Cayer Voiden, who was sitting in the Ark Crystal Chamber.

"I know."

Redina's role was to extract and use the magical power from the Ark Crystal, which stored Cayer's magic.

However, since Redina found out that Cayer's physical condition had become extremely weak after the continuous battles, she hadn't been pressing him about the Ark Crystal-related issues.

It was then that Redina realized.

From the beginning, Cayer had been doing what he was supposed to do, whether Redina asked him or not.

Therefore, even when Redina didn't push or rush him, Cayer continued to do his part, ignoring her pleas to stop.

"I told you not to come in here when there's no need to charge. Sitting there will only drain your magic."

When magic was depleted to an extreme degree, a person dies.

It was the depletion of the source of life.

By now, Redina knew better than Cayer himself how weakened his body had become.

But as the battles continued, their already strained relationship completely fell apart.

With only this task available to him, he questioned what else he could do.

As Redina's harsh words chipped away at Cayer, he had no choice but to obsess over the only task he could do.

Even when Redina apologized and begged in regret, Cayer wouldn't listen.

"That's not what I'm trying to do."

"Then what are you doing?"

What could he do in front of the already fully charged Ark Crystal?

Redina, who had warned him not to leave the chamber, now felt the most uneasy, knowing what kind of effect that action would have on Cayer's body.

"I have a magic manipulation deficiency, but I can put magic into the Ark Crystal. So, I was trying to see if I could control the speed of magic infusion."

"..."

The only thing he could do.

Cayer seemed to be trying to see if there was something else he could do.

I ruined him.

With wide eyes, Redina could only watch Cayer's actions.

"But it doesn't work. The Ark Crystal doesn't receive the magic from me; it takes my magic."

It wasn't transferred by his will but was taken by the Ark Crystal.

In the end, Cayer got up from the chamber with a bitter smile, admitting he didn't know.

"Adelia must be amazing for creating something like this."

An incredible talent said to be born with immense magical power.

However, the inability to wield that magic.

Seeing Cayer, who had nothing but made himself useful thanks to his gifted classmates, Redina bit her lip.

Cayer's self-deprecating words were all things Redina had once said.

That aside from having a lot of magical power, he was a useless, foolish child.

She would snap at him to charge the Ark Crystal instead of fooling around whenever their eyes met.

The sight of those who couldn't be saved due to a lack of magic during battles.

Because of the sight of people dying, not just one or two, but in the hundreds.

She couldn't help but think it was all because of a single person's negligence.

Until now, she had hurt Cayer.

Cayer didn't deny the wounds he received.

Now, he even said the words Redina had said with his own mouth.

I am useless.

This is all I can do.

Now, he says those words to himself instead.

Looking at Cayer like that, Redina lowered her gaze.

"Can we talk for a moment?"

Always giving orders and scolding was now a thing of the past.

Redina tried her best to treat Cayer with utmost respect.

Ironically, Cayer himself didn't care about things like tone.