“Where the hell is that asshole? What does he think he’s doing?”
Liana de Grantz muttered with a frown as she crossed her arms.
The Miss and Mister Temple pageant had already begun.
All of the Royal Class students who had come to watch the contest were seated beside each other in the reserved seats.
“Yeah….”
Harriet muttered quietly at Liana’s nervous tone.
The contestants were all good-looking, if only because those who joined were confident in their looks, and even if they lacked in that department, they all had one thing in common: outstanding personal skills.
Ellen’s entry number was nine.
Now that number seven had just finished, it was nearly the time for Ellen’s turn.
All of her classmates were there, even Kono Lint. Everyone except Reinhardt.
She wondered where he was and what he was doing.
Harriet had mixed feelings.
She didn’t know what happened with Reinhardt. He was supposed to be here, but he wasn’t.
According to Liana, the fifth-year senior also hadn’t shown up in the waiting room either for some reason .
What was he doing?
If he’s supposed to be here, then why isn’t he?
Reinhardt’s absence was both a blessing and a curse.
Harriet knew she was being cowardly for not wanting Reinhardt to come, but she also wouldn’t like it if he saw Ellen today.
Everyone was puzzled as to why Reinhardt was nowhere to be seen.
Harriet watched anxiously and nervously, but she wasn’t sure why she was feeling like that at the moment.
The slightly nervous contestant seven, calmly completed the dance she had prepared for her appeal time and left the stage, thus it was now time for contestant eight.
As time passed and the contestant eight’s turn ended, Harriet found herself getting nervous.
And then, the next one was….
-And now, a Royal Class contestant. As you all know, the Royal Classes are numbered in order of ability. The contestant this time is a Royal Class first-year, A-2 Miss Ellen!
Ellen walked out onto the stage to the sound of applause.
“….”
Of course Harriet recognized her.
Ellen always wore either a school uniform or sweatpants. But Harriet knew that Ellen actually had a very striking appearance.
But when she saw Ellen all dressed up in her full glory, her mouth dropped open in disbelief.
It seemed that Liana had been trying to figure out what color would look best on Ellen.
Right now, Ellen was wearing a stark white dress. Her hair had been tied up and accented with a ribbon. Ellen was also wearing white heels, which Harriet thought made her stand out a bit too much against the other contestants.
Liana looked at her with satisfaction, while her classmates and the audience, who didn’t know her, were looking at her in a daze.
Ellen had practiced smiling so much that she had perfected a pretty convincing smile by now.
That was good enough.
It wasn’t lacking even when compared to Olivia.
Harriet had that thought to herself.
But no matter what the onlookers thought, Ellen was still smiling and staring at the audience.
As if she was looking for something.
Or someone.
As Ellen continued searching for that someone, she soon found herself locking eyes not with the person she’s looking for, but with Harriet.
Her eyes were locked with Harriet’s. But she broke her gaze, and she scanned the area again. Looking for someone who wasn’t there.
Then, finally, her gaze returned to Harriet.
It’s like Ellen was asking her something with that gaze.
As if to ask her if she hadn’t seen him.
Harriet’s heart seemed to tighten, even though he wasn’t there.
Ellen’s eyes were asking Harriet.
‘Hasn’t Reinhardt come here yet?’
She didn’t know what answer to give to that gaze. She couldn’t laugh, neither could she cry.
But it seemed like she had made a very strange expression.
Ellen lowered her eyes.
As if Harriet’s perplexity was an answer in itself.
-Ms. Ellen, was there a particular reason you decided to enter the Miss Temple contest?
-Ah….
Ellen pursed her lips.
There must have been something she wanted to say.
Harriet watched as Ellen shook her head, while trembling.
-I wonder if there’s anyone in particular you’d like to show this look to today. Has there ever been anyone like that?
-….
Ellen had no answer to the host’s question.
That’s exactly the kind of question that would strike a nerve with her in this situation.
Harriet gritted her teeth as she watched Ellen struggle to find the right words to say.
A moment ago, she’d been glad Reinhardt hadn’t come.
But now, seeing Ellen in such a pitiful state, she had only one thought.
It looked like Ellen was going to break.
Harriet didn’t wish for much, but she definitely didn’t want that to happen.
‘Where are you….’
Harriet’s fists clenched involuntarily.
‘What are you doing….’
Harriet resented Reinhardt for not coming.
Sarkegaar was watching the situation from the outskirts of the abandoned monastery. The monastery was huge, but it had been abandoned for so long that it had an air of decay about it.
Sarkegaar hadn’t quite understood the situation yet.
He had only come along because he had been told there was something he needed to do, but he didn’t really know what was going on.
However there were people to be rescued and enemies to be destroyed.
It was an act that would verify the existence of the demonic remnants to humanity, but the reason behind these actions was unknown to him.
The aim was the same as always: infiltration.
This time, it wouldn’t be kidnapping, but instead, it would be a rescue mission.
Turning into a sparrow, Sarkegaar flew effortlessly over the outer walls of the monastery and headed inside.
It wasn’t heavily guarded, but there were a few men stationed here and there.
Among them, there were about twenty elites that could actually pose a threat.
His lord had ordered him to rescue two women.
One that was locked in the monastery.
The other that had just rushed into it.
There were many more armed men capable of using divine power in the monastery.
Sarkegaar was a demon.
As such, he was as incompatible with divine power as much as the undead Eleris, if not more so. That’s why he was not thrilled to infiltrate this place filled with high ranking paladins.
But following his lord’s orders took precedence.
Sarkegaar flew cautiously through the monastery, keeping his eyes peeled for any signs of movement.
-Where is Adriana?
Without having to look too closely, Sarkegaar could hear an angry voice coming from the clearing.
It was the woman who had just arrived at the monastery.
-I’ll tell you after you’ve answered the question.
-You know what the answer will be.
-Then you should also know what will happen.
-What do you want?
Sarkegaar moved closer to the scene of the conversation.
A clearing in the middle of the monastery.
A middle-aged man sat in a worn chair around a campfire, accompanied by several paladins, and across from him was a young blonde woman in a Temple school uniform.
Sarkegaar knew the middle-aged man was Riverierre Lanze.
“Return to Towan, and retract all testimonies you had given, and profess that you regret it.”
“….”
“The Five Great Churches will break away from the Empire and will establish an independent holy empire, with the Knights Templar as its backbone, and you will be its first Holy Empress.”
“What… nonsense…”
Olivia stared at Riverierre.
Break away
Independence.
Just hearing those words made Olivia’s breath catch in her throat.
“What if I don’t want to…?”
“Then you will regret the things that will start happening.”
“You mean killing Adriana? That little girl, who hasn’t even become a nun yet?”
“Let’s call it an unavoidable sacrifice. The gods will surely understand.”
Olivia’s expression was one of unmistakable contempt and disgust as she watched Riverierre Lanze use the gods’ name as a shield in front of his evil deeds.
“… Is this your way, father? To be so angry, so resentful of your loss of power. Is this your way, abandoning your faith and humanity?”
“It’s the only choice I have to counter the threat to the Five Great Churches, and you know full well that no one will be harmed if you promise to return.”
“I’m not going back.”
“Even if something happens to the child who saved you?”
“….”
Despair and anger flashed across Olivia’s face.
He believed in his vision of raising Olivia to glory, but in reality, he’s looking to restore his own honor and regain his position that would come from retracting Olivia’s statement.
“Why me? Why would you choose me? If father wanted to do something, you could have just done it. I don’t understand why you’re trying to involve me in this. Like… I don’t know why you’re threatening me with someone else’s life over this. I really don’t….”
“Because, as I always said, there is no one more qualified than you.”
“Don’t try to rationalize it with words like that, please….”
Olivia finally broke down, tears streaming down her face.
“It’s just, you just want power, you want to use me to fulfill your own greed, so you created this weird group. You want me to take back what I said to clear your name, to achieve your ambitions….”
“Olivia, I don’t expect you to understand what I mean. But each person has a role, a destiny, and I intend to fulfill mine.”
Riverierre Lanze had an attitude that seemed like he wouldn’t budge an inch.
“Previously my role was to lead the Human Coalition who fought in the Demon World War to victory, and now it is to protect the Knights Templar, along with the entirety of the Five Great Churches, from the predations of the empire.”
In front of Olivia, who was sobbing, Riverierre Lanze did not show the slightest hint of emotion.
“And you are my successor. That was what I have decided and I raised you that way. And if it doesn’t happen that way, then I’ll make it happen.”
“Why… Why would you….”
“If you refuse, do you think it will end just with Adriana?”
”!”
Olivia’s eyes widened.
“Do you think I can’t touch Reinhardt?”
“W-What… What… are you talking about…?”
At the mention of Reinhardt’s name, Sarkegaar, who had been watching the whole situation, watched Riverierre Lanze intently.
Sarkegaar understood that, at the very least, Riverierre Lanze had to be eliminated.
He was a threat to his lord Valier. Sarkegaar watched Olivia’s face twist at the mention of Reinhardt’s name.
She was clearly an ally of Reinhardt’s. Sarkegaar was convinced of that.
“If Adriana doesn’t work, I’ll just find someone else who is dear to you. I have called you here, Olivia, to show you that this cannot be the end.”
“….”
“Give up, Olivia, before this small pain in your heart becomes bigger and you are left crying and wailing.”
Olivia’s eyes went lifeless at those words, as if the weight of the situation had suddenly hit her.
Adriana was just the beginning.
If she didn’t give up, Riverierre Lanze would destroy everything she held dear, one by one, by any means necessary.
Since threats and torture against Olivia herself didn’t get him anywhere, so he took a look at her surroundings to find a way to break her.
He knew that she could endure any kind of physical pain, but she couldn’t stand to have those she cared about hurt.
Olivia was no stranger to sacrifice, and she knew she’d rather sacrifice herself than see those she cared about get hurt.
Just as she had conceded the match against Lydia Schmidt, who made the use of Berserk to use her life as a bargaining chip, sacrificing her own goals.
Riverierre Lanze knew how to get Olivia’s cooperation.
“You’re… a demon….”
Olivia said in a furious tone. The paladins around her winced at the words, but Riverierre Lanze held up a hand to stop them from speaking.
“You really are. If I can’t escape… then this is the only way…!”
An explosion of divine power and blue mana began to burn through Olivia’s body.
While using Magic Body Strengthening and the divine power, Olivia glared at Riverierre.
“If either of us dies, everything will come to an end.”
Rather than live with this hopeless situation, Olivia chose to resist until the end, rather than be coerced.
If she died, no one would be sacrificed.
But first, if she had the opportunity, she would kill Riverierre Lanze, the man responsible for this heinous act. But Riverierre Lanze remained calm in the face of Olivia’s outburst of hostility.
“Do you think I didn’t know you would make such a choice?”
Riverierre Lanze gestured. Two paladins appeared from somewhere in the hallway.
“…!”
“The moment you try to pull the slightest stunt, you will see Adriana die.”
“Senior….”
Adriana, looking miserable, was dragged by the paladins to the clearing. Olivia stared wide-eyed at Riverierre Lanze.
“This… you…!”
“Even if you try your luck here, you’ll only end up dead, but before that you’ll have to see Adriana die first.”
From the look of guilt on Adriana’s face, she seemed to know fully well that she was being used as bait.
Olivia couldn’t bring herself to fight. The moment she tried anything, the sword at Adriana’s throat would do its job.
“First of all, I don’t see why you think of this as a bad thing, this all is the first step in protecting the churches. It will save a lot of lives. You could save a lot of people if you would just change your mind a little bit.”
Olivia couldn’t answer Riverierre Lanze’s words.
She really couldn’t
He believed in what he was saying, so much so, that nothing he said made sense anymore. He never questioned himself because he believed his path was truly just.
Olivia knew him well.
He had always been like that.
Always making demands, but never compromising.
“Senior… I, don’t mind me!”
“Adriana….”
Adriana, who was being held captive, shouted at Olivia with a face full of guilt.
The look on Adriana’s face was one of disillusionment that was beyond disappointment. It was the look of having lost even the enthusiasm for life, as she was disappointed that the ideal that she had been striving for was colored by this kind of scum.
“Senior… I, I’m okay. I’m fine. Please do as you wish…….”
“Adriana, don’t say anything. I… I….”
She started speaking but….
Olivia couldn’t find it in herself to finish the sentence.
What could she do to save Adriana?
To save her, she had to comply with her foster father’s demands.
She had to pursue something she didn’t even want, whether it’s the holy empire or something else.
She must tell the empire that the heinous things he did to her were all lies, so that Riverierre Lanze could become the Commander of the Knights Templar once more.
Adriana was only the beginning.
Olivia thought so, coldly.
She would pretend to listen to their demands for now.
Then, once she knew that Adriana was safe and sound.
After that she would kill herself.
Once she’s dead, Riverierre Lanze couldn’t torture anyone anymore to change her mind, and she’ll finally be free of his torment.
Because her death would be the greatest revenge against Riverriere Lanze, and the last thing anyone who wanted to use her would want was for her to die.
Olivia, thinking it over, had decided to accept his offer, for now.
But then.
-Squeak!
“Kuck!”
-Thwack!
“Eep!”
Suddenly. It happened.
The throats of the two paladins holding Adriana had been suddenly severed.
Seeing that sudden fountain of blood, Olivia’s and Riverierre Lanze’s mouths fell open.
In the darkness, as the two decapitated bodies writhed and fell, a figure took Adriana from her captors.
“Humans.”
A shadowy, shapeless figure murmured, a red gaping maw covered in darkness.
“How wicked.”
The dark figure, seemingly more evil than anything else in the world, smiled as it spoke of the wickedness of man.
-Hiss!
”!”
Olivia, who was suddenly wrapped in the shadowy figure’s grip, couldn’t resist the swift attack and was lifted into the air by the monster’s wing-like appendages.
“You, you…!”
“A demon…?”
He stretched out the wings wreathed in dark miasma that seemed to intertwine with the shadows, and soared into the sky.
-Whoosh!
“Heuheuheuheuhahahahaha!!”
With the sound of a screeching bull tearing through the night sky, the creature that had snatched Adriana disappeared into the sky in an instant. Olivia was also caught in the monster’s arms, dangling in the air, unable to resist.
“What, what! Let go of me!”
It was a soft, cute scream that didn’t match the serious, ominous atmosphere.
“What is that!”
“I think it’s a demon!”
“Uh, how can there be a demon in the capital…!”
Riverierre Lanze pointed at that mysterious demon but no one knew the identity of that creature that had suddenly taken Olivia and Adriana with it.
However, there was not much time to be confused in that situation.
Because an even more bewildering situation unfolded.
-Rumbling!
The clear night sky was suddenly shrouded with dark clouds, and these clouds glowed with ominous light.
-Flash!
At once, lightning had begun to pour from the sky.
Harriet de Saint-Owan had summoned a single thunderbolt in her battle with Olivia Lanze.
But here, dozens upon dozens of the thunderbolts rained down.
-Crackle!
“Ugh!”
“It’s magic!”
The paladins who were struck by lightning began to activate their divine powers to protect themselves, but those who couldn’t react properly in time were charred to ashes in an instant.
The highest level of destructive magic, Thunderstorm, was cast.
“Demons are attacking!”
The paladins immediately recognized the situation and shouted, but it was no good.
Thunderstorm wasn’t the end of it.
-Crack
The space around the monastery resounded with several strange cracking noises, as if the space around the monastery was being crushed, and then a huge shockwave came from all directions of the monastery.
-Qua-qua-qua-qua-qua-qua-qua-qua!
Four explosions happened almost instantaneously.
The spell Explosion was cast four times in quick succession, causing the already desolate monastery to collapse and crumble.
Paladins, priests, and members of the Order who hadn’t been able to use their divine power to shield themselves were shredded to pieces.
It was a scene of carnage.
The paladins were about to experience the kind of hell when an unexpected attack by a high level wizard happened.
Lightning rained down, while explosions blew the monastery apart.
And then.
-GRRRRR
The earth trembled, and flames began to rise from the ground.
Lightning bolts raining from the sky.
A storm of flames was erupting from the earth.
The firestorm burned fiercely, threatening to engulf the land.
“This is….”
Reverierre Lanze watched as the thunderbolts and the flames on the ground consumed the paladins.
A firestorm like this had erupted before, in front of the Knights Templar headquarters.
A dragon had appeared, and a mysterious Lycanthrope had wreaked havoc.
Riverierre Lanze hadn’t been in charge of escorting the demons then, but he’d read the reports.
This was the same thing, wasn’t it?
An unidentified demon attack.
A wave of flames swept through, and someone emerged from the flames and falling lightning.
As if the spell was reorienting itself away from them, they were completely unaffected by this mess.
There was the Lycanthrope, a wolf-like demon with a silver mane.
And beside it.
Something that looked human, but at the same time not, with fiery red hair and a pair of curved horns sprouting from its temples.
-Crackle!
A Lycanthrope and an unidentified demon appeared in the center of the inferno.
Inside this wall of flames, a sword with a pale aura slung across the latter’s shoulder caught his attention.
“Riverierre Lanze.”
This scene was one of incomprehensible horror.
Riverierre Lanze shouted, blinded by the heat and the flashes of lightning.
“You… who are you!”
“Me?”
The demon boy came to him, pointing the tip of his sword to the ground.
“My name is Valier.”
“I am the scion of the demon race.”
“The rightful heir to the Darklands.”
The boy then aimed the blade sheathed in pale aura at Riverierre Lanze.
Riverierre Lanze’s eyes were wide open, unable to help but recognize it for what it was.
“Ugh… that…!”
“Now… you damn heretic.”
From start to finish.
None of this made any sense to him.
“Time for your punishment.”
But even without understanding anything, this was certainly happening.
A Demon King wielding a Divine Relic was going to kill him.
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