The Demon Prince goes to the Academy

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.