The Demon Prince goes to the Academy

"Don't recharge the Arc Crystal?"

Upon hearing Redina's words, Cayer furrowed his brow.

"Yeah, we can just use it as it is for the battle in Diane."

Once the battle in Diane was over, the gate crisis would come to an end. Redina's suggestion was to leave the crystal as it was and use the Arc Crystal just once more.

"We don't need to use it continuously during the battle."

As Cayer pointed out, they had been using the Arc Crystal during battle by having Cayer recharge it and Redina draw out its magical power.

"But you collapsed last time."

"..."

Cayer's condition was terrible.

Regardless of the fact that there was only one more battle left, there was no guarantee that Cayer would be safe if they used the Arc Crystal in the same manner.

The Arc Crystal was currently fully charged.

Redina suggested using the crystal without recharging it for the final battle and to have Cayer stay out of the fight.

Redina nodded, looking at Cayer's stern expression.

"I understand what you want to say. With you, I'd be able to use more magic. That would definitely be helpful."

"..."

"But you know it too. There's that... strange army."

At her words, Cayer's eyes widened.

Now Cayer knew what that army was.

"People say it's some kind of... undead legion made of fallen warriors. I don't know how much of that is true. But, anyway, it seems that our importance isn't as great as before due to that army. So, I think using the existing Arc Crystal should be enough."

There was no need to use magical power extracted by sacrificing lifespan.

That was what Redina was saying.

Cayer knew about the Immortals.

Certainly, Redina wasn't wrong.

As long as the Immortals existed, the importance and necessity of Redina unleashing magic from the Arc Crystal were less than before.

Soon, the need for Cayer to bear a huge burden would be lower.

But was it alright to proceed like this?

Before Cayer could say anything.

-Thud

Redina knelt before him.

"Please."

Redina looked up at Cayer as she knelt.

"Don't push yourself any further."

"..."

"Until now, I've... been too much for you. I've wronged you. I didn't know anything. I only thought about myself. I acted selfishly."

Cayer silently watched his younger senior pleading on her knees.

"I don't know what to do. I want to apologize, but I don't know how. I don't know what a proper apology is. I'm sorry..."

As Redina began to sob, Cayer Voiden forced a bitter smile.

It wasn't just Cayer who had been broken.

Redina, who had to decide the death of countless people with her own hands, couldn't remain unscathed either.

But even though she was broken.

She apologized while looking at what she had destroyed.

Not knowing what to do, she hung her head, trembling.

Cayer had coldly told her there was no need to apologize.

To just keep doing what she had been doing.

But now, someone else could take their place.

If that was the case, there was no need to continue acting coldly.

Persisting that they could still do more because they hadn't died yet would be a rather despicable behavior, wouldn't it?

Risking one's life in a situation where it was not necessary was not for the purpose of ending the Gate incident, nor was it out of a desire to save people.

Even here, telling them to just do what they had been doing, like before, was merely petty vengeance.

It was like coercing a miserable wretch who had always been oppressed and belittled by them, saying, "You made me like this, now try to save people with the power you created by sacrificing my life."

Regardless of right and wrong, it was simply a mean act.

It was only meant to torment Redina.

And so,

Cayer knelt down before Redina, who was apologizing.

"I really wanted to see you regret it for the rest of your life after I died."

"Please… Please…"

"What a pity."

Although his words were filled with malice, in the end, he was saying that he would do as Redina had suggested.

There was no reason to obsess over something meaningless.

Risking one's life in a situation where death was avoidable was simply a foolish act.

"… Sob, sob!"

Cayer carefully patted Redina's shoulder as she finally burst into tears.

"I'm sorry… It's my fault. I… I went too far until now."

"Don't cry. It's just unfortunate."

Cayer gently comforted his unfortunate and impudent senior.

------

Reconciliation might be difficult, but once it was done, it felt like nothing special.

In the end, it was the Immortal that brought about the reconciliation between Redina and Cayer.

Since the appearance of the Immortal, Redina had felt that her existence, as a user of the Arc Crystal, was no longer as important as before.

Cayer had no choice but to realize that being obsessed with charging the Arc Crystal while feeling an unwarranted sense of responsibility was meaningless.

Of course, in the end, it was Redina who tried to persuade Cayer, acting as a mediator for their reconciliation.

Only those who have experienced reconciliation can understand.

Before reconciling, it feels like the hardest thing in the world, but what's truly important comes afterward.

"…"

"…"

An awkward silence, so tense that it caused cold sweat to run down their bodies.

If they had been very close to each other originally, it might have been possible to reconcile and return to how things were before, but these two didn't have such a past worth mentioning.

The Arc Crystal was a giant power cartridge.

Originally, the project related to the Arc Crystal was not thought of by Cayer or Redina, but by Adelia.

A person with immense magical power but unable to use it.

A person capable of near-superhuman speed in magic casting but with extremely low magical power.

Adelia, who knew of their existence, created the Arc Crystal.

Thus, although Redina and Cayer were senior and junior, they were initially acquainted through work.

Their relationship wasn't even about being on good or bad terms; they had simply met through work.

So, there was no returning to how things were before.

At first, they tried to cheer each other up, but that was only for a brief moment, and their relationship only accumulated dissatisfaction.

Since they had never been close and had only grievances against each other before reconciling, their relationship became even more awkward than when they had only been expressing their complaints.

"…"

"…"

Redina fidgeted with her fingers, and Cayer was no different.

"It's… a little… awkward… right?"

Redina's words, forced out with difficulty, were merely that.

"… Yeah."

That was all Cayer could think of.

At times like this, a new topic was needed.

The advancing army had halted near the Arc Crystal Tower.

Redina gazed up at the summer night sky, which seemed to be showered with stars.

"By the way, there have been a lot of strange rumors lately."

"Ah... that."

"It seems like all sorts of stories are emerging now that the war is coming to an end."

Redina dismissed all the ominous rumors circulating among the allied forces as baseless.

People were just excitedly spouting various stories, she thought.

Indeed, many of the stories were hard to believe.

As Redina spoke, Cayer said softly,

"Most of those are probably true."

"...What?"

"I said, most of them are probably true."

Redina, looking flustered, heard Cayer's words.

"What... do you mean? What rumors are true?"

In response to Redina's question, Cayer stared intently at her astonished face.

"The ones about the empire using dark magic to create an army of undead from fallen soldiers."

"And that there are people who have sided with the Demon King."

"That the emperor is involved in the Gate incident."

"All of them, probably true."

At Cayer's words, Redina's eyes widened.

"Just because the war ends doesn't mean everything will be over. Something else will start."

Cayer gazed intently at Redina.

"Even if I don't know, you're an important person. So, you should know too."

The truth was not important.

One had to decide which truth and facts to choose and follow.

------

In her tent, Redina sat blankly.

It was long past bedtime, but sleep eluded her.

Most of the baseless rumors were true.

An army of undead.

Traitors to humanity.

The emperor's involvement in the Gate incident.

If the Demon King was to be hated or not, Redina had never thought about it.

She couldn't equate the Demon King in her head with the one known to the world.

However, she couldn't completely separate them either.

She couldn't tell which side was the real Demon King.

There were monsters before her eyes.

So, she had only dealt with the monsters before her, not thinking about the cause of it all or whom to hate. Even if she had thought about it, she couldn't judge what was wrong.

However, now that the topic had been raised, she had to confront the concerns she had been holding back.

Where had all this started, and whose responsibility was it?

Had the traitors to humanity not actually betrayed them?

Were there actually others who deserved judgment?

Like many others who were confused, Redina also struggled to find her bearings amid the chaos.

What was important was that the things she had believed to be true were crumbling at a rapid pace.

Was the Demon King truly evil?

Had humanity truly been the victim?

As the boundaries of truth collapsed, everyone was thrown into a whirlwind of judgment.

In the end, Redina couldn't help but cautiously leave her tent.

Perhaps it was because sleepless nights were becoming more frequent as the end approached.

Redina could see someone else, who also couldn't sleep, sitting in a dark corner of the tent.

"Adriana...?"

It was none other than Adriana, who was absentmindedly staring up at the starry sky.

"Ah, Redina."

"What are you doing up so late?"

Redina cautiously sat down beside Adriana and asked.

"Just like that?"

Adriana smiled cautiously and said yes.

To Redina, Adriana had always been like an older sister, or rather, something even more significant.

When Adriana suddenly decided to leave the temple, Redina felt as if she was parting with life.

Seeing Adriana leave with a cold but sad expression, Redina felt overwhelmed.

Looking back, at that time—

Redina clearly remembered how Reinhardt's expression had also turned serious when Adriana said she would leave the temple.

Adriana never returned to the temple after that.

After the Gate incident erupted, she suddenly joined the temple's military.

Adriana still hadn't shared the details with Redina.

"Can't you sleep?"

"Uh-huh..."

Redina nodded at Adriana's question.

It would be a lie to say that Redina had no connection to the Demon King. Strictly speaking, it was more like a cursed relationship. However, upon reflection, it seemed ridiculous to call it a cursed relationship.

And undoubtedly, the connection with Reinhardt was much stronger for Adriana than for Redina.

"Adriana, have you heard the rumors?"

"Rumors? Ah...you mean that."

There were more than a few rumors, but the atmosphere among the allied forces was tense. Even those who were indifferent to gossip could easily pick up on the stories.

The subject related to Reinhardt was a taboo between Adriana and Redina.

That's why, even though it had been several years, it was almost the first time that the topic had come up, albeit indirectly.

"Adriana, what do you think?"

The unfounded rumors.

It was unclear how Cayer Voiden knew, but most of the rumors were said to be true.

Redina still had her doubts, but what should she do if it was indeed true?

No matter how much Redina thought about it, she couldn't figure it out.

After a long silence, Adriana looked at Redina.

"I think it's a sad thing."

It sounded like an insignificant remark.

But to Redina, it felt like a statement made after deep contemplation.

"Redina."

"Yes?"

"Let's make sure we survive."

Adriana firmly held Redina's hand and spoke quietly.

It was a statement that carried more determination and hope than ever before.

In truth, not much needed to be said.

Even though there were many unknown truths and countless unpredictable events, the goal was always the same.

To survive.

To live on in this world.

In the end, all the words were simply an extension of that.

Looking straight into Adriana's determined eyes, Redina ultimately—

Forgot all her worries.

It was too late to ponder the truth.

She had fought to survive.

She had fought to save.

Now, to put an end to it all.

"Yes."

All they needed to do was survive.

"Let's make sure we do."

Upon hearing that simple response, Adriana tightly embraced Redina.

------

Amidst the chaos, the allied forces, showing signs of division, advanced towards the already fallen capital of Riselen, Diane.

As they approached the location where the last gates were clustered, monsters appeared even though they hadn't yet reached the operation area.

Therefore, once the allied forces crossed a certain point, they had no choice but to maintain a constant battle-ready stance.

As they closed the distance to Diane, it was inevitable that the number of emerging monsters would increase.

The Immortals were constantly deployed, not only breaking through the advance route of the allied forces but also suppressing the monsters that circumvented the route and attacked from the rear.

The battle fatigue of the allied forces was not that high, as the tireless Immortal army was handling most of the surrounding combat.

Thus, the allied forces proceeded cautiously, bit by bit.

They were about to put an end to this long and arduous journey.

Allied Forces Command Center.

-Grrrrrrrrrr!

-Rumble!

The howls and screams of the colossal monsters, along with the booming sounds, could be heard in the distance.

"Tomorrow is the day."

Emperor Bertus quietly declared, looking at the gathered military commanders.

The expressions of the commanders varied.

There were those who had already chosen to side with the Demon King.

There were those who still stood by the empire.

And there were those who, somewhere in between, looked at the emperor with eyes full of suspicion.

Individual judgments and opinions did not matter.

As long as they were here, they had to fight.

No matter whose side they took, or who they supported.

They all needed to put an end to the Gate Incident to survive.

"Currently, the Immortals have set up a defensive line near the base, and from tomorrow, the entire army will advance towards Diane."

"Each force will move according to the detailed instructions given. There won't be much difference from the previous operations, but make sure to be familiar with it."

"Retreat is impossible."

"The rear areas beyond the reach of the allied forces are already teeming with monsters."

"Keep in mind that our forces are surrounded by monsters."

The allied forces, led by the Immortals, broke through the horde of monsters and penetrated into Diane. However, as the monsters continued to replenish, the path the allied forces had cleared was once again swarming with monsters.

The battle would not be fought in a linear fashion; it would unfold in every direction.

The number of people who could escape through teleportation was extremely limited.

Humanity's last army now stood in the absolute territory of death.

It was an attack that could not even be attempted without enduring such a dreadful ordeal.

Now that they had come this far, the allied forces had to achieve a single goal.

Destroy all of Diane's Warp Gates.

If the allied forces were annihilated without achieving this goal, humanity would perish.

With hardly anyone left on his side, everyone had no choice but to listen solemnly to Emperor Bertus's words, regardless of their feelings.

"Three colossal gates, five large gates, seven medium gates, and fifteen small gates."

"These are the last remaining Warp Gates in the world, and the Gate Incident will end once they are all destroyed."

"It took all of humanity's strength to get the allied forces this far."

"There is no next time."

"If even one Warp Gate remains while the army is annihilated, not only humanity but the entire world will come to an end."

At this solemn declaration, everyone's expression became somber.

The same was true for Rowan, the Holy Knight Commander.

There wasn't much left to convey.

In the end, they had to go and fight.

In the silence, someone spoke up, as if to acknowledge that this was the end.

"Your Majesty."

There was something that could only be said now.

Because it was the last of the last moments.

"Did Your Majesty truly cause the Gate Incident?"

At these words, the atmosphere in the room became tense.

There had been a time when just uttering those words would have been enough to warrant hanging.

However, the situation was quite special in many ways, so it was possible for such words to be spoken in front of the Emperor.

Emperor Bertus stared quietly at the person who had raised the question.

It was a question boiling in everyone's minds.

It was just that someone had finally spoken it as their representative.

Bertus looked at him with a stern expression.

"Is that important now?"

Neither a confirmation nor a denial.

However, strictly speaking, it was a statement leaning towards confirmation.

The Emperor closed his eyes as he spoke.

"May the gods bless us all."

That was probably.

The Emperor's only sincere wish.

------

The roars and explosions of countless monsters could be heard not too far away.

The offensive was to start the next day, but the battle was ongoing.

The weapons of war would be assembled and begin firing as soon as they arrived at the operational area, and once the offensive began, they would have to clear the way.

As it had always been with city sieges, the battle itself wouldn't last long.

If the battle dragged on, it would mean annihilation from the start. While their forces wouldn't be replenished, the enemies would continue to pour out at an unimaginable rate.

After the final meeting, the Emperor waited for the return from the warp spot.

There was no need for the Emperor to stay on the battlefield.

It was now uncertain whether the allied forces would follow the Emperor's orders, so the Emperor's presence had no real meaning.

The Emperor would only need to receive reports on the outcome of the battle from the imperial capital.

If the allied forces were annihilated, he would simply wait for the impending doom of humanity.

If the allied forces were victorious, he would wait for what was to come later.

While waiting for the teleportation spell cast by the royal mages at the warp spot, Saviolin Turner stood guard beside the Emperor.

Due to the unsettling rumors circulating among the allied forces, the Emperor's presence at the allied base was actually the most dangerous place for him.

That's why Saviolin Turner kept a close watch on their surroundings while guarding the returning Emperor.

There was no telling if someone, swept up by the strange rumors, would try to harm the Emperor.

Only the Emperor and a few attendants would return.

Of course, Saviolin Turner was not only an excellent commander of Shanafel, but also an extremely powerful combatant, so she would participate in the final battle.

The future was uncertain.

However, Saviolin Turner was determined to bring victory in the battle to come tomorrow.

Whatever happened, she would make sure the wishes of everyone were fulfilled.

She vowed to deliver that news without fail.

"Your Majesty."

"Yes, Lady Turner."

Saviolin Turner wanted to resolve a lingering doubt, which might be their last.

"I have a question."

"Yes, please ask."

"That rumor...."

Saviolin Turner bit their lip, lowered their gaze, and spoke.

"Is it true, Your Majesty... that you are responsible?"

The rumor in question was, of course, that the Emperor was the mastermind behind the Gate incident.

It couldn't be anything other than a baseless rumor.

Saviolin Turner felt it when she first learned of the strange rumor spreading.

Reinhardt, the Demon King, wouldn't have done such a thing.

Rowan, the Holy Knight Commander, might have acted rashly, but she wouldn't have permitted it either.

In the end.

There could be only one source of the rumor.

At Saviolin Turner's question, the corner of the Emperor's mouth rose subtly.

"Well."

"..."

The Emperor did not give a straight answer this time either.

However, just as his previous answer at the headquarters was as good as an admission, what was different this time?

As Saviolin Turner gritted her teeth in bitter frustration, not knowing what to do in that moment.

"Lady Turner."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"You will not participate in the battle tomorrow."

At the Emperor's unexpected words, Saviolin Turner's eyes widened.

"Pardon...?"

"You have a different task to fulfill."

It was the final battle.

And the most important battle.

But Saviolin Turner had forgotten what to say in response to the shocking news that they were suddenly being pulled out.

"We'll discuss the details when we return."

"Your... Your Majesty...?"

Before Saviolin Turner could say anything further.

-Flash!

The flash of the mass teleport swallowed up the Emperor and Saviolin Turner.