Demon King of the Royal Class

Chapter 305

Riana insisted on bringing me back home, and it took forever to convince her otherwise. Thankfully, the others managed to persuade her that I seemed fine, and she reluctantly let me go.

There was also talk about reporting the incident to the guards, but I managed to convince them that nothing serious had happened.

After wiping off all the makeup and changing clothes outside the Temple, I finally returned to the dormitory.

I stored the dress in Eleris’s basement. It was an expensive dress, so it seemed better to sell it than throw it away. Naturally, I discarded the trophy.

There’s a term in martial arts called “Jinwon Jinki.”

It’s a concept similar to the fundamental life energy of a human, something one could draw upon in extreme situations, but using it all up would result in death. It felt as though I had used up a reserve like that, leaving me utterly drained.

Since I had been out all day, no one in the dormitory had seen me. Of course, there were plenty of others who had been out and about as well. I returned to the dormitory quite late, and encountered some of the people I had seen earlier in a completely different context.

Most notable was Riana de Granz, who had boldly declared that she would take me home.

“Hey, what were you up to all day?” Riana asked.

“Oh, just wandering around. It’s a festival, after all,” I replied.

“Alone?”

“Sometimes you just want to be alone, you know.”

I tensed up a bit, worried that she might connect my earlier appearance with my current one.

Honestly, having seen myself in the mirror, it was only natural that they didn’t recognize me. And indeed, no one had recognized me.

However, facing them as Reinhart made my heart race with anxiety.

‘What if they suddenly say, “Hey, you... were you...?”’

I tried to act normal, but cold sweat ran down my spine.

Riana chuckled and slung her arm over my shoulder.

“Didn’t you watch the cross-dressing contest?”

“... Why would I watch that? Did you go?”

‘Actually... I did go... Not only did I go, but I was a contestant, and even emerged the winner...’

It was almost surprising they didn’t recognize me...

“Oh, you missed a good show. You should’ve seen it.”

Riana made some vague comments that I fully understood, then laughed and went back to her room.

I also crossed paths with the hopeless trio—now part of a quartet—later on, but they didn’t react much.

Except for Connor Lint, who seemed a bit off.

“...?”

“... What?”

“Huh? No, nothing.”

But even he didn’t seem to have figured it out.

Of course not. I’d returned to my original Reinhart form, not just by removing my makeup but also altering my body shape, height, and face.

‘It would be strange if they did recognize me! Right...?’

***

In the southern outskirts of the capital, a group of people gathered at an abandoned monastery sitting on a large plot of land.

From their attire alone, it was hard to identify them. But at the center of the gathering, near a bonfire, sat someone on an old wooden chair.

The man in the chair, the former Commander of the Order of the Holy Knights, Leverier Lanche, was staring at a female student in a Temple uniform standing opposite him.

Her name was Radia Schmidt, who was in the final rounds of the Open Tournament and a sixth-year student in the Temple’s Royal Class.

“It doesn’t seem like a good idea.”

“... I think it’s worth a try. Sir Volten said he would take necessary actions if the situation unfolds in that way.”

“Illeion Volten?”

“Yes.”

“Well, if Olivia returns, he won’t have any reason not to welcome her.”

Radia Schmidt’s resolute expression radiated determination. She was staring firmly at some part of the abandoned monastery.

“But if things don’t go as you expect, the plan will proceed as intended, Radia.”

“Yes, Commander.”

Even though the current Commander of the Order was Illeion Volten, the student still referred to Leverier Lanche as Commander.

Everyone present at the meeting had no hesitation in calling the former commander, Leverier Lanche, by his title. Radia Schmidt, having finished her business, turned to leave but then stopped and turned back around.

“Commander.”

“... Do you have something else to say?”

Radia gaze fell on the interior of the monastery again. She looked in pain.

“Does it... have to be that child? That child is also a devout believer in the embrace of the gods—”

“Enough,” Leverier Lanche cut her off, not wanting to hear more. “As you said, I know Reinhart is more suitable for this role.”

At the mention of Reinhart’s name, a strange emotion flickered in the girl’s eyes. Twisted hatred and anger swirled within them.

“But Reinhart is a student of the Temple’s Royal Class, just like you, and a classmate of the prince and princess as well. You understand that we can’t touch him recklessly.”

“...”

“Of course, if circumstances grow dire, we might have to extend our reach to involve him as well, but for now, this is the best course of action. Remember that. Also, we haven’t decided to sacrifice that child necessarily. Depending on how the situation unfolds, it’s possible that no one will be hurt.”

“... Yes, Commander.”

Radia Schmidt finished speaking and left the abandoned monastery. A man standing beside Leverier Lanche spoke cautiously.

“Do you think things will go the way she planned them?”

Leverier Lanche shook his head with a stern expression. “Not at all. Her ideas are bold, but things won’t go as she expects.”

“... I see.”

“It’s unsettling. I know she’s skilled, but...” Leverier Lanche clicked his tongue as he looked in the direction in which Radia had disappeared. “Let’s hope she doesn’t do anything unnecessary.”

The man who had brought Radia Schmidt to the nameless monastery bowed his head to Leverier Lanche. “I’m sorry. I thought she would be of help to us...”

What was done was done. Radia Schmidt’s usefulness wasn’t limited to this one instance. She was about to graduate from the Temple and was slated to join the Order of the Holy Knights.

“Be more selective about who you bring in from now on.”

“Yes, Commander.”

Whether she liked it or not, Radia Schmidt was a valuable asset to this group.

“What about Adriana?” Leverier Lanche asked.

“... She’s quiet.”

Leverier Lanche nodded. “Good. For now, let’s observe the situation. If Radia Schmidt’s plan doesn’t go as expected, send a letter to Olivia. Mention that we have Adriana. She’ll understand.”

As long as they had Adriana, luring Olivia out of the Temple would be exceedingly easy. The important part was what came next. Leverier Lanche sat by the bonfire, quietly watching the flames.

Only Olivia Ranche could restore the fallen honor of the former Commander. After that, slowly, Leverier Lanche intended to write the history of the new sacred land that would last a thousand years.

***

Adriana sat quietly on a hard wooden bed, gazing at the pale moonlight streaming through a small hole. The room was cold and had no windows, but the white sphere she had summoned filled the room with warmth.

It was a secluded room in an abandoned building, with nothing but a hard wooden bed. Two holy knights stood guard, one on each side of the open doorway.

“...”

Adriana buried her face between her knees. She had been brought to this place by Leverier Lanche and was living under the watchful eyes of the Holy Knights of the nameless monastery. Her initial thought was that Leverier Lanche intended to exact revenge on her. However, her value lay elsewhere.

“In a few days from now, Olivia will come here. You just need to explain the situation to her and persuade her to change her mind.”

That was all Leverier Lanche had said.

‘What situation? What sort of persuasion?’

He wanted her to convince Olivia, who had abandoned her faith, to believe again. But Adriana couldn’t understand why she had to do that.

She only knew one thing.

She was bait to lure Olivia out.

Leverier Lanche wanted to bring Olivia back to faith. Even if he failed, he aimed to restore his authority and honor by having Olivia, his adopted daughter, retract her statements that had led to his downfall.

Adriana had refused to do that.

Olivia had made her own choice, and Adriana saw no reason or need to forcibly reverse it.

Since then, Adriana had been confined to this nameless monastery.

She now knew that these people intended to cause new divisions among humanity, even after the Great War had ended.

She was disappointed in these believers.

She did not think it was the fault of the gods, but the fault of those who believed.

However, if those who believed in the gods were so wrong, shouldn’t the gods give them some message, warning, or word of caution?

Adriana quietly watched the moonlight pouring through the hole.

Olivia would be there soon. If she knew that Adriana was being held hostage, Olivia would have no choice but to come. That was the kind of person she was.

Adriana could do nothing but despair over her situation as a hostage.

While a festival was taking place in the Temple in the north, in a desolate ruin in the south, Adriana huddled in a corner, quietly resenting her god.

***

It was Thursday, during breakfast time.

Connor Lint was having breakfast, and the news that he had participated in the cross-dressing contest had spread throughout Class A. However, the only one who seemed horrified by it was Cliffman.

Ellen showed no interest, and Adelia and Harriet were busy talking about something else.

—Are you feeling okay today, Harriet? How’s your condition?

—I’m great, don’t worry.

Connor had expected Reinhart to say something when he heard about it, but all Reinhart said was, “Why did you even enter that?” and left it at that. It was unexpected. Connor fully expected Reinhart to either be horrified, disgusted, or even criticize him.

So, Connor found himself watching Reinhart’s reactions closely. Even though Reinhart wasn’t the type to pick fights, he could be spiteful if he was in a bad mood.

Connor had felt a strange sensation when he saw Reinhart the night before. It was hard to describe, but it was something peculiar, a feeling that he was on the cusp of understanding something, but couldn’t quite grasp it.

Despite the festival, this morning scene was no different. Everyone except Vertus was at their seats, busy with their own affairs. It was an ordinary breakfast time. Connor kept glancing at Reinhart, keeping a close eye on him.

And then, Connor noticed Reinhart’s hands as he sat next to Ellen and ate his meal. His nails were jagged and uneven, as if they had been bitten.

When he saw those nails, Connor felt a jolt of electricity run through his body, almost like a revelation. The anxious number 40, who had constantly chewed on their nails. the number 40 who had asked him to teleport them away. The number 40 who had obediently held out their hand when asked...

The nails... Those jagged and bitten nails.

“No way,” Connor muttered to himself as he caught the confused looks of Erhi and Kaier.

It couldn’t be. The silver-haired, angelic-looking number 40 from yesterday... It was hard to put into words, but the similarity in which the two sets of nails had been bitten was uncanny.

Number 40 had silver hair and golden eyes, and Reinhart’s eyes were blue.

But that could be easily changed with lenses.

Connor’s mind raced with the implications.

‘Could number 40 really be Reinhart?’

The thought seemed absurd, yet the evidence was right in front of him.

“No way. Not a chance,” Connor Lint muttered to himself again.

“... What’s up?”

“What’s wrong with you?”

Connor Lint knew his thoughts were absurd.

—Aren’t you participating in the Open Tournament today?

—Yeah.

—Do you think you’ll do well?

—I’ll manage somehow. But aren’t you participating too? You won the first-year tournament.

—No, I decided not to. Lucky for you, huh?

—What?! Do you think I’d lose to you?

—Hah, where do you get the idea that you’d win?

—Just wait and see!

Even their voices were completely different. Compared to the soft, warm voice of number 40 from the day before, Reinhart’s voice sounded harsh and abrasive.

“... Do you trust me?”

“Of course.”

There were distinct differences between personalities. The gentle and kind number 40 from yesterday and Reinhart were as different as angels were from demons.

Connor tried to suppress the unpleasant thoughts creeping into his mind, but the more he scrutinized it, the more similarities he found.

If you put a silver wig on that face, gave him golden eyes, made him a bit shorter, and gave him a more slender build, it would match.

“N-No way.”

“Why do you keep saying that?”

“Are you sick or something?”

In the end, Connor’s repeated mutterings drew annoyed looks from his friends who were quietly eating their breakfast.