Demon King of the Royal Class

Chapter 333

To put it in modern terms, Harriet seemed to be considering the possibility of someone hacking into the warp gate server.

It wasn’t impossible. If someone had knowledge of warp gate design, they could create a private warp gate that functioned just like the existing ones.

Moreover, all warp gates were interconnected.

If we assumed for a moment that someone could create a warp gate that connected to another world, then even with just one gate, it would be possible to disperse whoever passed through it throughout the entire continent.

In fact, it might not even be necessary to create a new gate at all.

If a single warp gate were turned into a gate that connected to another world, it could cause all the warp gates on the continent to spew out monsters from another world.

It felt like we were walking on thin ice.

Knowing how to open a dimensional door to another world, and knowing how to hack the warp gate system... Those two pieces of knowledge would be enough to trigger the Gate Incident, which meant the continent was always in danger.

“So, in the end, understanding the warp gate system better would help me understand dimensional magic more, but as you know, it’s classified information... It’s daunting to do it alone.”

Harriet sighed deeply. The information existed, but it was one of the empire’s top secrets, so she couldn’t access it. Even though Harriet was of a very high status, the information she wanted was top-secret, kept by the imperial family and the magical community.

“... I think I might be able to help with that.”

“You?”

I pulled out the imperial emblem from my pocket.

“... What? Why do you have that...?”

“I received it a few days ago.”

The imperial emblem allowed me to receive royal treatment and cooperation from the empire’s forces anywhere on the continent. Harriet was stunned to see me in possession of such a thing.

“Will this work?”

Of course, there was a chance it might not, but it was worth a try.

Even if we couldn’t acquire information on the warp gate system itself, we could at least ask if they were willing to share knowledge about dimensional magic.

Harriet slowly recovered from her daze and began to look more lively. “R-Really? Can we really do that?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“L-Let’s do something then, anything. Quickly!”

In the end, Harriet was a mage, so she was more excited than I was at the prospect of gaining new knowledge.

***

I did not know whether the imperial family would share information about the warp gate network, which was one of the empire’s top secrets, but I always had an open channel.

Vertus seemed to be spending his break at the Winter Palace, but Charlotte was residing in the Royal Class dormitory.

She wanted to stay as close to me as possible, since her condition could deteriorate at any moment and she might need immediate attention.

Naturally, Sabioleen Tana, who was her bodyguard, had also returned to her role as the dormitory supervisor for the Royal Class.

Therefore, Harriet and I ended up going to see Charlotte instead of Vertus.

“Dimensional magic research?”

“Yeah, for purely academic reasons. Harriet wants to study it some more, and the empire probably has a lot of knowledge on the subject.”

Of course, I didn’t mention anything about gates to other worlds to Charlotte.

“Hmm, isn’t what’s available at the Temple enough?”

Charlotte wasn’t a mage, so she didn’t understand why we needed the imperial family’s cooperation for this.

I explained our need on behalf of the hesitant Harriet.

The imperial family and the Magic Association would have abundant information on dimensional magic, since they developed the warp gate system. However, this research was treated as highly classified, which made them inaccessible.

“If it’s classified, then there’s a reason for it, so I can’t make a decision on my own. But I can request some cooperation from the Imperial Magic Department.”

Harriet was so happy she was jumping in place. “R-Really?!”

Even as the heiress of the Duchy of Saint-Ouen, renowned for its magic, accessing the imperial family’s classified magical research materials was something she couldn’t even dream of.

Charlotte quickly wrote a document in the lounge and handed it to Harriet.

“I’ll give them a heads-up. Take this to the Imperial Magic Department tomorrow, not today.”

“T-Thank you... Thank you, Your High—I mean, Charlotte!”

“Hmm. It’s nothing.”

Charlotte gave me a subtle smile as if to say she’d done it for me.

“Reinhart, come see me later.”

“Sure.”

Charlotte seemed to have something to say to me.

Harriet, holding the document, looked bewildered as we returned to the Class A dormitory. She stared blankly at the letter of authorization, then carefully folded it and put it in her pocket, looking at me with a puzzled expression.

“Come to think of it, why are you so close with Her High—I mean, Charlotte?”

Harriet seemed to be pondering this issue for the first time, and seemed to think there was no reason for me and Charlotte to be close, especially since we were in different classes. And yet, Charlotte had even asked to speak with me privately.

‘Isn’t it a bit late to be asking that?’

“Because I’m handsome.”

Harriet looked genuinely disgusted at my response. “How am I supposed to react to that?”

‘Wow. She really took that seriously.’

Harriet stared at me, clearly wanting a serious answer instead of a joke.

“Hey, why did you and I become friends?”

“Huh?”

Harriet furrowed her brow, seemingly trying to recall the past.

I could almost see the flood of memories flashing through her mind, starting from when she spoke up against a crazy classmate who was bullying the seniors, only to be called a thick skull in return.

Then, after I’d nicknamed her “Thick-Skull”, she’d thrown a fit and ended up crying. Those memories, and all those after, swept over her.

“Well, now that you mention it...” Harriet’s face started to turn pale. “Why did I become friends with someone like you...?”

As she carefully traced back all the events that led to the beginning of our friendship, Harriet seemed to realize it didn’t make much sense.

Despite her sense of pride, noble background, and exceptional talent, she had become friends with a street urchin who called her “Thick-Skull.”

It seemed even she found this hard to believe.

“There are people who enjoy being bullied. Perhaps you’re one of them.”

“No! I hate it! I hate it, you idiot!”

Harriet’s face turned bright red at the suggestion that she was a masochist.

‘Yeah, you’re not a masochist. But I love your reaction to hearing that!’

“Seriously, how did this happen? How did I... H-How did I...?”

“Well, just like you said, it just happened.”

“What?”

Honestly, I never planned to become friends with Harriet. It was just one of those things that happened.

Teasing her made her seem cute, and when she started crying, I felt sorry and started treating her better.

Not everything goes as planned, and among the unplanned events, some turn out to be good.

“It’s the same with Charlotte.”

Just like how I’d become friends with Harriet by chance, my friendship with Charlotte could also be explained as a series of coincidences.

Thinking back, there was no way I could have become close to Charlotte after hiding my identity as Baalier and joining a different class.

It had all started when Charlotte approached me first, trying to find Baalier.

“... I guess that’s how it is,” Harriet muttered absentmindedly.

Then, after a while...

Smack! Smack, smack!

“Still, it’s so frustrating! You! Why did you do that to me! Why!”

Harriet’s face turned red as she pounded my shoulders.

“Ow, you’re always hitting me these days!”

It didn’t hurt at all, which made me feel a bit sorry for her.

***

Harriet would continue her research on dimensional magic with the cooperation of the Imperial Magic Department. I wasn’t sure what she might discover in the process, but given her talent, she could potentially uncover significant insights. Even from the conversation we had today, it seemed she had some leads.

Unfortunately, one of those leads was the dangerous realization that triggering a Gate Incident was potentially very easy, if one knew how.

After some time, I headed back to the Class B dormitory, since Charlotte had asked to talk to me.

“You’re here.”

“Yeah.”

Charlotte was waiting for me in the dormitory lounge.

The other students were nowhere near the lounge, likely occupied with other activities. The storyline had deviated significantly from the original.

Sabioleen Tana had become a permanent resident, and Ludwig had awakened a desire to become stronger.

As a result, Ludwig, who was supposed to have gone on a journey during this vacation, had decided to spend this winter break training under Sabioleen Tana.

It was a good thing; this development was much better than the original storyline.

Charlotte poured me some black tea, and although I still couldn’t appreciate the taste, I sipped it.

Charlotte savored her milk tea while gazing at the winter sunlight streaming through the lounge window.

“I heard you had an audience with His Majesty. With Ellen.”

“That’s right.”

“And you were given the imperial emblem?”

“Yes.”

Charlotte set her teacup down and gently placed her hand over mine, which was holding the teacup.

“...”

There was intense emotion in Charlotte’s eyes. It was a look of sadness. Charlotte knew very well what it meant if Ellen and I were given the imperial emblem.

It meant we had been granted unlimited privileges in exchange for risking our lives in the fight against the Demon King.

Both Ellen and I, as well as Charlotte, understood this.

“I think that child might be behind all of this.”

“... Really?”

Charlotte already knew that Baalier was not an ordinary person.

Even knowing this, she had stopped contacting him to sever ties without suspicion.

If Baalier was behind it, Charlotte, who knew Eleris’s whereabouts, might try to apprehend Eleris at any moment, though it was easier said than done.

Charlotte continued to gaze out the window, still holding my hand gently.

“If that child is truly the successor of the surviving Demon King, what should I do?”

“...”

Charlotte looked at me.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

“I hate the thought of you having to fight to the death with that child.”

Charlotte’s sorrow stemmed from an unexpected place.

Both Baalier and I were precious to her.

As the master of Tiamata, I was chosen as the one to oppose the Demon King, alongside Ellen.

Charlotte, who didn’t want Baalier to get hurt, had kept Eleris’s whereabouts a secret. If she suspected Baalier was behind it, she could have acted at any time, but chose not to.

Now, though, the situation had changed.

She knew that I was one of the ones chosen to combat the Demon King, and she was terrified at the thought that I might die in the process of fighting the Demon King someday.

Charlotte was standing at a crossroads, feeling like she had to choose between me and Baalier.

Since she couldn’t know that we were the same person, her sad dilemma was understandable.

For my sake, she felt she needed to find Baalier. At the very least, she seemed to want to confirm whether he was involved or not.

However, she was paralyzed by the fear of discovering an irreversible truth.

Eleris needed to leave the capital, or relocate somewhere else. That much was certain for now.

I trusted Charlotte, but her trust in Baalier was wavering.

All because of me, who was the same person.

“I’ll tell that mage to run far away,” I said.

“... Huh?” she replied.

“That’s all it takes, right?”

Charlotte looked stunned, as if she had heard something unexpected.

“I don’t believe that a shattered Demon Realm or the successor of the Demon King could quickly become a powerful force capable of threatening the empire. At most, a few strong demons might be alive. What can they do with just that?

“If the Demon King truly grows to be a real threat later on, I’m the one chosen to fight him. I have the right to make this decision. And besides, we aren’t even sure if that child is really involved in this incident. There’s no need to feel too guilty.”

It was all a lie.

I had to tell such blatant lies to Charlotte without changing my expression.

I was pretending to make a sacrifice when I wasn’t.

Charlotte stared at me blankly.

She started crying after hearing my words, which implied that I was willing to bear this future danger so that she wouldn’t have to chase that child right now.

“I’m sorry, Reinhart... I’m so sorry...”

Charlotte seemed deeply sorry for being unable to make an easy decision, while knowing what the right choice for me was.

She wasn’t the only one feeling sorry. A feeling of guilt, a hundred times heavier, was weighing down on my heart.

“I’ll... completely forget about that child now...”

To Charlotte, this was her final act of kindness and mercy towards Baalier. From now on, she would always stand by Reinhart’s side.

She said this to me, who was both Baalier and Reinhart.

***

I hadn’t considered this issue.

While Charlotte had noticed Baalier’s suspicious behavior, I didn’t think she would delve into it.

However, her trust in Baalier had been shaken because of her concern for me, which was unexpected. All this had happened only after the emperor had given Ellen and me the imperial emblem.

Now that the forces of the Demon Realm were becoming more prominent, Charlotte would inevitably try to confirm Baalier’s whereabouts for my sake.

So, I immediately went to see Eleris.

“I’ll have to relocate, it seems...”

“We need to be careful about contacting each other in the capital from now on. Let’s use the Rotary Club for most communications. There might be some delay, but it’s not the time to worry about that.”

“Yes, Your Highness. I understand what you mean.”

We were in Eleris’s semi-basement room.

Eleris understood perfectly well that she needed to relocate due to the change in circumstances following my audience with the emperor and Charlotte’s psychological state.

Normally, that would have been the end of it, but lately, there was another person at Eleris’s place who needed attention.

“It would be better if this child were moved to a place where she can live more freely.”

Flinch.

“I didn’t even say anything. Why are you so scared?”

It was Radia Schmidt.

Radia trembled as if my gaze alone was enough to terrify her.

She had inadvertently become the only Temple student who knew I was the successor of the Demon King. Eleris, given her personality, wouldn’t have bullied or mistreated her, but Radia looked pale and emaciated.

“Tsk. Anyway, your unnecessary actions did help save Olivia...”

I guess one could call it poetic justice.

If Radia Schmidt hadn’t acted so foolishly, I would have had to watch Olivia make a drastic choice or fall into Leverier Lanche’s hands. Or I might not have even known of Adriana’.

Radia sat on the floor, trembling and watching my every move.

She looked like she wished for death.

I no longer had any emotions towards Radia Schmidt, but I couldn’t just let her go.

There was a limit to being swayed by minor sentiments; Radia Schmidt knew too much that she shouldn’t.

“So, what are you planning to do?”

“Hmm, I think I’ll take her to the Council for now. There, she won’t be able to escape even if she wants to, and she can live more freely. Besides, a meeting will be convened there soon.”

The Vampire Council... They were at the place known to humans as the ancient castle of Epiacs.

It seemed Eleris’s plan was to head there for a while. It wouldn’t take her long to close up her shop.

“Has the date been set?”

“It will be soon. Once the schedule is finalized, I will inform the club, so be there at the appointed time, and I will come to get you, Your Highness.”

“Alright. Got it.”

Radia probably had no idea what we were talking about. I squatted down in front of the terrified Radia Schmidt.

“Senior.”

Radia Schmidt quickly lowered her eyes. “Y-Yes...?”

Though she was a fanatic with firm resolve and faith, the mere mention of becoming a vampire had easily shattered her.

Even if she wanted to believe that I was a champion of god, knowing I was the Demon King made that impossible.

Radia Schmidt had no choice but to fall apart.

“Eleris isn’t such a bad person... She’s better than me, at least. So, try to live a bit more comfortably.”

“...”

I patted Radia Schmidt’s shoulder and stood up.

I intended to leave Radia in Eleris’s care.

If she broke, she broke; if she adapted and got used to her new life, so be it.

“I’m leaving.”

“Take care, Your Highness.”

Eleris would leave the capital.

It felt like things were finally starting to move in earnest.

In all honesty, it felt less like things were getting serious, and were slowly becoming irreversible.

That thought kept creeping up on me.