Demon King of the Royal Class-Chapter 522

After finishing a meal with his siblings, Heinrich headed back to the Temple garrison.

Night had fallen, and Heinrich was reflecting on the words his eldest sister had said to him. Although it seemed they had just gathered for a meal, it hadn’t been that simple.

“I don’t agree with Alphonse’s view that the empire is sending you out on overly dangerous missions, but it’s true that they’re overworking you. Given the situation, it’s unavoidable, but you are a royal of Kernstadt. You are an important asset to the royal family and one of the cornerstones for the future. It’s quite uncomfortable to see the empire handling such an asset as they please.

“Therefore, I plan to incorporate your strength into the Kernstadt military, under my command. Of course, you won’t always be with the Kernstadt forces. There will be times when you’ll need to cooperate with the General Headquarters, Ellen Artorius, and forces from the Temple.

“Even so, and even though you are a student of the Temple, you are a royal of Kernstadt first, and our brother. Therefore, I believe it’s right for us to have authority over matters concerning your safety. Don’t you agree, little brother?”

Cornerstone.

Royalty.

Brother.

Future.

The words from his sister’s mouth tickled Heinrich’s heart. How long had he yearned to hear such words?

Could these scant few words really make a person’s heart race like this? Even though they were words he had longed to hear, Heinrich found this feeling that he had truly returned to his family both strange and unfamiliar.

Heinrich walked through the garrison, now enveloped in the darkness of the night.

‘Yes. Given my level of power, recognition is inevitable,’ he thought.

As soon as that thought crossed his mind, Heinrich stopped in his tracks. It was as if he was trying to curb the arrogance that was rising within him.

He stood still, looking up at the night sky.

It was indeed strange for his heart to race just because of a few mere words. But it was simply because he had been so lonely. He had grown into a strange person because he had been abandoned at such a young age.

When he thought about it, Heinrich realized he had hardly lived as royalty despite being one. He didn’t even know what brotherhood among royals was like. He realized that he was oddly yearning for something he didn’t even know.

There was no such thing as unconditional goodwill. That applied even among siblings, and even more so among siblings who bore the label of royalty.

He was being accepted back as a brother because of his power and influence. It wasn’t him they needed, but his power and influence.

Louise’s words about taking over authority over his safety from the General Headquarters were, on the surface, based on the logic that he should be protected because he was a royal of Kernstadt and an important person for the nation’s reconstruction.

But the truth behind it was different. Louise intended to ensure that no one else would have access to Heinrich without her permission. This would strengthen Kernstadt’s influence over the Allied Forces.

He was a pawn, and because he had become a useful pawn, Louise now wanted to hold onto him.

Brotherhood... It was just a facade, and the truth hidden behind the veil of emotions was revealed.

He then thought about Ellen. Ellen Artorius was very important to the Allied Forces, not just practically, as a powerful military asset, but also symbolically, as a significant morale booster.

The General Headquarters could decide which missions to deploy Ellen on. They could instruct her to assist Kernstadt’s forces on their operations, assist the Order of the Holy Knights, or support the operations undertaken by other vassal states.

Every member of the Allied Forces would want Ellen to fight alongside them. But since the power to decide lay with the General Headquarters, all the different factions would have to quietly go along with their orders and commands.

It was best to avoid making emotional decisions, but ultimately, the Allied Forces were made up of a group of humans. If those who fell out of favor with the General Headquarters did not receive proper support, there would be many casualties. After all, Ellen herself was powerful enough to single-handedly clear a battlefield.

Since Ellen only had one body, if two operations occurred simultaneously, she couldn’t assist with both of them.

The influence wielded by the General Headquarters, who had full command over these major military assets, couldn’t be ignored.

Heinrich was no different. Ellen, who had shown almost unrivaled prowess in close combat, had gained even more extensive offensive capabilities after awakening the holy relic of the sun god.

Before Ellen acquired that power, Heinrich’s destructive power had been greater than Ellen’s. His destructive abilities shone when facing large groups. Therefore, Louise sought to gain authority over Heinrich, a crucial strategic weapon, to increase her influence, rather than be subject to the influence of the General Headquarters.

The moment Heinrich was incorporated into the Kernstadt military, her influence would naturally grow.

She wasn’t making this proposal because they were siblings, but because of his usefulness as a weapon.

In that case, what was he supposed to do? Was it right to go along with his eldest sister’s plan, even if she only intended to use him under the guise of being a family? Even though they probably didn’t even consider him a brother?

What good could come from being used by a sibling who only intended to exploit him? Wasn’t this army marching under the grand pretext of saving the world and rebuilding humanity? Was it right for such conflicts to arise over mere trivial influence within the army?

Wasn’t it too foolish? Wasn’t this far too foolish?

In this situation, where even focusing on a single goal was difficult enough, how could there be room for such conflicts of interest to arise?

Heinrich walked on, gazing at the night sky with a lonely expression.

He let out a long sigh.

Heinrich had never known brotherhood. He had been separated from his siblings too early. He knew even less about politics. He had been distanced from politics at too young an age.

These two problems were too difficult for him to handle. To go along with Louise or not? Heinrich didn’t know.

***

Heinrich returned to the Temple garrison and noticed that the atmosphere was different.

Lanian Sesor was playing the guitar in the center of the garrison, and the garrison’s guards, passing knights, and Temple students were all sitting around, quietly listening to Lanian’s performance.

Lanian Sesor, who had a talent for music and led the military band, often traveled around the different garrisons, playing music and singing.

Lanian Sesor could handle almost every instrument, and he had a knack for composing, conducting, and singing. If the world had been at peace and Lanian Sesor had graduated from the Temple normally, he would have undoubtedly become a renowned performer, composer, and conductor across the continent.

Now that humanity had embarked on its final march, Lanian Sesor played music and sang for the soldiers who had either lost their homes or left them behind.

Although music was unrelated to combat, Heinrich knew that Lanian Sesor played a significant role.

After the Gate Incident, Heinrich had come to appreciate the value of music—how it could uplift those in despair and soothe hearts with gentle melodies—whenever he listened to Lanian play.

Though it had nothing to do with combat, Heinrich felt that Lanian’s talent might be what people needed most in this time.

Lanian’s fingers ran across the guitar, strumming out a gentle melody, while he sang to the audience in a quiet voice. He sang about a peace that would come someday.

Almost everyone in the Temple garrison was listening to Lanian’s song.

Lanian Sesor had composed quite a few songs since the Gate Incident. In fact, there were quite a few popular songs about Ellen defeating the new Demon King, Baalier.

Lanian had seen Ellen turn pale and retch after hearing those songs, so he stopped composing songs about Ellen.

Although songs about the hero were the most popular, Lanian neither composed nor sang any more songs about Ellen after that incident. He did not know if it was due to the sense of burden or something else, but he knew Ellen was terrified of such songs.

Heinrich could see Ellen sitting on a wooden box in a corner, focusing on the song. Ellen had taken on such a heavy burden that just looking at her made him feel pitiful.

Heinrich noticed a necklace around Ellen’s neck that he hadn’t seen before. She was holding onto it tightly with one hand as if it were something precious.

She had seemed tired lately; had she found a solution?

Although Heinrich was also burdened with heavy responsibilities, he knew that Ellen’s burden was on a different level. She had been given an unbearable load to carry.

“... Hmm?”

Heinrich couldn’t help but notice something different. People were focusing on Lanian’s music, but they kept glancing at Ellen.

There was something on Ellen’s lap.

“A cat?”

A black cat was sitting on Ellen’s lap, and Ellen was continuously stroking its back.

“Hey, you’re here.”

He turned his head toward the voice, and saw Connor Lint, who always wore a cheerful expression.

“Oh... yeah. Hey. But what’s that? Why is there a cat here?”

Connor Lint shrugged his shoulders. “Ah, you came too late to know. There was quite a fuss today because of that cat. A cat suddenly brought that kitten in and left it here.”

“... Really?”

Connor Lint looked at Ellen with a sympathetic expression. “After Ellen returned, it stuck to her like glue. Whether it knows something or not we’re not sure... but it’s good that Ellen seems to like it.”

Everyone in the Royal Class knew the dangers Ellen faced, and the burden she carried.

Elsewhere, she was respected, revered, and much was expected from her, but in the Royal Class, Ellen was seen as the most unfortunate person, and someone who needed to be cared for.

Ellen continued to stroke the cat’s back with a blank expression, and the cat, surrendering to her touch, watched the garrison. frёeweɓηovel_coɱ

A cat... An unexpected presence, but there was no rule forbidding it.

“Whether someone is secretly keeping a cat or if it managed to escape from someone, I don’t know. But since everyone seems to like having it around, then maybe it’s okay?”

“... Is that so?”

“Yeah. More importantly, Ellen seems to like it. If things go on like this, will Ellen end up keeping it? But does she even have the time for that?”

“Well, someone else can take care of it, so that’s that.”

“... That’s true.”

Ellen, who had seemed extremely tired lately, was at least focusing on something. Whether or not she was finding solace in it, it was good that she was paying attention to something.

But was that enough?

Seeing Ellen petting a cat was a rather unfamiliar sight.

Heinrich also felt something strange. It seemed as if the cat was looking directly at him. It was just an animal’s gaze, but it felt as if it were trying to discern something. It was a very eerie feeling.

He felt as if it was staring right at him.

‘That can’t be.’

Heinrich chuckled. He was probably just extra sensitive because of what had happened earlier.

The performance continued, and although Heinrich found the presence of a cat intriguing, he didn’t want to distract Ellen, who seemed focused on it.

Meow.

—There, there.

When the cat meowed softly, Ellen nodded and scratched the cat under its chin. Just as the cat seemed to like Ellen, Ellen, though she couldn’t quite understand it, seemed to like the cat as well.

Whatever it was, whether Lanian Sesor’s music or the sudden appearance of a kitten, if it could bring some life to this gloomy and somber garrison, Heinrich thought it was good.

Connor Lint tapped Heinrich’s shoulder. “By the way, some letters came today. We’re going to open them together. How about it?”

“Sounds good,” Heinrich nodded.

The quiet meowing of a cat and the sound of Lanian Sesor’s music and singing drifted quietly through the night.

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