Demon King of the Royal Class-Chapter 530

Since the outbreak of the Gate Incident, Connor Lint’s supernatural power had mostly been used for rescue operations. While his powers had grown, Connor Lint’s physical prowess hadn’t progressed much, and his personal combat strength was still lower than that of an ordinary soldier.

However, his teleportation superpower was a significant asset. Connor Lint could move around without restrictions and could also teleport with others.

It wasn’t that Connor Lint’s ability couldn’t be used offensively. However the monster had to weigh less than two hundred kilograms for him to be able to move it. For instance, he could teleport to a high altitude and drop the monster, letting it freefall. However, the sudden change in pressure caused him immense pain, and so after a few tries, he gave up on using his ability offensively.

In the time he took to deal with one monster of that size, Ellen Artorius or Heinrich could massacre an entire wave of monsters. Therefore, Connor Lint was tasked with rescuing survivors from battlefields. For the moment, Lint’s power was used to safely evacuate incapacitated soldiers in large-scale battle situations to the rear.

His teleportation ability essentially made him a mage who could teleport without spending time to cast. Moreover, his teleportation wasn’t hindered by any magical barriers.

Although he couldn’t perform teleportation across vast distances, he compensated for this limitation in distance by teleporting quickly and consecutively. In such a manner, Connor Lint could return to the imperial capital Gradium within five minutes.

His abilities also made him useful as a scout who could be quickly deployed and retreat in any situation. Now that the army was making its advance, he was more often assigned these missions rather than rescue operations.

Sabioleen Tana had told him about the unidentified force that were clearing the path ahead of the Allied Forces, and gave him a straightforward directive: verify how far ahead along the advance route had the monster hordes been exterminated.

Since he relied on superpowers, he didn’t need time to cast a spell, and set off immediately.

Pop!

Connor Lint reached the area Sabioleen Tana and Ellen had scouted out in less than a minute.

“Unidentified forces...”

Connor Lint observed the traces of massacred monsters then disappeared into the void again, hopping through space along the army’s planned route of advance.

“H-huh?”

His surroundings suddenly became excessively bright, forcing him to squint.

Plop!

“Ugh, ugh!”

He found himself buried in an unexpected pile of snow. He stared blankly up at the sky from within the snow.

“Ugh! It’s so cold!”

Shocked by the unexpected snowy landscape, Connor Lint teleported.

Although he couldn’t fly, he could teleport into the air. While he couldn’t prevent himself from falling, he could continually use teleportation to keep him in the air and effectively float in the air. However, the sensation of falling was so dreadful that he rarely used it.

“W-what is this...?”

Hovering about two hundred meters above ground, Connor Lint was stunned by the vast white expanse of snow that stretched out before him.

***

“Snow?”

“Yes, Commander. There was an enormous amount of snow. An unnatural amount.”

Although it was quite a distance ahead along the route, a vast area, far exceeding that of a single city, was covered in snow.

Sabioleen Tana furrowed her brow. “It’s not the right season for snow, so it must be an artificial phenomenon...”

“Yes, probably...”

“What about the monsters?”

“Some were alive, but it seems most were buried in the snow. All the monsters in the area are nearly wiped out.”

“I see.”

A large amount of snow had fallen over a vast area.

Sabioleen Tana quietly observed the area Connor Lint had marked out on the map. There existed a high-level spell called Blizzard, a large-scale weather-altering magic that could summon a snowstorm over a designated area. However, no mage alive could cast it on such a scale.

No magic aside from that possessed by a legendary dragon could summon a snowstorm over such a large area to bury the monsters in snow and kill them.

Was it magic, or something else?

There was a limit to how quickly the army could advance, so by the time they reached that place, most of the snow would have melted.

However, the number of monsters they would have to deal with during their advance had been drastically decreased, making the move easier.

Reinhart’s forces were aiding the Allied Forces’ advance. They had not only dealt with the monsters through conventional means, but a massive, unidentified weather anomaly had also been used to clear the monster hordes.

This time, the army’s advance would undoubtedly be easier and faster.

“What’s going on, Commander?”

Sabioleen Tana shook her head. “It’s nothing good to share.”

“Oh, right... I suppose so.”

Reinhart’s name had become cursed, a taboo word everywhere.

The Demon King was aiding the Allied Forces. That much was certain.

“...”

If it became known that the Demon King was aiding the Allied Forces’ advance, it would only cause chaos within the camp.

For those who did not have faith in the Demon King’s goodwill, it would seem like the Demon King was preparing a path, leading the Allied Forces into some unknown terror whose design only he knew.

Sabioleen Tana and a few others knew there was no need to fear the Demon King’s help. However, what could they do if such a large-scale weather anomaly struck the Allied Forces’ encampment?

This was humanity’s strongest and last army. If this army was wiped out, humanity would be doomed. Didn’t that mean the Demon King could destroy humanity at any time?

Sabioleen Tana knew there was no need to fear the Demon King. However, this report confirmed that the Demon King possessed a new and inherently terrifying power. If the Demon King changed his mind even slightly, humanity could vanish in an instant.

‘There’s no need to be afraid... Surely...’

Sabioleen Tana thought as she massaged her eyes and let out a deep sigh.

‘But it’s so frightening... Reinhart...’’

Humanity continued to exist because of the Demon King’s mercy, yet most of humanity hated the Demon King.

The few who knew that the end of the Demon King’s mercy would mean the end of humanity could only grow more fearful of him.

***

Cats were naturally mysterious creatures.

“They’re just naturally like that. They seem friendly one moment, and aren’t the next. They disappear suddenly and reappear.”

That was Cristina’s explanation.

A few days had passed since the cat had disappeared.

Everyone in the Royal Class was missing it, not just Ellen. Everyone would return to the camp hoping to see how the cat was doing, only to be disappointed.

General Headquarters had delayed the advance by a few days to get a better understanding of the situation ahead. Moreover, since the monster hordes ahead had been mostly massacred, Ellen was not deployed, but remained in the Royal Class camp.

The kitten that had brought such life to the Royal Class for a day had vanished. Cats often disappeared suddenly, and reappeared just as suddenly. It might be hiding somewhere among the piles of supplies in the Royal Class camp, or it might have gone to another camp.

The overall encampment was vast, which made it difficult to find a single black kitten. Even if they could somehow find it, it was silly to search for it as if they were its owner after spending only one day with it.

Ellen knew well that she wasn’t in a position to be so attached to a single cat.

It had been just one day. The fact that she was worrying over a small creature she had only been with for a day was ridiculous.

Did she like cute things?

Ellen pondered this but couldn’t figure it out. What mattered was that she was worried about that cat. The small creature hadn’t been able to jump onto or off the bed properly, and it seemed unlikely that it could move around the camp so stealthily. The thought of someone’s foot blindly and accidentally stepping on it sent chills down her spine.

In the dining tent, the blanket that the cat had sat in remained untouched. Like Ellen, everyone hoped the cat would return and sit there again, so no one had removed it.

Ellen looked at that blanket as she quietly ate her meal.

“Do you miss that cat?” asked Cristina, sitting across from her.

Was it that obvious from her face?

Ellen muttered something as she looked down at her stew.

Did she miss the cat? There was something else she truly missed. But just thinking of that name made her head feel like it was going to explode.

‘It should be fine, since I’ve taken it all upon myself. It should be fine,’ Ellen thought.

Zing...

“...”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just give me a moment. I suddenly felt dizzy...”

Ellen steadied her breathing, fighting against the pain and the ringing in her ears, the sensation that her consciousness was slipping away.

Gripping her necklace in her left hand, she took a few breaths and regained some composure.

It felt as though her emotions did not all belong to the same person. Hatred, anger, and a sense of attachment manifested simultaneously, and these emotions seemed to be in a constant tug-of-war, causing a bizarre pain that never grew familiar no matter how many times she experienced it.

She consciously tried not to think about Reinhart. That name had become too painful for Ellen, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

It was better to think of something else, even if that something was so small and insignificant.

It was better to think about something that seemed to have no meaning. Thinking about Reinhart wouldn’t improve anything. It would only make things more painful.

“It’s strange.”

“What is?”

“It’s just an animal.”

The strangeness of it all would not leave her mind.

“But I’m worried.”

Ellen found it odd that she was worrying about a single animal on a battlefield where countless humans were in danger and were actually dying.

That night, the image of the small kitten that had shed tears as if it empathized with her pain would not leave her mind. It was an animal, but it didn’t feel like just an animal to her.

Was it right for her to worry about an animal when she should be worrying about people? No, more than just worry, was it right for her to feel so disappointed and sad?

No promise had been made, and it couldn’t have understood her words. She had asked if it could come back again, but there was no way the cat understood that. It was strange to have such expectations of an animal.

“I’m worried too. I wonder where that tiny thing went?”

Cristina sighed deeply, as if she understood Ellen’s feelings. She comforted Ellen, telling her that it wasn’t strange.

‘It can’t run properly, and with the camp set to depart soon, could it somehow follow the army without anyone to care for it? It might hitch a ride on some cart, but if something went wrong...’

Even knowing it was silly to worry, Ellen couldn’t help but worry.

“By the way, it liked you a lot, didn’t it, Ellen?”

“...”

“Do cats have an eye for heroes, too?”

“That can’t be.”

“Who knows?”

Many in the Royal Class were talking about the guest who had come and gone so suddenly.

“By the way, Anna requested some strange supplies, you know?”

“Something strange...?”

“Yeah. She requested something a cat might like, but I don’t know what it is. Even so, how could she include something like that in her request for research supplies? They might not even have it, and the request has already been sent, so it can’t be canceled...”

Cristina let out another sigh.

Anna, who had a talent for dark magic, was not deployed in battles, but she was a long-time helper in Cristina’s alchemical experiments ever since their days at the Temple. Even now, she sometimes helped Cristina with her alchemical experiments when she had time.

Apparently, after meeting the cat, she had included something like cat food in her request for supplies.

It was a misuse of military resources. Even though it was a small thing, it still was something to be frowned upon.

“She shouldn’t have done that...” Ellen murmured absentmindedly.

“It’s not the first time Anna’s done something unexpected. Even before she... Umm, never mind.”

Cristina was about to say something, but then closed her mouth.

Ellen had a feeling she knew what Cristina was about to mention.

It had to do with the Magic Research Club, and how Anna always tried to give Reinhart strange potions.

Ellen took a deep breath and slowly ate her stew.

“Adelia stayed up all night making something like a cat house. She should be resting when she can, but what is she doing? She seems to have no time to sleep, with some weapon project going on.”

“Really?”

“Actually, I even looked for someone who had experience raising cats.”

“Oh...”

Ellen’s reaction to the cat seemed to be on the mild side.

Everyone in the Royal Class was so excited over it. But the cat had disappeared and hadn’t been seen since.

It wasn’t a matter of closing the barn door after the horse had bolted. The horse had no intention of returning, yet everyone was still busy building barns.

—That’s why dogs are better than cats. Do you understand now?

—Does it matter if it’s a dog or a cat? We’d be lucky to have either.

—That’s true.

Many students even seemed more disappointed than Ellen. They were arguing about why cats were not good pets and why dogs were better, and how dogs were just as cute than cats.

In this bleak and harsh world, the fact that they could be so excited over such a small creature seemed like a sad thing. After all, there was no joy to be found outside of such things.

When it came to the big things, there was despair and pain, and no one knew who would die in the upcoming battles. Discussing such heavy topics only made the atmosphere heavy, and all the stories they shared were gloomy.

Therefore, they talked about the small things. Things that were purely cute, purely pitiful, or purely unfortunate. They thought about small things that they could be sure they could help, that they could protect. Small creatures that could be cared for with small efforts.

Saving humanity was more difficult than protecting and feeding a small animal. So they talked about these small things instead.

Ellen realized why people could only talk about the missing cat, why it was the only thing that brought cheer.

Wasn’t this basically just despair? Giving up thinking about things beyond their capabilities and clinging to the small things instead... Focusing on something that wasn’t even human... If that wasn’t defeatism, then what was it?

Ellen didn’t believe it was right for her to be like that. Others could be, but it wasn’t right to let herself be captivated by such small creatures. She had bigger things to do. She had more to carry than to let her heart be taken up by one small animal.

People expected things from her, and she had things she had to do. After all, it had only been one strange event, on one strange night.

It remained a rather exotic experience, but there was no need for such experiences to continue.

Cats were just naturally like that. They came suddenly, and disappeared suddenly. They were animals without loyalty or affection. It would go somewhere, find other soldiers to pamper it, or hide among the supplies and catch mice or whatever it did. It would manage on its own.

In a matter where humanity’s fate was at stake, she couldn’t be allowed to put her attention on a single cat.

Ellen steadied her breathing and focused her eyes.

“It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t come back.”

“You must feel sad. It liked you the most.”

“So what? It’s just an animal, and it left on its own,” Ellen said, taking a spoonful of stew.

Suddenly, there was a commotion outside.

—Oh?

—Hey! It’s back!

—Where have you been?!

“Oh? Could it be?”

Cristina tilted her head, looking at the commotion outside the tent.

Clatter!

Ellen stood up abruptly, the wooden chair she had been sitting on crashing to the floor.

The cat that hadn’t even been able to walk properly came running—no, flying—into the tent. It blew into the tent like a sudden gust of wind and stopped in front of Ellen.

Meow.

“...”

Ellen looked down at the cat that was looking up at her. She crouched down carefully and stared at the cat.

“Really... Such a strange animal...”

The cat had appeared suddenly, and then disappeared suddenly. And it had finally appeared again.

Meow!

Ellen held the cat in her arms. ‘What a strange animal,’ she thought.

She had told it to come back. She had definitely said that, and although it had been a few days, it had returned.

“You kept your promise,” Ellen said.

Meow.

Could it really understand words?

Ellen no longer knew what to think.

“You said it didn’t matter if it didn’t come back,” Cristina said, and Ellen blushed—a rare sight.

It had to be despair. It had to be defeatism. Even so, Ellen couldn’t help but hold the small cat tightly.

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