Demon King of the Royal Class-Chapter 582

Louise von Schwartz had been given an unexpected vacation over the winter.

The only person above her, her father the king, had ordered her to rest.

The king of Kernstadt would take over command of the military during this winter. However, she still had to complete the minimum handover process, conveying to him the status of the Kernstadt army as well as other important information, which took quite some time.

After finishing all the handover and relinquishing full authority to the king, she finally left the Allied camp and arrived at the imperial capital Gradium through mass teleportation from the designated teleportation point. The handover had taken several days, and it was already late at night.

Louise finally understood what it meant to feel dizzy from a lack of sleep.

It was her first time out on the streets of the capital. It was deep into the night, and snow was falling steadily.

Although she had visited the imperial palace before on official duties, Louise had always gone directly there, either by carriage or escorted by an attendant. She had never been to the capital alone, nor had she ever been permitted to approach the Temple.

The snow-covered streets of the capital were unfamiliar to her, and the darkness of the night only made it harder to tell where she was.

She hadn’t been allowed to bring an attendant with her, since only Louise had been granted access to the Temple.

She felt a mix of excitement and confusion.

As for her father... She hadn’t been sure how to deal with his anger, but in truth, he had seemed resigned from the start—as if he had always known that, one day, Louise would inevitably have to confront her siblings, simply because of Heinrich’s existence.

Out of the blue, she had been thrust into a situation she had never imagined—she had been told to visit the Temple.

Louise felt strangely excited, flustered, thrilled, and even a little sad, all at once.

Alone in the capital, with nothing but the instruction to rest at the Temple. She felt, for the first time in a long while, like a child again.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t particularly good with directions.

She never had a strong sense of direction to begin with, and the conditions that night—darkness, snow, and unfamiliar streets—were perfect for getting lost.

Worse, she had never once asked for directions in her life. The idea of approaching strangers was awkward, and her pride ached at the thought of not being able to find her way on her own.

In her stubborn attempt to find the Temple on her own, she somehow ended up at the imperial palace—a place she had no business being.

Eventually, on the verge of becoming a snowman herself, Louise had no choice but to ask one of the palace guards for directions.

The guard took one look at her—half-covered in snow, asking for directions to the Temple—and pointed south with a look that clearly said, ‘Why are you looking for soup in a well?’

“You are now north of the river. The Temple is south of the river.”

“Oh...?”

It wasn’t just a matter of taking the wrong path; it was as if she had deliberately gone in the opposite direction.

In the end, Louise found herself trudging toward the Irine River.

She didn’t know much about the city, but she was certain of one thing: to reach the Temple, she had to cross that river.

The capital’s famous magic trains had long since ceased operations, so that option was out of the question.

‘No... If the trains were running, I might have gotten even more lost...’ she thought.

In truth, she had only ever heard about the capital’s magic trains—she’d never ridden it herself. She had seen them going to and fro from a distance a few times on her previous visits to the city, but that was all. She had no clue what the boarding procedures were like or where the trains went. If they had been running, she might’ve ended up at some far-off terminus, or just circling the city endlessly.

This was her first time trying to navigate these streets alone. She trudged through the snow, feeling like a child left behind on the roadside.

She wandered in a generally southern direction, hoping she was heading the right way.

If she could orient herself in the right direction, she could make it, even through the thick snowfall. The capital had about a dozen large bridges connecting the north and south districts. She needed to find one of them to cross the river and reach the southern part of the city, where the Temple was.

Unfortunately with the snow falling so heavily, she could barely see ahead of her. Eventually, she found herself on the riverside promenade that wound its way along the Irine River.

Before her lay the frozen river, its surface blanketed in snow.

Naturally, the thought came to her—she could just walk across. Did she really need to find a bridge?

The river was frozen solid. Couldn’t she just walk straight to the other side?

‘I just have to cross it...’

Instead of searching for a bridge, Louise made her way down to the riverbank and stepped onto the frozen surface of the Irine River.

And so, under the heavy snowfall, her midnight crossing began.

Crunch, crunch.

The soft sound of Louise von Schwartz’s boots pressing into the snow-covered ice echoed faintly in the silence.

She slipped and fell several times as she made her way across the frozen river, the cold biting at her, but she kept moving forward.

Thud!

“...”

Even with the superhuman balance of a Master-class individual, the snow-covered ice was treacherous. If she didn’t stay focused, she slipped immediately.

Louise picked herself up, brushed the snow off her backside, and glanced around to see if anyone had seen her.

Of course, there was no one in sight. She was stuck under heavy snowfall in the middle of a frozen river, after all.

Still, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she hurried forward as if trying to walk away from the embarrassing moment itself.

Naturally, she fell several more times.

***

After crossing the frozen river, Louise finally reached the southern streets of the capital.

Normally, both the Temple and the imperial palace could be seen from almost anywhere in Gradium if one simply climbed to a slightly higher vantage point. They were called the two great landmarks of the capital for a reason.

However, because of the heavy snowfall, neither the Temple nor the palace were in sight.

All Louise could do was walk forwards, without any clear sense of direction.

She wandered about for quite a while.

The first time she had to stop and ask for directions, it had been difficult and awkward. But after that, it got easier.

She asked the few passersby braving the snowy streets how to get to the Temple, and one by one, they pointed her in the right direction.

“You can go that way.”

“Is it... far from here...?”

It was awkward to speak informally or adopt a tone of command, so Louise could only ask in a vaguely questioning tone.

“Um... it’s quite a distance away.”

The person she asked seemed preoccupied, and hurried off after that brief advice.

Left alone, Louise found her situation almost amusing—she was like a lost child, despite being a princess and heir to the First Duchy. At that moment, all those grand titles felt like illusions.

Of course, she was still a Swordmaster, but none of those skills would help her find her way through the snowy streets.

Even so, she couldn’t deny the thrill bubbling inside her. The Temple—so revered and yet so forbidden to her to even to glimpse from afar—was said to offer the finest education on the continent. Kernstadt’s academy had long tried to emulate it, which only deepened the Schwartz royal family’s disdain for it.

Just the thought of seeing the place where her son had grown up made Louise’s heart race, but the capital city of Gradium was far from the vision of splendor she had imagined.

The city was heavy with despair and death. Although the snow falling from the sky was gentle, it seemed to suffocate the entire city beneath its cold, accumulating weight.

Had she arrived in better times, she might have felt envy, jealousy, or inferiority. Now, though, Gradium was merely a city of death.

The few passersby were hunched over as they hurried through the streets, weighed down by the bleakness.

The snow seemed destined to bury the city slowly and completely.

Likewise, the capital of Kernstadt faced a similar fate.

In truth, the very fact that the capital still managed to exist under such conditions was almost miraculous—just maintaining appearances was a feat in itself.

At that moment, Louise suddenly heard footsteps approaching from behind her, breaking through the stillness.

It was the sound of military boots.

Louise quickly stepped aside, and a group of people passed by.

‘What is that?’ she thought.

Their clothes were ordinary, but Louise instinctively knew from their footsteps and movements that they were trained fighters.

They didn’t even glance at her as they rushed down the street and disappeared into the darkness.

She had no idea what could be so urgent, but it was clear she couldn’t stop them to ask for directions.

What could be so serious that these combat-trained individuals were rushing through the city with such grave expressions in the dead of night?

Louise almost let herself get lost in thought, but then she snapped back to reality.

Finding the Temple was her priority. If she stood still any longer, she’d become nothing more than a snowman.

***

As Louise continued walking in the direction of the Temple, the night grew deeper, and the snow piled up even more.

Naturally, this led to inevitable problems.

Visibility was extremely poor, and the night was so deep that there were no passersby.

In such harsh weather, there was little reason for anyone to be outside at this late hour. And so, what happened next was almost inevitable.

‘Where on earth... am I?’

Louise knew she wasn’t far from the Temple, but the streets around her were empty and silent—there was no one to ask for directions.

What she needed wasn’t the Temple itself, but someone to point her the way. Yet darkness surrounded her on all sides.

The magic trains were out of service, and even the streetlights that usually lit the capital were all dark.

Louise found herself mired in the harsh reality of being lost in the middle of the night.

She’d been too proud to ask strangers for help before, but now, desperation was pushing her toward knocking on any door she could find—waking sleeping families just to ask where the Temple was.

‘At least I know it’s nearby...’

Louise walked aimlessly, heading in the direction she had been told the Temple was.

How long did she walk in that state? Finally, she spotted something beyond the falling snow.

‘Is that... a light?’

Was it a light, or a will-o’-the-wisp?

Beyond the heavy curtain of snow, something flickered like a blue flame.

‘What could that be?’

Whatever it was, she couldn’t stay like this. If she did, she would end up going in circles, lost forever.

Determined to find out, Louise focused on the blue light that was drawing nearer to her.

It wasn’t just a light—it was a person.

A figure wreathed in the blue glow of Mana Reinforcement.

And that person wasn’t alone.

They were pulling something behind them—like a cart of some kind.

—Is this the place?

—Oh, thank you, thank you so much. We’re here. Put it in here.

The person pulled the cart into what looked like a warehouse, shrouded in darkness.

—If it weren’t for you, I’d have been in big trouble. Thank you.

—No, I was heading this way too. And sir, take care of your back.

Louise watched quietly from a distance. A young man who had been pulling the cart, and an old man who was now leaning on it.

It was clear the young man was helping the older one.

But something else about the scene caught Louise’s attention, beyond the fact that the young man was able to use Mana Reinforcement.

—You’ve worked hard, young man. I’d like to repay you somehow...

The young man’s right sleeve was loose.

—No, no, it’s really fine. Truly, it’s nothing.

Louise stayed nearby until the old man, still insisting on repaying the young man, finally went inside.

After the old man disappeared into the house, the one-armed young man turned around, and their eyes met.

Louise, quietly watching from the snowy street, felt the weight of that shared moment.

Both looked as if they’d been caught in a harsh frost, but somehow, Louise, lost and alone, seemed even more fragile than him.

“Uh... Is there something you want to say to me...? But before that... are you alright...?” the young man asked gently.

“Oh... Uh...”

Louise von Schwartz, princess of the Schwartz royal family, looked unexpectedly pitiful.

“Could you... show me the way to the Temple...?”

Though she didn’t know much about him, she could tell he was someone who didn’t hesitate to help others, even in his own condition. And at that moment, Louise desperately needed that help.

The young man smiled warmly.

“Oh, I’m heading there too. Let’s go together, then.”

“I-is that so?!”

Louise couldn’t help but bounce on the spot, feeling surprised and relieved.

***

Louise followed Ludwig and reached the Temple almost immediately.

Once inside, she wondered why she had gotten lost in the first place.

Of course, both Ludwig and Louise looked like snowmen, covered in the thick, falling snow.

Just as the magic trains had stopped running, the tram lines within the Temple grounds were also not in operation.

Louise felt grateful to the gods for the timely arrival of this young man, who was not only a student of the Temple but also skilled in Mana Reinforcement.

But that was only the beginning.

The Temple wasn’t just a building; it was an entire complex.

She stepped through the massive entrance gate and saw the vast snowy grounds stretched out before her, filling her with awe.

This young man had guided her this far, but he would soon head to his own destination, and she would be lost once again—this time inside the Temple instead of outside.

She could ask for directions, but she half expected she would inevitably lose her way again.

Should she try to find one of the Temple guards?

Her mind raced with worries.

Seeing Louise’s pale, uncertain face, Ludwig laughed softly. He couldn’t ignore the innocent, frightened eyes of a lost lamb.

“The interior of the Temple is quite large too. Where are you headed? I’ll guide you to your destination.”

“R-really...? Is that okay...?”

Her attitude suggested she didn’t want to impose, but her expression couldn’t hide her joy and desperation.

“Yes.”

Despite his own condition, he was someone who didn’t hesitate to help others. Louise thought to herself that the Temple must indeed be a good educational institution.

“I need to get to the Royal Class dormitory... Do you know where it is?” she asked.

The young man tilted his head in confusion.

“You don’t know? Then I suppose there’s no choice...”

“No, it’s just... that’s where I’m headed. I was just a bit surprised.”

Louise stared at him in confusion.

“Let’s go. I’ll guide you.”

The person she’d asked for directions from was going to the exact same place within the Temple.

He was clearly not a teacher or a guard, so he had to be a student—likely a student of the Royal Class.

Only then did Louise consciously register his empty right sleeve, something she’d been trying not to see or ask about.

Louise also thought about what had happened to her son’s friends—the classmates who had died, and those who had been injured.

“By any chance... is your name... Ludwig?”

Ludwig looked uncertain. “How do you know my name?”

‘It’s my son’s friend!’

“I’m Heinrich’s mo—!”

In her excitement, Louise almost blurted something she shouldn’t have said. She closed her mouth so quickly that she bit her tongue.

Gasp!

“Are you okay...?”

She had bitten her tongue so hard that she tasted the metallic tang of blood in her mouth.

***

In the end, since both were headed to the Royal Class dormitory, Ludwig led the way, and Louise followed behind.

“I... I didn’t realize you were the princess... I apologize. I mean, Commander...”

Once Ludwig realized that Louise was Heinrich’s sister and thus the military commander of Kernstadt, he was flustered and didn’t know what to do.

Ludwig had no dealings with the Kernstadt military, so he had only heard of Louise. This was the first time he was seeing her face.

Louise shook her head vigorously. “No, no, it’s fine. There’s no need to apologize. I’m the one who’s grateful. I can’t believe you’re Heinrich’s friend...”

Learning that the person who had appeared in the nick of time was not only a Temple student but also her son’s friend made Louise’s already excited heart soar.

She quietly watched Ludwig’s back as they walked, his loose right sleeve flapping pitifully in the falling snow.

Louise hadn’t been able to witness Heinrich’s growth firsthand, but through documents and reports, she had learned about the school Heinrich attended and what his school life had been like.

She also read about Heinrich’s classmates in the Royal Class. Therefore, Louise knew something about Ludwig as well—and since the war began, she had gotten to know even more.

Ludwig. Royal Class, second year, B-11.

Technically, the lowest-ranked student, with physical stamina as his only talent. A simple talent, but he possessed extraordinary aptitude—he had awakened Mana Reinforcement even before receiving any formal teaching on it.

Of course, three others in the second year of the Royal Class also had that breakthrough, but two of them were the Demon King and the Hero. Comparing Ludwig to them would be an insult.

Had this war not broken out, and had he continued his education in the Royal Class, Ludwig might have reached the Master class before graduation.

But the war had taken his arm.

Even so, if he kept training and practicing, he might still be able to fight. Yet, Louise saw a deep resignation in Ludwig’s eyes.

She didn’t know why, but she couldn’t help but sense his despair as he sat there in the snow, looking pitiful and as if he had lost everything.

The war kept on taking something from everyone it touched.

“By the way, what was all that with the cart earlier...?”

Louise had only just met Ludwig. She knew he had lost his arm and had recently returned to the Temple from the battlefield, yet she had seen him pulling an old man’s cart through the snow.

“Oh, the man hurt his back slipping on the ice. He couldn’t pull the cart himself, nor did he want to leave it behind, so I helped him get it home...”

“I see...”

Louise smiled gently as she watched Ludwig scratch his head with an awkward smile. Seeing someone with such a kind heart naturally warmed anyone’s spirits, especially when you were on the receiving end of such kindness.

The sight of Ludwig’s empty right sleeve only made her heart ache even more.

Despite his own hardships, Ludwig had not been able to ignore an old man who had fallen in the snow. He’d used his time and his strength to pull the cart to the man’s home.

Louise didn’t know all the details of how Ludwig lost his arm, but she had heard reports—he had lost it while saving a friend in danger.

In the end, his kind heart, which made him unable to turn away from others in need, led him to a cruel fate which cost him his arm.

In these harsh times, even the simple act of caring for someone became a vulnerability.

Looking at Ludwig’s empty sleeve, Louise couldn’t help but feel the weight of that cruel truth.

“It’s a sad time.”

Louise’s sudden words caught Ludwig’s attention, and he looked at her quietly.

“Yes, it is,” he replied softly.

“But even in times like these...”

Louise exhaled, her breath misting in the heavy snowfall. “Let’s live on with strength.”

“...”

“Let’s survive with strength.”

In a world that keeps taking, one cannot simply accept being taken for granted.

At Louise’s unexpected words, Ludwig met her gaze quietly.

“Yes. Definitely. Absolutely. We must.”

Ludwig smiled, and Louise smiled back.

***

‘What is this woman doing here? Why is she here?’ I thought.

“S-sister...?”

Heinrich stood up with a dumbfounded expression, looking at the unexpected visitor. Ellen, who had been petting me by the window, jumped down from the windowsill.

Louise von Schwartz. Someone who wasn’t supposed to be here had suddenly appeared.

“I’m also taking the chance to rest at the Temple during the winter.”

“You too, sister...?”

“Yes,” Louise replied with her usual stiff expression.

‘Can’t you explain a little bit more? Why are you here at this time?’

Neither Heinrich nor I could hide our confusion.

Louise’s gaze shifted to Ellen.

“It’s not our first meeting,” she said, “but it seems like it’s the first time we’re seeing each other like this...”

Ellen bowed her head slightly. “Hello.”

She greeted the princess of Kernstadt and the military commander gently, without formality, as if speaking with a friend's sister.

Louise then glanced at the cat (me), which was quietly perched on the windowsill.

“Is this the cat?”

‘Did she know about the cat that had appeared in the Royal Class quarters?’

Louise didn’t seem particularly surprised or startled by the black cat’s presence.

“Yes.”

Ellen lifted me up and offered me to Louise, as if to say, “Go ahead, pet it.”

‘What is this?

‘Are you now using me as a convenient communication tool with people you don’t know? Oh, how convenient that must be...’

Louise stared blankly at the offered cat (me) and then gently petted my head, as if out of courtesy.

“...”

“...”

After Louise petted the cat a few times, Ellen fixed her gaze on her—not just a casual glance, but an intense stare.

‘How is it? How’s our cat? Tell me quickly. Tell me it’s cute.’

That longing was clearly written in her eyes.

Louise seemed a little flustered by Ellen’s gaze.

“Uh... uh... it’s, it’s cute...” she finally said.

“Right?”

Ellen’s eyes had demanded that one and only acceptable answer. She reached out and tickled my head gently.

Louise’s expression became strangely uncertain as she looked back at Ellen.

Although they weren’t strangers, they’d never really talked before, so Louise would not have known what kind of person Ellen truly was.

Yet here was humanity’s hero, casually showing off a cat.

Was she disappointed? Or did she find it... humanizing?

No matter what Ellen did, though, Heinrich was still half in a panic, unable to fully settle down.

“Sister... Could you explain this situation...?”

“They told me I would stay in room A-1. Where is that?”

What could it mean? Why was this person here?

Not just anyone would be allowed into the Temple, and Louise von Schwartz was definitely not just anyone.

It had to have been Vertus who’d granted her entry.

But what did it mean if they allowed Louise into the Temple?

She was assigned to room A-1 in the second-year dormitory—ironically, the very room the emperor had used during his time at the Temple.

The king of Kernstadt would take over command of the military over the winter, while Louise was granted an extended stay at the Temple.

Heinrich was still dazed by the sudden turn of events, while Louise looked around with quiet curiosity.

“So this is the Temple...” she said.

She seemed rather excited, although she still retained her usual stiff expression. I didn’t know if she was comparing it to Kernstadt’s academy, or if the Temple was leaving a completely different impression on her.

Heinrich offered to give Louise a brief tour of the Royal Class dormitory, and the two of them soon disappeared down the hallway.

Meanwhile, Ellen quietly watched the snow falling outside the window.