Demon King of the Royal Class-Chapter 617

“Are you really going to leave? Today?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t think there’s any rush... but I guess it can’t be helped.”

Ellen didn’t have anything that could be called luggage. When she first arrived, all she’d brought was a cage with a cat inside. As she prepared to return to the Allied Forces’ base, she wore her casual clothes, and did not have anything else to carry back with her.

“But the snow just stopped...”

Louise felt a pang of bitterness at Ellen’s decision to leave so soon, especially now that the heavy snow had finally melted and the weather had cleared.

She had come to the Temple seeking solace, but instead found herself swept up in a wave of unsettling events, leaving her heart even heavier than before.

The Demon King had seized control of both the Order of the Holy Knights and the Church of the Five Great Gods, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it.

In these rapidly changing times, there was no such thing as a purely good faction; survival meant choosing the side most likely to endure.

Something drastic was on the horizon, promising unimaginable bloodshed.

A dark cloud hung over the Empire’s future, forcing everyone to make a choice.

The Allied camp had become more peaceful than the capital, offering a refuge from the looming chaos, especially for Ellen.

If she couldn’t make a choice, it was better to be somewhere she couldn’t witness the turmoil.

Everywhere she looked, there were problems without solutions, and no one knew where these matters would ultimately lead.

If the Empire fell and the Demon King rose in its place, what fate awaited Ellen, who was destined to oppose him? And where did that leave Heinrich?

No one had the answers. Everyone was trying to do something, all the while dreading what lay ahead.

There was a consensus that the Gate Incident needed to be resolved, yet all the actions taken in pursuit of this goal only seemed to make the future more frightening.

Was it right to turn the world into a living hell for the sake of a single, absolute good? And what would become of the world once that good was achieved?

It was becoming increasingly dangerous for Ellen to remain in the capital. That was why she was leaving. But the thought had been on her mind for a while.

“Take good care of the cat while I’m gone.”

“Alright.”

The cat, which had recently vanished, was nowhere to be found.

Ellen had hoped to pet it one last time before leaving, but since it hadn’t shown up, she entrusted the task to Heinrich.

Deep down, Ellen had a sense, almost instinctively, that it might have disappeared for good.

She always felt it would leave eventually, even when they were together. Just like she had always felt that way about someone else, at some point.

She didn’t know why, but she had accepted that it might suddenly vanish, and that there was nothing she could do about it.

After all, it had never truly been hers. They had only shared a fleeting moment, and she wished they might cross paths again someday.

It was a pity they could not say goodbye.

In the end, Ellen knew she couldn’t let herself get too attached to something so fleeting.

“I’m leaving,” she said softly.

Ellen quietly exited the Temple dormitory, with Louise and Heinrich there to see her off.

As Ellen’s figure disappeared into the distance, Louise turned to Heinrich.

“I think we should leave soon too.”

“Yes, I agree.”

It was dangerous everywhere, but for the time being, the imperial capital was undeniably the most perilous place.

***

The heavy snowfall that had blanketed the ground suddenly disappeared as if it had never been there, melting away in an instant.

Though the snow had accumulated over what felt like ages, it only took only a few days to disappear.

The weather turned so warm that it felt almost like summer.

Ellen wandered through the streets of the Temple, now clear of snow.

There wasn’t much to occupy her mind at the Allied base, but in the capital, she was bombarded with information she wished she could ignore.

If her only purpose was to fight, she’d prefer to remain blissfully unaware.

She decided it was better to spend the rest of the winter in ignorance than to be consumed by difficult thoughts and decisions.

How long could she cling to a resolve that felt ready to shatter? And what would become of the world?

If she couldn’t choose her own path, if she was destined to be dragged along by some unseen force, then she didn’t want to see any path at all.

If the ship was bound to sink one day, was it better to just abandon it now?

The Empire, her consciousness... Everything she held onto seemed destined to crumble.

Bringing an end to the Gate Incident was the immediate concern, but everyone was already thinking about what would follow.

The Order of the Holy Knights, the Empire, and countless other factions... One by one, they were already planning for the aftermath.

Louise von Schwartz had discovered that the Order of the Holy Knights, a crucial part of the Allied Forces, had fallen under the Demon King’s control.

If even the First Principality of Kernstadt joined forces with the Demon King, what would become of everything?

With its two main pillars gone, the Empire could no longer be called an Empire.

Other principalities would soon face a crucial decision.

Which side would they choose?

The Empire had lost its legitimacy, while the Demon King was responsible for the Gate Incident.

Both needed to be eliminated. Yet, no new great power was ready to rise in their stead.

What if the Empire found itself isolated?

Even stripped of everything, it still commanded an immortal army, stronger than any before.

Whether the Empire made a desperate stand before its fall or attempted to crush those allied with the Demon King to survive, one thing was certain: another war was inevitable.

“...”

Ellen knew exactly where she belonged.

Whether victory was certain or defeat loomed, she would stand with the Empire.

As her own will faded, a new resolve would inevitably replace it, driving her toward the demise of the Demon King. It was bound to happen.

She chose not to dwell on it. Her path was already laid out. Any further knowledge was unnecessary.

In the end, she was destined to be consumed by a greater force, and would become something indistinguishable from that immortal army. For the time being, she could avoid the fight if someone tried to push her into it, but one day, even that option would vanish.

Whether she wanted it or not, whether someone compelled her or not, one day, she would become the Demon King’s adversary. So, Ellen returned to the Allied base, seeking refuge from the atmosphere of division and war that hung over the capital.

The only true good was the resolution of the Gate Incident.

Ellen made her way through the streets, clear of snow, and neared the entrance of the Temple. The area was still devoid of people, a quiet emptiness lingering in the air.

Yet, despite the absence of people, a small creature caught her eye.

“Ah.”

A black cat was nestled on a nearby bench, basking in the warmth of the sunlight. As Ellen drew closer, the cat turned its head to meet her gaze.

Meow.

She approached the cat, which seemed to be savoring the long-awaited sunshine.

It was an unusual little creature.

It would vanish without a trace, only to reappear just as unexpectedly.

Whenever Ellen was on the verge of giving up and leaving, it would be there at the entrance, as if it had been waiting for her all along.

If she stayed, it wouldn’t show. If she decided to leave, it would emerge from its hiding place. It was frustrating, yet she couldn’t help but be drawn to it.

Ellen crouched in front of the bench, locking eyes with the cat as it gazed back at her.

They couldn’t speak to each other, but somehow, Ellen always felt a connection, as if they understood one another.

It seemed to sense her sadness. It seemed to understand her pain, to feel her suffering.

She wondered if it was just an illusion, but it didn’t feel like one.

Even now, it was waiting for Ellen at the Temple entrance, as if sensing her departure.

Did it truly know, or was she just reading too much into things?

It’s often said that coincidences can feel like fate. This cat seemed to coincidentally grasp all her emotions.

“I’m leaving,” Ellen said softly, offering a simple farewell.

Meow.

Would she ever be able to come back? And if she did, what would the capital look like by then?

It was difficult to imagine returning for anything good.

Would this tiny creature be safe from the impending war?

The Allied army was a perilous place, but so were the capital and the Temple.

Small creatures were always caught in the chaos. That was the fate of all small beings, just like people in the Gate Incident. But the tiny creature before her... was even smaller than the smallest beings. Perhaps because it was so small, it might remain safe, carried along by the wind and waves.

Ellen gazed at the little black cat staring back at her, remembering the comfort it had brought her in so many moments.

“Take care,” she said sincerely, pressing a gentle kiss against its nose. “And don’t wander around so late.”

Meow.

With a playful gesture, she pretended to flick its forehead before turning toward the Temple’s gate.

As she stepped outside, Ellen paused to look up at the sky. It was a warm day, hinting at the end of the harsh winter. Yet so much snow had fallen.

Could all this snow really melt away with just one warm day?

In those shadowy spots where the sun never touched, the snow would still be piled high.

Who would melt the snow in those hidden, sunless corners?

Ellen quietly held the talisman that was shaped like the sun and moon.

She rolled it gently about in her hand.

She was tired. So tired and worn out.

Wasn’t it time to let go?

If she was meant to fight anyway, wouldn’t it be okay if everything ended like this? If the world’s malice and hatred inevitably led to conflict, what was the point of enduring?

No matter her actions or her attempts, she would eventually be forced into battle.

In that moment, when she felt like giving up, when the cracks in her weary heart widened, Ellen’s eyes grew distant and heavy.

Had she already reached her limit long ago? It felt as though she stood at the edge of her endurance, having already crossed the threshold of her allotted time.

Her thoughts were drowning beneath a rising tide.

Fwap.

With a gentle tug, the leather cord holding the talisman, once so carefully guarded, snapped effortlessly.

It was as if it had never been there, as if it was finally breaking free from its chains.

As if heralding the start of something unbound.

Ellen tossed aside the talisman she had worn like it was nothing and began to walk away as if she had transformed into someone entirely new.

Ellen left without a backward glance, as if she had severed all ties with her past.

A black cat delicately picked up the fallen talisman in its mouth and vanished into an alley.