As I stepped out of my room for my dawn training, I hesitated for a moment, wondering whether or not I should strike up a conversation with the person I saw.
However, it was clear that the two outsiders had brought with them a serious issue.
Upon hearing the words "murder case," I acted more quickly than I had anticipated.
"We need to investigate a key witness for a murder case that occurred in the Royal Magic Department. We've already secured the cooperation of the Temple."
Harriet looked back and forth between me and the investigators.
There was no way Harriet could have committed such a crime as murder.
"May I accompany you?"
It was clear that Harriet had been caught up in something quite unusual.
—---
The Magic Department investigators seemed to know who I was.
Despite the importance of the case, they allowed me to act as Harriet's guardian when I volunteered to do so.
Fortunately, the investigation took place not outside the Temple but inside the Royal Class dormitory, in one of the empty guardrooms.
Harriet wore an expression of complete ignorance as to what had happened, and I, who had suddenly been caught up in the situation, felt the same way.
Harriet had been in the Royal Magic Department late last night.
She had seemed a bit frightened yesterday, but she had said it was just her imagination.
Had something really happened after all?
"What... is going on?"
Harriet asked, her lips trembling slightly, and one of the investigators began to explain slowly.
"Last night, three guards were killed in the Royal Magic Department's research archive, and a magical tome was stolen."
Murder and the theft of a magical tome.
Upon hearing this, Harriet's face turned from pale to an ashen blue.
"At present, the most likely suspect is the 8th research archive librarian, Roswin, who is currently unreachable."
"That... that person?"
"Yes, Roswin, the librarian in charge of the 8th reading room, is the prime suspect."
Roswin.
It was a name I had never heard before.
Harriet was terrified, but she finally seemed to understand and slowly nodded her head.
Harriet began to explain what had happened yesterday.
The prime suspect was Roswin, who was currently missing after committing the crime.
"There wasn't anything particularly strange... I was just looking at some research material on warp gates... Oh, now that I think about it..."
Harriet hesitated for a moment, as if remembering something, and began to speak.
"He mentioned bringing magical tomes from somewhere... Were those the ones that were stolen?"
"Yes, they were."
"He seemed oddly curious about their origin... Even to the point of being suspicious. He was babbling on and on..."
"So, you're saying Roswin was acting differently than usual?"
"Yes... He used to be rather aloof, but would always provide me with whatever I needed... That day, he talked a lot more, and even said it would have been better if we had met earlier... Oh."
Harriet muttered to herself as if she had realized something.
Harriet told the investigators a few more stories, but there were no particularly significant clues.
However, Harriet seemed to be deeply shaken by the events.
The person I had calmly conversed with yesterday had committed a murder and escaped the palace.
"Thank you for your cooperation in the investigation."
The investigators briefly wrapped up their conversation and stood up, seemingly having no further business to attend to.
"Can that person... be caught?"
The investigators neither confirmed nor denied Harriet's fear-laden question.
"We'll have to do our best."
"Well then, we appreciate your cooperation. It was an honor to meet you, Reinhardt."
"Yes? Oh... yes."
Expressing their gratitude to Harriet, they left the duty room with a slightly awkward comment about the honor of meeting me.
An unexpected murder and theft.
"..."
Harriet's fingers were still white, the shock seemingly not having faded yet.
Unable to stand still, I brewed some black tea in the duty room and poured a cup for Harriet.
"Ah, thanks... Reinhardt."
Harriet cautiously sipped the tea with trembling hands. Eventually, she drained the cup and let out a deep breath.
"What on earth happened..."
It was clear that Harriet had experienced something strange yesterday.
"Was it that guy yesterday?"
"Uh-huh..."
The mage who had suddenly stolen a considerable number of magic books. Harriet seemed to calm down a bit, taking a deep breath.
"I don't know why he took them... but there were quite a few."
Was it such a large number that a well-behaved, even elite, mage would lose his mind, kill someone, and flee?
"I thought he was greedy for magic books, but to go as far as killing..."
Harriet didn't know who Roswin was, but he must have been a mage who had been quite helpful to her until now. It was natural to be shocked when she heard that someone she had encountered frequently had killed three people.
Harriet murmured, furrowing her brows.
"I should have... noticed it sooner..."
He had shown a different behavior pattern than usual due to his decision to steal magic books. Harriet thought that if she had caught on to his intentions sooner, this might not have happened.
"There's no way you could have known that."
"I guess, but..."
Was she blaming herself?
If she had quickly noticed that Roswin was acting differently yesterday, could lives have been spared?
It's impossible to deduce such a thing just because someone is acting strange. Therefore, Harriet's self-blame was meaningless.
Harriet hung her head, fiddling with her teacup.
"If I had just realized that something was off, I might not have been able to do anything, but at least I could have told someone. But I just got scared and ran away..."
Finally, she let out a deep sigh.
"I feel... pathetic."
I didn't think it was Harriet's fault, and she probably didn't think it was her fault either.
However, she regretted her decision to run away yesterday.
The choice to flee without trying to find out how strange the person was.
What should we do?
This wasn't Harriet's fault, but it was difficult to sit idly by while such an incident had occurred.
Above all, a murder case within the palace was a very serious matter.
"......Shall we try to investigate it ourselves?"
"Us......?"
"We might not be able to expect much, but there's no rule saying we can't find anything, right?"
There was no harm in trying.
As a hero, I had the authority to interfere in almost all affairs of the empire, and Harriet had a brilliant mind.
More importantly, I hadn't been able to do anything for Harriet until now, and I wanted to do something for her, who was looking sullen.
Of course, I wasn't sure if pursuing a murder case was really the right thing to do.
And this.
Somehow, if this was the flow......
[Event Occurred - Murder Case Investigation]
[Description: A murder and theft incident has occurred within the palace. Investigate the case.]
[Reward: Achievement points 5,000, ???]
I had a feeling an event would happen, and sure enough, it did.
—---
Saturday morning.
Ellen should have been spending her weekend sparring, but Reinhardt had business to attend to, so he left the dormitory with Harriet.
She didn't know what had happened yesterday, but she found out that Harriet and Reinhardt were getting along like they used to.
She had been worried that Harriet and Reinhardt were drifting apart.
It wasn't quite like the old days, but the sight of Harriet and Reinhardt chatting and heading somewhere together.
Had Harriet finally gotten better?
She felt relieved, but at the same time, she couldn't fully accept it due to a complicated emotion. Ellen watched the two of them leave the temple through the window.
It was good, but she couldn't feel completely happy.
Feeling this way made Ellen feel guilty towards Harriet, but she couldn't do anything about it.
So, rather, when the three of them were together, she would act more friendly towards Harriet than she felt. It made her feel harder to bear, though.
Training couldn't be done without Reinhardt. Since Saviollin Turner left the temple on weekends to take care of Shanafel's duties, her help couldn't be obtained either.
She hoped it wouldn't be a time-consuming task.
Ellen was thinking like that while contemplating how to train alone.
"Hey."
However, Charlotte came to visit the Class A dormitory.
"Let's talk for a bit."
Even if she put it nicely, they couldn't be considered close, but they were bound by an oath of loyalty.
"Okay."
That's why Ellen obediently followed Charlotte.
—---
Charlotte took Ellen outside the dormitory.
Her expression was hardened, as if she had no intention of discussing an easy subject.
"I don't know you well, but I think you're burdened by something. What do you think?"
"I'm not sure."
"I see, so you're at a level where you don't even think about such things while living."
Ellen's lips were sealed so tight, the very concept of loose lips would have never even crossed her mind. Naturally, she was oblivious to gossip, living her life without ever engaging in spreading rumors.
Charlotte took several deep breaths.
She intended to reveal a secret known to very few people to her knight, who was uncharacteristically undignified.
"You know I was kidnapped and held captive in the Demon King's castle before I escaped, right?"
"Yes."
As the threat of the Demon King grew more imminent and his existence could potentially endanger Reinhardt, Charlotte finally made up her mind.
"There was a child who escaped with me back then."
"...Together?"
"Yes."
As Charlotte nodded her head,
"I think that child is the current Demon King."
"!"
A secret among secrets known only to a select few.
Charlotte intended to share this with Ellen.
Very few people knew about Charlotte's escape from the Demon King's castle. Among the Temple students, only Charlotte, Bertus, and Reinhardt knew the full story.
So it was only natural for Ellen to be shocked by Charlotte's confession.
Charlotte explained the entire process of her escape from the Demon King's castle, from start to finish.
She recounted how Bertus's agents tried to kill her and how the child who brought the teleportation scroll along with Dyrus had saved her.
Of course, Ellen had no idea that there was a child who had escaped with Charlotte, let alone that the child was now the Demon King who was shaking the entire continent, so she was understandably shocked.
"I didn't know at the time, of course. He must have been using some kind of disguise magic. This isn't the important part, though. Ultimately, I'm almost certain that he’s the Demon King now."
Charlotte bit her lip.
She had decided to tell everything, but she seemed to be wondering whether she should really reveal this as well.
After contemplating, Charlotte looked around.
In the park in front of the Royal Class dormitory, it was early morning on the weekend, so there were no passersby.
"Since you're going to keep being my knight, you need to know this. I'll tell you."
"Okay."
"You know I have Supernatural abilities, right?"
At Charlotte's words, Ellen nodded her head. However, Reinhardt knew that Charlotte was grappling with some serious issues. She had experienced something like aftereffects after returning from the Demon King's castle, but that was all he knew.
Ellen did not know what Charlotte's Supernatural power was.
Charlotte held out her right hand quietly.
-Swoosh-
Seeing the dark, boiling darkness emanating from Charlotte's right hand, Ellen felt her breath catch.
It was a sinister power that gave off an ominous feeling just by looking at it, even though she didn't know what it was.
"My body harbors the soul of the Demon King."
"...What?"
The following words could only make Ellen more astounded.
"When I was trapped in the Demon King's castle, he did something to me. I didn't know the meaning back then, but now I do. The Demon King, in preparation for any unforeseen circumstances, implanted a part of his soul in my body for the purpose of resurrection."
Even the usually indifferent Ellen found it difficult to hide her astonishment at the words coming out of Charlotte's mouth.
She had escaped the Demon Realm with the heir of the demon realm and even had a part of the Demon King's soul slumbering within her own body.
The words that poured out far surpassed Ellen's imagination, which had pictured an incurable disease.
"Turns out, the current Demon King, the child who had escaped back then, didn't save me for my sake, but to preserve the Demon King's soul within me."
"I didn't even know that, and while I had some suspicion that the child might be a demon, I intentionally pretended not to know. I even went so far as to turn a blind eye to how I could find the child."
"I admit, I was foolish and weak. I wanted to believe that the child's intentions were for my sake. But I don't believe that anymore. And now that I'm in this state, Reinhardt has saved me numerous times, and the Demon King might even be targeting Reinhardt."
Charlotte took a deep breath after finishing her words.
"I'm not sure if the Demon King is really behind all this, but the Demon God cultists are showing up too. So, I'm going to retrace the clues I had intentionally ignored and overlooked. And since the Demon King's story isn't unrelated to you, and you are my knight, I'm going to tell you all the secrets."
Just as Ellen had decided to protect Charlotte regardless of personal feelings, Charlotte acknowledged Ellen as her knight, also regardless of personal feelings.
"I don't want to burden Reinhardt anymore. He will try to handle everything himself. I've been helped several times, but now I want to avoid such situations. So, if you're okay with it, I'd like to pursue the Demon King together. I can't use anyone else. It's a matter related to my sensitive secret, so I have to investigate it myself. Of course, the likelihood of finding the Demon King's whereabouts isn't high. But doing something is better than doing nothing. I want to try something now."
Charlotte looked intently at Ellen.
"Will you do it with me?"
Investigating the clues about the Demon King.
In regret, Charlotte tried to reconnect the link she had severed with her own hands.
Now that the existence of the Demon King was beginning to threaten the entire continent, Charlotte realized she had to do something.
If this mess had continued due to her own foolishness, she vowed to do something in order to fulfill her minimum duty as a member of the royal family.
The clues were already lost, but it was possible that something could be gained through them.
"Yes. Let's do it."
At Charlotte's proposal, Ellen silently nodded her head.
If it could reach the Demon King, it would be an act to protect Reinhardt.
There was no reason for Ellen to refuse.
