Not long ago.
Daytime.
Lydia Schmitt was retreating.
Charlotte and Ellen were slowly approaching Lydia Schmitt.
"..."
Lydia didn't know the situation. She recognized the princess's face, but not Ellen's.
However, she knew that they were Reinhardt's classmates. The two of them had appeared unexpectedly at the Vampire Council.
Lydia's mind was racing.
She couldn't figure out why these two had come to Epiax or what they were searching for. The only thing she knew was that she was the only one left in Epiax at that moment.
The two girls approached, seemingly sure of something.
"Do you know Reinhardt?"
The quiet, black-haired girl asked.
Upon hearing that, Lydia Schmitt clenched her teeth. The fact that Reinhardt was the Demon King might be revealed.
"It seems like you know."
The girl's desperate voice, filled with a sense of certainty from Lydia's lack of response, rang pitifully in Lydia's ears.
Reinhardt's identity would be exposed.
Eleris's master, the Demon King Reinhardt.
If Lydia asked for help, those two would take her back to the world.
Kidnapped by the forces of the demon world, Lydia had been isolated in this extreme place, unable to even go outside.
Through them, she could return to the world.
But.
What was there?
What could she hope for?
With nothing precious left and a heart wanting to deny even her faith, what could she hope for by returning to the world?
Here, in this place, living a life sensing a small warmth seemed better. Lydia couldn't understand why she had to leave.
But those two.
Those two would reveal what they saw here to the world.
Reinhardt's identity would be exposed, and Eleris would suffer a terrible fate as well.
Lydia didn't serve Reinhardt as her master.
It was just that, in a situation where she should have been killed, Eleris had pleaded for her life.
And as a result.
If Lydia, whom Eleris had spared, became the reason for Reinhardt's identity to be exposed and his death, what kind of guilt would that gentle vampire feel?
In the end, Eleris would realize that her clumsy mercy had killed her master. Lydia couldn't imagine the pain Eleris would go through.
If her existence threatened Reinhardt, Eleris would blame herself.
That always-smiling face would be distorted with sorrow, despair, and pain.
That's what would happen.
If her existence brought about Reinhardt's death and Eleris's despair.
She had to prevent that from happening.
Lydia didn't know why those two girls had come here or how they had found out about this place.
But.
They must not return.
Uuuuung!
Lydia Schmitt's body was enveloped in a holy light.
She didn't say a word.
No matter what she said, it could be a clue.
"I'm sorry, juniors."
Leaving only those words, Lydia closed her mouth.
Swoosh
Flutter!
As if sensing something, the approaching girl held a silver sword in her right hand and a sunlit cape draped over her shoulder.
"Sacred relics?"
Not just one, but two.
Lydia clenched her teeth.
How could someone possess two sacred relics?
Before she could find an answer to her question, Lydia witnessed an even more unbelievable scene.
Dark energy flowed through the princess's body, standing behind them, and she soon transformed into a grotesque figure shrouded in darkness.
The princess raised her blackened hand to the sky.
Hssssss!
A sharp spear of darkness, as if forged from the shadows, materialized above the princess's fingertips.
The princess pointed her finger at herself.
That's...
Dangerous.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
As Lydia leaped away, dozens of shadowy spears struck the ground where she had stood, causing a thunderous explosion.
Two sacred relics, accompanied by a bizarre and ominous power.
"..."
Lydia stared at the two girls.
They couldn't be underestimated.
"Is this my grave?"
The light that enveloped Lydia's body began to take on a crimson hue.
Rumble!
A unique power used by the knights of Als.
Berserk.
Lydia Schmitt risked her life.
For Eleris.
—---
Lydia Schmitt was the winner of last year's Unrestricted Tournament.
Although her victory was due to Olivia Lanze's forfeiture in the final match, Lydia Schmitt's abilities were not to be taken lightly.
She had graduated from the Temple Royal Class without attending the graduation ceremony.
Among the chosen elite, she was the best of the best.
Soon, her skills were considered on par with those of the top active knights.
Her prowess alone surpassed Ellen Artorius, just as Olivia had.
In addition, she wielded the divine power of Als, specialized for combat, and now, she was using the power of Berserk to strengthen herself, burning her own life force in the process.
Jjeong!
"Gah!"
Ellen was knocked back and rolled across the castle floor after being struck by a powerful punch.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
Not only did she avoid the shadowy spears summoned by Charlotte with her incredible agility and body control, but she also simultaneously charged forward, aiming her palm strike at Charlotte.
Shing!
Charlotte disappeared into the shadows, reappearing about ten paces back.
Surprised by the sudden appearance, Ellen and Charlotte had wanted to talk, but Lydia Schmitt was intent on killing them without saying a word.
Ellen, who had been knocked down, struggled to get back up.
Lydia Schmitt charged towards her at an almost godlike speed, delivering a powerful spinning kick with all her weight behind it.
"Huff!"
Jjeojeong!
Ellen's defensive move blocked the kick, but she couldn't completely absorb the impact, and she was pushed back several steps.
Despite her kick being repelled by the force of the flames, Lydia regained her stance and retreated a few steps.
All the upperclassmen of the Royal Class were monsters.
Even with the support of two sacred relics and the combined efforts of Charlotte and Ellen, who used an unidentified power, Ellen was still being pushed back.
There were too many things Ellen couldn't understand.
It was certain that Lydia Schmidt was the one that Reinhardt took to Ellena's shop.
And there, at the location presumed to house Ellena's statue, stood Lydia Schmitt.
And Lydia Schmitt immediately attempted to kill them.
There were too many things they couldn't understand.
They couldn't make sense of the situation.
But there was one certainty.
Reinhardt.
He was no hero.
Swoosh!
Ellen, who charged at Lydia, brandished her Lament, and Lydia parried with the edge of her holy sword, thrusting her fist into Ellen's vital spot.
Clang!
However, that fist was deflected by a dark spear summoned from the side, swiping through the air.
Nonetheless, Lydia Schmitt twisted her body while wrapping Ellen's Lament around her armpit with her left hand that had parried the sword.
With Als’ divine power and her enhanced magical power.
Lydia's physical ability, even with Berserk, was beyond what Ellen could handle.
Fwip!
With a single rotation, Ellen was pulled into Lydia's embrace along with her Lament.
Crash!
“Urgh… Hah!”
Lydia, with a punch to Ellen's vitals again, leaped towards Ellen, who was sent flying and had lost her sword.
With the intention of stomping her head and crushing it.
Whoosh!
Bang! Clang! Ka-clang!
But a wave of dark spears formed at Lydia's side, repelling her.
“Ah… Ugh… Hngh…”
Ellen, struggling to get up, couldn't even stand properly and dry heaved.
Lydia Schmitt, embedded in the castle wall with the dark spears, got up again, seemingly unharmed, with dust covering her.
“Insane… She's like a monster…”
Charlotte, who had taken the form of darkness, was overwhelmed by Lydia Schmitt to the extent that she had even forgotten her own state.
Two holy artifacts.
And the power of the Demon King.
She couldn't yet wield the power of the Demon King as destructively as when she had gone berserk, and Charlotte's power was weakened during the day, so she couldn't be at her full strength.
But it was still the power of the Demon King.
And it was being suppressed by a single Royal Class elite graduate.
Charlotte was experiencing, in a way she never wanted to, what kind of monsters the Empire was raising in the temple.
The temple, the Empire.
And the greatness of humanity.
Now was not the time to be impressed, as that power was trying to kill her.
“…”
Lydia remained silent.
As if to never let them have any assurance.
If she were to die without killing them, anything she said could become a cause for concern.
The silent holy knight approached them like terror.
Ellen, staggering, rose again.
The offensive Lament.
The defensive Lapelt.
With the assistance of two holy artifacts, she was practically in a similar condition to a swordmaster.
Was Lydia too powerful, or did Ellen lack the ability to fully utilize the power of the holy artifacts?
Ellen Artorius didn't know.
She also didn't know that Lydia Schmitt was fighting with the power of her life on the line.
But one thing was certain.
If she were to die here.
The truth remains elusive.
Why it happened, why it had to be this way, who he really was.
Why.
Why he cared for me so much.
I don't know.
I will die not knowing.
"I don't want to…"
Ellen whispered.
She didn't know why Lydia Schmitt wanted to kill her.
But she would die if things continued this way.
She possessed two sacred relics, yet she was unable to defeat the holy knight before her.
If she died, it would all be over.
"I… I can't die here."
Facing the approaching Lydia Schmitt, Ellen gritted her teeth.
What must be done to defeat the formidable foe known as Lydia Schmitt? Even with the power of Magic Body Strengthening and two potent sacred relics, she was unable to overcome this monster.
Ellen clenched Lament, her gaze fixed on Lydia Schmitt, who was shrouded in a crimson aura.
Lydia Schmitt, empowered by Berserk, was a force not even Olivia Lanze could easily handle.
Had the fight continued as it had, no one could know the outcome.
Lydia Schmitt stepped forward, her foot striking the ground.
It wasn't an attempt to leap.
-Boom!
The impact from her foot alone sent cracks sprawling across the surface of the ground and caused fractures to form on the walls of the fortress.
-Crumble
The fortress walls, riddled with cracks, began to collapse.
-Rumble
In a single step, the floors and walls of the fortress crumbled, the ceiling collapsed, and rocks fell from above.
-Bang! Crash! Boom!
The once-dark fortress was bathed in white light.
-Whooooosh!
A chilling blizzard rushed in, painting everything in white.
'She must have sensed that my power weakens in the presence of light…'
Charlotte gritted her teeth, hiding in the darkness as she watched the collapsing ceiling.
In the midst of the fierce winter wind that followed the collapse of the fortress, Lydia Schmitt charged towards Ellen.
-Swoosh!
"Urgh!"
-Smash!
With a single punch, Ellen was flung into the debris of the collapsed fortress.
"Ugh… Hah…"
Her opponent was too strong.
She didn't even have a chance to react before she rushed in and attacked relentlessly.
-Smash! Crash! Bang! Swoosh!
If not for the protection of Lapelt, Lydia's fierce and violent assault would have turned Ellen to pulp.
-Crash!
Lydia's body twitched when struck by Charlotte's spear of darkness, but it did not repel her as it had before.
The blizzard had weakened Charlotte's power by driving away the darkness.
-Smash!
"Ugh!"
Ellen barely dodged an incoming punch by rolling to the side, her face contorted with effort.
Like a spring, she regained her footing and quickly retreated, assuming a defensive posture.
If she could buy enough time, Lydia would run out of breath.
But Ellen didn't know that.
All she knew was that if things continued this way, both she and Charlotte would face death at the hands of the enigmatic Lydia Schmitt.
She would die if things continued like this.
She didn't want to die. There was still so much to learn, so many things to hear, questions to ask, all piled up like a mountain.
To die with everything left incomplete…
That was something she couldn't accept.
Not even in death.
Fearing and loathing the prospect of dying without knowing the truth.
Ellen clenches Lament once again.
If she doesn't want to die, she must win.
To win, she must be strong.
If she must lose and die because her opponent is stronger than herself.
She must become stronger.
Ellen Artorius steadies her breath.
'Slowly, from the whole body down to smaller units, becoming accustomed to focusing the Magic Body Strengthening on a single, extreme point.'
She recalls the words of Saviolin Tana.
'Precisely.'
Muttering.
While staring directly at the red knight approaching her.
-Whooooooosh!
Amid the harsh snowstorm of the north wind, which feels like it will tear her skin apart.
'Focus.'
She concentrates all her nerves.
'Eventually, I'll be able to concentrate the power in just the tips of my fingers like this.'
She doesn't want to die.
There are things she must know, words she must hear.
Forgiveness, revenge, or understanding. She doesn't know yet.
She cannot die without knowing where every story ends, and in which direction every truth flows.
If she doesn't want to die, she must win.
And if she can't win as she is now.
'Well, then. And beyond this stage.'
She must become an existence that can win.
"Haaah...."
Ellen steadies her breath, concentrating her nerves to perceive the power within her body, down to the smallest fragments of mana.
If she doesn't want to die, she must not lose. To not lose, she must be stronger than her opponent.
There is only one path for Ellen, who must be stronger than her opponent.
Breaking through the barrier and taking the next step.
Beyond using Magic Body Strengthening.
She must go beyond becoming accustomed to Magic Body Strengthening and achieve the next stage.
'When you reach the limit of mana manipulation, such things become possible.'
The energy of Magic Body Strengthening flowing through Ellen's body gradually subsides from its burning state.
As if Magic Body Strengthening has become impossible.
Very thin, the blue light also fades.
Until it turns into a weak light that seems on the verge of going out.
It doesn't vanish.
It is compressed.
The extremely compressed mana stopped its unnecessary fluctuations solely for the purpose of defense.
And then.
In Ellen's hand holding Lament.
As if it were on fire, slowly.
The blue power flows through the sword.
Lydia Schmitt, who witnessed it, halted her steps.
"What is... this?"
An impossible event is unfolding before her eyes.
The flames of power attached to Lament soon engulfed the entire blade.
"Haaah...."
White breath escapes Ellen's lips and scatters in the winter wind.
Not a girl with a body ablaze with power, but a girl holding a sword ablaze with power.
'That's the condition for a Master Class.'
-Swish!
"....!"
In the next moment, Ellen Artorius thrust Lament toward Lydia Schmitt's heart.
