The Five Great Religious Orders had decided not to cooperate. Therefore, purifying the vengeful spirits that dwelled within Ellen's soul could not even be attempted, regardless of whether it was possible or not.
In that case, the only option left was magic.
Bertus summoned the Royal mage.
"It's impossible…" he said.
In the process of discussing the matter with the royal mage, Bertus's expression could not help but harden upon hearing the Archmage's opinions.
"Your Majesty, the spells dealing with souls are exceedingly rare."
Magic that manipulates souls.
From the beginning, it had been classified as a taboo, and thus, it had not been thoroughly researched.
Even the soul-absorbing spell that had been studied to improve the princess's condition was only a part of the magic dealing with souls.
"There are magices who have studied and understood soul-absorbing spells, but... the means to handle them are extremely limited."
After listening to the stories of the royal mage, Bertus could not help but feel disheartened.
Magic that deals with souls itself is extremely rare.
Those who have become Archmages can perform magic that deals with souls, based on their understanding of soul-absorbing spells. However, the number of vengeful spirits dwelling within Ellen is beyond estimation.
From the start, the spell that transferred the souls dwelling in the Demon King's body to Ellen's was nothing short of a miracle.
The royal mage's response was that only those who had spent an immeasurable amount of time studying magic, like the ancient Vampire Lords, were able to use such magic.
The royal mages were not significantly lacking in combat power and magical application compared to the Vampire Lords, as they gathered particularly outstanding individuals among humans.
However, the weight of the time they had lived was different.
There was a difference in the absolute amount of knowledge.
That is why a large-scale soul transfer spell, which was only possible for Vampire Lords, is impossible for the empire's power.
Even if they could do it, it is doubtful whether there is someone who can handle it.
The priests will not cooperate.
There is no solution in magic.
"…"
Was it a delusion to think that something could be done?
Trying to do something because it can't be left alone.
Despite being the emperor, is there really nothing he can do for those two?
Bertus just stared at the round table with a hardened expression.
Magic.
Divine power.
Are those really the only way?
Is there really no other way?
"If there is some ancient secret or mystery that we do not know about... But as for us, there is currently no way…"
"Ancient secret…?"
"Yes."
An ancient secret.
At the mention of that, something came to Bertus's mind.
Rune magic.
There was definitely such a thing as rune magic.
Bertus could recall that there was someone among his classmates who showed talent in rune magic.
No one knew what rune magic was.
Although it was learned at the temple due to talent, there was no teacher at the temple who could teach the major of Dettomorian.
Just as there were students of the temple serving in the military, there were also teachers serving in the military.
The royal class homeroom teachers were no exception.
It was primarily the teachers' responsibility to manage the students, though the commanders also had roles in it.
Royal class, second year.
Two years had passed, so it should have been the fourth year, but the temple's curriculum was on hold.
Magician Mustlang, who was in charge of the Royal Class's second-year students and currently serving in the military.
After Teacher Epinhauser, who was in charge of Class A, had sided with the Demon King and passed away, Teacher Mustlang was now in charge of all the second-year students in the Royal Class.
In front of Bertus, Teacher Mustlang stood upright.
At this moment, Bertus was not a student but an emperor. Therefore, Teacher Mustlang stood firmly before the emperor, answering his questions.
"Adding spiritual realm to sorcery..."
"Yes, Your Majesty. That's... that's correct."
Although it was a rather peculiar situation to have a student who was now an emperor, Mustlang stood rigidly, sweating nervously.
If one possessed talent in both sorcery and the spiritual realm, it suggested that Dettomorian might be able to accomplish what many great mages and clergy could not.
Of course, it was not guaranteed, but even the slightest possibility was something Bertus needed to grasp at in his current position.
B-8, Dettomorian.
"He's not at the garrison?"
"No, he's not!"
Non-combat majors also served in the military. Adelia, with her magic crafting talent, and Christina, with her alchemy talent, were examples of this.
Even Ranian Sesor, with his musical talent, served in this garrison to boost morale.
However, Dettomorian, who possessed talent in shamanism, was not in active service.
This meant he was remaining in the imperial capital.
Of course, not all students of the temple had the obligation or need to serve in this war. There was no need to forcibly drag along those who wouldn't help in the battle or support the fighters.
"He served during the initial deployment, and he was eager to do so... but due to other students and soldiers feeling uneasy..."
"They're feeling uneasy?"
According to Teacher Mustlang's explanation, Dettomorian had not been originally intended to remain in the capital, but had returned after serving for some time and being deemed necessary to stay behind.
"Yes... That's... well..."
Teacher Mustlang hesitantly began to explain the situation to his student and the highest authority, Bertus.
As the explanation continued, Bertus couldn't help but wear a grave expression.
Firstly, Dettomorian did not participate in battles. He did not possess talents that would aid in battle itself.
However, he would mutter incomprehensible words all day long and, once the garrison was established, he would lock himself inside his tent, refusing to come out.
Even more strangely, he would constantly request bizarre things.
He claimed to need live chickens, bones, and even asked for any available rats, whether field mice or house mice.
Hearing him muttering unintelligible words, someone peeked inside his tent only to find him bowing to a grotesque idol made of bones, lighting incense, and dancing bizarrely.
It was clear to anyone that this was ominous, and the soldiers could not help but feel uneasy about this seemingly heretical summoning ritual that he performed daily.
Rumors spread that one of the temple students was possessed by a demon.
"What on earth is he doing?"
"I've asked him several times as his homeroom teacher, and he says he doesn't know the precise effect... When I ask him to stop because it makes people uneasy, he insists that he can't sit idly by as this is all he can do... So... that's why..."
"...I see."
No one knew the specific meaning behind Dettomorian's muttered spells and rituals.
But he was clearly performing ominous rituals, making use of bizarre offerings.
The effects were unknown, but morale was definitely dropping.
And morale was a crucial issue within the army.
Of course, the scale of the army was so massive that a single Dettomorian couldn't have a significant impact on the overall morale, but it certainly had a continuous negative influence in certain areas.
Thus, after a meeting, the teachers at the temple garrison decided to send the Dettomorian back to the temple.
Bertus and Saviolin Turner couldn't help but feel uneasy as they listened to the explanation of Teacher Mustlang, who was sweating profusely.
"…Will it be alright, Lady Turner?"
Charlotte knew a fair bit about the Dettomorian since they were in the same class, but Bertus hardly knew what kind of creature he actually was.
It was clear that someone who followed the army and participated in bizarre, heretical rituals couldn't be in their right mind.
Regardless of whether all other possibilities were blocked, could they entrust the hope of humanity to a being whose identity and ritual were unknown?
Turner and Bertus both couldn't easily come to a conclusion.
Staggering!
"Ugh!"
"Ellen...? Are you alright?"
After finishing their meal in the garrison mess hall, Heinrich von Schwartz checked on Ellen, who suddenly clutched her head and bent over in pain.
"Ye-yes, I'm... I'm fine..."
As if to reassure him, Ellen raised one hand and tried to catch her breath, still bent over.
"You have to go out tomorrow, don't you? Will you be okay?"
"I'm fine..."
"No, you don't look fine at all."
Heinrich clicked his tongue as he saw Ellen's serious condition.
"I'll go instead of you for tomorrow's operation, so take some rest. Even you can't keep this up without dying."
"…"
Pyrokinesis user, Heinrich von Schwartz.
In the blink of an eye, Heinrich's abilities had grown powerful enough to be deployed in large-scale extermination operations. Thus, he was now among the considerably strong forces of the temple students, capable of accompanying Ellen on her missions.
As a result, Heinrich and Ellen had participated in quite a few operations together over the past two years.
Ellen wanted to say that she was fine, and that he could go instead, but she was already watching Heinrich's retreating figure.
The pain felt more like her soul was shattering rather than her head splitting.
Ellen took several deep breaths in place.
Her vision blurred and then cleared repeatedly.
She felt like she would lose consciousness more than once from the ringing in her head.
"Haah… Haah…"
Those who didn't know the details simply thought Ellen was exhausted.
Everyone who passed by and saw Ellen's pale face asked if she was okay, and Ellen barely managed to answer their questions.
Heinrich would take over the operation Ellen was supposed to undertake.
Knowing how much stronger Heinrich's abilities had become compared to before, Ellen wasn't worried about that.
However, amidst the strange sensation of her ego fading, Ellen desperately tried to keep her mind clear.
Someday it would disappear, but she didn't want it to vanish now.
She wanted to endure as long as she could.
Whether that was today, tomorrow, or next week, she couldn't tell.
She wanted to withstand as much as she could.
"Ellen…?"
Through her blurry vision, she saw someone approaching from afar.
She couldn't see them clearly, but Ellen knew it was Cliffman coming towards her.
Cliffman.
A-5 Cliffman.
His talent was combat.
And.
And…
"…"
As if her clouded mind was obstructing her thoughts, Ellen could only recall Cliffman's name, number, and talent from the haze.
What role Cliffman was playing now.
What he was doing.
Nothing came to mind.
Suddenly.
Ellen's vision was engulfed in darkness.
Just for a moment.
As if blinking, it was merely a brief flicker in her field of vision.
"…Ugh!"
However, as if being pulled up from deep water, Ellen regained her senses with an odd sense of ascension.
"Ugh… Hah…"
Ellen couldn't help but be taken aback.
It felt as if she had only closed her eyes for a moment.
But, Ellen was astonished by the sudden change in the surrounding scenery.
"Are you alright?"
"Ellen…"
Only a moment ago, she had been in the barracks, but now, Ellen saw a ceiling above her.
It wasn't a tent, as it should have been.
It was inside a building.
"Wh-where… where is this?"
Ellen opened her eyes to a familiar ceiling, not the canvas of the barracks tent in the open field.
Just a moment ago, Cliffman had been approaching her.
But now, Emperor Bertus and Saviolin Turner were beside Ellen, and she was lying in bed.
"Why am I… in the temple…?"
As if time had leapt forward when she closed her eyes and opened them.
Ellen knew what the ceiling she was looking at was.
This was the Temple Royal Class Dormitory's infirmary.
Though she had only closed her eyes for a moment, she had been unconscious for quite some time.
Ellen stared blankly at the ceiling, her eyes wide.
"Why… why am I… here…?"
At Ellen's question, Bertus and Turner could only look at her with pity.
Ellen learned from Bertus that she had been unconscious for about four hours.
Ellen had fainted in front of Cliffman.
After being moved to the barracks, Bertus and Saviolin Turner had taken Ellen's body under their guidance, and through a mass teleport, they had traveled to the Imperial Capital.
Though her mind felt heavy like a waterlogged sponge, her body had no issues, so Ellen was able to get out of bed soon.
The Royal Class Dormitory Infirmary.
Ellen and Reinhardt had often used this place together.
But now, with most students and teachers enlisted, not only the infirmary but the entire dormitory was empty.
Of course, non-combat personnel still remained in the dormitory, and a minimum number of staff were managing the dormitory.
However, the Royal Class Dormitory, now nearly devoid of students, maintained its grandeur but exuded a dreary atmosphere.
Spacious, but its vastness was overwhelming due to the emptiness.
The atmosphere was quite different, but the Royal Class Dormitory bore a gloomy resemblance to the Fortress Epiax.
Just by people disappearing, it became like this.
The eerie and chilly sensation was only momentary.
"But… why did you bring me here?"
That was Ellen's question.
Closing her eyes and opening them to find time had swiftly passed was shocking enough, but first, she wondered why they had brought her to the dormitory.
"We came to meet Dettomorian B-8."
Dettomorian.
A talent in magic.
Ellen had a feeling she knew, to some extent, what Bertus was thinking.
