The sudden appearance of a kitten.
However, except for Adriana, the cat didn't seem to be interested in anyone else. It now appeared to take quite a liking to Ellen.
"Seems like it likes Ellen."
Adelia, who had been watching Ellen and the cat, quietly said.
"It hasn't eaten anything today. Maybe it'll eat if Ellen gives it something?"
At Kono Lint's words, Ellen turned towards him. As she did, there was a slightly warmed plate of milk that had just been brought over.
"Why don't you try giving it some?"
At Adelia's words, Ellen carefully took the plate.
Ellen looked at the cat, which was silently staring at her.
She didn't know how to read the expressions of animals.
However, she somehow felt a strange reluctance from the cat. Nevertheless, it hadn't eaten anything, and she had heard that it seemed a little sick.
Ellen gently pushed the plate in front of the cat.
While squatting down, Ellen looked at the cat.
-......
The cat alternated between looking at the plate and looking at Ellen.
As if it were being cautious.
Finally.
In the end.
Reluctantly.
The black kitten began to lick the milk from the plate.
Even though it wouldn't eat the milk given by anyone else, it eventually ate when Ellen offered it.
-Oh, oh, oh, oh.
Everyone could not help but feel, in a rather unexpected way, that Ellen could make the impossible possible.
Ellen watched the black cat licking the milk with a clouded gaze.
She slowly began to stroke the back of the cat, which was quietly licking the milk.
At present, the Allied Forces did not consist solely of the Empire's direct troops. As such, there was no reason for it to be the Empire's forces rather than the Allied Forces.
This was humanity's strongest army, which had combined all of humanity's remaining power.
Although they were being underestimated by people, the Grand Duke of Saint Owan Duchy and his magicians were enlisted, and all the remaining forces from the surviving nations had been dispatched to the Allied Forces.
Among those nations, the most powerful force, the number one kingdom Kernstadt, had naturally dispatched the second-largest number of troops after the Empire.
It was a war and a deployment that would determine the fate of humanity.
Thus, the number of troops from Kernstadt, which had succeeded in national survival after the Empire, was quite significant, and they inevitably held a very important position in the Allied Forces.
Heinrich von Schwarz, the youngest prince of Kernstadt.
His pyrokinesis, a supernatural ability related to combat, was now so formidable that it was comparable to Liana de Granz, who had been handling lightning.
Of course, Liana had awakened her weather manipulation ability in a place unknown to them.
-Krrrrrrr!
Heinrich watched the horrifying wave of fire incinerating the monsters while riding his horse.
The troops that had followed Heinrich were also dumbfounded as they watched the scene.
Ellen Artorius had also somehow managed to unleash the true power of a sacred artifact that manipulated flames, but it was only natural that Heinrich, who solely wielded fire, was more proficient in using his abilities.
The ground monsters were turned to ashes by the terrifying wave of fire.
Next, Heinrich watched the swarm of flying monsters that soared through the sky.
Just as the ground monsters were diverse, the flying monsters were equally varied.
However, since their mobility was more flexible than the ground monsters, the flying monsters could appear anywhere.
That was also the reason they had to keep watching the sky and maintain their guard, no matter how much they cleared the surrounding areas.
Heinrich concentrated his powers as he observed the approaching swarm of flying monsters.
"Brace for impact!"
At Heinrich's shout, the troops tensed up immediately.
All the soldiers saw a red flash emanating from a single point in the sky.
-Flash!
A moment of flickering.
-Rumble!
And then, a fierce shockwave accompanied by an explosion that seemed to tear their eardrums.
Heinrich watched as the approaching flying monsters lost their balance due to the shockwave and crashed into the ground.
Flames were not his only weapon.
All the additional effects that could be generated by flames were also the power of Heinrich von Schwarz.
Each supernatural power was different, but as in the case of Liana, all powers related to destruction and strength were considered very important military assets by the alliance if the ability holders were of a certain level or higher.
Heinrich von Schwarz was a representative example, and another example was a person with the power to control wind.
Although conditional, Redina's power was also highly valued.
Heinrich, due to the nature of his abilities, often undertook large-scale missions similar to Ellen and frequently had overlapping assignments.
Thus, he often collaborated with Ellen or took on her mission if Ellen Artorius was in poor condition.
As a result, those who graduated from the Temple Royal class, especially ability holders, were well-regarded and had a significant position within the alliance since the Gate Incident, even if not as much as Ellen.
After completing his reconnaissance and annihilation mission, Heinrich returned to the garrison, receiving salutes from the soldiers who recognized him.
He was not as renowned as Ellen.
Of course, Heinrich could not have the same level of fame as Ellen, who had two relics and was considered the archenemy of the Demon King.
“Your Highness.”
“It's the prince!”
“Your Highness! Please, look over here!”
However, whenever Heinrich passed through the Kernstadt military garrison, he could not help but receive the same heroic treatment as Ellen.
Heinrich waved to the soldiers who called out to him.
Despite the ongoing massive tragedy, people always manage to find hope somewhere.
To the people of Kernstadt, the youngest prince, Heinrich von Schwarz, was regarded as one of those hopes.
Whenever people found hope in him, Heinrich felt an immense pressure deep within his heart.
But that pressure was never unpleasant.
‘Heinrich, have you returned?’
"…Yeah."
Heinrich muttered quietly at the sudden voice that seemed to pierce through his head.
Ability holders all had their respective roles, even if their abilities were not directly related to combat.
The voice that pierced his mind was the telepathic ability of B-7, Evia, who had been relaying messages.
Now that Evia's ability had experienced a leap in growth, she had taken on the role of relaying the alliance command's intentions to each unit.
Although it was not a combat-related ability, instantaneous long-distance communication might be the most critical ability in a war.
Thus, Evia was almost forced to stay near the main command center rather than the Royal Class barracks.
In essence, Evia was the sole communications soldier in this vast army.
'Go to the Kernstadt Command Barracks. The Kernstadt Military Commander is looking for you.'
"…Got it."
The voice felt like a direct stab to the brain.
No matter how many times he experienced it, Heinrich could never grow accustomed to it.
Telepathy.
It wasn't a power meant for attack or destruction.
But could it really remain unassociated with destruction forever?
If one had the ability to interfere with someone's mind from a distance, wasn't it perhaps the most dangerous superpower in the world?
Heinrich always felt a peculiar uneasiness whenever he connected with Evia through telepathy.
After completing his mission report, Heinrich, as Evia had instructed, headed towards the Kernstadt military garrison.
Heinrich, who was as famous in the Kernstadt garrison as Ellen, was saluted with awe and respect by the soldiers and knights, even if he couldn't see them from a distance.
He couldn't respond to every salute and cheer, and he was currently on his way to answer the summons of the Kernstadt military commander.
Heinrich hurried his steps toward the commander's quarters.
It took him quite a while to walk across the vast garrison and reach the hill where the Kernstadt military commander's quarters were located.
The knights and guards protecting the area saluted Heinrich respectfully and made way for him.
Upon entering the commander's quarters, Heinrich soon saw familiar faces.
Two men seated on his left and right.
"You were involved in another large-scale operation. Good work," said the serious-faced man.
"Still, isn't it too reckless to use royalty like that? Is it fine for the royal family of the empire to be expended? It seems like a protest is needed," remarked the discontented man.
Both were Heinrich's brothers.
"Enough. If we argue like that, there would be no one fit to be deployed on the battlefield."
"But brother…"
"Enough. The youngest, whom we rarely see, has come all this way; how long will you keep him standing?"
And the woman seated in the highest position.
"You're here, youngest brother. Sit down."
The sharp-eyed woman gestured to Heinrich.
"Yes, sister."
Heinrich bowed his head to Louise von Schwarz, the Kernstadt military commander, first princess of Kernstadt, and the heir to the throne.
The youngest brother.
Treated as a sibling.
Only after the world had turned out like this did Heinrich receive such treatment from his siblings who had once dismissed him.
Eldest daughter, Louise von Schwarz.
Eldest son, German von Schwarz.
Second son, Alphonse von Schwarz.
Fifth son, Heinrich von Schwarz.
All the siblings had gathered in one place.
Seated at the commander's table, Heinrich slightly avoided the gaze of Louise von Schwarz, the first princess and heir to the kingdom of Kernstadt.
In a situation where the king couldn't leave his homeland, the position of Kernstadt's military commander fell to Louise, the heir.
Moreover, she was also the captain of Kernstadt's royal knights.
This meant that in addition to her leadership abilities, her personal skills were also exceptional.
Heir to Kernstadt, captain of the royal knights, and a sword master at the age of twenty-four. Louise von Schwarz.
Heinrich had always been afraid of his sister's piercing gaze.
Heinrich's older siblings had all graduated from the royal academy of Kernstadt long ago.
Louise von Schwarz was even an exceptional talent who had graduated early at the age of eighteen.
Just as the Empire had the Temple, Kernstadt also had an academy system.
Once upon a time, there was a royal project that was expected to surpass the Temple and attract talents from all over the continent to the Kernstadt Royal Academy. Indeed, the Kernstadt Royal Academy boasted an education system that was slightly inferior to the Temple's, but was still worthy of being called prestigious.
Heinrich's brothers all attended and graduated from the Kernstadt Royal Academy, not the Temple, because the credibility of the royal project would be undermined if they did not send the royal family members there. It was akin to the Gardias Imperial Family entrusting the education of their royals to the Temple.
However.
Heinrich von Schwarz was sent to the Temple, not the Kernstadt Royal Academy.
It wasn't because Heinrich was an important person.
It was because they wanted to get rid of him.
With all his siblings gathered, Heinrich was the fifth son, making him the sixth in line.
The fourth and fifth were not present at this gathering.
No, they were no longer in this world.
In Heinrich von Schwarz's childhood, when his abilities had just awakened, they had perished in the terror he had caused.
That's why Heinrich, being the youngest, went to the Temple.
No, he was chased away to the Temple.
"My lady... why have you summoned me...?"
"Is there a reason for brothers to gather? Since you're not in our army, we don't see your face often, so I called you here to share a meal."
As Louise spoke, food began to be placed on the table at the command headquarters, one dish at a time.
The brothers began their meal sitting around the table.
The atmosphere was not lively, and there was not much conversation.
But it was important that they were all sitting together.
Brothers.
At the mention of that word, Heinrich's heart seemed to tremble.
It had been a very long time since Heinrich had been treated as a brother by his siblings.
He had been unable to attend the Royal Academy that all royals went to and had been practically abandoned at the Temple.
The Temple's elementary education began at the age of eight.
Heinrich was sent to the Temple at the age of eight under the pretext of education.
It was practically exile. The Kernstadt Royal Family may have paid for his education, but they had no interest in how he was doing or what he was doing.
From the royal family's perspective, Heinrich was nothing more than a cursed prince with the power to kill two of his brothers.
It was a simple accident and a story from Heinrich's distant, barely remembered childhood.
An accident that occurred when he was too young.
A prince abandoned when he was too young.
As a result, Heinrich found his brothers, whom he had only recently begun to encounter more frequently since becoming an important figure after the Gate incident, to be unfamiliar.
Their faces, attitudes, and actions were all unfamiliar to him.
This included his two older brothers, who had once ignored or despised him.
His oldest sister, who had always been cold and now seemed even colder.
Only now that he had accumulated achievements and become an important figure could Heinrich be treated as a family member.
The abandoned prince.
Heinrich had only been able to become a brother again amidst the reluctant attitudes of his siblings after becoming an important figure, holding the name and value of power in his hands, with humanity's fate hanging in the balance.
Heinrich had a tendency to overestimate himself.
Although he knew intellectually that he was an abandoned prince, he did not accept it.
He was a prince of Kernstadt, the second-in-line empire and the first vassal state.
That had been Heinrich's pride and confidence.
At least until some madman enrolled in the Royal Class, and it wasn't long before he was nearly torn to shreds.
Now he knew that he wasn't just a beggar with no real talent but a demon king with a shocking past that was nothing short of extraordinary. Even with this knowledge, nothing would change.
Heinrich had heard harsh words he had never encountered in his life, even being struck by him.
And in front of his classmates, with whom he had once been fond of, he had made a fool of himself.
Heinrich realized he was weak.
He had a background to be proud of, but it did not actually support him.
He had to accept that he was no better than a beggar and, in fact, much worse.
He hadn't even properly honed the power given to him for free.
So, Heinrich tried his best.
To turn that freely given power into practical strength.
From a ridiculous classmate, Reinhardt had become a terrifying existence.
Through him, Heinrich realized what his limits were.
Thus, after the Gate Incident, while killing monsters and saving people with his own abilities, Heinrich did not slacken in improving his own skills.
Therefore, Heinrich was now a very important person.
He could once again be acknowledged as a brother by those who had abandoned him and treated him as if he didn't exist.
In the past, Heinrich had a tendency to overestimate himself.
Thus, the Heinrich of that time would have thought this way.
Eventually, my worth will be recognized, and my siblings will accept me back into the family.
Once these events were over, he would be able to return to the palace, and although he didn't aspire to become the heir to the kingdom, he could live as a member of the royal family.
He would have felt proud and filled with self-esteem.
Having been abandoned by his family, he would have been happy and satisfied to be able to return to his place, whatever the reason may be.
But now, the arrogant and reckless Heinrich of the past was gone.
Thanks to a certain someone, he learned to understand his place.
What he could and couldn't do.
Who he was.
What he needed to do.
Heinrich had become quite capable of objectively assessing himself and his surroundings.
"If this situation is resolved, are you planning to return to Kernstadt?"
Louise asked softly, slicing meat.
If it had been before, he would have answered that he would, of course.
He would have said that he wanted to contribute to the rebuilding of the nation and be acknowledged by his siblings and parents.
But now, his two other siblings were focused on Louise's question.
He sensed that they were concentrating on his answer.
I'll return to Kernstadt.
I miss the embrace of my family.
But he thought of the actions he would have to take for the sake of national reconstruction, his siblings' recognition, and the problems that would arise as his position grew stronger.
His older sister was now testing him.
How the naïve desire to return to his family would be understood and accepted.
Not only by his siblings but also by the many others who would think of him.
How they would view him.
He thought about it.
The many problems that his foolish naïveté would bring about, yearning for the embrace of his family.
He sensed that there would be people who would fear this.
Heinrich believed that his older sister was testing him.
"There is much to do in the world, and it will likely be quite some time before I can return... Even if I do return, I'll only be able to stay for a few days... If the temple is rebuilt, I'll have to finish my studies. I'm not sure when that day will come..."
Heinrich felt the tense atmosphere around his response relax.
"I see."
The feeling of being accepted as a brother again was only momentary.
He realized that a family forced to accept him because of the situation, his fame, or his power could never truly be a family.
Heinrich von Schwarz had no choice but to accept this truth.
"What a shame, truly."
Louise looked at Heinrich, cutting a piece of meat and putting it in her mouth.
Grasping the subject of the conversation.
Now, merely mentioning it brought to mind the cursed existence he had become.
Ironically, what he had learned because of that fellow was proving useful in the most unexpected places.
