Demon King of the Royal Class

Chapter 391

We ended up being treated as special students within the Royal Class. On days when we had major classes scheduled, we were not only exempt from attending them. Instead, all our other classes were canceled as well, and we spent the entire day receiving combat training from Sabioleen Tana.

While grades seemed unimportant given what we were training for, we were still assured that they would be taken care of, so we didn’t need to worry.

Ellen and I sparred with each other, but we also sparred with Sabioleen Tana.

Alsbringer definitely enhanced my abilities significantly when facing Sabioleen Tana. It didn’t make me a Swordmaster, but I appreciated the passive effect of Alsbringer, which made me stronger as my opponent grew stronger.

I had essentially taken away the cheat item that was supposed to belong exclusively to the protagonist. However, I also faced the issue Tana had pointed out: when going up against her, my physical abilities increased so much that I couldn’t control my movements, often leading to situations where being stronger became a problem.

“Ugh!”

“Careful!”

Whack!

“Argh!”

I charged at her, but nearly tripped over myself as I was unable to control my steps, and she grabbed my collar to help me regain my stance.

I wondered if I could beat Ellen if I were in the state I got into when facing Sabioleen Tana, but it was a pointless thought.

In this state, I would undoubtedly lose even more miserably than before. I stared quietly at Alsbringer in my right hand.

“...”

“Don’t feel discouraged. It’s natural to be unfamiliar with something you’ve never used before.”

I needed to get used to gaining physical abilities that exceeded my usual level.

Alsbringer was a relic that granted a very powerful but overly ambiguous buff, one that made me stronger as my opponent grew stronger. It was crucial to properly perceive how much my physical abilities had been enhanced and control my body accordingly.

Despite its power, if I failed to handle it properly, there would surely be situations in which not using Alsbringer would be better.

“Let’s try again,” Tana said.

“Yes,” I replied.

I didn’t know if I would ever need to draw out Alsbringer’s true power. However, Alsbringer was already a very powerful artifact on its own, and I needed to get accustomed to this power.

***

Sabioleen Tana trained us in various ways.

Ellen and I sparred with each other, but Tana also sparred one-on-one with both Ellen and me. After giving feedback, she would teach us about teamwork.

I could never defeat Ellen, and nor could I ever defeat Sabioleen Tana, for obvious reasons. We didn’t even stand a chance even when Ellen and I teamed up against her.

Tana, who claimed she wasn’t used to teaching, was certainly not someone who couldn’t teach.

“I’ll teach you about what to do when you’re alone in the wild at night,” she said.

She taught us not only about combat, but also about how to survive and continue to fight in real-life situations, such as how to conduct guerrilla warfare and how to survive when isolated in enemy territory.

This was likely the same as what was being taught in the regular classes meant for combat majors in the Temple, since it now applied to combat training.

Of course, this wasn’t supposed to be her role. However, since the fact that Ellen and I were being trained by her was supposed to be kept top secret, Sabioleen Tana had to ensure that we were taught the entire curriculum. We learned about infiltration methods, ways to bypass magical barriers, and protocols for unexplored areas.

We did not learn about conducting operations with others, but about surviving alone or carrying out missions like assassinations. After all, that was what being a hero was. An assassin who infiltrates enemy lines and beheads the enemy commander... It wasn’t that much different from what Ragan Artorius had done. Therefore, Sabioleen Tana was training us not as soldiers, but as assassins.

“Of course, the Demon King might be operating in the human continent instead of the Dark Land. And even if we find him, he might escape through teleportation. I’ll soon teach you how to handle such situations, as well as how to fight in urban environments.”

She seemed intent on teaching us not just about swordsmanship, but also how to uncover hidden enemies in human cities, urban combat, and much more.

Of course, learning these hunting methods naturally led to learning about escaping as well. In truth, I was learning not about how to hunt, but about how to escape.

***

In a place ruled by eternal winter, the base of the Vampire Council...

“Antirianus, how is it progressing?” Eleris asked.

“It’s a very high-level magic, so the design is taking some time, but the Order’s mages are very skilled. It shouldn’t take too long,” Antirianus replied.

The construction of the dungeon and labyrinth in the Dark Land was progressing smoothly. Both the Black Order and Antirianus were highly intrigued by the magical tome on labyrinth design known as the Quantum Maze. It was a magic that perfectly suited the objectives of the situation at hand.

“Fascinating. How did you acquire such powerful magic?” Antirianus inquired.

“I’m afraid I can’t disclose that,” Eleris replied.

“Ha-ha, you don’t trust me at all,” Antirianus responded with a feigned sense of disappointment.

Eleris sighed deeply. She couldn’t share the location of the underground library of the Demon King’s Castle with someone who seemed likely to rush there immediately upon learning of it, and she didn’t have the authority to make that decision anyway.

The Vampire Council had been meeting frequently of late. Meetings that typically occurred every few years or were even decades apart were now happening often thanks to the alliance with the Demon King.

“Did you successfully enroll in the Temple, Lucinil?” Lruien asked.

“Yes,” Lucinil replied with a smile and a nod. Lucinil had just finished her classes at the Temple and had teleported directly to the council meeting.

“Isn’t it inconvenient, even if it’s necessary? It must be tough,” Lruien commented.

“Why would it be tough? I’m living in a place surrounded by cute and adorable kids,” Lucinil replied.

“... You know, Lucinil, sometimes I find you harder to understand than Antirianus,” Lruien said.

“I think it’s a pity that you can’t appreciate cuteness,” Lucinil retorted.

“Let’s not talk about it,” Lruien said, sighing.

Lucinil was as eccentric as Antirianus. While Lucinil’s enrollment into the Temple had indeed been because both the Order and the Council had determined the need to keep someone close to the Demon Prince to ensure his protection, Lucinil had seemed genuinely delighted when the need for such a role had been brought up.

“Anyway, don’t forget the original purpose of your mission, which is to offer protection,” Galarsh reminded.

“Of course, you monster,” Lucinil replied.

“It’s absurd for a creature that can be summoned with a few shakes of a flask to call anyone a monster,” Galarsh retorted.

“Oh, wow... that genuinely hurts my feelings...” Lucinil said.

“You were the one who called me a monster first,” Galarsh pointed out.

“Right... I’m sorry...” Lucinil apologized, looking dejected.

Galarsh crossed his arms. “Hmm, I was too harsh. I apologize.”

Having lived too long, they had learned to quickly apologize when arguments started to become protracted. As the atmosphere grew tense, Galarsh clicked his large teeth together and looked over at Lucinil.

“So, since you’re providing close protection, you must be well aware of the prince’s current situation. Are there any particular threats or issues? Although we’ve formed an alliance with the Black Order for now, who knows what they might be plotting behind the scenes...”

“Oh, right! Alsbringer!” Lucinil suddenly exclaimed, her previous dejection gone as she stood up excitedly.

“Our Archdemon has been chosen by Alsbringer!” she announced, looking like a proud mother whose child had landed a coveted job.

***

Naturally, the council was momentarily thrown into a state of panic. Even Antirianus was briefly taken aback.

Tiamata and Alsbringer... Baalier possessed both relics.

Eleris listened intently, her eyes wide open.

Eleris had been told by Baalier that Ludwig would become the master of Alsbringer. This meant either his prediction was wrong, or the future had changed.

Or perhaps, Baalier had lied.

“That kid... Whatever he does, it’s bound to be something big. At this point, it would be strange if it wasn’t,” someone remarked.

Being chosen by two relics implied that the person was acting in alignment with the will of the gods. However, these individuals knew the truth about the gods of the humans and demons.

Humans believed that the gods were on their side, but in reality, that was not the case. If the will of the gods truly existed, then that will had chosen Baalier.

“Perhaps the gods are finally siding with the demons,” Lruien said with a faint smile. Despite her words, her smile suggested she was indifferent to the fates of both humans and demons.

The relics had long sided with humanity, so perhaps they were now siding with the demons.

Galarsh, with his massive arms crossed, muttered, “I don’t believe in the will of the gods. But having two relics... it’s almost as if everything is being swept up in one grand flow, and the Demon King is inevitably at the center of it.”

Eleris couldn’t erase the sadness from her eyes as she stared at the table.

“Of all things, the weapon that killed the father is now in the hands of the son,” Antirianus said with an amused smile.

Lucinil, who hadn’t considered Antirianus’s perspective, looked startled. “Oh... you could say that...”

She recalled Reinhart’s expression when Alsbringer had presented itself to him. “No wonder he wore such a bitter expression.”

She could see and understand what was driving that expression, even though he should have been pleased.

Eleris continued to look down at the table, her expression hard.

‘Alsbringer... to His Highness...’ she thought. @@novelbin@@

She looked up and quietly observed the snowstorm that was billowing outside the windows of the meeting room.

Was his foresight wrong, or was it a lie from the start? She didn’t know.

Baalier was growing stronger. Was he becoming stronger because challenges he needed to overcome were approaching, or were challenges arising because he was becoming stronger? Eleris couldn’t tell.

***

Teacher Sarvina sighed as she looked at the extracurricular activity application submitted by Olivia. “Are you looking to apply for extracurricular activities?”

“Yes, teacher.”

“Olivia, it’s true that senior students are entitled to extracurricular activities, but you’ve already repeated a year. This year, you should just focus on graduating—”

“There’s nothing more for me to learn.”

Olivia Lanche’s statement wasn’t entirely wrong. She had given up on her original major and switched to Swordsmanship in order to graduate.

However, for Olivia, whose Divine Power and swordsmanship were incomparable to most graduates, the classes were, to put it bluntly, a waste of time.

It was her judgment that gaining experience through external activities, experience she couldn’t accumulate within the Temple, would be better for her. Her reasoning was not arrogant, but quite valid.

“These extracurricular activities can count towards fulfillment of your classes, but if it takes too long like the last time, you might be forced to repeat the year,” Teacher Sarvina warned her.

Olivia smiled brightly. “That would be even better.”

Teacher Sarvina couldn’t understand why Olivia seemed eager to repeat the year, but it did not seem like she could shake Olivia’s determination.

Teacher Sarvina examined the contents and destination listed on Olivia’s extracurricular activity application and tilted her head in puzzlement.

“Well... it’s not too dangerous a place, and the investigative team sent by the empire is stationed there, so... there shouldn’t be any major issues. But why exactly do you want to go there?”

In response to her homeroom teacher’s question, the corners of Olivia’s mouth lifted into a faint smile.

“I want to find traces of the Demon King.”

Olivia’s destination was the capital of Levaina, Raziern, the site of a recent attack by the forces of the Demon King.