Demon King of the Royal Class

Chapter 173 [Illustration]

We had managed to get priority access to the gate with the imperial crest, but the prestige that the name of the Ducal House of Granz carried also allowed us to use the gate first. We were using giant warp gates to get to the southernmost part of the continent.

“Where’s Harriet?” I asked.

“She said she’d be waiting there,” answered Riana. “Heinrich should be there too.”

There were six people going to Duke Granz’s villa in the Edina Archipelago: me, Ellen, Riana, Adelia, Harriet, and Heinrich von Schwartz.

Riana had said that she was going to take this break to relax, and that was probably what she’d done.

Her skill at Electrokinesis was growing rapidly, and even if she didn’t put much effort into it, it would naturally become stronger.

Ellen trained diligently, but Riana did not. She was like the talent among talents.

“How was the Dark Land?” Riana asked, as if that was the thing she was most curious about.

“It was just... nothing special,” I replied.

“... Yeah. That’s right.” Ellen added, nodding in agreement.

We didn’t want to talk about what had actually happened in the Dark Land, since it wasn’t a good story, nor something that anyone needed to know about.

A massacred village, a gang of robbers, hordes of zombies, and a cursed sword...

What we’d experienced over there was too horrific to be considered a heroic tale.

“Hmm, by the way, you two...” Riana looked back and forth between Ellen and me, tilting her head slightly. “It seems like the atmosphere between you two has changed a bit.”

There was a subtle difference that was hard to pinpoint, but Riana seemed to have noticed it. We didn’t say much about it, and it didn’t seem like Riana was too curious about it either.

***

We would be passing through the warp gates and reaching the southernmost point, where a mage of the Granz family would teleport us to the Edina Archipelago.

We could have been transported all at once using Mass Teleportation, but Mass Teleportation was an advanced spell that was beyond ordinary teleportation.

The mage planned to teleport us to the villa one by one by consecutively casting individual teleportation spells.

There was a bar in the Edina Archipelago run by the succubus queen Airi, but we had no reason to go there. Although I wanted to see how things were going with her, there was no time to spare.

We passed through multiple giant gates, similar to our previous journey, and arrived at the beach where the mage was waiting for us.

“Ellen! Riana! Adelia!”

Harriet, who had arrived ahead and was waiting for us, ran over and Heinrich von Schwartz, who had been standing somewhat awkwardly, also approached us.

“You’re safe, Ellen!” Harriet exclaimed.

“Yeah.”

“I’m so relieved. I was really worried.”

“Thank you.”

Harriet kept nodding, clearly relieved that Ellen was safe.

“Was it dangerous at all?”

“No. It was fine.”

Even though we had several close calls, there was no need to mention that.

After greeting everyone, Harriet finally looked at me.

It was the perfect moment for her to sarcastically ask why I hadn’t just died out there instead of coming back unscathed.

“... I’m glad you’re safe, Reinhart.”

“... Oh. Yeah.”

I was taken slightly aback because I didn’t expect her to say it with such a bright smile.

She genuinely seemed happy, leaving me at a loss for words.

***

We were teleported one by one across the vast ocean to the villa on the southern archipelago. I was the last to be sent over.

“Wow...”

Those who arrived first were admiring the scenery before they even started unpacking.

The villa stood prominently at the edge of a private beach that was completely devoid of people.

The scenery had been great during our last trip to the uninhabited island, but that place was extremely humid. Here, however, the humidity was low, and the view to the horizon was so clear that it seemed as if the sky and ocean were touching.

Ellen was gazing quietly at the landscape.

The staff who came out of the mansion took care of our luggage.

We would spend a week here before returning to the Temple for the start of the second semester.

“Our mage is busy, so he’s returned to the main house. Like it or not, you guys will have to stay here for a week.”

Obviously, the mage wasn’t going to hang around here in a leisurely fashion. He had to return to his own tasks after transporting us all across.

That meant that we couldn’t leave halfway if we got bored, although there didn’t really seem to be any need to leave.

For Ellen and I, who had been through a lot during the summer break, this was our first and last real “break”, since we’d continued training even after returning to the Temple from the Dark Land.

“Let’s get something to eat first,” said Riana, pulling us into the mansion. She was always one to prioritize fun.

“What... What is all this...?”

“Wow...”

Adelia and I were amazed at the lavish food that had been prepared.

Harriet, who came from a noble background, Heinrich, who was of royal blood, and Riana, the daughter of Duke Granz, didn’t seem particularly affected.

“...”

And then there was Ellen...

Ellen seemed more captivated by the spread of food than by the expansive and beautiful beach that we had just seen.

“I don’t care about formalities. Eat as much as you want, however you want. If it’s not enough, just say so,” Riana declared, as if to say to hell with table manners, so even those of us unfamiliar with proper etiquette felt comfortable eating.

Of course, while Ellen was chomping away, I was eating a fair amount as well.

To be honest, Ellen’s appetite was on another level, but I also ate a lot compared to the average person, thanks to all the physical activity I did.

However, compared to me, Ellen was on a godly level.

***

Riana mentioned that this place was on the outskirts of Rajak, the main port city of the Edina Archipelago, which was also the city where Airi had opened her bar.

Since this was the capital of the Edina Archipelago, I wouldn’t be able to find my way around even if I tried.

Riana suggested that there were many ways to enjoy our stay.

“If you get tired of the beach, you can visit Rajak. Just don’t go alone; you’ll get lost.”

It felt more like she was inviting friends to relax at her vacation home, rather than planning for us to do anything together.

“... Did you have a safe trip?” Heinrich asked me during the meal.

“Oh, yeah I guess.”

My first impression of him had been awful. He had picked a fight with me because he thought someone without any supernatural powers had no right to be in his class, and I had to knock some sense into him. After that, he avoided me, probably thinking I was the son of some bigwig, and then completely disregarded me once he found out I was just a beggar.

After that, we did not really cross paths or have any significant interactions, even on the uninhabited island.

Now though... Everyone else here was a girl except for the two of us, and he had an interest in Riana.

He didn’t have anyone else to comfortably talk to, so despite not liking it, he was trying to strike up a conversation with me.

“Did you see any demons or anything like that?”

“... Not really. Nothing much happened.”

It wasn’t the kind of story worth sharing, so I just gave a vague answer.

“Then what did you do all the way out there?”

“We just wandered around. It wasn’t that dangerous.”

“... So you basically just wasted your time?”

‘Wasting time...’

Hearing that made me want to pass out. Ellen, who had been eating quietly, seemed to flinch slightly. She probably heard that too.

It was definitely a sneer directed at us.

We hadn’t, in fact,wasted our time; we’d gone through something far more intense than he could imagine, but I had no childish desire to boast about it.

‘Wasting time.’

Maybe it would have been better if we had indeed just wasted our time.

“... Maybe so.”

My calm acknowledgment seemed to surprise Heinrich.

***

In summer, it was all about the beach.

Following the classic flow of a summer adventure, we decided to go swimming after lunch so we all changed into our swimsuits.

“... Are you two doing this on purpose?”

“...?”

Riana’s somewhat exasperated remark caused Ellen to tilt her head in confusion, while I responded curtly, “What are you talking about?”

“... I kinda figured you two would do this.”

Harriet nodded with a slightly exasperated expression, as if she had expected this from us.

“What?”

“Did you really have to wear the Temple swimsuits here?”

That’s right. Ellen and I were both wearing the swimsuits provided by the Temple, while the others were all wearing their personal swimsuits.

Riana was in a tube top bikini, Harriet wore a swimsuit paired with a wrap skirt, and even Adelia, though modest, was in a one-piece swimsuit. Heinrich was also wearing a pair of trunk shorts.

Ellen didn’t see why she should care about swimsuits, and I, in a similar vein, just brought the one provided by the Temple.

Riana seemed to find this ridiculous, while Harriet seemed to have half-expected it.

“You’re fussing over swimsuits when you can’t even swim.”

“... What did you say?”

“Isn’t swimming what’s important, not the swimsuit? You’re nitpicking over trivial things.”

‘Then again, I actually do agree that in some situations, the swimsuit matters more than the swimming skills.’

Riana frowned at my sudden retort.

“Oh, I’ve barely seen you for a while and you’re already getting on my nerves.”

Riana shook her head as if all the joy of seeing me had vanished, and then stared at me in my Temple swimsuit.

“... Ah... you’re right, the swimsuit isn’t what’s important.”

She was glancing back and forth between Heinrich and me.

‘What’s with the scanning?’

It felt uncomfortable.

“...”

For some reason, Heinrich suddenly and carefully put on a training top.

It wasn’t about the swimsuit.

I think I knew what she meant.

Adelia, and even Harriet for that matter, couldn’t look my way at all.

Clearly, Heinrich, who had Pyrokinesis, didn’t engage in much physical activity. I, on the other hand, despite my abilities, still did a lot of physical training since my skills lay in close combat.

Swimsuit or not, it was obvious—I had a good physique.

“Wow, it feels like I’m touching a rock.”

“You crazy little—! Watch where you’re touching me!”

Riana approached without hesitation and started feeling my abs, causing me to jump in surprise.

‘What’s gotten into her?!’

“... Does it wear off?”

“That’s not the point!”

“Hold still. Flex.”

“Are you nuts? What are you doing!”

“Stay still. Or do I need to knock you out first? Want to get shocked?”

Riana de Granz’s lack of reserve was startling even to me.

Harriet, Adelia, and Heinrich watched with dumbfounded expressions.

“You little... then you flex too!”

As I moved to retaliate, Riana spread her shoulders wide.

“Yeah? Here, I’m flexing. What are you gonna do about it?”

‘Oh? I wasn’t expecting that response.’

“You actually have boundaries? That’s unexpected,” Riana said, covering her mouth and muffling a laugh as she looked at me, still somewhat stunned.

I could feel Heinrich’s uncomfortable gaze on both Riana and me.

***

After mucking around for a bit, we went swimming. But it wasn’t just any ordinary swim.

Recalling how we had swam underwater with the help of a water-breathing spell on the uninhabited island, we all had Harriet cast the water-breathing spell on us and explored the ocean.

Heinrich and Riana seemed fascinated by the experience, as it was their first time. Heinrich, although hesitant, showed a desire to stick close to Riana, and Riana, noticing this, took him around as they explored the underwater scenery.

Despite his apparent awkwardness, he had some social skills.

Previously, Ellen and I had primarily spent our time underwater hunting. Of course, what we saw underwater was both similar to and different from what we’d seen back then.

Harriet dragged Adelia around, showing her various interesting things, although it was also her first time underwater.

Ellen swam around, occasionally meeting my eyes. For some reason, she didn’t seem to be enjoying herself.

On the uninhabited island, she’d been absorbed in the underwater landscape, and had even seemed to find it fun.

However, I felt the same way as her. The unease from our most recent experiences weighed heavily on me, making it hard to fully immerse myself in carefree activities.

***

We swam for almost the entire day. It was only possible because Harriet kept renewing the water-breathing spell for us.

“Oh, I’m so exhausted...”

“Yeah, seriously...”

“Stepping on the ground... feels awkward...”

Everyone except Ellen and I were severely fatigued, since moving around underwater all day, even with a water-breathing spell, was incredibly tiring.

After washing up and changing clothes, everyone sprawled out haphazardly in the mansion’s lounge.

We then had a lavish dinner, much like the lunch.

Everyone was still exhausted, so after dinner, they lounged about in their own ways. The mansion had enough guest rooms for each of us to have our own.

Riana muttered helplessly that she felt like coming here to rest had only led to her losing even more energy.

‘Don’t you know that resting is actually the hardest thing to do, kid?’

***

Since there was nothing much for me to do, I went out for a night walk.

My body felt a bit restless, but I knew that we’d be up and running hard again after this break, and it was crucial to rest properly while we could.

I needed to take this opportunity to recover mentally as well.

“Hmm?”

As I looked towards the beach, I noticed a red flame flickering in the darkness. A flame about a meter high was burning on the sand, and Heinrich was there, standing in front of it.

‘What’s that guy doing over there? Is he practicing his powers, even here? Well, he’s diligent, I’ll give him that.’

Not feeling particularly interested, I walked past him and wandered along the beach for a while before heading back to the mansion.

Riana and Adelia seemed exhausted and had fallen asleep early, while Harriet was in the lounge. She sat in front of Ellen, and they were engaged in some conversation.

“... Why can’t you tell me?”

“Just... I don’t think it’s something good for you to know.”

“...”

However, the atmosphere didn’t seem quite right.

Harriet had been staring intently at Ellen, but swiftly noticed my presence and asked me, “You guys... it’s not true that nothing happened, was it?”

“... What are you talking about?”

“You told Adelia that you used the Protection Bracelet effectively.”

‘Ah. So, that’s what they were talking about.’

Ellen had mentioned that the Protection Bracelet had been effective, but hadn’t explained how she’d used it.

Once she heard that, though, Harriet understood that we’d encountered a situation where such protective gear was necessary. Adelia might have thought the same as well, but had chosen not to ask about it.

Harriet was pressing Ellen for specifics of the dangerous situation we’d encountered, and Ellen wasn’t ready to talk. Harriet clearly wanted to know what kind of danger we had faced.

I hadn’t used mine and still wore it, but Ellen had used hers.

“As Ellen said, it’s nothing you need to know about.”

“...”

There was no point in telling her about it, since telling stories about killing people and mutilating corpses—even that in itself was revolting and horrifying just to hear—served no purpose.

Harriet’s expression changed. She clearly looked hurt.

She had given us that item out of concern, but we weren’t telling her anything about what had happened during that journey.

It was natural for her to feel frustrated and upset, not knowing the details, but I knew that if we told her, she wouldn’t be able to see Ellen and me the same way anymore. That was why we couldn’t say anything.

“So even you guys treat me like a child,” Harriet mumbled under her breath as she walked away.

Ellen and I were left staring at each other, her eyes full of sadness.

“...”

“Did we...” Ellen’s voice trembled.

We couldn’t talk about our experiences because they would only evoke disgust or fear in others. Even if we left out the more gruesome parts, fighting zombies was not much different.

“Did we really... just waste our time?”

No, it wasn’t a waste of time. We had definitely gained something.

If it had been a waste of time, nothing would have changed.

“It wasn’t a waste of time. Absolutely not.”

However, perhaps it would have been better if we really had just wasted our time, if nothing had changed...

We were unable to resolve everything around this secret of ours perfectly, but we could eventually overcome it. This was just a moment of confusion.

I could only quietly watch Ellen as she stared out the window with a gloomy expression.

Harriet seemed hurt but unfortunately, that was a wound we couldn’t remedy.

Did she feel like she was being ostracized by us? No, it had to be an even worse feeling.