Chapter 356

Reason for Miss Temple Contest absence. Olivia's attitude had changed and she looked at Ellen with a cold gaze. Ellen felt Olivia's hostility and suspicion towards her. Olivia dragged Ellen into her room and questioned her about her whereabouts on the day of Laverier Ranche's death. Olivia wanted Ellen to tell her a believable lie about why she was with Adriana at the Rotary Club instead of the monastery. Ellen calmly explained that she had no ill intentions towards Olivia and that she was just curious about what had happened that day and why everyone was lying. They both dislike each other. Nevertheless, Ellen and Olivia will not do anything to hurt each other because Reinhardt will be sad if they do. So even if I find out something, I won't hurt you. Olivia could not help but know that those words were sincere and true because of the strange resonance they gave her. Head down, Olivia said as if vomiting, "Ellen." "......Yes." For the first time, Olivia called Ellen by her name. "Promise me you'll keep the secret." "I'll keep it. No matter what it is." Ellen was not curious about Olivia's secret. She wanted to know what Reinhardt's secret was. It was too hard to suffer alone without knowing anymore. "I was there." "......!" "When the demons attacked, Adriana and I were there." Absurd and vague suspicion. Ellen was amazed to hear even the truth that was beyond that suspicion, which was so absurd that it was unbearable. * * * In Olivia's room, Olivia sat in a chair and Ellen sat on Olivia's bed and talked. Olivia told her everything, from why they were there at that time to all the stories that followed. "Oh, the independent Odae Church......?" "Yes, I think so. My stepfather tried to blackmail me for the lottery, and he used Adriana's life as bait. That's why we were there." Even though she heard it with her ears, Ellen couldn't believe Laverier Ranch's misdeeds. The demon's holy war attack. Ellen thought that there might be some suspicion about Olivia being involved in that incident, but she didn't know that they were there. There was only a vague suspicion because of the commonality between the dead people, Olivia, and Adriana. But the following stories plunged Ellen into even greater shock. "......You were rescued?" "Yes, I don't know why. A winged demon came and rescued me and Adriana. And then he left us somewhere far away and went away. That's the end." "Why on earth......?" "I'm the most curious." Just as Ellen couldn't understand the situation, Olivia was still confused because of that problem. "You know why we have to keep this story a secret." "......Yes." If someone finds out about this story, they will undoubtedly be misunderstood regardless of the reason. They would surely be plagued by severe criticism and misunderstanding for colluding with demons, and the possibility of death was very high. "The next day, Reinhardt came to us. He asked what was going on, and then I explained the situation...... He said he would help Adriana." "......I see." Ellen felt uncomfortable with those words. Reinhardt seemed to know what was going on with those two, or so she thought. But hearing the story, it was something that Reinhardt couldn't know at that time. Was it a mistake? Just because you think you know someone doesn't mean you really know them. Therefore, the feeling she had received from Reinhardt that day may have been a misunderstanding. If so, Reinhardt's absence from the Miss Temple contest that day would have been unrelated to Olivia. In fact, it is not within the realm of normal thinking to suspect that Reinhardt is a demon. The next day, Reinhardt visited the two of them and, knowing what had happened the day before, entrusted Adriana to the Rotary Club to protect her. Adriana did not completely lie. It is true that they were in a situation where they could not return to the monastery. A new problem arises. The demon attack. Olivia and Adriana were there, and for some reason, the demons rescued them. Why? "Why did the demons have to save the two seniors?" "I don't know," Olivia frowned. "Maybe we looked pitiful." "What?" "Do you think demons are always bad and evil?" Olivia was so disappointed in humans that she had given up on humanistic thinking. "Demons can be much better than humans. Right? There are humans who are much more vicious than demons or devils, like my father who has already died." Olivia speaks with deep hatred and contempt. Someone listening to Olivia's words could be caught up in a dangerous level of advocacy for demons. Demons are evil. They must be extinct because they are evil. This is an important premise among humans and an undeniable common sense. The kind of hatred that makes enemies hateful and intolerable is reproduced infinitely among people without deliberately promoting it. Demons are enemies. Therefore, the common sense that demons are evil must arise. Humans have an instinct to classify themselves as beings who can kill enemies rather than beings who must be killed. Although Olivia and Ellen were somewhat free from such common sense, they were people who could not be completely free. However, as someone who participated in the Demon War, Olivia was almost the only person who thought that demons might actually be good. "Do you know why the previous demon attack happened?" "No." Olivia was disappointed in humans. She couldn't figure out what was better about humans than demons. She was beginning to think that demons might be better than humans. "You know it was the Holy Knights who were attacked then, right?" "Yes." Olivia was standing with her arms crossed, looking out the window with narrowed eyes. "The Allied Forces distributed surrendered demon prisoners and tried to auction off the black market." "Prisoners? Why?" Ellen had no idea why they had to distribute prisoners. "To use them as slaves. There are even demons that resemble humans, succubi and incubi, for example. They cut off their horns and destroy their magic circuits, making them like invalids, and then use them as slaves. The Empire and other countries, as well as the Holy Order and the Five Great Divine Sects, all received prisoners. They claim it's for research, but that's just an excuse. It's not hard to imagine how they planned to use them, right? The demon attack wasn't aimed at the Holy Order, but rather the demons were trying to rescue the prisoners. And despite there being casualties, the demons didn't kill any of the Holy Knights. Only a small portion of the demon prisoners were rescued. The Empire, other countries, the royal and noble families, they're all probably using those demon prisoners in dirty ways. They justify it by saying they're enemies and must be killed, but in reality, they're filling their own dirty desires. Isn't that disgusting? I think the demon king's actions, whether he's resurrected or has a successor, are more admirable. He couldn't bear to see his own people suffer like that, so he took a handful of demons and did what he did. And yet, the Holy Knights didn't hurt anyone. I personally think that's more noble." "Maybe they didn't originally plan to attack. Maybe they just wanted to observe. But they must have heard the stories going around there. They heard the threats that they would kill my precious people one by one, using the daughter of a high-ranking official as bait to restore their honor, using a novice nun's life as bait, until I surrendered. Maybe they couldn't stand it anymore and decided to attack to save Adriana and me. Ultimately, even if some of the process was wrong, Olivia's thoughts were a very close inference to the truth. * * * Are demons good or evil? Ellen couldn't understand anything anymore after learning about the disgusting stories surrounding demon prisoners and the truth behind the two demon attacks. Olivia's stories were too heavy, so she couldn't even think about Reinhardt's problem. Reinhardt tried to help Adriana, so she was only in the Rotary Club, not the monastery. They were rescued by demons. In the context of the story, Ellen couldn't infer the even more frightening truth. The distance between truth and truth was too far, so she couldn't find a connection. Olivia found out why she didn't participate in the Miss Temple Contest. It wasn't a situation where she could care about such things. Even though Ellen knew that Olivia would keep the secret, she was uncomfortable with the fact that she had told a secret that many people shouldn't know. Ellen didn't hate Olivia enough to want to kill her, even though she didn't like her. Even if this matter became known, Olivia and Adriana could be executed on charges of being a demon's insider. Even if it didn't spread to Reinhardt, Ellen didn't want to use this secret. Olivia's eyes narrowed at Ellen's words. "What? So I'm that kind of person?" "I didn't say that. Why? Are you offended?" "No! I'm not that kind of person either!" "It seems like you are." "I'm not!" Because she shouted for no reason, Olivia's face turned red and she pouted with her arms crossed." "Anyway, you're lucky. You could have been Miss Temple if I hadn't missed it."

"...."

If Olivia had actually participated in the Miss Temple Contest, who knows what the result would have been. But for Ellen, Miss Temple was okay. Strictly speaking, it wasn't a good memory because she couldn't show the person she wanted to show her best to. "So, did you enjoy being Miss Temple?" Olivia asked. Ellen glared at Olivia. Is she teasing her now? What kind of person asks about the experience of winning the Miss Temple Contest without Reinhardt? "What did Reinhardt say?" But to Ellen, Olivia didn't seem like someone who was teasing. It was an envious look. A look of jealousy and curiosity about how Reinhardt would have reacted to her winning Miss Temple. Ellen realizes this as she looks at Olivia. "He didn't come." "What?" Olivia was taken aback. Olivia naturally thought Reinhardt would have gone to the Miss Temple Contest. He told her to wait in the room to do something for her. She had to leave after receiving the letter from Leberian Ranch. "Why not?" "How would I know?" Ellen nervously reacted to Olivia's question. Like she couldn't go to the Miss Temple Contest, Reinhardt couldn't attend either. "Why couldn't he come?" "I don't know." Is it just a matter of not knowing if you don't know? Or are you not curious? Olivia found Ellen's answer strange. "Didn't you ask?" "Yes." It was a natural question. It was something she could ask. But Ellen didn't even ask Reinhardt why he didn't come. She forgave him without asking because she knew he wouldn't answer. She still doesn't know if that was forgivable or not. She just let it go. Olivia looks at Ellen with her mouth slightly open. "Wow, are you...kind or just stupid?" "What?" Reinhardt didn't attend the Miss Temple Contest, and Ellen didn't even ask why. Olivia now knows that Reinhardt is associated with a strange organization called the Rotary Club. Reinhardt has his own secrets, and sometimes unavoidable things happen. It was probably an extension of such a thing. Olivia can only vaguely guess. What's frustrating is that Ellen knows more about Reinhardt than she does. "So it was uncomfortable for Olivia to just brush off the secret and move on like they had that kind of relationship. Of course. Olivia looks at Ellen, who is now looking down with a gloomy expression, thinking about the time of the Miss Temple contest. Seeing Ellen waiting for someone who didn't come made Olivia feel sad, bitter, and uncomfortable. She felt all sorts of complicated emotions. 'You're so naive.' Of course, the dominant thought was that she was naive. 'Shut up.' 'Can I cry? No, did you not cry? If it were me, I would have cried my eyes out in that situation because it's really sad and unfair.' 'I said shut up.' Ellen glares at Olivia with a frown. As expected, she doesn't like this person."