Chapter 508

After saying goodbye to Heriot, Ellen returned to the base camp. "I'll be waiting for you on the southern plain of the base camp at midnight in two days," Heriot had said before disappearing, leaving Ellen unsure of what specific task she had to do. Ellen was afraid and curious about what fate awaited her, whether she would become a being mixed with other things and become a warrior who hated the demon king, or whether she would end up killing Reinhardt herself. However, she knew that if she didn't make a choice, Reinhardt might die soon. The price of saving Reinhardt now might be killing him later. Just like Reinhardt had no choice, Ellen had no choice either. She had to face it, even though she knew that there might be future destruction at the end of the path she had to take now. Ellen returned to her tent and sat on her makeshift bed, wondering what it would feel like to disappear. She didn't know what death was like since she had never experienced it. She didn't know how to keep her existence. All she could think about was saving Reinhardt and seeing him again. Despite the fact that they might have to face each other as enemies someday, Ellen was grateful and happy that they could meet again to save Reinhardt. Two days later, except for night patrols and guards, most soldiers were asleep. Ellen arrived alone at the time and place Heriot had mentioned. Heriot was waiting for her there, still looking at Ellen with sad eyes. There was no one in the field except for Heriot. Ellen is willing to sacrifice herself without hesitation to save Reinhardt, and she knows that she might have to face him as an enemy someday. Everyone agreed to Antirianus' cruel plan to turn Ellen into a being mixed with other things and become a warrior who hates the demon king. Ellen and Heriot arrived at a place with a giant magic circle drawn, where five beings were standing at each axis of the magic circle. Ellen recognized some of the faces, including Liana de Grants and Olivia Lanche. They couldn't look at Ellen properly because of their complicated emotions. "Although there may be no physical harm to an extraordinary being like Ellen, the danger of losing oneself is clear. Does he know what is happening to him? Olivia felt a sense of pity towards Ellen for the first time in her life. They didn't exchange greetings, nor was it a situation where they could. Among the five sorcerers guarding the magic circle, there was a figure lying on a ceremonial altar, Reinhardt. Ellen didn't know that the succubus queen intentionally put Reinhardt to sleep so that he wouldn't wake up. There were faces that Ellen knew and faces she didn't know in this place. Lucyneel, who is proficient in magic that deals with souls, drew the magic circle. Heriot called out to Ellen as she tried to approach the circle. Liana de Grants and Olivia Lanche also looked at Ellen, but none of them could say anything. No one knows how Ellen, who has taken on Reinhardt's burden, will change. Ellen arrived at the center of the circle and the pink-haired demon stepped back as if leaving Reinhardt to her. Ellen could tell just by looking that Reinhardt was in a very bad state. This meeting was different from the theatrical battles they had before. Reinhardt was weak. Ellen doesn't know what burden Reinhardt is carrying or how heavy it is, but she is prepared to bear it. The five Lord Vampires begin to activate something in the circle. Olivia also summons Tiamat in case of emergency. In the shining circle, Ellen gazes at Reinhardt's face. Is this the end?" "I hoped I could do something for you, and I actually could. This may not be the end, but it could be. Ellen bows her head towards Reinhardt and kisses his forehead. It's such a relief to be able to hold him like this. How grateful she should be. She thinks that way. Because it's the end. Because he's asleep. Until the last moment of consciousness, she can endlessly say what she wanted to say to him. "You're in pain." During the progress of consciousness, "I'll take everything that's making you suffer." Ellen expresses her sincere feelings that she wanted to tell Reinhardt countless times. Guilt, apology, and love. "I really, really love you." She whispered forever. * * * Losing consciousness was frequent. I knew that my body and soul were getting sicker and weaker. I thought I had to bear what I had to bear. There was no other way, I thought. Someone had to bear that huge black hole of resentment that grew like a cancer if left alone. So, even though I knew I had to find another way while dying, I couldn't leave my body behind. Ailee said. Wait, you have to sleep deeply. She said she was trying to find a way to heal me in the depths of my unconsciousness. So, sleep well without worry. I didn't know what kind of way it was. I was just too tired. So I entrusted my body to Ailee's touch, wiping my forehead, and fell into a deep sleep. Literally, it was a deep sleep like death. It was my subconscious and dreams that even the succubus queen couldn't control properly, but for some reason, I could sleep deeply. And in that deep subconscious, I felt a strange sensation. Something. A feeling that seemed to be escaping. A strange feeling that the dam of sewage that had entered my mind and soul collapsed and suddenly flowed somewhere. Those resentments that had occupied most of my consciousness space until now, and that had always tried to raise their heads whenever there was a gap, disappeared. In the eerie clarity and liberation of the sudden disappearance of the pain of the mind and body, I slowly felt my consciousness returning. "...." My blurry vision slowly finds focus. I'm being held by something. Even if I blink my eyes several times, the focus doesn't come back easily. I don't know how much time has passed and I don't know who I'm being held by now, but from the faint scent and body temperature, and the blurry figure. I was feeling a familiar feeling. "Ell...en?" Even though my vision hadn't fully returned, I didn't think anyone other than Ellen could make me feel this familiar. Soon, someone came and lifted me up as if trying to take me out of that embrace. As my vision recovered, I couldn't understand the situation even more. " In the center of the magic circle with a strange atmosphere, Ellen was sitting. I could only tell that it was Ellen who had been holding me until now. Why was Ellen here? It was Ellerys and Olivia who were supporting me. What on earth had happened? Ellen slowly stood up from the altar in front of me, and her atmosphere was a bit strange. From Ellen's eyes, which had almost lost focus, I could feel a strange sensation. As if retreating from something fearful, Ellerys and Olivia took a step back while supporting me. "You endured this." Ellen muttered absentmindedly. "You endured this... Reinhardt." From her tone and attitude, which seemed to be suppressing something infinitely, I could slowly understand what had happened. "Now..." I looked alternately at Ellerys and Olivia. "Now... to Ellen... to me..." There was an indelible sense of guilt on their faces. "What did you do...?" Olivia was biting her lips, and Ellerys was also clenching her teeth. Is this what it feels like to lose one's sanity? "I'm asking you what you did!" Everyone around me remained silent. I didn't know what was going on, but I felt like I did. Why was my body so light, and why was my mind so clear after accepting it? Why were Ellen's eyes so cloudy? Could it be... Did they take it? Ellen stepped back and pursed her lips from afar. It was a strange action, but I couldn't help but feel emotional as I watched the expression that was created at the end of her trembling lips. Squeezing all the remaining strength, Ellen finally raised the corners of her mouth and smiled at me. As if it was the last time. "Goodbye, Reinhardt." She said goodbye as if it was the last meeting. With those words, another magic was activated in the magic circle. -Flash! Ellen disappeared with a beam of light. In a space where I didn't know where I was, I slowly looked around the faces of the people here. Lord Vampires. Liana. Olivia. Harriet. Ailee. Everyone was unable to even look at me. Only Antirianus was looking at the place where Ellen disappeared with a satisfied expression. * * * Ellen Artorius appeared on the southern field of the base where she had met Harriet. The completion of the ritual was to send Ellen out after the ritual was over, as no one knew what action Ellen, who had absorbed a large number of spirits, would take. Ellen was standing alone on the night field. Ellen felt with her whole body and soul what Reinhardt had been enduring until now. Hatred. Revenge. The echoes of resentment, which gathered all the negative emotions in the world and amplified them by tens of thousands of times, seemed to make her lose her mind just by hearing them. Could she endure this? In the midst of this overwhelming wave of emotions, can she protect her feelings for Reinhardt, who is floating like a raft in the sea of resentment? Her heart is too small and will sink and disappear in the waves. Ellen feels her mind becoming contaminated. The Demon King must die. The Demon King is the cause of everything. Shouting that it's not true is useless. In a situation where too many existences have already entered her soul, Ellen's truth will be buried in the waves of resentment. The spirits could not enter the Demon King's body and kill him. They only took possession of the body of the warrior who was the Demon King's opponent. What kind of change will that bring? -Krrrr! -Kwaaaa! In the distance, the sound of a monster's cry can be heard. Monsters are everywhere, so even if the route is secured, it is natural for new monsters to appear somewhere. The scale is around seventy. Although they all look different, Ellen sees the monsters rushing towards her. -Srrrrk! When she takes out her lament, the Void Sword is dyed with the darkness of the abyss. Like projecting galaxies and stars in the night sky, the Void Sword Lament has changed slightly from before. Abyss. Only the abyss is projected by the common Void Sword, showing that even the stars shining in that sadness have died in that sadness. Not the night sky, but a sword that only projects darkness. Ellen, who holds it, sees a swarm of monsters rushing towards her. The Sun Cape hangs on Ellen's shoulder. The Sun God's Cape with the power of protection. Its color was a little strange. The Sun God's Cape, shining brightly like the boiling hellfire of the sun, was fluttering threateningly. No, in fact, flames like hellfire were licking and burning from the Sun Cape. In addition to sadness. Hatred. Ellen looks at the approaching swarm of monsters. -Kurung! Kurung! Like something alive, the flowing flames were actually flowing out of the cape. The monsters couldn't even get close to Ellen. -Clang! Kwa-kwa-kwang! Like something alive, the whips of flames that spread out from the Sun Cape hit the ground, breaking and burning the approaching monsters. Ellen was watching quietly as the earth melted away with one blow and the bright red flames gradually spread. Burn with hatred. The warrior carries the hatred and sadness of humans on his back. The Demon King must die. No, it can't be. In the whirlpool of the soul, just like Reinhardt did. Ellen Artoleus's will also begins to die. But unlike trying to kill the Demon King's mind and body, the spirits were pouring a strong power into Ellen Artoleus. "I must become stronger as I am a being that must kill the Demon King. Therefore, unlike when she was possessed by other beings, the spirits did not try to destroy Ellen. Instead, in some ways, they became her strength. Ellen reaches out to the sky. -Bang! Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang! The monsters that survived and rushed towards her are burned by the flames pouring from the sky. Flames that melt the earth. Flames of hatred. "...." Ellen Artorius became the owner of that hatred."