Where to Go (1)
Where to go, huh?
Inside the warehouse of the dungeon.
Elise stood before two glass display cabinets.
While burying Rose in the sunniest spot she would have loved, Elise made her vow.
She would not die.
The despair that had once made her wish to perish with the dungeon was scrapped away together with her promise to Rose.
Elise’s life was no longer hers alone, so she had made that vow with all her heart.
She would live more happily than anyone in this world.
Add the share of that poor girl who had been the most beautiful in the world, and that would be the plan.
With her resolve firm, Elise shook her hand vigorously—
—**BOOM!**
She shattered both glass display cabinets right in front of her at the same time.
She then set the scarf Rose had gifted her aside for a moment and reached for the barrier plate named **Noir de Serment**.
As Elise’s hand moved, the swimsuit-like armor floated up into the air.
**Clank, clank.**
It adjusted its own size and equipped itself onto Elise’s bare body, and the rest of the parts followed suit.
The greaves slid onto her feet, and the high-heeled ones automatically extended up to her thighs.
The rune-etched half-gauntlets that reached just under her shoulders came next, and the plate of the gauntlets snapped on like a magnet.
She placed the single pauldron on her right shoulder, and dark energy surged around her entire body.
Finally, Elise draped Rose’s scarf around her thighs and completed her outfit.
Now fully armored, Elise immediately picked up the rune blade made of dark iron leaning against the wall.
She grabbed the space pouch and the torch she had found in the corner of the warehouse and stepped out.
The moment she exited the warehouse, Elise lit the torch and tossed it inside.
**Whoosh!**
The flaming torch hit the floor, and the oil-soaked trails caught fire fiercely.
The warehouse was engulfed in flames that raced along the oil trails and spread through every corner of the dungeon.
Soon the flames swallowed the entire dungeon whole.
Even as the inferno roared toward her, Elise paid it no mind.
With a leisurely stride, she left the burning dungeon behind.
***
Elise walked without direction.
She did not know where the path led, but the destination was clear: home.
The Rosenheim family territory in the northern empire.
It looked very different, yet she secretly hoped that even as a Death Knight, she would still be accepted by her beloved family.
Zern’s dungeon was located near the eastern part of the continent, so the journey to the territory by foot was far too long to be realistic.
Did she even care about such practical matters?
Elise simply kept walking.
She crossed snow-capped mountains, cut through forests, and crossed lakes.
She walked, napped for a short time, and repeated the cycle again and again.
About two weeks had passed since she started walking.
The scenery she had seen since her childhood appeared again.
Mount Weisshorn, whose peak was buried under white snow year-round.
The evergreen forests surrounding the mountain.
The family’s symbol, the moss-covered red-brick walls built along the beautiful Lauen River.
And the small villages formed around the walls.
Nothing had changed since three years ago.
Elise smiled at the unchanging landscape.
But to her, something out of place caught her eye.
The family crest hanging at the main gate was no longer the Rosenheim crest.
If her memory was correct, that emblem belonged to the Lumiere family, her grandfather’s maternal line.
The family crest had been changed.
Something must have happened.
A feeling that something serious had occurred in the last three years made Elise frown.
Soon Elise instinctively understood what she needed to do and quickened her steps.
***
**Knock, knock.**
The watchman’s cabin nestled between the evergreen forests at the middle of Mount Weisshorn.
An unexpected knock echoed through the entire house.
“Who is it? There is no guest scheduled to arrive at this hour, but—”
The old man with graying hair, who had been polishing his crossbow, turned his gaze toward the door.
**Knock, knock, knock! Knock, knock, knock!**
“Hm?”
The knock pattern was strange.
The old man widened his eyes at the unusual rhythm.
Noticing something, he approached the door hesitantly, crossbow in hand.
He aimed the firing mechanism toward the door and slowly opened it—
**Creak.**
“…Oh my, this can’t be.”
The old man let out a low exclamation upon seeing the figure beyond the door.
The visitor was a tall silver-haired woman.
He had never seen a woman with such a beautiful and sensual appearance in his life.
But the moment he saw the trace of who she truly was beyond the beauty, he knew immediately.
“Miss, you’re alive.”
“It’s been a while, Walter. Even after all this time, you’re still the same. May I come in?”
“…Haha, I let you barge in since you were a little girl. You never asked for permission, did you? Come in.”
Elise patted Walter’s shoulder after his warm welcome and stepped inside the house.
***
“I heard you died in the Eisenwald family battle three years ago, but it seems you didn’t.”
Walter offered Elise a warm herb tea as she sat at the table in front of the fireplace.
Elise crossed her legs and accepted the tea, taking a slow sip.
She frowned slightly, as if noticing something strange in the taste.
“And that appearance of yours… You’ve become the most beautiful woman on the continent. Not that you’re too pale, though.”
Walter sat down opposite her and spoke.
“…To put it mildly, you’ve grown.”
Elise gave a bittersweet smile at the praise and began recounting everything that had happened since then.
Betrayal by someone.
And the story of her transformation into a Death Knight.
“…I see. A Death Knight, huh? The last time such beings were active was hundreds of years ago. If the empire learns of your existence, they will send inquisitors and holy knights to your territory immediately.”
Walter could not hide his surprise at Elise’s tale.
“So… you’re going to report it to the empire?”
Elise looked at Walter with a hint of caution.
“No way. Even if you return as the greatest Eldritch on the continent, I’ll still serve you a cup of tea.”
“Hehe, as expected of Walter.”
Elise let out a light laugh, visibly relieved by Walter’s joke.
**Tap, tap.**
Elise shifted her gaze to the dying fire and turned to the main topic.
“…Walter. What happened to Hans?”
The moment she asked about her lieutenant, Walter’s face darkened.
“Hans fought in the battle three years ago and fell.”
“I see.”
She had hoped it wasn’t true, but it was.
Elise lowered her head at the news of Hans’s death.
“Still, he died a soldier’s death, so he must be in Valhalla now. Don’t be too down.”
Walter comforted her, and Elise nodded slowly.
Then she shifted to the most important matter.
“I caught a glimpse of the territory. The Rosenheim crest was replaced by the Lumiere crest. What happened?”
Walter flinched at Elise’s sharp question.
“…Hah. Trying to hide it changes nothing.”
Walter sighed deeply and spoke with difficulty.
“About a year and a half ago, inquisitors stormed into the Rosenheim territory. They claimed it was because we were running a Chaos Cult in secret.”
Elise’s eyes widened at Walter’s words.
“Of course it was a false accusation, but we had no choice. After the defeat against the Eisenwald family, our position was already terribly weak.”
Walter took another sip of the steaming herb tea and continued in a low voice.
“All members of the Rosenheim family were taken to the Citadel and turned to ash. After that, the Lumiere family, who had some connection to the Rosenheim territory, took over.”
“T-that…”
Elise was stunned to learn that something had happened to the family without her knowledge, and the shock soon turned into sorrow.
Her loving parents, her kind little brother, even the servants who had always treated her gently—all of them had died under false accusations.
Now the Rosenheim family had only her left.
“W-why… why…”
Elise covered her face with both hands and sobbed in despair.
Walter simply watched her silently, understanding the unspeakable pain.
He stayed by her side in the silence.
How long had Elise been crying?
Eventually her tears stopped.
“…Walter. Then who is ruling the territory now?”
Elise asked after her sobs subsided.
“Lord Adrien de Lumiere is in charge.”
“Adrien-ssi, I know him. I’ll have to meet him sometime.”
Elise took one more sip of the herb tea and stood up, pushing her chair back.
“…Miss. Even if you are the daughter of the Rosenheim family, the guards will block you. And with you being a Death Knight, it’s even worse.”
Walter tried to stop her for realistic reasons.
But it was useless.
“There’s a way, so it’s fine. Thanks for the tea.”
Elise did not look back as she grabbed the rune blade leaning against the corner of the house.
“…Ah, Walter.”
Suddenly remembering something, she called out softly.
“Yes, miss. What is it?”
“Thank you. Sincerely. You have to live well from now on.”
Elise spoke with genuine gratitude, perhaps sensing that this might be their last meeting.
“…You weren’t the cheeky little girl I remembered, but for a short while, seeing you again was enjoyable. Stay safe, Elise von Rosenheim.”
Walter, thinking the same, gave her a respectful farewell.
Elise smiled back and left the house, stepping outside.