I Obtained the Final Boss' Power

Elf Village (5)

Pram's heart fluttered as she headed toward the Holy Nation.

At last, she had escaped the dreadful life of the 7th Legion and was about to start anew.

That alone was enough to make a girl like Pram so nervous she could hardly sleep.

Of course, life for Pram in the 7th Legion had not been as dangerous as it was for other soldiers.

Torture spells didn't work on her anymore, and even the officers no longer dared to mistreat her.

If there was a soldier she didn't like, she could just kill them, and the monsters weren't truly threatening to her either.

'But still...'

A filthy place is still filthy.

Whenever she had a chance, soldiers with twisted desires would leer at her with sly grins, and even if she killed one, similar ones were always rounded up and brought in.

Whenever a particularly powerful monster appeared, she had to risk being wounded just to fight.

While Rio and the other squad members had adapted to those conditions, Pram never could.

She constantly wished that, just for a single day, she could be away from all of it.

'Special Task Force privileges—yeah right.'

Sure, the special task force had more authority than even the nobility, but in the end, they were still affiliated with the 7th Legion.

No matter how splendid it looked, living among criminals meant she'd be seen as no different from one herself.

Of course, there was a reason she had to remain with the 7th Legion.

It was because the power Pram wielded happened to be dark magic.

'To make things worse, it's the power of a Great Devil. If the Holy Nation found out, they'd become desperate.'

Anyone else would have instantly labeled her a witch and condemned her on the spot.

Thinking about it, being treated that way didn't seem much different from life in the 7th Legion.

Would she rather live outside, pelted with stones, branded as a witch? In that case, it was better to quietly remain in the 7th Legion.

'But still...'

Neither option was the life Pram wanted.

The only people she knew were members of the special task force, and she couldn't form relationships with others.

For someone like Pram, who was extremely outgoing, being shut away in some corner was no different from hell.

'I want to get out.'

That's why Pram made up her mind.

If she got even a single chance, she would absolutely leave the 7th Legion.

So, when that opportunity presented itself, Pram seized it right away.

"This is it..."

The carriage Pram was riding in arrived at Lunatic, the capital of the Holy Nation.

As Pram stepped out, she saw buildings just as grand as those in the imperial capital.

And around the wagon, white Knights clad in armor stood at attention to welcome her.

As Pram took her first step, the White Knights offered a formal salute.

At the same time, townsfolk had gathered en masse to see Pram, the saint.

Walking from the center of the capital to the castle, Pram felt emotions she'd never experienced before.

'Is this what it feels like to be welcomed by others?'

Upon arriving at the castle, Pram changed her clothes.

The maids stripped off the tattered uniform she wore in the 7th Legion and dressed her in garments befitting a saint.

To receive exactly the same treatment that only nobles enjoyed—Pram felt as if her heart might burst.

Even the outfit they dressed her in was not simple temple attire, but instead, the reverently prepared divine vestments of the saint.

Thinking back on the rags she'd worn in the 7th Legion made her chuckle involuntarily.

'I can't believe I was wearing such trash all this time.'

Even the floor she walked on, the shoes she wore, and the very air she breathed felt different.

Pram could feel with every fiber of her being that she'd entered a new world.

A world that was exactly what she'd always wished for. A perfectly peaceful place, without a single blemish.

And at that moment, only one word came to mind.

Heaven.

'This really is paradise!'

That trash heap, the 7th Legion, is a thing of the past!

From today, I'm a resident of this heaven!

"Heheheheheh."

Eventually, Pram couldn't suppress her laughter and let it slip out, but no one seemed to care.

The thought that she could do as she pleased without worrying about anyone's judgment made her want to laugh even more.

"Mmm, this is delicious!"

As expected, the food was also the best.

Of course, ever since she had joined the special task force four years earlier, she'd been able to eat decent meals within the 7th Legion, but compared to what she had now, it was nothing.

Naturally so.

Up until now, she'd eaten meals supplied for the army, but now, it was a feast fit for the royal family.

After a sumptuous meal and a relaxing bath, Pram was led to her room.

A maid told her to call if she needed anything, and with that, Pram was finally alone in her room.

"Now I feel alive."

Pram felt it.

For the first time, she felt she was living like a real person.

But as Pram was raising the corners of her mouth in a smile, her mirth faded and her thoughts grew somber.

'That foolish young master.'

Although Pram was filled with happiness from finally being treated the way she'd dreamed of, another feeling lingered in her heart.

'Why didn't he try to stop me?'

In truth, there were not only bad memories about her time in the filthy 7th Legion.

Even before joining the special task force, back in the days at Paruzan Fortress, some memories remained.

Those were the times when the young master had praised her.

Louis Seifert.

He was the son of Lord Seifert, whom Pram respected.

For fear of being discounted as just a lord's son, he always looked after the squad members—survivors from the village.

Inside the demon realm, where death could come at any time, Louis had protected Pram and everyone else, all by himself.

He was the only ray of light in that hellish existence.

When he praised her, Pram, who was often gloomy, would brighten up for the only time.

'Of course, he wasn't always gentle.'

It was only natural that Louis couldn't always be kind in that environment.

He'd always bark orders harshly and interfered with the squad members' behavior at every turn.

His supervision was relentless, to the point of being annoying.

'But if he hadn't been like that back then...'

It was a necessary measure.

If he hadn't been so strict in that hellish demon realm, they all would have died.

In fact, their squad had gone from ten at the start to just five.

'Honestly, I was lucky.'

After that day, Pram realized she could die too.

No matter how much protection the young master provided, that didn't guarantee her safety.

The fear she felt then was so overwhelming it almost drove her mad.

'I even started having nightmares because of it.'

Frightened more than any of the other squad members, Pram had many restless nights after that day.

In her dreams, monsters she'd once faced would attack her, and friends who had died cursed her.

[Why are you the only one who survived?]

[That's not your place.]

[If you're really sorry, just die along with us.]

Of course, it was just a dream. Everything vanished by morning.

But upon waking up, her whole body would feel numb.

As she realized she was gradually going insane, Pram sometimes wanted to die from all the fear.

'If it gets too much, just say the word. I'll do whatever I can to help.'

Whenever that happened, Louis would say to Pram:

"If you really want to die, kill me first. If things turned out this way, it's only because I didn't take proper care of you."

Hearing those words, Pram realized the truth with all her heart.

The young master was the only one she could truly rely on.

It was thanks to him that she could adapt to that hellish world.

However, as a result of the accumulated stress, she began to yearn for social connection.

Someday, she wanted to leave that filthy place and form bonds with others, to live a happy life.

It was that dream that became the driving force allowing Pram to survive at Paruzan Fortress.

She believed it was her sole reason for living.

'Finally, that dream has come true.'

It was then Pram realized, a bit belatedly, that it hadn't been just the dream sustaining her.

Fulfilling the dream was nice, but she was missing someone important.

"You miserable young master...!"

Inside the hell called Paruzan, there was only one person Pram clung to.

Even after joining the special task force, she still wanted nothing more than to please that one person.

Unable to see him any longer, the sense of loss brought tears to Pram's eyes.

"Why didn't you try to stop me?!"

The realization that she had achieved her dream of coming to this heaven was nice, but her feelings for him still loomed large.

"You damn bastard!!~"

But it was now impossible to return to the 7th Legion.

Now that she was recognized as a saint, if she returned, it would be considered a breach of contract with the Empire.

"After making such a grand exit... why did you turn me into a two-faced liar, you wretched young master!"

And more than anything, when she left, Pram had raised her voice confidently in front of Louis, saying not to look for her because she was leaving.

Meeting him again now would be humiliating.

Despite all this, Pram loathed herself for yearning for Louis so much.

It had only been a day, and she already felt this way.

"Fine, whatever! I can live perfectly well without you! So goodbye, you foolish young master!"

Just as she was once again declaring farewell to someone who wasn't there, a knock sounded at the door.

"Saint, are you there?"

"Yes...!"

Startled, Pram granted entry, and a maid stepped in.

"I heard a loud noise just now."

"Huh? Oh, that was nothing. I was just talking to myself."

"Is that so. Please refrain from raising your voice in such a frivolous manner from now on. Starting tomorrow, you will be receiving etiquette training."

Etiquette training?

Just hearing those words was exhausting for Pram, and she asked:

"What's etiquette training?"

"Just as it sounds. Additionally, there will be various other trainings, and all personal actions will be restricted."

"What...?"

Pram immediately sensed an ominous feeling.

Was she going to be under the same suffocating control here that she'd suffered in the 7th Legion?

****

"Why are my ears so itchy?"

Arriving at the elf village and being shown to their new home, Louis scratched his ear.

As he temporarily settled into the newly acquired house, Louis felt itchy in his ear for some reason.

"Maybe someone's talking about you?"

Silia, who had been preparing dinner, set bowls on the table.

With Pram and Kelian seated around the table as well, it looked every bit like a family meal.

"Ears aside, everything went smoothly, didn't it?"

"I was surprised at how easily we got a house. I didn't expect to be given one for free the moment we arrived."

Kelian was just as astonished by the elves' generosity.

They had followed an elf to the village, and among the multitude of elves living there, they were provided with a suitable house.

When Kelian asked if it was really alright to just give away a house like this, the elves answered:

'Those in possession of that pendant are benefactors to our elven kind. This is nothing in comparison.'

Repaying a favor was hardly unusual.

Besides, most people migrating here with such a pendant were from families that had fallen on hard times and sought refuge.

The elves' stance was that they couldn't just ignore benefactors in such unfortunate situations.

"In fact, we disguised ourselves as such a family to enter here. Maybe that's why they so easily just gave us a house."

"Exactly. Unless they have other motives."

While the special task force was welcomed here, they still couldn't shake a strange feeling.

Amazingly, neither magic nor aura would work in this place.

"Young master, my aura isn't working here, either."

"Same for me."

"And for me as well."

Even Kelian and Silia were just ordinary people here.

What kind of principles did this village operate on to be able to seal away their powers?

"In that case, maybe even I..."

With concern, Louis tried to summon aura into his hand.

Thump thump thump!—

Just then, a knock came from beyond the door, and the Kelian 'family' went to the entrance.

Opening the door, they found elves with bright smiles, holding food, waiting for them.

"You're the newcomers to the neighborhood, aren't you?"

"We brought a welcome gift, so please enjoy it."

As the neighbor elves presented an assortment of fruits, Silia gratefully accepted.

"Thank you very much. We'll be sure to return the favor next time."

"Thank you kindly. By any chance, are you the eldest daughter?"

"Y-yes!"

"You're very pretty indeed. Hahahaha!"

"Is that so? Hehe."

Silia gave a modest smile at the compliment.

"And your younger brother is quite handsome, too."

This time, the neighboring elf gestured to Louis, and Silia's expression stiffened for a moment.

"Ah... yes..."

Being called the younger brother was still a touchy point for Silia.

"Well, then, enjoy your meal."

Louis was about to close the door and end the conversation quickly, but just then, the elf caught the door.

"Oh, right! There's something you need to know."

"If you don't want the village chief angry with you, you'd better listen carefully."

They spoke with a precise tone, as if they had come here just to share this information.

"Have you heard of the village development fund?"

"It's an amount that must be paid regularly every month."

When Louis asked how much, the elf replied:

"It's 50 gold a month."

The Kelian family was thrown into shock at the absurdly high amount.