CH 642

Scarlett cursed at the Demon King and then found herself surprised by her own actions.

This was the first time she had ever cursed in her life.

That's why she couldn't help but be startled.

She would never have said such a thing if the person before her had been the Demon King.

And so, she realized that she was thinking of the person in front of her not as the Demon King, but as Reinhardt.

No matter how she looked at it, he hadn't changed much from the Reinhardt she knew from their time at the temple.

Except, perhaps, that he had become more of a rascal.

Of course, she had been afraid of Reinhardt even back then.

It was a fear mixed with admiration, to be precise.

But in the end, Scarlett couldn't understand the situation at all.

At this very moment.

Why did this happen to her?

What did she do to deserve this?

Just as Scarlett was confused by the unresolved situation, so was Reinhardt.

He seemed to understand that the situation was bizarre and that Scarlett had no choice but to be flustered, which Scarlett could sense clearly.

Setting aside all other emotions, Scarlett could distinctly feel one thing.

The Demon King was extremely anxious.

He tried to calm Scarlett down while constantly glancing out the window.

"Alright... No, it's not alright, but just ask quickly. I know that you won't believe me just because of what I've said. I'll try to explain as much as I can. I'll tell you everything..."

"No."

Scarlett was bewildered and afraid.

She slowly calmed her startled heart and took several deep breaths.

However, she asked about the cat first because that was what she was most curious about.

But she didn't really need to ask about the other problems.

"I called you a pervert and shameless, but I didn't say I didn't trust you."

"...Huh?"

She was bewildered, surprised, and afraid.

But when it came to trust, Scarlett didn't distrust him.

On the day the Gate incident occurred.

Scarlett wasn't there.

But in another place.

In the underground prison where the Demon King was imprisoned.

"I remember it clearly."

Scarlett remembered the Demon King, who was pouring out all the truth with sorrow back then.

Not knowing if the Demon King would use a curse, Bertus had brought Scarlett along to interrogate Reinhardt.

The Emperor, Saviolin Turner, and even Scarlett hadn't believed the Demon King's words at that time.

I wished for peace.

I wanted to save everyone.

I knew the future.

All those words had sounded like the ramblings of a madman.

Even back then, when the Demon King claimed to have created the world.

"I trust you."

Scarlett remembered it clearly.

------

Those who knew the truth were silent because they knew the truth.

Scarlett was one of those who knew the truth but had dismissed it as nonsense at the time.

However, now she knew that the emptiness and sadness in his eyes, which seemed as though he had lost everything, were not a pretense but the actual truth.

Even the Demon King had said that if they couldn't trust him, they should kill him before everything went wrong.

If they had followed the Demon King's words and beheaded him, then hung his head in the street, would the Gate incident have been avoided? That was something they could never know now.

But she knew that if they had trusted and released the Demon King, the Gate incident wouldn't have happened.

She knew that the despair and sadness she felt from the Demon King were not feigned but as genuine as they appeared.

Scarlett knew then that all the words of the Demon King, which had been considered lies at the time, were true.

She knew about Akasha as well.

But even if Scarlett believed the words of the Demon King, there was nothing she could change.

She was only there according to the needs of important people.

And after everything had happened, she was one of the silent ones, knowing that telling the truth to people would have no meaning.

Scarlett did what she could.

She believed that silently killing monsters and saving people was the best she could do.

So, without saying a word about the Demon King, Scarlett simply did what she had to do.

Revealing the truth to people was not her domain.

She grieved and sympathized with the Demon King's existence.

She was simply where she needed to be.

So, Scarlett had no reason to ask about things like the Gate incident from the beginning.

She already knew.

The Demon King didn't need to ramble on, saying it would be difficult for her to believe him.

She already believed.

It was just that trusting the Demon King and fearing him were two different matters.

"Don't tell me... you think I came to seek revenge on you?"

"Um... yes..."

It was possible that he had come to take revenge on those who didn't believe him back then.

The Demon King might have held a grudge against those who didn't believe him, as their disbelief led to the world turning out this way, and Scarlett was one of them.

Only then did she realize why she had been trembling, even though she believed in him, fearing that she might be killed.

"Why would I do that? It was only natural that you didn't believe me back then. I have no intention of doing that, and I don't resent you."

"I see... Alright..."

From the way he insisted he wouldn't kill her, Scarlett couldn't help but know that he didn't hold any grudge.

Reinhardt was still the same.

He was the Demon King but not very much like one.

He was still just a person with few opportunities.

He was still just as bewildering.

Believing in him was one thing, but she wasn't an important person.

Why had he come to see her?

Why did he ask if she had seen her friends?

Reinhardt struggled to figure out how to persuade Scarlett, only to realize there was no need to persuade her in the first place.

Scarlett was just too surprised. She just needed time to calm down.

There was no need to go into great detail. She had already heard everything before.

Scarlett just needed time to calm down.

"Now that I've calmed down a bit, please tell me slowly what's so urgent..."

"Wait."

Just as they were about to have a proper conversation, Reinhardt's expression hardened as he looked towards the window.

"I don't think we have time to talk."

Reinhardt roughly pulled the curtain, wondering what he had seen.

"Pardon?"

"I'm grateful and relieved that you believe in me. But let's do this for now. I'll tell you everything later."

Reinhardt stared straight into Scarlett's red eyes.

As if to say never forget.

"From now on, never leave my side."

"…Pardon?"

Scarlett's face paled at the strangely confessional words.

"Did you understand? Whatever happens, stick with me. Just remember that. Even if someone tries to tear me away from you, we must never be separated. If you understand, answer quickly."

"Huh? Yes... Ah, yes. So..."

Attempting to sever the connection?

Scarlett soon understood the meaning behind Reinhardt's sudden words.

-Whoosh!

Suddenly, Reinhardt shrank.

-Meow

"..."

The message was clear: take him wherever she went.

She trusted him, that much was true.

Although she didn't understand the situation, she could guess that Reinhardt wasn't there to harm her but to help her instead.

However.

The sight of the black cat's round, shining eyes overlapping with Reinhardt's dirty, sly gaze made Scarlett feel nauseous.

"I feel sick..."

-Meow!

Looking at the cat, who seemed to say it wasn't happy either as it waved its paws, Scarlett's nausea grew.

And then.

Soon.

-Knock, knock

Scarlett's muscles tensed as she heard someone knocking on her door.

"Scarlett, it's me."

It was Ludwig's voice.

------

If cats could have expressions, this one would certainly have a very serious face.

He had missed the timing and now couldn't discuss the important matter at hand.

The Demon King had become a cat with its mouth sealed shut.

However, it was clear that the Demon King had no intention of harming Scarlett, and Scarlett herself pitied Reinhardt.

Why had the Demon King come here?

And.

Why had Ludwig come here?

-Knock, knock

"Scarlett? If you're there, can you open the door?"

Scarlett felt an odd sense of fear creeping through her body.

It was certain that unknown events were unfolding and spreading around her.

Scarlett looked at the cat.

-Nod

As if to say it was okay to open the door, the cat nodded its head.

-Gulp

As she opened the door, Ludwig stood there.

With a bandage still wrapped around his right arm and unkempt hair, Ludwig looked much different than before.

His expression had somehow become sharper, and his face much darker.

"Ludwig...?"

"Ah, you're here."

Ludwig offered a faint smile.

Scarlett hadn't been told what was going on, so she knew she had to pretend to be calm.

"I thought you had gone somewhere else."

Scarlett felt uneasy at Ludwig's words.

He was a superhuman with senses far superior to ordinary people.

There was no way Ludwig couldn't have sensed someone on the other side of the wall.

"I thought I might have to go looking for you."

Ludwig would have known she was inside, deliberately not opening the door if she hadn't.

Somehow.

Scarlett couldn't help but notice Ludwig's blatant lie after just a few words.

She had to pretend to be calm right now.

As she didn't know what was going on and hadn't heard anything, she had to act as if she knew nothing.

She had to pretend as if nothing had happened.

"Have you... returned as well, Ludwig?"

"No, not exactly. I'll be leaving soon."

Ludwig gestured outside with a nod.

"The weather's nice. How about we take a short walk?"

Under normal circumstances, Scarlett would have agreed at the sight of Ludwig's gentle smile.

Though they weren't very close, all of the Temple Royal Class members were comrades in arms.

The camaraderie that came from crossing the line of life and death together was in a different league from ordinary friendships.

Each of them was incredibly precious to one another.

Though they might not have been intimately familiar with every aspect of each other's lives, they could die for each other.

Camaraderie was a very peculiar form of friendship for that reason.

Moreover, Ludwig had saved Scarlett's life at the risk of his own.

As a result, Delphin had lost her life, and Ludwig had even lost his right arm.

Of course, Scarlett had saved Ludwig first, but in the end, they were in a relationship where they owed each other their lives.

That's what it meant to be comrades.

Fear in this unknown situation was inevitable.

"Alright. Sounds good."

Nevertheless, Ludwig was incredibly precious to Scarlett.

As he was to all his other friends.

Scarlett could still die for Ludwig.

So, there was no reason they couldn't go for a walk.

"Um, just give me a moment."

"Sure."

Scarlett hadn't forgotten what the Demon King had said.

Ludwig watched as Scarlett disappeared into the room for a moment, only to reappear with a trot, holding the black cat in her arms.

"Ah... there you are?"

Ludwig grinned as he looked at the black cat, as if seeing a familiar face after a long time. Afraid of being misunderstood, Scarlett forced a smile on her lips.

She felt extremely awkward knowing what she was holding.

"Sh-should the... the cat... come along... for the... walk?"

Scarlett tried to say something without feeling awkward, but her tongue got twisted.

-Meow!

Fortunately, the black cat's sharp cry interrupted Scarlett.

Ludwig might not have known, but Scarlett understood the meaning of that cry well enough.

It meant to shut up.

"This one, always sticking around girls, huh?"

Ludwig cast a meaningful smile at the black cat.

-Meow!

The black cat desperately avoided Ludwig's gaze.