CH 643

6th month.

"It's getting warmer, feels like winter was just yesterday."

"You're right."

Ludwig and Scarlett walked along a path near the Royal Class dormitory.

As if the heavy snowfall that had tormented them was a distant memory, summer had arrived, and it was time to worry about the heat.

Could the war end before autumn came?

The coalition forces had reached a point where they could finally discuss the true end of the conflict.

Nevertheless, it wasn't yet the season of unbearable heat, so the weather was, quite literally, at its best.

Beyond the Temple domain, the desolation and starvation of the wastelands were not felt here.

The well-kept streets, neat shrubbery, and beautiful, elegant buildings could still be seen below the hills.

The Temple remained vast and beautiful.

Only the students were missing.

The massive campus that once gathered the continent's top talents for studying was now empty.

Either dead or on the battlefield.

There were still a few students left, but their numbers were minuscule, and the majority of the teachers who should have been educating them had gone to the war.

Though still beautiful, a space without what should be there was nothing but dead.

Only a very limited number of people could see this place, as the Temple still maintained strict access control.

Scarlett walked quietly beside Ludwig, holding a black cat in her arms.

And then, she glanced at Ludwig's bandaged right arm.

Ludwig had said that he could regain his arm through some experimental procedure. It moved well and caused no discomfort, but he couldn't fight, so he was doing something in the rear lines.

Although they were comrades, they all had their own pressing matters to deal with.

Scarlett had vaguely thought Ludwig's situation was fortunate.

But then...

If Ludwig was with the rear support unit, which unit was it, and what was he doing there?

Scarlett had no idea what Ludwig was doing and had never asked.

From the beginning, after Ludwig returned to the coalition forces when spring started, he had only briefly visited the Royal Class base and was hardly seen.

She had thought his work with the rear support unit he'd been assigned to must have been busy.

Ludwig was so busy working with the rear support unit that he didn't even have time to see his friends.

But now that she thought about it, it was strange.

After their spring departure, the coalition forces had fought only once, in Wallen.

Their first destination, Grenosia, had already been crushed by the vanguard.

The main force had nothing to do but move, so why was Ludwig, supposedly in the rear, even busier?

Scarlett didn't know what the rear units did, so they could indeed have more work than the main force, but she couldn't figure out the reason.

Ludwig had said that although he had regained his arm, it was unsuitable for combat.

Could such a person easily use an essential warp spot to return to the wasteland like this?

Using a warp spot required procedures and permission, like Scarlett had.

Unfortunately, Ludwig was no longer that important.

Yet, he had calmly returned to the Temple during the coalition forces' advance and sought out Scarlett.

With the end of the war approaching and the upcoming battles, there was no time to focus on other things.

However, now those things started to catch her attention.

From one to ten, everything seemed strange.

Ludwig's arm.

Anna's warning.

Suddenly, the Demon King came for her.

And then, her power to neutralize.

Naturally.

Scarlett had an intuition that she had somehow become the core of these inexplicable events.

"Ludwig, that bandage on your arm... When will you take it off?"

"I probably won't be able to for a while."

"Is it... painful or something?"

"I can't say it's not, and it looks quite unsightly."

That right arm.

She couldn't help but realize that it was very strange as well.

She merely hoped that somehow she could use her arm again. But upon closer inspection now, something odd stood out.

Compared to Ludwig's left arm, it was unnaturally long. And the size of his hand and thickness of his forearm were also slightly larger.

Strange.

It was as if it belonged to someone else.

Scarlett's imagination filled her with fear.

What on earth was that arm?

"When the war is over, will we be able to live in the temple as we did before?"

Ludwig was talking about something entirely different.

"It would be nice if we could...."

"Right? Even if the Gate incident ends, there are still many monsters on the continent, and everything won't be completely over until all the monsters are dealt with."

Ludwig chuckled.

"And when the temple is operational again, will we be second-year students or fifth-year students?"

"I'm not really sure...."

If the temple started operating as it had before.

It wasn't just Scarlett who considered that possibility. Ludwig was thinking about it too.

"By the way."

"Yes?"

Was he finally getting to the elusive main point?

Scarlett tensely awaited Ludwig's words.

"This cat."

However, instead of the main point, Ludwig pointed at the black cat nestled in Scarlett's arms.

"Isn't it a bit strange?"

"Huh?"

At that, Scarlett flinched greatly.

The cat, trying its best to appear as if it didn't understand anything, desperately feigned composure.

"Strange...? Wha...What do you mean?"

Scarlett bit her tongue due to the sudden timing of the unexpected question, but Ludwig didn't seem to mind.

"No, it just doesn't seem to be growing at all."

"Ah...."

"It's been quite some time now, shouldn't it have grown a bit by now?"

Scarlett felt the same doubt that Ludwig did.

The black kitten.

By now, it should have grown into a full-grown cat, but it was still tiny.

The default appearance of the shape-shifter, who found being small cute, hadn't changed.

"Maybe... there's a breed...? I don't know, but maybe that's not the case...?"

"Hmm, could be? I don't know much about cats either. That might be possible."

Fortunately, both Ludwig and Scarlett could pass it off as not knowing.

Scarlett sighed with relief in her mind.

From behind Ludwig, who was walking slightly ahead, Scarlett glared at the black cat cradled in her arms.

'You invite suspicion by transforming thoughtlessly!'

Her gaze was so intense that it conveyed that meaning, but the cat maintained its ignorance and yawned.

"Scarlett."

Then, Ludwig's voice suddenly became solemn.

"Yes, Ludwig."

Now, at last, was he going to tell her the reason he had come?

Instinctively, Scarlett could only feel it.

Ludwig turned to Scarlett and spoke.

"Have you ever considered living outside the temple?"

"…Huh?"

It was an utterly unexpected question, and Scarlett couldn't help but be taken aback.

Leaving the intact temple behind, there seemed to be no intention of staying outside.

The attitude conveyed that it was natural for him to provide such a place.

"The temple is, well, not as safe as you might think."

"Not safe...?"

"Yep."

Ludwig quietly looked at Scarlett.

"I think it's better to stay somewhere safer than the temple. That's why I'm suggesting it."

"..."

At those words, Scarlett quietly looked at Ludwig.

"Ludwig."

"Yeah?"

"You know that this situation is strange, right?"

The temple was dangerous. Therefore, he would find a safer place for her to stay.

It was definitely strange that Ludwig, of all people, calmly returned to the temple and said this.

However, Scarlett didn't ask anything, and Ludwig didn't provide any explanation.

Ludwig slowly nodded to Scarlett's observation.

"You're right, it must feel strange. That I can come and go from the Imperial Capital as I please, and that I can provide you with a safe place. Even my bandaged right arm would seem suspicious."

"..."

No matter how one looked at it, Ludwig didn't seem to be anyone other than someone plotting something.

"Still, can't you trust me?"

At Ludwig's words, Scarlett bit her lip.

"I trust you, Ludwig. Of course I trust you. You're precious to me. I definitely... think highly of you, and I'd be willing to die for you."

It wasn't because Ludwig saved her life that he was precious to Scarlett; all her friends and comrades were precious to her.

The war had changed so much that everyone she knew had become as precious and important as her own life.

Even Erich de Lafaeri, who had tormented her.

As the moments spent crossing the line of life and death piled up, she could risk her life even for him. And she was confident that, conversely, Erich could risk his life for Scarlett.

That's what comrades were.

It was a request to trust from Ludwig, one of those precious people.

Of course she trusted him.

"But Ludwig, I don't know anything. What's going on? I don't know anything. If you don't tell me anything... suddenly hearing this, I feel so frustrated and scared."

Anna's warning.

The Demon King's question.

And Ludwig's suggestion.

Something was happening, but Scarlett had not a single definite piece of knowledge.

"What on earth... is going on for things to be like this?"

That question was directed at Ludwig and, at the same time, at the Demon King she held in her arms.

What am I, that you suddenly come looking for me?

What can my abilities do?

Ludwig's expression became strange at Scarlett's question.

"Ah..."

As if he had realized something.

Ludwig, with a bizarre expression, began to laugh.

"Ha... ha... ha... haha... haha..."

Whether he was drained or disillusioned, Ludwig laughed with an indiscernible expression, almost as if he had gone half mad.

"Ludwig...?"

As Ludwig suddenly started laughing, Scarlett felt chills run down her spine and called his name.

"Ah... this, this... haha... it's like this... it's like this... haha... that's right... haha... I'm no different... haha..."

And so it was.

For some time, Ludwig laughed a hollow, listless laugh, but at some point...

"..."

He suddenly stopped.

"I'm sorry, Scarlett."

"..."

"Sometimes, it's better not to know."

Realizing that he himself had become the kind of person who would say such a thing, Ludwig knew how absurd it was, and he laughed for a long time.

------

To make someone aware.

To keep someone ignorant.

As much as he despised those who made such decisions, Ludwig found himself saying these words to his friend.

It's better not to know.

But while Ludwig might ridicule himself for this, he had no intention of stopping what he had to do.

On the contrary, wasn't it a good thing?

To befriend a monster, one had to become a monster.

To kill a monster, one had to become a monster.

Wasn't this proof that he had become a monster?

If so, then he could truly kill monsters.

To have such power, to wield such authority.

No longer would he hear that he was worthless, that he was nothing.

At least in that respect.

Even if he were to fall and die, wouldn't he no longer be miserable?

In response to Ludwig's words that it's better not to know, Scarlett looked at him with a determined expression.

"Even if you can't explain anything to me, are you saying it's safer for me to stay outside the temple?"

"Yeah. If you know something, it'll only become more dangerous."

So trust me, Ludwig said.

Scarlett didn't doubt Ludwig's intentions at all.

However...

"I'm not sure..."

"What do you mean?"

"Ever since a certain moment... it seems like you're not the Ludwig I used to know."

The change in Ludwig, who had returned with a new arm, was not only in his appearance. Though she couldn't focus on it properly, Scarlett couldn't help but feel that Ludwig had become an entirely different person.

From the moment he returned and even now, as he spoke these unfamiliar words.

Not just his words, but his attitude, gaze, and actions.

Even his aura.

To Scarlett, the Ludwig before her felt like a completely different person.

"I don't want to say this, but... you scare me, Ludwig."

"Scary...?"

"Yes."

And so, faced with the changed appearance of her friend, Scarlett couldn't help but feel fear.

"Scarlett, I had no choice but to change."

"..."

"When Asher died, when Delphin died. No, from the moment the Gate incident happened until now, how could I not change?"

Ludwig's words were true.

So much had happened that change was inevitable.

Without change, they couldn't bear it.

Not just Ludwig, but Scarlett as well had changed, albeit to varying degrees.

The only ones who hadn't changed were the dead.

Rather, it was more peculiar that the Demon King, who still bore some resemblance to his former self after all that had happened, maintained even a trace of his old self.

"You're right. I'm sure that's true. But... to tell me to do as you say without knowing anything... it's so unlike the Ludwig I've known."

It wasn't that he had changed; he seemed like an entirely different person.

"If I were to refuse to do as you say, what would happen? What would you do?"

"..."

If it had been the old Ludwig, he would have accepted Scarlett's refusal and said there was nothing he could do.

Had it not been for that, he would have tried to explain and persuade her with all his reasons.

Nevertheless, he would not have been upset or resentful at Scarlett's refusal.

But now.

What would he do if Scarlett were to reject such a proposal from Ludwig?

It seemed as if he would force her to listen, whether she wanted to or not.

Ludwig gazed at Scarlett with deep, dark eyes.

"Scarlett, there's one thing I can tell you."

"..."

"There are people who want to use you. You might not know it now, but someday, they will definitely try to exploit you."

"They... want to use me?"

"Yes."

To use her.

Was that the intention behind the Demon King's visit?

To exploit her?

But the Demon King, who was nestled in Scarlettt's arms in the form of a cat, could not say anything.

"Scarlett, there are those within the alliance who are colluding with the Demon King."

"!"

Upon hearing that, Scarlett could not help but widen her eyes.

It was already a shocking and strange situation that the Demon King was nestled in her arms.

Did it mean the Demon King's influence had already reached within the alliance?

"And their numbers are not few."

Contrary to what the alliance soldiers and people thought, Ludwig knew that a considerable part of the alliance had already fallen to the Demon King and that many more would continue to fall.

"The Demon King already knows about your power and will soon discover that your abilities have grown stronger than before. No, he might already know."

As Ludwig said, the Demon King already knew.

Scarlett could not help but realize it upon hearing it from Ludwig's mouth.

Was it just that he knew?

The Demon King had been faster than Ludwig.

"The Demon King... wants to use my power... my abilities?"

"Probably."

She did not know in what way her power would be used.

But the Demon King could not say anything now.

Although the Demon King had come first, Ludwig was the first to explain.

Scarlett could not help but feel terrified upon seeing Ludwig's grave expression.

"It's strange... that you, Ludwig would say such a thing..."

Ludwig was Ludwig.

"It's like... you have to... be the one to confront the Demon King... as if you can..."

The Demon King was too great and heavy a name.

He might be a small cat now, but the Demon King was no ordinary being.

On the other hand, Ludwig was an ordinary being.

He was not Ellen, nor the Emperor, nor Saviolin Turner.

But now Ludwig spoke as if he had to confront the Demon King himself, as if it was possible for him to do so.

He spoke as if he was someone capable of doing so, or as if he belonged to a group that could do it.

The Ludwig Scarlett knew was not that kind of person at all.

"I don't know whether I can do it or not. What's important is that someone has to do it."

Without knowing whether it was possible or not, he said it had to be done.

That was not Ludwig, but Ellen.

Scarlett swallowed her rising words.

The Demon King is not the person you think he is.

He is not that kind of being.

He only wished for peace but could do nothing.

He wanted to save the world, but instead, he made it this way.

He was nothing but a pitiful and wretched being.

I heard that miserable and tragic confession firsthand.

And so both the hero and the Demon King were ultimately just pitiable people.

Scarlett wanted to say that.

And so, whenever Ludwig occasionally expressed hatred towards the Demon King or made such remarks to Ellen, Scarlett would stop him from doing so.

She would tell him not to torment Ellen.

As it was, she hoped he would not cause the already struggling hero any more pain.

Subtly dissuading those who criticized the Demon King, those who spoke such words around Ellen, was the best Scarlett could do.

Although she wanted to argue on behalf of the Demon King while holding him in her arms, she couldn't.

Scarlett couldn't help but feel it from Ludwig's expression.

No persuasion would work on the changed Ludwig.

The changed Ludwig merely spoke.

The Ludwig who always sought others' opinions and listened to their stories was gone.

"Scarlett, anyone will try to use you. They will put you in danger. So let's stay somewhere else. Somewhere no one can find you. Stay safe until everything is settled. Can you do that?"

Before someone tried to use her, before it became dangerous.

She would hide from the world.

"Then, wouldn't you, Ludwig, be... using me instead?"

If someone tried to use her, there might be an opposite case as well.

It could also be a situation where Ludwig was actually trying to use Scarlett.

It might have been a statement that could greatly hurt Ludwig's feelings, but he simply shook his head.

"That won't happen."

"..."

"I won't put you in danger."

Although she didn't know much, Ludwig had no intention of using her. The Demon King and others coveted Scarlett's power.

Was Ludwig merely thinking of stopping someone from using her before they could?

Scarlett couldn't figure out why Ludwig was saying this or why the Demon King was looking for her in the first place.

Ludwig, who said nothing but claimed this was the best course of action for her.

The Demon King, who promised to explain everything later and told her never to leave his side.

Which side was right?

As someone who had witnessed the Demon King's despair firsthand and knew the whole truth about him, Scarlett trusted the Demon King.

And she trusted Ludwig, who had saved her life and even sacrificed his arm for her.

She trusted both.

But she was forced to choose.

Would she follow Ludwig and leave?

Would she reject Ludwig's offer to hear the Demon King's explanation?

But was there really a need to make a decision right now?

"Ludwig... Can you give me... some time to think?"

At Scarlett's words, Ludwig fell silent.

In his silence, an unmistakable sense of urgency was evident. His every action seemed to suggest that there was no time.

But the fact that time was passing even as he remained silent did not change.

"I can't give you much time."

In his words, it was already clear that he was not considering Scarlett's refusal.

Scarlett couldn't help but know from Ludwig's words that if she refused, he would take her away by force.