Chapter 559

It may be okay to remain a kitten forever, but it's unnatural. Those who watch may wonder why it's not growing. So it was growing little by little every time it appeared. The guards who protect the Royal Class stronghold also became familiar with it. This trick cannot be done until the end of the war. The atmosphere at the Royal Class stronghold had calmed down a lot. Delphin Isard was a kind and good person like Ludwig. According to Sarkagar's report, Scarlet and Ludwig were in danger and he died trying to save them. The death of Delphin was quite fatal. Elemental magic is a very powerful force. Even so, in a moment, anyone can lose their life and there are no exceptions. Changing the future is easy, but changing it to the desired future is difficult. I was planning to wander around the Royal Class stronghold. The first classmate I met at the stronghold was Cliff. In the Royal Class, there are those who go crazy for cats and those who don't care. Ludwig, Cliff, and Rudina were not interested. But now Cliff was looking down at the cat he had ignored. When he stroked my head, there was a lot of meaning in that gesture. Translation:

If I don't think about it that way, I can't stand being touched by people of all ages and genders. I just borrowed the appearance of a cat, and I try to think that the cuteness belongs to the cat, not me. Of course, the idea of a double accident is just a fallacy. I feel like I'll go crazy with self-pity if I don't think about something... Even Konolint says I'm a pervert. When I transform into an animal and do this kind of thing, I'm probably the weirdest pervert among perverts. Of course, not only my classmates, but also my seniors and juniors are at the Royal Class stronghold. Although the atmosphere has become gloomy, they were happy to see me (as a cat) appear after a long time. When I'm in the form of a cat, the most difficult thing is not being touched or having my feet touched. "Are you hungry? Eat this." -.... They keep trying to feed me. I'm not really a beast! Even if they bring me something like milk, I don't really want to eat it! Do you know the humiliation of eating with your head stuck in a plate? Real cats probably don't think about that, but I'm not a real cat! "Aren't you hungry?" -Meow Even in the dining tent, there are guys who give me what they eat, even if it's something new. It's annoying. If I don't eat it, I might hear something like "You're acting like a wild animal" and I've actually closed my eyes and eaten it a few times. Being a beast means having to do beastly things, which is difficult. I wandered around the Royal Class stronghold in the overall subdued atmosphere. -Are you resting? -I don't know when I'll need it. I have to charge it as much as possible. I haven't even filled half of it yet. -Anyway, we'll be here until the end of winter, so what's the rush? From afar, I saw Roudina and Kayer arguing. The only difference from what I had seen before was that the situation seemed to have changed somehow. I had seen Roudina always scolding Kayer about the Ark Crystal charging problem, and I knew that their relationship was very bad. -There are still monsters around. You said to always keep it charged in case you need it. -No, I mean, how many times do I have to say I was wrong? Why are you like that... I said I was wrong... -I'm the one who keeps telling you that it's not because you did something wrong. Why don't you understand? -I know... I know, but there's no need to be in such a hurry. Why can't you understand me? But now Kayer was trying to do his own thing, and Roudina was trying to stop him, which was a strange situation different from usual. -I can do it too, and I'm not always pushing myself. Leave me alone. -Ah... In the end, Roudina, with red eyes, cried, and Kayer walked away somewhere, leaving Roudina behind. "That bastard is doing it again." I turned my head at the sound next to me, and there was Konolint with his arms crossed, sticking out his tongue. He looked at me and lifted me up. "Where have you been hiding and now you're showing up again?" "...Is that not something you would say to Reinhardt? Maybe you didn't notice that I transform into a beast? Even if you did, it probably wouldn't make much of a difference. But I have to recognize that Reinhardt is a crazy perverted demon king who is just all talk. Konolint stares at me, seeming to be thinking something. He's a fool. You're a fool. '...Aye.' After saying something meaningless, he puts me down again. After walking alone for a while, he turns back to me. -Meow. I tilt my head. -...Aye. He says it again and leaves. He was a fool, pretending to be aware of something he wasn't. * * * Of course, there were still those who were interested in cats, but not as much as before. There were also those who were relieved that this small creature was still alive, but in the end, they could only imagine those who had disappeared. The Royal Class stronghold was not just a barracks and a dining hall. -Meow! '...Can I try it one more time?' '...Yes.' I watched as Ludwig picked up a fallen sword at the outdoor training ground of the Royal Class stronghold. His opponent was Scarlet. Ludwig smiled awkwardly and took a stance with his left arm holding the sword. 'I'm sorry, I'm not used to it.' Ludwig was practicing left-handed swordsmanship. I didn't think he was a guy who would give up easily, but maybe he was trying to find a way out in a situation where he only had his left arm. Scarlet looked like she was about to cry as she looked at Ludwig. 'Ludwig, I can help you as much as you want. I can do more. But...' 'Even with only one arm, I can still enhance my magic power.' Ludwig's words were not wrong. Even in that state, Ludwig would have combat abilities that could not be compared to ordinary soldiers. After all, he was still a superhuman even if he lost his arm. But Delphin had joined the ranks of superhumans because of Moonshine. And Delphin died. In a battlefield where everyone was dying, if Ludwig faced combat in that state, he would most likely die. It was no different from suicide. 'Ludwig, I'll fight for you too. Because of me... Because of me, Ludwig became like this. And Delphin...' 'No, it's not your fault.' When Scarlet tried to burst into tears, Ludwig firmly shook his head. 'No, it's not your fault. It's my fault. My weakness caused everything.' It was a strange thing to say. If Delphin's death was not Scarlet's fault, it should not be Ludwig's fault either. But Ludwig was blaming himself for everything. A pathological level of self-hatred. Was Ludwig also suffering from that? 'I'm sorry, I didn't think it would be a burden for Scarlet to ask like this. I'm sorry...' 'No, it's okay. I'll do it alone. After all, swordsmanship is not necessary for killing monsters, it's important to be able to hold a weapon with your left hand.' Ludwig begins to practice left-handed swordsmanship alone with magic enhancement, despite Scarlet's offer to help. The protagonist observes Ludwig's struggle and notes that losing an arm severely diminishes his combat abilities. Although Ludwig is determined to fight with his remaining arm, the protagonist believes it would be suicidal for him to do so. The other students watch Ludwig's efforts with a mix of admiration and horror, as he pushes himself to the brink of exhaustion. Despite his determination, the protagonist sees Ludwig's situation as hopeless and ultimately futile. Fighting with only one arm against monsters is a death sentence. Therefore, seniors, juniors, and classmates couldn't help but be amazed at Ludwig's appearance. Currently, there is a situation where the Allied Forces are reviving the dead as Death Knights. However, that doesn't mean Ludwig must fight. That's just an obsession. An obsession to try something more. Just being supported by evil. Ludwig didn't scream in pain or throw his sword while kneeling and asking why it wasn't working. He didn't even say words of hatred towards the world. Thump! Thwack! Kyaang! He loses balance, picks up the weapon that bounces off, and constantly hits the scarecrow even though his attacks don't have any power. As if there was no shaking, despair, or pain. He just hits the scarecrow poorly and upright. Ludwig's characteristic is that he never gives up, and that's the setting I gave him. However, I couldn't help but feel creepy seeing Ludwig not giving up even in situations where he should give up. This is the point where he should give up. He will die in the next battle. Ludwig thought the world was supposed to give him what he wanted, but the world took his arm. Ludwig is no longer the protagonist. Therefore, I hope Ludwig gives up and goes back to the back of the story. I hope he doesn't run towards an obvious death. However, it seemed that there was nothing that could stop Ludwig. That obsession close to madness, that desire that I also have to do something, seemed impossible to stop. Humans have times when they should give up. I realize how inhuman Ludwig's characteristic of not giving up was as I watched him with my own eyes. Ludwig's appearance was not sublime. It was so desperate that it was pitiful. When the amazed seniors and juniors began to leave as the sun began to set. "Ludwig." Someone who was still in the training ground approached Ludwig, who was sweating all over his body even in this cold weather. "...... Yeah." "It's been a few days, stop now." "...... Yeah?" "You can't fight anymore." It was only the serious-looking Cliff. Did he approach because he couldn't bear to see that miserable sight anymore? "Go back to the Yellow Road. You have enough of your major so far." Ludwig shakes his head at Cliff's words. "No, I can do more." "No, you can't." Cliff stands in front of Ludwig with his sword on the rack. "If you don't know why it's not working, I'll tell you now." As if to challenge him, Cliff looks at Ludwig, who is wrapped in blue magic power, and takes a stance. Ludwig looks at Cliff and stares silently. "...Do you want to spar? Then I have to enhance my magic power..." "You don't have to." Cliff doesn't even have a weapon. "It's not necessary to fight against one idiot." "...". Cliff seemed to want to protect Ludwig from running towards an obvious death and make him realize the reality, and disappear from this battlefield on his own.