Chapter 644

Ludwig's anxiety was meaningless, as it was only because he was worried about other forces, such as the demon king, approaching Scarlet. When Scarlet asked for time, Ludwig only said he could wait a few hours. When Scarlet said she wanted to be alone, Ludwig went for a walk to clear his thoughts. Scarlet did not know that Ludwig had gone to the Temple Magic University. Ludwig had changed strangely at some point, and the demon king, who knew the truth but had no idea what he had been doing, was a frightening figure to both Scarlet and Ludwig. The dormitory room where they could return. The cat had turned back into the demon king, and Scarlet demanded an explanation. The demon king looked out the window carefully, as there was a possibility that Ludwig might be watching Scarlet's movements nearby. The demon king confirmed that there was no one listening nearby and began to explain about the strange army they had seen during the Warlon battle. The demon king revealed that the army was made up of golems made from corpses. Scarlet was shocked to hear all the stories in such a short time. The people responsible for the experiments were Christina, Louis, and Anna. Recently, Ludwig had received one of those arms. The demon king confirmed that Ludwig had received the Chimera surgery. Scarlet couldn't say anything to the demon king's question about whether there was any other magic besides the Chimera surgery that could make such a thing possible. War made too many things possible, even requiring such magic. Scarlet couldn't help but feel a sinking feeling in her chest when she realized that Ludwig wanted to return to the battlefield so badly that he needed such an army, even though it was made up of cruel and terrible things. But at the same time, she couldn't help but have doubts. It was a necessary army, even though it was made up of cruel and terrible things. "As much as it was an army created to end the war, it may not be the necessary force right now. But...why am I important in neutralizing that army?" Scarlet couldn't help but realize before finishing her sentence. After the Gate incident, the demon king talks about what comes next. Ludwig said that someone might try to use him. "After the Gate incident...do you want me to get rid of that army?" It was the strongest force in human history, and Scarlet could easily neutralize it with her abilities. Just like turning golems into scrap metal, the strongest military force in history would be easily neutralized. "Yes," the demon king nodded. "Ludwig is right. He really came back to protect you, and I intend to use you." Scarlet couldn't help but tremble at the demon king's casual admission. "Do we really have to fight?" "..." "It's not necessary. You didn't want this. You're not the kind of person who wants this." "..." "So many people died and were injured just from the Gate incident. Do we have to think about the next fight right after that, or even before it's over?" The demon king leaned against the wall, listening to Scarlet's desperate plea. "Yes, maybe we don't have to fight. Who knows." "Then, after everything is over, can't we just live in our own places? That army is meaningless without a fight." "That's right. Definitely." Even the strongest army is meaningless outside of the battlefield. In this vast land where so many people have died and left empty spaces, couldn't everyone just live in their own places? Scarlet couldn't understand why they were preparing for the next fight right after the war ended. "The situation is too different from before." "Different...?" "Don't you know how things are in Huangdo? You probably don't even know the situation of the Allied Forces." Scarlet had been away from Huangdo for a long time and didn't know how it was doing. She didn't even know the atmosphere of the Allied Forces. Scarlet wasn't in a position to make such decisions. "We've come too far to stop. We've done too much to just pretend nothing happened and live in our own places." "It's not like a toy that can be put back to its original state by now. The world is too big to play with. That's why things that have moved are still moving. Everything cannot be invalidated. 'I don't know. This time, because of what I did, there may be bigger problems. That could happen.' Just like how all the actions taken to prevent the Gate incident ended up completing the Gate incident. There may be a similar ending this time. But at least Scarlet knows that what is happening in the world is not the demon king's conspiracy. This is the demon king's failure. Even after experiencing such a miserable failure, the demon king has built something again. 'It may be a selfish act. My actions of doing something again on a subject that has already failed may seem disgusting and unforgivable to some people. And there are actually people like that.' 'But I've come too far to stop now. I don't know what the outcome of what I'm doing will be, but stopping now and pretending that nothing happened is the biggest mistake and wrong thing I can do.' If I didn't want to do it, I shouldn't have done anything. If I didn't even start, I don't know, but if I started something, I have to finish it. All the things that have been accumulated will collapse at the moment of giving up. The demon king is no different from not knowing the perfect answer. However, the demon king knows as much as the perfect wrong answer. Half of Huangdo, half of the Allied Forces, have been swallowed up now. Running away from everything and pretending that nothing happened is a perfect wrong answer. 'I won't deny that helping me is a very dangerous choice. And I won't say that helping me is the right choice. Because I could be wrong.' 'I don't know either. And I know that the people who want to kill me have their own legitimate reasons, and I have no excuse for their anger towards me. Anyway, everything happened because of me.' Even those who want to kill the demon king ultimately have their own reasons, and no one can deny those reasons. But the demon king has a path to go. It's too far to turn back now. Now, it's about going the way they need to go, going that way more safely, and going that way for sure. That's the only reality where they have no other choice. 'Scarlet.' The demon king looks at the girl with red hair. 'I need you.' Scarlet had never heard such a short but sincere statement in her life. Scarlet stares at the demon king. No. She stares at Reinhardt. Memories from a long time ago pass by. Memories that seemed to have been forgotten in the war and countless deaths. But memories that were clearly hidden somewhere in her heart were coming back to life. The demon king. Reinhardt was a strange guy. He was a Class A magic stone, but his abilities were said to be inferior to even Class B. He caused all sorts of accidents. He was considered a strange guy even within Class A, and there were rumors that he was a strange guy even in Class B. A guy who shouldn't be involved." Linehart was definitely someone who received such criticism. But to Scarlet, Linehart was a strange person in a slightly different sense. One day, he said, "What's wrong with being a red crab?" out of nowhere, while being harassed by Erich de Rapha. He was probably referring to Erich being a coward. After winning a reckless fight through a strange miracle against a senior in a duel, Linehart said that. In fact, Scarlet was more afraid of Linehart than Erich at that point. There weren't many connections between them. However, Scarlet always looked up to Linehart from afar. If I could be like that too. If I had that kind of courage, it would have been nice. Linehart was a person who gave her a shock in many ways when she was crouching in fear of being chased out of the temple. Before she knew it, she was always watching Linehart. She made Linehart her idol in her heart. As she looked back on the past, other memories naturally came to mind. When that memory came to mind, Scarlet couldn't help but smile even in this situation. "Do you remember the tournament?" The demon king nodded with a puzzled expression at Scarlet's question. "I remember." It was the moment when Scarlet, who had no contact with him, said that he was her idol, so Linehart couldn't help but remember that time. It was a time and event buried in too much death and sadness. However, it became a precious time because it was nothing. The days when everything was peaceful and there were no problems can never come back. "I said that then. There are people who hate you, but there are also people who like you." "Yes... you said that." Because of Linehart's strange personality, many people hated him. However, even then, there were people who strangely didn't hate Linehart. Even if it wasn't Ellen and Harriet, there were quite a few people who were close to Linehart. There were many people who said, "Why do you like that guy? Why do you hang out with that guy?" Scarlet realized this as she watched them. "Just as not everyone can make everyone like me, not everyone can hate me, I realized that by looking at you." "Yes... you said that too." Scarlet realized this in that thought. If it's impossible to receive everyone's love, it's also impossible to receive everyone's hatred. "Strangely, many things have changed... so many things have changed..." Scarlet looks at Linehart. A being who is now called the Demon King. "You're still in that situation." "Like how there were people who hated Linehart but also people who liked him. It's the same for the Demon King. There are those who hate him to the point of wanting to kill him, but there are also those who cannot hate him. Or perhaps, there are still those who love the Demon King, just on a larger scale. Scarlet used to admire Linehart in the past, not just as a rational person, but with a sense of respect. Linehart, who was once her idol, has now become a cursed Demon King. But he still asks for help, sincerely saying that he needs her. The Demon King had his own reasons, and those who knew his circumstances couldn't possibly say who should stand on the blade of judgment as the Demon King. But what about those who oppose it? How can they justify that the Demon King must die? The Demon King is a contradictory existence, just like how he has his own reasons. Those who wish for the Demon King's death and destruction also have their own reasons. If everyone is justified and has their own reasons, what should be chosen? Scarlet stood at the crossroads of choice and opened her mouth."