Demon King of the Royal Class-Chapter 642

Scarlett had insulted the Demon King, and her shock at her own words left her speechless. It was the first time she had ever insulted anyone in her life, and the realization of what she'd done stunned her.

She couldn't believe she'd said something so bold, something she would never have dared if she truly believed the person before her was the Demon King. That slip made her realize she still saw him as just Reinhart, and not the fearsome ruler of the Demon Realm.

No matter how she looked at him, he seemed no different from the Reinhart she remembered from their days at the Temple. Sure, he had become a bit more of a rogue, but at his core, he was still the same.

Back then, she had been afraid of Reinhart, though that fear had been tinged with admiration. This time, faced with an unexpected situation, Scarlett found herself utterly confused.

‘Why me? Why would he do this to me?’

Reinhart seemed just as bewildered as she was. Scarlett could sense that he understood the absurdity of the situation and why she felt so overwhelmed.

Amidst all the chaos of emotions, one thing stood out clearly to Scarlett: the Demon King was anxious. As he attempted to soothe the half-panicked Scarlett, his eyes kept darting to the window.

"Alright... No, it's not alright, but ask me what you want. Quick. I know you can't trust me, no matter what I say," he admitted, "but I'll tell you as much as I can. Anything. About the Gate Incident, what I've been doing, or what I want. I'll tell you everything—"

"No," Scarlett interrupted, her voice shaky. She was flustered and scared, her heart pounding in her chest. She took a few deep breaths, trying to steady herself.

Despite the chaos of emotions swirling inside her, the first thing she had asked about was the cat. It was what intrigued her the most, and at that moment, nothing else seemed as important.

"I called you a pervert and shameless, but I never said I couldn't trust you."

Reinhart was surprised. "What?"

Scarlett had been shocked, and her senses had been overcome by a sudden and unexpected wave of fear. Yet, when it came to trust, Scarlett wasn't one to lose faith easily.

On the day of the Gate Incident, Scarlett had been knocked unconscious by Sarkegar, who had then taken on her form and headed to the interrogation site.

Scarlett had not been there, but she had been somewhere else. She had been in the underground prison, where the Demon King was held before his final interrogation.

"I remember it clearly."

Scarlett vividly recalled the Demon King, his heart heavy with sorrow, revealing all the truths to her. Vertus had brought Scarlett along to interrogate Reinhart, suspecting that the Demon King might resort to using his power of Incantation.

Back then, neither the Emperor, Sabioleen Tana, nor Scarlett had believed the Demon King's words.

"I wanted peace. I wanted to save everyone. I know the future."

To them, it had all sounded like the ramblings of a madman, even when he claimed to have created the world.

But Scarlett remembered the moment clearly.

"I believe you," she said.

***

Those who knew the truth stayed silent, burdened by the weight of their knowledge.

Scarlett had once dismissed the truth as nonsense, but now she understood that those hollow, sorrowful eyes she had seen were not a facade—they were genuine.

The Demon King had even warned them that if they couldn't trust him, then they had to kill him before everything went awry. If they had listened to his words and displayed his head in the streets, perhaps the Gate Incident could have been avoided. But that was a possibility lost to time.

Scarlett realized that if they had believed the Demon King and set him free, the Gate Incident might never have happened. She recognized that the despair and sadness she had sensed in him were not an act but real. The words she’d once thought were lies had been true all along.

She also knew about Akasha.

Yet, even if Scarlett had believed the Demon King back then, there was nothing she could have changed.

Scarlett had been there because other, more important people had needed her. After everything unfolded, she understood that revealing the truth would be pointless, and chose silence.

She did what she could, believing that quietly slaying monsters and saving lives was her best contribution. She maintained her silence about the Demon King and focused on her duties.

It wasn’t her role to disclose the truth. She mourned and empathized with the Demon King's existence, but steadfastly held her position.

She saw no reason to inquire about the Gate Incident. She already knew.

The Demon King didn't need to explain how difficult it was to believe him. She already did. But believing the Demon King’s words and fearing him were two different matters entirely.

"Ah... Did you think I came to get revenge on you?"

"Well... yes...”

It was possible that he had come to settle the score with those who hadn't believed in him back then. That was why Scarlett asked if he was there to kill her.

From the Demon King's perspective, the world had ended up the way it was because humans had not been able to trust him. He might hold a grudge against those who doubted him, and Scarlett was one of them. That was why Scarlett was still trembling. The fear of being killed lingered, even though she trusted him.

"Why would I do that?" he asked. “It was only natural not to believe me back then. But I have no such thoughts, and I don't resent you."

"I... I see," Scarlett replied softly.

From the way he spoke, she could tell he held no resentment.

Reinhart was still the same. Even though he was the Demon King, he didn't act like one. He was still just someone who lacked common sense.

However, she was still bewildered. Regardless of the trust between them, she wasn't someone of importance. Why had he sought her out like this? Why was he asking if she'd seen her friends?

As Reinhart wrestled with how to convince Scarlett that his intentions were peaceful, it dawned on him that persuasion wasn't necessary. Scarlett was simply too stunned and just needed time to collect herself. There was no need to keep explaining. She had heard it all before. She had her reasons to be frightened and shocked, but ultimately, she just needed a moment to settle down.

"So, now that I've calmed down a bit, could you slowly explain what's so urgent...?"

"Wait."

Just as they were about to have a proper conversation, Reinhart glanced out the window, and his expression suddenly turned serious.

"It seems we don't have time to talk."

He quickly pulled the curtains shut, as if he'd seen something alarming.

"Sorry...?"

"I'm grateful that you trust me. It's really fortunate. But let's handle this first. I'll explain everything later."

Reinhart met Scarlett's gaze, looking directly into her red eyes, as if he were about to tell her something she was never to forget.

"From now on, don't ever leave my side."

Scarlett was taken aback by his strange statement, which almost sounded like a confession. "Pardon?"

"Do you understand? No matter what happens, stay with me. Just remember that. Even if someone tries to separate us, don't ever leave my side. If you understand, then answer quickly."

"Sorry? Uh... yes. Okay..."

What did he mean by “separate us?”

Swoosh!

In an instant, Reinhart transformed, and Scarlett understood what he’d meant.

Meow.

“...”

He wasn’t asking her to stay with him. He meant for her to carry him wherever she went.

Trust was one thing. Scarlett could sense that Reinhart had come not to harm her, but to assist her in some mysterious way. However, the way the black cat's twinkling eyes mirrored Reinhart's irritable gaze made Scarlett feel queasy.

“That’s disgusting...”

Meow!

The cat flailed its front paws, as if to insist it wasn't doing this for fun, which only made Scarlett feel more uneasy.

It was so infuriatingly adorable that it made her stomach turn.

It was such a strange sensation.

And then...

Knock, knock.

Scarlett's muscles tensed at the sound of someone knocking on her door.

—Scarlett, it's me.

It was Ludwig's voice.

***

If cats could have expressions, this one would surely be wearing a very serious face right now.

They had missed the right moment, and ended up babbling nonsense without actually discussing anything important. The Demon King had turned into a cat with a mouth full of honey, and was unable to speak anymore.

Yet, it was clear that the Demon King had no intention of harming Scarlett, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of pity for Reinhart.

Why had the Demon King come?

And why had Ludwig come as well?

Knock, knock.

—Scarlett? If you're there, could you open the door?

A strange fear crept into Scarlett's body. It was clear that things she didn't understand had intertwined and were spreading in ways beyond her comprehension.

She glanced at the cat. It gave a reassuring nod, as if to say it was safe to open the door.

With a deep breath, Scarlett turned the handle.

Click.

When she opened the door, Ludwig was standing there. His right arm was still wrapped in bandages, and his hair, untamed and wild, had grown out, giving him a markedly different appearance from before.

He somehow seemed both sharper and had a much darker aura.

"Ludwig...?"

"Oh, hey."

Ludwig offered a faint smile.

Scarlett wasn’t sure what was going on, but she knew she had to maintain her composure.

"I thought you might have gone out."

Something about Ludwig's words felt off to Scarlett. He was a superhuman with senses far surpassing that of ordinary people. There was no way Ludwig wouldn't have sensed her presence behind the wall.

"I was wondering if I should go out to find you," he said.

If she hadn't opened the door, Ludwig would have known she was inside, deliberately ignoring his presence.

Somehow, Scarlett could tell from just a few words that Ludwig was lying through his teeth.

Now was the time to feign calmness.

She was unaware of the situation, and had supposedly heard nothing, so she had to act as if she knew nothing. She had to pretend everything was perfectly normal.

"Ludwig... have you returned to the Temple as well?" she asked.

"No, not really. I'll be heading out soon," Ludwig replied.

He nodded toward the window. "The weather's nice. How about a little walk?"

Normally, Scarlett would have accepted his invitation, drawn in by Ludwig's gentle smile. She wasn't especially close to him, but everyone in the Temple Royal Class shared a unique bond. They were comrades who had faced life-and-death situations together, and that connection was unlike any ordinary friendship.

Each member was incredibly precious to the others. Even if they didn't know every detail about one another, they were willing to risk their lives for each other. That was what camaraderie was—a unique and profound form of friendship.

Moreover, Ludwig had risked his life to save Scarlett. In doing so, Delphine had lost her life, and Ludwig had sacrificed his right arm. Scarlett had saved Ludwig first, and ultimately, they both ended up owing their lives to each other.

That was what being comrades meant.

However, given the uncertain situation, fear was inevitable.

"Sure. That sounds nice," Scarlett replied, her voice steady.

She cherished Ludwig deeply, just as she did all her friends. And she knew, without a doubt, she would still lay down her life for him. So there was no reason not to take a walk.

"B-but, just a moment," Scarlett said.

"Oh, okay," Ludwig replied.

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

Ludwig watched as Scarlett briefly stepped back into the room, emerging with a black cat cradled in her arms.

"Oh... there you are," Ludwig chuckled, as if greeting an old friend.

Scarlett's lips twitched nervously, concerned about any misunderstandings about the cat. Now that she knew its true nature, holding it made her feel awkward.

"C-can I... t-take the c-cat... f-for a walk... too?"

Scarlett opened her mouth, hoping to break the awkward silence, but her words got tangled up instead.

Meow!

Thankfully, the cat's sharp meow cut through the moment, rescuing Scarlett from her own awkward attempt at conversation.

Even if Ludwig didn't get it, Scarlett knew exactly what that meow meant: it was a clear command to shut up.

"This one always seems to stick with the girls," Ludwig remarked, glancing at the black cat with a knowing smile.

M-meow...

The black cat tried to avoid Ludwig's gaze, its eyes darting nervously around the room.