Leaving For Darwitz

The speech had ended, but many people in the crowd were still standing there, dazed by what Scarlett had just revealed.

Some of them had their mouths slightly open in shock, while others were whispering among themselves, trying to process everything.

But one thing was certain.

If what Scarlett said was true, then this might be the era where all Demon Kings would fall.

The time where humans would reign supreme.

There was no doubt that this speech would be the headline of every newspaper the next day.

Not that Scarlett cared about any of that.

Her real goal had already been achieved—she had gained recognition as a kingdom. Now, she could start doing business with other nations, expanding her influence step by step.

For now, though, she was just sitting on the bed, her legs swinging lazily in the air as she hummed to herself in boredom.

In front of her, Kroenen was sitting on a chair, calmly eating his food.

Scarlett watched him with a frown before her lips twitched in annoyance. "Why are you eating right in front of me? Trying to make me jealous?"

Kroenen didn't even look up. He just scoffed and took another bite of his food. "Unlike a certain someone, I actually need to eat and drink. And I also have to keep an eye on my surroundings."

Scarlett clicked her tongue. "You do realize that I'm your employer, right? Show some respect."

Kroenen smirked. "Over my dead body."

"You—!" Scarlett's lips twitched again as she pointed at him. "You and that Li Feng... both of you need a serious beating."

She huffed and flopped down onto the bed, stretching her arms above her head.

Staring up at the ceiling, she let out a sigh.

"What a boring day... I didn't even get to see a single Holy Knight. Were they even there?"

Kroenen continued eating, but then he casually spoke. "I saw one."

Scarlett immediately sat up, her interest piqued. "You saw one? Where?"

"When we left the room," Kroenen said, chewing his food slowly. "I saw a girl with silver hair and silver eyes. My instincts don't lie—she was definitely a Holy Knight."

Scarlett tilted her head, thinking. Then she let out a small laugh.

"Oh, that girl? I thought she was some kind of princess or something," she said, waving her hand dismissively. Then she smirked. "Well, you really do your job properly. As expected of a professional."

Kroenen just shrugged and continued eating, while Scarlett lay back down, a mischievous glint in her hidden eyes.

Just as Scarlett was about to say something else, there was a sudden knocking on the door.

She turned her head towards it and casually called out, "Come in!"

The door creaked open, and Kroenen, who had just taken another bite of his food, paused mid-chew, his gaze shifting toward the entrance.

A figure stepped inside, and as soon as Scarlett saw who it was, her lips curled up in surprise.

"Aoto?" she said, sitting up fully, her voice carrying a hint of joy.

Standing in the doorway was a young man with messy blonde hair and a confident smirk.

"It's really been a while, huh?" Aoto grinned as he stepped inside.

Scarlett nodded, looking him up and down with a playful smile. "Yeah, you've even grown up a bit. You look taller and… slightly more mature!"

Hearing this, Aoto's confident smirk suddenly turned into a dramatic frown. His shoulders slumped, and he sighed deeply.

"You know what? We're already in our second year, and soon it'll be over… and after that…" He paused for a second, making it extra dramatic before continuing.

"After that… it will officially be the start of my journey to defeat the Demon King! Just like every other summoned hero before me!"

And with that, he dramatically collapsed onto the floor as if the weight of fate itself had crushed him.

Scarlett blinked at him, completely unimpressed. "Huh? Isn't that a good thing? Or… are you scared?"

Meanwhile, Kroenen had already resumed eating, watching this free comedy show like it was entertainment for his meal.

Aoto sat up with an exaggerated pout. "Why would that be a good thing?! I barely have fourty girlfriends right now! I'm still so far away from my ultimate goal!"

Scarlett raised an eyebrow. "Your… ultimate goal?"

Aoto sighed deeply, looking at the ground below as if mourning his tragic fate. "Especially since I couldn't find a single femboy—"

BAM!...

Before he could finish, Scarlett's fist slammed down on his head like a hammer.

"OWWWW!" Aoto yelped, holding his head in pain. "What was that for?!"

"You're still chasing femboys?!" Scarlett scolded, her eyes inside blindfold narrowing dangerously.

Aoto groaned dramatically, rubbing the sore spot. "Ouch… ouch… I was just about to say who wants to die so early! All heroes before me failed anyway,How am I different? Am I best friend of main protagonist in a novel or something?",

And most importantly Do I look like a hero to you?"

Scarlett stared at him for a moment, then scratched her head. "Well… that's actually a fair point."

Aoto nodded, feeling validated—until Scarlett casually added, "But don't worry. I'm planning to attack a Demon King anyway. If we're successful, I'll give you some credit too."

Aoto froze. "Huh? Attacking a Demon King?! Who? And why?!"

Scarlett's playful expression faded slightly as her eyes inside the blindfold turned sharp.

"The third Demon King," she said, her tone carrying a hint of coldness. "He might have a way for me to turn back into a male… and I also have a personal grudge against him."

Hearing that, Aoto suddenly stood up with a confident smirk. "Is that so? Then let's defeat that bastard! Yay!" He cheered loudly, pumping his fist in the air.

Scarlett stared at him blankly, unimpressed. "Huh? Weren't you just whining a moment ago?"

Aoto proudly pointed at himself. "Anything for a friend! Besides, this gives me a reason to fight! You forgot that I came here to help you, right? Making a harem of at least nineteen thousand women is just my secondary goal!"

Scarlett scoffed. "Should I be impressed?"

For a moment, they just stared at each other in silence. Then, all of a sudden, they both burst into laughter.

After laughing for what felt like forever, Aoto finally calmed down and turned to Kroenen, who was still silently eating his food. "By the way, who's he?"

Scarlett leaned in close and whispered into Aoto's ear. "Well, in name, he's my subordinate… but he's a very special person. You'll definitely be surprised once you find out!"

Aoto raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Really?"

Scarlett nodded rapidly, her expression full of mischief.

"Well then, let's get to the point," Aoto said, folding his arms. "I was actually here to ask if you wanted to visit the Hero Academy… and also check on Irish. Her situation is really messed up, you know. I'm barely keeping her sane at this point!"

Scarlett's playful expression softened into a gentle smile. "Of course. I was just thinking about that. It's been over a year since I last saw her." A bittersweet feeling filled her chest as she thought about Irish.

Irish was her first girlfriend.

Her first crush.

Even after coming to Dreadhaven, Scarlett missed her almost every single day.

But then Kroenen finally spoke up. "So, you're going to Darwitz?" he asked, his voice calm as usual.

Scarlett nodded. "Yes. Go and tell everyone to head back. Also, go with them so they don't cause any trouble while leaving. Once they safely return, come back to me."

Kroenen raised an eyebrow. "Come back?"

Scarlett's lips curled into a wide, evil grin. "Of course. You're coming with me! Do you like extra work? No? Well, that's what happens when you mess with me!"

She turned sharply and walked toward the door. "Let's go, Aoto!"

Aoto grinned and followed after her. As he walked, he placed his hands behind his head and thought to himself, "I wonder if any demon king or their generals are female… I might have a chance with them!"