#aro ludgercasey propaganda

[aroacettorney]

there are many reasons why id love ludgercasey to be canon, but truly the only thing that matters to me is the variety of exaggerated breaking headlines such as [the godfather of crimes, james moriarty, is still alive and also getting married to detective casey selmore????] and other guaranteed hilariously chaotic scenarios they bring upon the world when combined with the possibility of all ludgers identities being publicly revealed in the international court:

marias sideeyeing caseys love life choices yet again: "really sister, friends to enemies to lovers? what is this, a romance novel??"

terinna alternating between being smug about her sixth sense clocking caseys feelings for ludger cherish with supernatural accuracy and seething that her best friend has been knowingly crushing on her archnemesis, arsene lupin, after all this time.

ludgers gonna avoid seeing facius forever if he can help it. he will hear no "i told you so" or "i knew it" from his cheeky and smartass junior.

betty gets "enlightenment" on caseys actual reason for chasing after ludger for 3 years "ah, so thats what it was all about" to which casey insists "its not!!!" — true, but since they've already come to this, no one is gonna believe her now.

alex (ft. owens) externally @ ludger & enya (ft. erendir) internally @ casey & basically everyone on the continent @ them:

[amalgamezz]

personally i cannot digest the desperately knocking ur nemesis' door with "u are the only one i could trust right now" trope bc i tend to find them extremely unrealistic but this novel manages to do it in the most hilariously in-character way possible and i think the only reason it succeeds is that because the characters in question are both aro.

like, how else do u explain the "since i would rather die single, in facing the threat of my family forcing me into an arranged marriage, my next best action plan should be going to my archrival and asking them to commit fake marriage because my archrival is the only one i know competent enough to pull it off, and im 1000% certain that we wont fall for each other no matter what we do."

ur honor, they are fuckin aro4aro <2

[aroacettorney]

ok fine, i also read aup for this too, ig.

[aroacettorney]

on casey selmore & ludger cherish:

the more i read into the novel, the more i wanna scream at the manhwa for missing out the context for caseys grievance over moriarty/ludger, and thus making the readers think she is annoying for it. despite their rivalry/bickering before moriarty was deep into the things™️, considering caseys personality, she still prolly saw moriarty as her best friend (or someone who gets her the most). and if my best friend suddenly changed 180° and became a notorious villain, yet still trying to save me when we were supposed to be nemesis, i as someone whose whole career is pursuing the truth would also wanna chase them into the end of earth and make them confess their reasons. ludger's assessment of casey obsessively chasing him out of her pride may contain a part of truth, but i find it unfair to say that's her whole deal. (if you are familiar with ace attorney, i dont think its incorrect to say their relationship after falling out is similar to phoenix wright and miles edgeworth after DL-6.)

spoilers for 268+: i personally dont think casey was at fault for falling for moriartys bit when for his whole life lying is his whole expertise and the gods also bless him with auto crits on deception.

spoilers for 356+: i do hate that casey was the one who ended up apologizing when between the two, ludger was clearly in the wrong. i suppose at the time it made sense since casey needed ludgers forgiveness for closure and full mental recovery, so i wont dwell much on this.

spoilers for 497+: since ch268, casey was the only one actively trying to mend their relationship while it became clear and clearer in ch497 that ludger was the one actively pushing her away. i think after the moriartys bit, ludger ended up seeing himself as someone who is irredeemable and one day poetic justice will become his downfall. based on ludgers past behaviors during their reichenbachs falls and now his last convo with casey, he seems to be building casey up to be his executioner. i dont wanna say this is end game foreshadowing or ludgers death flag but fuck if thinking about it doesnt make me screaming crying throwing up eating drywall.

[aroacettorney]

actually, it is very funny to me that while ludger is usually oblivious to other people's legit attempts to romance him (or ignores/rationalizes it away if it's too blatant), he almost always clocks caseys faux/sarcastic flirtiness(?) as a semi-genuine(?) confession towards him and calls her out for it.

[aroacettorney]

we talked a lot about how the incidents in delica absolutely broke ludger, but tbh, casey didnt come out of it unscathed either.

imagine how lonely you must have been to willingly travel to such a distant land just to see someone who was potentially like/similar to you. and when you thought you finally got a best friend who could understand you in a way that no one else could, they turned out to be something you would absolutely abhor with your entire existence. they gave no explanations. they bothered not with excuses. there wasnt even enough time for you to grieve what you just lost because they forced your hands to fight them in a death battle. without a word, they just simply vanished as if your friendship in the past few months meant absolutely nothing to them and you were left alone again, trying to navigate when and what went wrong all by yourself. there was a mix of burning hatred, betrayal, and sadness inside you, but there was no longer anyone for you to talk about it — no one that could understand it. you endured all those feelings for three years with no one to share while chasing after your old-best-friend-now-turned-archenemy for answers because they never gave you the closure you deserved.

even when you finally learned the truth, you realised that they had never trusted you nor your abilities enough to even consider working together. rather, they took on the most extreme measure and didnt hesitate to make you their biggest enemy all the while keeping all their troubles and pains to themselves. best friends, friends, friendly acquaintances, private detective and their client — it turned out that your relationship was neither of them. was it truly your one-sided assumption after all? or perhaps, was it because you failed them when you could have known better and done better? still wanting to keep believing that your companionship was once real, your guilt started gnawing on your conscience. not only you couldnt save them, but your inadequateness also doomed them to their worst fate possible.

then, the opportunity came. you finally mustered up all the courage to utter an apology. even though they acknowledged it, they made no intention to accept your peace offerings. they reminded, "our alliance is temporary". they stressed, "enemies are what we are destined to be". what a fool you were, trying to save a relationship that never existed. either that, or you had never truly been forgiven. they wanted nothing to do with you. they needed not saving by you. it wasnt a closure you wanted but its still a closure you got. in the end, you were left alone once more, with the knowledge of a possibility that you also might not be able to save them again this time.

[aroacettorney]

casey: if we manage to convince my sister, doesnt that make us really engaged? ludger: yes, and??

[aroacettorney]

love how this one simple panel can fully capture the entire essence of their relationship in the whole story lmfao

[aroacettorney]

its always so hilarious to me how exes-coded they are.

[aroacettorney]

tbh the "finding each other in every universe" trope would work so well for ludger & casey even in a canon-compliant manner because:

casey, due to her loneliness of a genius, always travels and seeks out potential like-minded companions

ludger, despite his desperate need to hide his true identity, cannot help but show off his genius and stand out wherever he goes

[aroacettorney]

personally i dont agree with the manhwas interpretations for the reason why ludger didnt seek help from casey when the missing cases first popped up (ie. he couldnt trust her cuz she's closely associated with the police) since it feels like they are seriously downplaying their friendship, but on the other hand... the angst of mistakenly distrusting someone who has unwavering trust in you, and then shattering that trust with your own two hands.

[aroacettorney]

caseys presence must be refreshing for ludger because most people would find him intimidating and hard to approach, yet she is one of a very few who could boldly and casually dare to challenge ludger and actually have the talents to back it up. and while other fellow geniuses like elisa or eileen or surna mainly seek to profit from their (business) relationships with him, the relationship between ludger & casey from the very start is completely personal and non-transactional, no matter how you look at it. neither of them asked or expected anything from each other. casey didnt know why ludger was hiding his true identity, but it never bothered her. ludger didnt know for what reason casey was taking an interest in him, yet he agreed to maintain their relationship anyway. was it acquaintanceship, friendship, situationship or something else entirely? they didnt know, but if they must point out its main characteristic, it would be "mutual understanding". that is why the fact of ludger declaring that he did not need understanding and "misunderstanding" being what ruined their relationship is so tragically and painfully ironic.

ludger was disappointed that the reason casey chased after him was more personal than he thought, but fr what did he expect when even after the nature of their relationship changed, he was the one who made it personal first by saving/sparing her from her literal death multiple times.

ludger cherish had once again proved himself to be a difficult and contradictory puzzle, but how does one solve a puzzle that they dont understand? can he really blame casey for trying to figure out what the heck is really up with him?

[aroacettorney]

Love(?) languages: Ludgercasey Edition

1. Physical touch threats

(c203) Ludger pushed Casey against the wall. "Tsk!" Ludger's strong right arm grabbed Casey's wrist. A dagger hidden in the palm of his left arm's prosthetic sprung out, aiming at Casey's neck. However, Casey, a veteran mage who had faced many real battles while solving numerous incidents, was not one to be trifled with. From the moment her wand flew away, she summoned water from the underground canal, creating countless spears. The moment Ludger aimed the blade at her neck and the water spears surrounded him happened simultaneously. Their gazes intertwined in the air. Casey smirked, "Impressive man. A mage hiding such skills?" "Stay still. Any nonsense and you'll have a hole in your throat." "Try me. I wonder, will you be faster, or will I be faster at killing you?" "You're just bluffing." Ludger and Casey glared at each other, not averting their gazes. Sharp swords and water spears crackled with murderous intent.

2. Un-quality time

(c257) "Casey Selmore. I recommend that you not pursue me any longer." "Ha. You provoked me and now you want me to stop? Do you think I will?" "Are you bluffing? I admire that spirit." "Let's see if you can remain so condescending when I catch you." "Do you not value your life?" "If I cared about something like that, I wouldn’t have done this job in the first place." "Then try hard to chase after me. This is a game." "What?" "You chase me, I run away from you. Of course, in the meantime, I plan to finish the events that have unfolded beyond this city and throughout the kingdom." "……Do you think I’ll let that happen?" "The beauty of the game is not knowing who will win. But I think I'll have an advantage if it continues like this, so I'll give you a hint." "Who are you to decide that!" "I will move to the next major city, Dartanx. If you want to catch me, come there." "Why should I believe what you say? You could escape to somewhere else for all I know." "If you’re scared, you don’t have to come. Of course, it would be your regret later after someone dies there." "Fine. I'll go. Wash your neck there and wait." "I look forward to it."

3. Receiving gifts Incurring debt

(c490) "I knew it would be like this. Are you sure you did that on purpose?" "But isn’t it fortunate that we now have separate rooms?" "That’s right. That's really fortunate. I could have been completely helpless against a wolf-like man." "That’s not something someone who is more foxy than anyone else in the world would say. And let me tell you, you owe me twice." "Ah. Is that so? I would not have reacted if it weren’t for you? Debt is 1." "But I saved you. Surely you don't underestimate your own value that much? Debt is 2." "It doesn’t matter because I’m the troublemaker that the family is so willing to give away. Debt is 1." "If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have been assigned a new room because of this incident. Debt is 2." [...] "Fine. I’ll give in and make it 1.5." "Wait a moment. What even is the concept of 1.5 in debt? Just clear it cleanly.” "Then round it up to 2." "I'll give in and make it 1.5." "Ha. Since I am the one who erased the debt, I guess I can be generous and let it go.” "How annoying." "You’d better pay off your debt to me quickly. Otherwise, I don’t know what I’ll ask for." "Ha! You're bluffing. Do you think I’d be scared of that?" "……" "……You’re bluffing, right?"

4. Acts of service sabotage

(c237) "So, how did you two meet? What's the relationship between you?" Attempting to force a joint gathering, Casey immediately directed her questions at Selina. Selina, initially intending to protest against this intrusion, unexpectedly found herself entangled in a barrage of questions and responded almost involuntarily. "Uh, well, Professor Ludger and I are both teachers at Ceoren." "Oh! Really? Could I ask what major you teach?" "Uh, Spiritology." "Wow! That's impressive! Dealing with spirits is considered challenging unless you have a natural affinity, right?" "I guess?" Normally, Selina should have been furious, but due to her weak demeanour, she was naturally swayed by Casey's words. Ludger looked at Casey's behaviour with disapproval, but Casey ignored his gaze and continued the conversation naturally. "As for that human, I mean, Professor Ludger, how did you end up here together? This is really a date, right?" "Oh, no! A date? No way! It's not like that!" Reacting vehemently as if pricked by a needle, Selina's intense response made Casey catch on. Selina seemed to have a liking for Ludger. Casey felt a twinge of pity. 'How could a girl who is so beautiful and genuine fall for such a bad guy?' If you look at Ludger's behaviour, it was nothing more or less than his attitude towards his co-workers. To think that she would harbour an unrequited love. Moreover, Ludger's true identity was not as innocent as he seemed. 'This won't do. I need to save her from him.' Casey was passionately planning to sabotage Ludger's date(?) as if saving someone's life.

5. Words of affirmation provocation

(c237) At that moment, Selina couldn't resist her curiosity and asked, "Um, how did you two become acquainted? What's the relationship between you?" Selina had a hunch that there was something between Ludger and Casey. Not only did Casey's behaviour of recognizing Ludger and casually engaging in conversation indicate it, but Ludger, who usually kept his emotions hidden, was overtly displaying his displeasure. 'If Ludger reacts like that, it's not an ordinary relationship.' Although Ludger's response seemed just as irritable as usual, Selina felt it resembled the interactions between close friends. 'It must be a misunderstanding. It has to be.' As Selina was praying silently for this to be true, Casey replied, "Ah, this jerk... I mean, this person, right? We just happened to meet. Of course, we're not that close. Well, that much?" "You don't need to bother too much about this useless person who only causes trouble for me," Ludger added. "What? Hold on a second. Aren't your words a bit too much? Calling me useless!" "I simply stated the obvious." "Well, I can relate to that sentiment." Listening quietly, Betty chimed in at Ludger's words. "It's hilarious. When it comes to measuring nuisances, you're worse, you know?" "Hmph. That's just your personal opinion." Seeing the banter between the two, Selina's expression darkened, "Oh, so you two are really close." Selina's gaze shifted towards the fork she held in her hand.

[aroacettorney]

casey describing the villain origin story of james moriarty as "a historic event" is never not funny to me. you simp.

[aroacettorney]

i think this is the closest that we got to see ludger crying. the emotions that casey felt at the end of the moriarty arc were not hers but actually ludger's, and since ludger couldnt cry, casey was crying in his stead.

[aroacettorney]

on hindsight, i think ludger and casey have accidentally created an eternal connection between themselves as they decided to settle for 1.5 in debt because how do you even clear the 0.5? they can only use natural numbers for counting, so every time they erase or incur a debt, they are technically just handing the 0.5 back and forth. and since they are both very much a petty and prideful type, its unlikely that they are willing to forgo that 0.5 (as also seen in canon). they are permanently in a state where they either owe the other person or the other person owes them. till death do them part — they are tied together for as long as they live by (half of) an unpayable debt, and its hilariously so on brand of them for entirely walking themselves into this.