As the long night passed,
Agusheed silently stared at the empty teacup on the table.
Schlacht, who had been sitting across from him and speaking eloquently, was long gone.
But the things he said left Agusheed in deep thought.
"Agusheed, His Majesty the Demon King desires to achieve a future of 'Human-Demon Coexistence.'"
"And through you and Flamme, His Majesty found the path to 'Human-Demon Coexistence.'"
"That is—understanding humanity through interaction…"
"Of course, as you know, the best way to interact is through war."
"And the only thing that could guarantee Serie's non-interference would also be war."
"So, in the next thousand years, His Majesty plans to kill nine-tenths of humanity to understand them—"
"All for the sake of reaching that 'Human-Demon Coexistence' future."
Agusheed leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes in exhaustion.
"Understanding humanity… through war…"
"An estimated nine-tenths of humanity… slaughtered…"
Whispering the words Schlacht had spoken, Agusheed, practically sinking into his chair, slowly clenched his fist.
"Slaughter… death…"
"The Demon King… Serie—"
"Why?"
"Why can't you understand the value of life?"
Agusheed knew that the Demon King's decisions were absolute.
There was almost no one in the world capable of stopping him.
So, the future where nine-tenths of humanity would die was practically set in stone.
Even as the strongest high-ranking demon, Agusheed was powerless to prevent it.
Because that was the Demon King's will—
Agusheed, who despised death and slaughter, simply lay quietly in the guest room,
Contemplating that brutal future.
Until the sun rose, and Flamme's arrival pulled him from his dark thoughts.
As the most powerful mage among humans, and the greatest genius in history,
Even though human magic theory did not include flight magic,
She had managed to learn Agusheed's Flight Magic during the latter half of their ten-year journey.
However, due to the vast difference between demon and human magic systems,
Even now, she could not refine Flight Magic to a form that other human mages could use.
"Human magic theory is still too underdeveloped. To improve this, it would probably take another thousand years of accumulation,"
She had told Agusheed back then.
"Wake up—"
"Sleeping in the guest room is a bad habit, you know."
Flamme poked Agusheed's face, causing him to open his eyes.
"Flamme, I was just thinking. I wasn't asleep."
Flamme kept poking his face.
"Oh really… did I interrupt you?"
Agusheed gently caught her finger, looking helplessly at her playful antics.
"Not really. In fact, you came at just the right time…"
Seeing the look of worry and conflict on his face, Flamme realized something.
She perched herself on the armrest of his chair, staring intently into his eyes.
"Do you have something to tell me?"
Agusheed opened his mouth, but no words came out.
But eventually, after a good ten seconds of hesitation, he finally asked:
"Flamme… do you believe in the possibility of 'Human-Demon Coexistence'?"
"You mean individually or as entire races?"
"As races."
Flamme placed her right hand on her chin, carefully observing Agusheed's expression.
"As races… that doesn't sound like something you would say…"
"Seems like someone I didn't notice came to see you last night."
Agusheed didn't hide it; he responded bluntly:
"Schlacht came by."
"He told me that the Demon King wants to achieve a future of 'Human-Demon Coexistence.'"
"And the method he chose to understand humanity is war. For that, he's willing to kill nine-tenths of humanity if necessary."
After Agusheed finished speaking, he observed Flamme's reaction.
But—to his surprise, there was no change at all.
Even when hearing that nine-tenths of humanity might die in the future,
The Archmage Flamme showed no emotional fluctuation.
"I thought it was something serious—"
Agusheed heard Flamme chuckle softly as she spoke.
"I'm not joking, Flamme."
"I know."
Flamme stood up and disdainfully replaced the chair Schlacht had sat on with a new one.
She then sat down slowly, smiling at Agusheed.
"But I already anticipated something like this when the Demon King ordered the extermination of the elves."
"But I'm honestly surprised he only plans to kill ninety percent of humanity instead of ninety-nine percent—
Should I say he's being merciful?"
Flamme exaggerated her tone as she spoke.
Her optimism took Agusheed by surprise.
"Many people will die, Flamme."
"I know."
Flamme responded calmly.
"I am still a demon, Flamme."
"I know."
Agusheed stared at Flamme, who was sitting right in front of him.
He hesitated for a moment before speaking again:
"Flamme, if you asked, maybe you could convince Serie to stop this."
Flamme leaned forward, her elegant face just inches away from Agusheed's.
"Even if I wanted to, my master cannot kill the Demon King."
"And if the Demon King cannot be killed, then everything is meaningless."
Flamme's hair swayed in the breeze, brushing against Agusheed's face.
He lowered his head, at a loss for words.
But Flamme didn't stop. Her gaze shifted to the thick sea of clouds outside the window,
And she softly asked Agusheed:
"Agusheed, what do you think is the biggest difference between demons and humans, who look almost identical on the outside?"
"Emotions. To be precise, 'love and hate,' those feelings that are unique to humans."
Without even thinking, Agusheed gave the answer everyone knew.
"Then do you think demons can understand human emotions through war and slaughter?"
Flamme turned her gaze back to the weary-looking Agusheed.
"Maybe they can… but if that day comes, humanity would probably be on the brink of extinction."
Flamme blinked and continued to ask:
"Then, Agusheed, do you think you can understand human emotions through interacting with them?"
"I don't know."
Agusheed responded honestly.
"Flamme, for the past two hundred years, you are the human I believe has the greatest chance of helping me find my emotions."
"But we traveled together for ten years, from the southern edge of the Empire to the northernmost reaches of the continent,
And even now, I have gained nothing."
"If even you couldn't do it, I don't know how long I'll have to wander among humans to find my emotions."
Flamme nodded, as if she were considering something.
Finally, it seemed she had made a decision.
She spoke:
"Agusheed, when are you planning to start your next journey?"
"Probably in about a year."
Agusheed looked at Flamme curiously, not understanding why she suddenly asked.
"Then, can you do me a favor during that time?"
Flamme handed him the copy of Sage Ewig's Spell book that she had requested from Serie.
"You were born at the end of the Mythic Era. You should be able to decipher this spell book, right?"
Agusheed picked up the spell book and flipped through a few pages.
"I can, but this book is far older than I am. Fully decoding it would probably take ten years."
"If you don't mind the time, I could stay for a bit longer."
"After all, whether it's a year or ten years, it makes no difference to me."
Hearing his answer, Flamme visibly relaxed.
But Agusheed's next question made her blush a little.
"By the way, this book is much closer to Serie's era. Why didn't you just ask her to decipher it?"
Flamme turned her head, ready with the response she had prepared.
"Serie is currently researching Anti-Curse Magic from the Mythic Era."
"I see…"
Agusheed didn't doubt her; after all, Flamme had no reason to lie.
To him, staying an extra nine years was nothing…
"Um, there's one more thing I need to tell you."
Flamme's words made Agusheed close the spell book and look up at her, noting her fingers nervously intertwined.
"What is it?"
Flamme coughed twice, feigning seriousness:
"To live in the Imperial Capital permanently, you need to have citizenship."
"So?"
Agusheed didn't understand what Flamme was trying to say.
Getting citizenship shouldn't be difficult for someone like Flamme.
"So, to avoid any issues with the Emperor…"
Flamme forced herself to remain calm as she said:
"Let's get married."