It was another gentle, sunny morning. Fíliya rose from her bed at the call of others, then, still in a daze, sat down at the dining table.
"Hmm? Why is today's breakfast a bit strange?"
Fíliya slowly rubbed her eyes, then looked at the bizarre and motley collection of food on the table.
"Because Lady Frieren is in charge today."
Fern spoke softly from the side. As she spoke, her hands did not stop moving, swiftly pinching a lock of Fíliya's hair.
"Stop... wait, Fern! I don't look good with tied hair..."
Fíliya seemed to wake up with a start, instantly becoming energetic as she issued repeated refusals.
"Just try it, I feel it will look very good... Hmm... Miss Sense might like it too, you know?"
Fern continued to persuade her.
And so, Fíliya ceased her struggling movements and obediently let Fern tie her hair into twintails.
"Look, how is it?"
After helping Fíliya tie her hair, Fern handily pushed her in front of the mirror.
"Not great; as expected, it doesn't suit me."
Fíliya's tone sounded rather listless.
"Really, Fíliya is a girl too; you need to care a bit more about your appearance."
Fern said, puffing out her cheeks in annoyance.
"No need, I possess natural beauty."
Fíliya retorted with a face full of arrogance.
"By the way, Frieren, you actually know how to cook?"
After sitting back at the dining table, Fíliya casually struck up a conversation with Frieren while eating her breakfast.
"Otherwise? When Fern was still small, I was the one taking care of her and raising her."
Frieren spoke with an expression of slight displeasure, seeming very dissatisfied that Fíliya held such prejudice against her.
"Uh-huh, and then when Fern grew to a certain point, the positions of you two instantly swapped, becoming Fern taking care of you, right? You big kid who never grows up."
As Fíliya spoke, she looked at the other with a disdainful gaze.
"Heh, what about you? I saw it very clearly. Such a big person, yet you still throw yourself into Sense's arms to act spoiled. You really have no shame."
Frieren glared back without showing any weakness.
"Tsk, speaking of which, where is Stark?"
Fíliya simply looked away.
"Still upstairs... Honestly, whether it is Lady Frieren or you, Fíliya, you two are so troublesome every morning. I have to spend a lot of time managing both of you, so I ordered him not to come downstairs without my permission... Hmm, it should be fine now. I will go call him."
Saying this, Fern stood up directly and walked toward the stairway.
"Tsk tsk tsk, poor child, being managed so strictly."
Looking at Fern's retreating back, a look of lamentation couldn't help but appear on Fíliya's face.
"Indeed..."
Frieren also shook her head. It seemed that on this matter, the two of them had rarely reached a consensus.
"Come to think of it, Frieren, don't you feel you owe me a 'Thank you'?"
Fíliya turned her head back and suddenly spoke again.
"Hmm?"
Frieren blinked drily, her face full of confusion.
"Look, it was all thanks to me this time, right? Otherwise, you wouldn't have become a [First-Class Mage]."
As Fíliya spoke, she winked at Frieren, sending a hint.
"Hmm... that is true. I completely didn't expect Serie to let me pass. I thought the conversation would be disagreeable like before, and then I'd be driven away."
Frieren said, resting her chin on one hand in a gesture of thought.
"Heh heh, in fact, Serie already wanted to drive you away back then. You two are really interesting; the moment you entered the door, you stared each other down, and neither was willing to speak first."
"Because I know Serie doesn't like me, and she knows I don't like her, so there's nothing to talk about."
"Mutually hating each other, huh? Hmm... Serie likes mages with ambition and desire, so she can't stand a type like you who relies solely on interest and wastes talent...
"But then again, when we humans hold a grudge, it lasts ten days or half a month... but you two really don't interact for hundreds of years. This attitude of thinking time is always sufficient, so you postpone everything, is truly typical long-lived species thinking."
"..."
Listening to Fíliya's words, Frieren chose to maintain her silence. Seeing this, Fíliya decisively chose to press the attack.
She moved her chair directly next to Frieren, then extended a finger and poked Frieren's cheek.
"Playing dead is useless, you know? Answer quickly! Admit it, you stuborn duck."
"Admit what? Stop poking!"
Frieren unhappily reached out and grabbed Fíliya's finger, her tone somewhat impatient.
"Hmm... Admit that you actually care a lot about Serie. After all, she counts as a figure at the [Grand-master] level to you. Even if just for Flamme's sake, you would definitely care about her."
"Is that so."
Frieren released Fíliya's finger, then slowly lowered her head.
In this instant, she suddenly thought that for an elf like her, as a long-lived species, she indeed had a very big flaw.
That was: it was too easy to [lose] things.
Looking back over these thousand years of time, aside from this powerful strength, she indeed hadn't been able to leave anything behind.
On the contrary, Serie, this person she hadn't interacted with for hundreds of years, had evoked many beautiful memories for her upon meeting again.
"You are right. I might... not dislike Serie that much."
Finally, as if relieved, Frieren slowly raised her head and admitted this point.
"Hmm, look, doesn't your heart feel much better after figuring this out? It's not that hard to accept."
After seeing that expression on Frieren, Fíliya chuckled lightly and sat back in her own seat, then added:
"Actually, Serie is the same. You elves aren't all fellows who are tough on the outside but soft on the inside, are you?"
"Hmm?"
Hearing Fíliya's words, Frieren instantly became interested. Her curiosity lay in why Fíliya would say Serie was the same as her.
"Why do you think Serie made me her assistant that day?"
Fíliya asked Frieren. To this, Frieren only slowly shook her head; naturally, she didn't understand.
"I feel the biggest reason was still you, Frieren."
"..."
Frieren was somewhat surprised in her heart, but she feigned calm and said nothing, simply waiting for Fíliya's next words.
"Although you indeed don't fit Serie's selection criteria of being [Rich in Ambition], she still wanted to let you pass. She just wasn't willing to say it clearly, so... she used this method to hint at me to plead for you. Look, didn't she let you pass as a matter of course after I pleaded? I don't think I have that much influence; this is all because of you."
"Is that so... But I still don't feel that this [First-Class Mage] has any use for me. I was already prepared to be rejected... Anyway, Fern can definitely pass. To go to the Northern Plateau, we only need one First-Class Mage."
Frieren said, turning her head to look elsewhere again.
"Of course it is useful. Hmm... You can treat it as a brand new link between you and Serie. I feel that you long-lived species should cherish existences like yourselves even more. After all, only when you two long-lived species meet can you mutually regain the qualification to [Reminisce about the Past]."
"..."
Frieren fell silent again, so Fíliya continued speaking.
"Moreover, this [First-Class Mage] title has tangible benefits. Hmm... for example, you can receive a considerable stipend every month, you know? If you are to continue traveling, no matter which city you are in, as long as there is a branch of the Magic Association, you can collect money."
"Is that so... That really is not bad."
Hearing this, Frieren finally revealed a smile, though whether what truly moved her was the money or the words spoken before, no one could know.
Several more days passed. During this time, Fíliya continued living with Frieren's party, spending what could be considered a quite fulfilling and interesting time.
However, the day of parting evidently arrived a bit sooner than imagined.
Today, when Frieren walked out of her room and saw the large pile of luggage already stacked at the door, she already knew the answer in her heart.
"Is it time to leave?"
"Mmh, it is time to hit the road. It isn't good to keep troubling you here forever... Um, actually, Fíliya, if you are willing, you could come with us..."
Fern looked at Fíliya, her expression appearing slightly shy.
"Umu... thank you for the invitation, Fern, but I cannot leave here just yet... Rest assured, fate will guide us to meet again."
Fíliya spoke in an exceptionally dashing tone.
"Mmh, I understand... Also, Lady Frieren said she wants to make breakfast for you."
What??!!
The moment Fern finished that sentence, Fíliya immediately rushed toward the kitchen, pale with fright.
"Frieren, stop right there!"
Fíliya looked at Frieren, who had just put on an apron, and instantly heaved a sigh of relief because this fellow hadn't had time to start yet.
"Hmm? What are you doing?"
Frieren looked at Fíliya with some unhappiness.
"I already witnessed your skills a few days ago. Although you may have hundreds of years of cooking experience, pardon my bluntness, but you are not cut out for this! Get out of my kitchen! Let Fern do it!"
As Fíliya spoke, her tone had already become somewhat severe. In any case, she never wanted to eat anything made by Frieren again, and she had even long since started to feel pity for Miss Fern's childhood.
"Tsk, what about you? The things you make don't even touch the concept of [Food]; they look exactly like sacrifices offered to an Evil God... At most, mine just doesn't taste good..."
Frieren immediately retorted, though for some reason, her tone became somewhat unconfident toward the second half.
"That is why I have self-awareness! Look, even though I have a kitchen in my house, I never cook. This is where I am better than you!"
Miss Fíliya continued speaking in an arrogant tone, and it was a mystery where exactly she got that confidence from.
"A lazy dog actually has a point?! And here I was, kind enough to want to make you food one last time before leaving!"
Frieren puffed out her cheeks and rolled up her sleeves, then charged forward, looking as if she was ready to fight three hundred rounds with Fíliya.
"Come on then, who's afraid of whom? Let's not use magic today; let's settle this with fists and feet!"
Fíliya showed no sign of weakness either, rolling up her sleeves and walking slowly toward Frieren.
"Both of you, shut up!"
A charming shout rang out, scaring Fíliya and Frieren into instantly shrinking their necks.
"Lady Frieren, and Lady Fíliya, can we not quarrel? It is clearly a day of temporary parting; why can't you leave a slightly beautiful final impression on each other?"
Fern had a gloomy face, her gaze constantly sweeping back and forth between Fíliya and Frieren.
"Yes!" x2
Both Fíliya and Frieren answered very cooperatively. You must be joking; Fern had turned on [Honorifics Mode]. Listening to her was the only way to end this.
And so, this morning dispute ended under Miss Fern's mediation.
Finally, after enjoying a breakfast meticulously prepared by Miss Fern, Miss Fíliya walked out of the house with Frieren's party. After walking together for a short distance, she saw them off to the city gates of the Magic City.
"Well then, I will see you off here."
"Mmh."
..."Don't you want to say a bit more?"
"No way. Farewells should be simple. If it's too solemn, won't it be very awkward when we meet again?"
"Tch... Fern, Stark, let's go."
Seeing Frieren's party start moving into the distance, the corners of Fíliya's mouth lifted in a slight smile. She slowly turned around and walked in the direction of her own home.
Upon returning home and looking at the empty rooms, Miss Fíliya completely failed to feel a single shred of loneliness, nor did she have any feeling of emptiness in her heart. In short, she immediately threw herself into work mode.
The following days could be described as quite fulfilling.
Aside from daily small gatherings with some old friends (mainly Miss Ehre and Miss Edel), she spent most of her time doing three things.
First, studying the [Transfer Magic] obtained from Serie.
Second, repeatedly savoring and reenacting in her mind the battle that had brought her to the brink of death yet allowed her to benefit greatly.
Third, busying herself with developing a magic she had always wanted to complete.
Fortunately, she had already become a First-Class Mage, and her relationship with the core of the Association, the God of Magic, Serie, had become much closer. Now, her words finally carried [Weight] within the Association.
Thus, the first proposal she drafted was to recruit and train some clerical talents proficient in the [Ancient Elven Language].
Of course, Fíliya herself had absolutely no desire to be a [Teacher], so she merely spent half a month drawing up a curriculum. Then, she handed the teaching materials to those few newly recruited Third-Class Mages who had mastered the [Ancient Elven Language], leaving them responsible for establishing the classroom.
"This First-Class Mage thing seems even more relaxed than I imagined. Now that I've recruited newcomers, I don't even have to go to the library often. Is this the privilege brought by status? It feels great."
At this moment, Miss Fíliya was sitting in her office, legs casually crossed on the desk, her expression looking incredibly comfortable.
She had thought that once she became a First-Class Mage, countless dangerous jobs would immediately be waiting for her. Unexpectedly, it was actually much more relaxed than when she was a Second-Class Mage.
But thinking about it, it made sense.
The current world was a [Peaceful Era] after the [Demon King] had been subjugated. There actually weren't that many crises requiring the mobilization of a First-Class Mage. Even Frieren and Fern, the two newly promoted First-Classes, could leisurely continue embarking on their journey.
However, if a genuine emergency were to occur, the Magic Association had its own means to notify all the [First-Class Mages] scattered across the continent.
"Why don't I go harass Sense?"
Feeling that sitting in the office was slightly boring, Fíliya suddenly had the urge to pull a prank, so she walked to the door of Sense's office again.
"Eh?"
But there was no need to open the door at all. Fíliya had already discovered it: there was no reaction from Sense's mana inside.
"Sense isn't here? ...That's truly rare. Where could she have gone?"
Fíliya muttered.
Deep within the imperial palace of the Magic Association, before Serie's stone throne.
Serie looked at the human woman who was as cute as a doll, her expression slightly puzzled.
After all, it was indeed the first time Sense had come alone to request an audience at such a time.
"Is something the matter, Sense?"
Serie asked casually.
"Please let me become a personal disciple of Lady Serie."
"..."
Hearing these words, Serie's eyes immediately widened considerably.
Although theoretically speaking, any First-Class Mage could be counted as a registered disciple of Serie and could receive some guidance when she felt interested, the term [Becoming a Personal Disciple] obviously carried a weight of a much higher level.
"Stand up first."
As Serie spoke, she slowly lowered her head, as if composing her expression.
"Sense... do you know how long I have waited for those words from you?"
Serie raised her head again, her eyes twinkling with the light of pleasant surprise.
"..."
Sense was slightly stunned. She had thought her words would be very offensive, but she hadn't expected Serie to have such a joyful attitude.
I am truly curious. After [Possessing Ambition], just to what extent can you grow... I agree to it.
"...Thank you, Lady Serie."
Hearing Serie agree, Sense also heaved a long sigh of relief.
"Now then, can you tell me who changed your mind? ...No, don't tell me. Let me guess myself."
Reaching this point, Serie began to close her eyes in contemplation.
"Hmm... It was indeed that lass Fíliya, wasn't it? Is it that seeing your own little sister being so outstanding, you, as the older sister, also felt the pressure?"
Serie guessed. To be honest, if she wanted to, she could pierce through anyone's thoughts at any time, but she did not like using mental magic to directly read the thoughts of humans. This was her [Respect] for mortals.
Who asked the [God of Magic] to love humanity so much?
"...I just feel that Fíliya might cause a massive catastrophe."
"Oh? Why do you say that?"
Serie revealed a curious expression.
"...A vague feeling. Whether to help her, to save her... or perhaps to stop her in the future... my current strength is far from enough. Therefore, Lady Serie, please make me stronger."
It seemed Fíliya was prepared to linger in Sense's office indefinitely, refusing to leave until she returned.
At first, she managed to kill time by reading books and flipping through Sense's work logs. However, as time passed, she began to feel a bit bored. Embracing the thought that 'idleness is idleness,' she simply lay down sideways on Sense's desk, closed her eyes, and began to meditate.
She didn't slowly open her eyes until that familiar warmth wrapped around her once more, lifting her up and placing her back into the chair.
"Where did you go? To take so long."
Fíliya's first sentence upon opening her eyes was full of resentment. Looking at the sky outside the window, which was already tinged with a faint yellow hue, she was very curious about what exactly Sense had gone to do.
"Went... to look around somewhere else."
Sense spoke slowly. She was someone incapable of lying, so she could only use this tricky method of evasion. She had indeed gone to see Serie, so the statement above was not a lie.
"Is that so? Alright then."
Fíliya nodded, not intending to probe further. Although she was still very curious, she didn't want to be the type to dig to the bottom of everything. Making the person one likes explain every detail of their itinerary word for word was something only a possessive psycho would do.
"And what about you? How did you fall asleep on my desk? You are a First-Class Mage now; you have to pay more attention to your image."
Sense smiled and stepped forward, helping Fíliya tidy up the strands of hair that had been messed up by pressing against the desk.
"Umu... Actually, I have something to tell you."
Fíliya looked up to meet her gaze.
"...Hmm?"
Sense's heart sank. After all, she had already learned from Serie what Fíliya intended to do next.
"Mmh... I've finished dealing with the piled-up work recently, and the matters regarding the Ancient Elven Language Classroom have been delegated to subordinates. I can be considered to have some free time now. So, I am preparing to go and fulfill the promise I made to that fellow."
"Promise..."
Sense remained expressionless, but in her heart, she was repeatedly chewing over those words.
"Mmh, I promised her I would go back to find her, and I also promised that I would definitely bring her into the sunlight. So, I want to leave for a while."
As Fíliya spoke, she scratched the back of her head, watching Sense's reaction with a slightly nervous mood.
"Does Lady Serie know about this matter?"
Sense feigned calm, asking a question to which she already knew the answer.
"Mmh, I've filed a report... Don't worry, I will keep that fellow under control. Maybe I can even bring her to Äußerst to play and let you see my results too."
"..."
Sense's brows furrowed slightly. She actually really wanted to say, 'I don't want to see that fellow.' But she knew very well that doing so would only make her seem awkward and petty.
"I understand. Are you leaving tomorrow? Remember to prepare well... Be careful on the road."
Sense's expression was very calm, as if she had naturally accepted everything. However, the more she displayed this attitude, the more nervous Fíliya became.
"Sense? You... don't you feel you are being too calm? I had even prepared a speech to comfort you, but you just agreed immediately... It's so weird."
Fíliya stared straight at the other party with eyes full of confusion.
Hearing this, Sense hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath and turned around.
"Otherwise...? Aside from agreeing, what else can I do? Could it be that if I say I don't agree, that I don't like you staying together with demons, you won't go? Would you give up your ideal for me?"
After suppressing indignant emotions to the limit, they would indeed explode... Sense clenched her teeth tightly. The instant those words left her mouth, she regretted them a little.
"I would, you know."
A soft tone came from behind her, but when this sentence reached Sense's ears, it sounded like a clap of thunder.
"Eh?"
Sense turned around swiftly, her eyes somewhat incredulous.
"Umu... If you, Sense, truly cannot accept me going to see her no matter what, and don't want me to leave no matter what... then I won't go. Mmh... At worst, I'll just be a heartless person who couldn't fulfill a promise."
"Starting from today, I will just stay by your side forever and go nowhere... Then I'll wait a year, two years, or perhaps several years. Anyway, the lifespan of the Demon Race is very long... Just let her wait slowly. It will be fine if I just wait until I place you into your coffin, and then drag my aged body to find her."
"Umu... At that time, she will definitely be very angry, so I plan to die directly in front of her. I wonder if that will be enough to quell her anger?"
Fíliya sat in the chair, her tone extremely solemn. Furthermore, judging by the expression on her face, she looked as if she was truly thinking about it seriously.
"..."
Looking at her like this, Sense took another deep breath, then slowly approached Fíliya.
She placed her hand on Fíliya's head and gently petted it.
"I really can't do anything with you... I think my nemesis isn't that Übel, but you."
Sense spoke with a vicious tone, but not a shred of severity could be seen in her expression.
"Go... Do what you want to do. I am the older sister; how can I become a stumbling block for my little sister?"
As Sense spoke, she directly grabbed Fíliya's wrist, pulled her up, and then vigorously pushed Fíliya's shoulders, sending her out of the office.
"Eh! Sense, I haven't finished speaking yet! Actually, I wanted to stay with you a little longer!"
Fíliya gently patted the door, but Sense simply pressed her back firmly against it, refusing to let Fíliya in again.
"Leave quickly... If you delay any longer... I might regret it!"
Sense raised her volume a little.
"..."
Hearing this, Fíliya instantly stopped her knocking.
"Thank you..."
Fíliya pressed her forehead against the door and slowly left those words behind.
After saying goodbye to Sense, Fíliya shouldered the luggage she had already packed the moment she returned home.
The original idea of sleeping at home for one more night was tossed to the back of her mind. She chose to leave the city overnight, speeding all the way toward the Northern Plateau.
After a trek with a very clear objective, spending a week's time, Fíliya finally arrived at that abandoned shipyard in her memories.
Looking from afar, the circle of flower bushes she had once planted around the shipyard were all still alive and well. Moreover, they clearly showed signs of being tended to by someone.
Upon confirming this point, Miss Fíliya instantly felt much more at ease. After all, it wasn't as if she hadn't thought about it along the way—if she couldn't find Solitär, wouldn't things become very awkward...? Fortunately, such a situation did not occur.
Miss Fíliya began to cautiously suppress her mana reaction to the limit.
Her move was clearly intended to give that fellow a surprise.
With movements that felt intensely like those of a thief, Fíliya cautiously approached the shipyard.
From the corner of the wall, she looked up and immediately spotted that room—the one belonging to her.
She remembered that she had kicked out the window and an entire wall that day... Hmm, the wood used for these repairs indeed didn't quite match in texture and color.
Next, Fíliya began to look for spots that were easy to climb. What she wanted to do was scale to the very top of the shipyard and then invade the building from the roof.
The reason she wasn't using magic was, of course, because the moment she emitted any mana fluctuations, this infiltration operation of hers would end in failure.
"Tsk tsk... how am I so amazing? Have you ever seen a mage with such agile movements? Maybe if I went to learn martial arts, I'd achieve some small success too?"
After climbing onto the roof in two shakes of a lamb's tail, Fíliya immediately put on a narcissistic face.
"A clumsy fellow like Frieren would definitely have no way to climb up from below, so I win again."
Miss Fíliya continued to smile; although it was unknown what exactly she was winning at, she simply felt that she had won.
Of course, while falling into this state of narcissism, her words were all murmured in a volume suppressed to the limit, so they shouldn't attract anyone's notice.
After getting enough of her narcissism, Fíliya went directly to the skylight that allowed entry into the house from the roof, and then slowly groped her way in.
Infiltration successful!
Fíliya felt her heartbeat accelerate by a few beats; this feeling of being a thief made her feel very stimulated.
So, what should she do next...?
Fíliya narrowed her eyes and began to think. She didn't dare use Mana Detection, so she also had no way to confirm the locations of the others.
"I can't hear any movement... Anyway, let's go catch Aura first."
Fíliya made up her mind. Aura, that lazybones who spent half the day sleeping, was in all probability lying like a corpse in her own room.
However, things never developed according to Miss Fíliya's expectations.
She did indeed creep up to the front of Aura's door, but the instant she wanted to reach out and turn the door handle, a figure suddenly appeared before her eyes.
"Lady Fíliya..."
Before the final word could leave her mouth, Linie was directly pinned to the ground by Fíliya like a famished tiger pouncing on its prey. Fíliya then immediately covered Linie's mouth with her hand.
Fíliya only rejoiced that Linie was a very calm child. Even though she had suddenly discovered Fíliya just now, her voice when calling out hadn't been very loud, so... her plan shouldn't have failed completely yet!
"Linie?! What sickness is Aura having now?"
A voice instantly came from downstairs. The moment she heard this voice, Fíliya's body instantly froze, because that was clearly Solitär's voice.
But at the same time, Fíliya felt somewhat relieved. Her act of taking in Aura and Linie was indeed correct... No matter how much Solitär verbally disdained Aura, the existence of Aura and Linie had indeed allowed Solitär to break free from her long-standing loneliness.
Next, Fíliya took a deep breath, then frantically winked and made faces at Linie, attempting to imply something with her eyes.
Linie instantly nodded, indicating that she understood.
This made Fíliya heave a sigh of relief, thinking that Linie was indeed a worry-free good child, completely different from Aura. She was so smart; she understood with just a hint.
Thus, Fíliya very satisfyingly released the hand covering Linie's mouth, so she could reply.
"Lady Solitär, Lady Fíliya is back."
Linie's voice echoed through the building.
Upon hearing Linie speak those words, Fíliya's vision instantly went dark. Her body leaned directly back, and she collapsed completely onto the floor.
In this instant, whether Linie was a natural airhead or naturally malicious no longer mattered. Fíliya only knew that her plan to 'deliver a surprise' had completely failed.
...
At this moment, Fíliya was being firmly tied to a chair with rope. Although she could break free from this kind of ordinary rope with a single thought, she still didn't dare to do so, because what this rope represented was a kind of symbolic 'punishment,' or perhaps one could call it 'fun.'
"So a little thief entered the house... To actually have the guts to steal from us. Aura, what do you think we should do?"
There was an unconcealable excitement hidden in Solitär's tone. Ever since she saw Fíliya, her eyes seemed unable to look away.
"Hmm... how about making her be a maid for a month? It's time to let this fellow who only knows how to order people around taste the flavor of being ordered around."
"That makes sense. Then let's punish Fíliya to be my exclusive maid for a month. You have to listen well to your master's orders, okay?"
Solitär chuckled lightly and reached out to pinch Fíliya's chin.
"Huh? Solitär, did you just unauthorizedly tamper with my idea?"
"Shut up."
"Tsk... by the way, Fíliya, how did you get in? We didn't detect even a bit of mana fluctuation."
Aura consciously dared not oppose Solitär, so she very naturally changed the subject.
"Just came in like that. I suppressed my mana to the limit, then climbed up to the roof with my hands."
Miss Fíliya, who had been thoroughly netted, had also lost all her fighting spirit and became exceptionally honest at this moment.
"Impossible! Suppressing mana is a very tiring thing. It's fine if you remain in a static state, but you said you climbed up to the roof with your hands... how could such vigorous activity guarantee that mana remains in a suppressed state the whole time?"
Aura, for once in a blue moon, issued a follow-up question like a good student.
"Heh heh... because during this time, I researched this problem together with the fellow who is the best in the world at 'Mana Concealment.' 'Even under vigorous exercise, one can still conceal mana'—this is the result we achieved."
"The fellow who is the best in the world at 'Mana Concealment'..."
Solitär mulled over the content of Fíliya's words, then furrowed her brows.
Although not certain, her heart still arrived at an answer.
"Did you meet 'Frieren the Slayer'?"
Solitär asked tentatively.
"Mmh, sometimes fate is just wonderful... By the way, Solitär, you're still holding that?"
As Fíliya spoke, she pouted her lips; the direction she pointed to was naturally the stuffed doll in Solitär's hand that closely resembled Fíliya's own image.
Hmm... as expected of me, even the doll generated by the [Substitute Magic] is so cute.
Miss Fíliya's narcissism syndrome seemed to show a trend of worsening.
"It's already become a habit; holding it feels quite natural too..."
Solitär explained with feigned relaxation, but in any case, she had absolutely no intention of putting down the doll.
Just then, Linie at the side suddenly seemed to have an epiphany and spoke abruptly.
"Oh! I get it. Actually, Lady Fíliya, you wanted me to cooperate with you and lie just now, right?"
After Linie's words left her mouth, whether it was Fíliya herself, Solitär, or Aura, they all fell into a kind of silence.
At this moment, the inner thoughts of the three were surprisingly identical... which was...
Linie, you girl, could your reaction be any slower?!
Well then, can you untie me now?"
Fíliya revealed a pair of innocent, puppy-dog eyes.
"No."
Solitär refused with absolute decisiveness, staring at Fíliya with a scrutinizing gaze.
"? But if you keep me tied up like this, I won't be able to take out my gift," Fíliya said with a smile.
Upon hearing the word 'gift', Solitär raised an eyebrow, seemingly moved. She waved her hand, undoing the restraints on Fíliya's body.
"This is..."
The moment Solitär saw the ring, her eyes went wide. She watched as Fíliya went straight down on one knee in front of her, allowing her to lift her hand.
"? As expected of an expert on humans, you indeed know the meaning of this pattern."
Seeing Solitär's reaction, the smile on Fíliya's face grew even more brilliant.
"..."
Solitär seemed to have something to say, but felt that whatever she said would be inappropriate. In the end, she could only remain silent and slowly extended one of her fingers.
Fíliya, acting very naturally, slowly slid the ring engraved with the [Mirror Lotus] design onto Solitär's finger.
"Lady Aura, what are Lady Fíliya and Lady Solitär doing?"
Linie, who had silently watched the entire process from the side, was the first to voice the question in her heart to Aura.
"Who knows... Perhaps it's some kind of ritual only humans understand?"
Aura pinched her chin with her hand, revealing a deep, contemplative expression.
"...So, how long can you stay this time?"
Solitär was obviously very happy, but she suppressed her joy deep in her heart, simultaneously and swiftly hiding the hand wearing the ring behind her back.
"? Is your tone so resentful? Do you miss me that much?"
Fíliya returned to that slightly cheeky, punchable expression.
"Yes, I just miss you very much."
Solitär's tone held not a shred of hesitation.
"So direct..."
Fíliya was stunned for a moment, then scratched her face awkwardly before finally letting out a dry cough.
"Then I will also make a promise to you. From now on, there will be no resistance capable of separating us... Come, this is my second gift. Feel it well."
As Fíliya spoke, she took a small step forward and slowly placed her hand on Solitär's shoulder.
"Hmm?"
Solitär felt a gentle mana gradually being transferred over to her. Although she was very curious about what exactly Fíliya was doing, she cooperated very well at this moment, feeling the changes within her body.
What Fíliya was doing was very simple. She used the [Transfer Magic], which she had already mastered, to directly transfer a spell to Solitär.
"This is!"
Solitär revealed a shocked expression, then immediately verified the effect of this magic.
She raised a hand to touch her forehead; her slender, bamboo-shoot-like horns had completely disappeared.
"Wow, looks like the effect is quite obvious," Fíliya said.
"Mmh... the physical traits are indeed hidden, but I feel the effect of this magic isn't limited to just this?"
Solitär looked pleasantly surprised.
"Of course. However, it is difficult to confirm the remaining effects by yourself. Come, Linie, you help take a look."
As Fíliya spoke, she waved directly at Linie.
Linie also trotted over very obediently from several meters away.
She first circled Solitär several times to observe, then reached out to touch her, and finally used her nose to gently sniff various places on Solitär's body.
"Lady Solitär, you smell like a human."
"!?"
Only then did Solitär understand the formidable nature of this magic.
If one were to speak of the differences between Demons and humans, aside from the obvious biological features on their heads, the greater difference was probably the rather ambiguous feelings of [Scent], [Temperament], and [Aura].
Of course, this did not mean that Demons had a stink that was distinctly different from humans—under Fíliya's attentive education, Miss Solitär had long since developed the habit of bathing regularly, making her a completely different person from the one who once reeked of corpse stench.
But even without the stink, a flavor [Uniquely belonging to the Demon Race] would still linger on a Demon's body.
This flavor was not irritating in the slightest, but Demons themselves could capture it.
Similarly, top experts among humans, such as Frieren or even a host of First-Class Mages, could also capture this feeling.
If one were to cover the heads of a human and a Demon with black cloth so their faces were completely invisible, and provided neither target emitted any magic fluctuations, a powerful mage could still rapidly judge which one was the Demon.
"To think such a thing is possible."
Aura also approached slowly with a face full of disbelief, twitching her nose as she sniffed back and forth on Solitär's body... and then, she was punched in the stomach by Solitär.
"Ouch!"
Aura fell directly to her knees in pain, then began to roll around.
"For what reason! Solitär, why did you only hit me! Clearly, Linie sniffed too!"
Miss Aura complained loudly, but Solitär had absolutely no intention of explaining her behavior.
"Tch... Fíliya... Look at her!"
Seeing Solitär give no reaction, Aura wriggled on the ground, crawled towards Fíliya, and directly reached out to hug Fíliya's calf.
"Mmh, mmh, Aura is so pitiful. Come, I'll rub it for you."
With a trace of a smile on her face, Fíliya slowly crouched down and used her hand to rub the soft flesh on Aura's stomach. She was truly gratified that Aura had finally shaken off that reflex-like mindset of fear towards her. The current Miss Aura, hugging her and tattling like a puppy, actually had a unique kind of cuteness.
"Al... Alright, that's enough... Don't rub anymore..."
At this moment, Miss Aura seemed to suddenly react, scrambling up from the ground with a face completely flushed red.
What the hell... didn't I just become a pet acting spoiled towards its master? Linie hasn't even done such an undignified thing! Aura, you are a Great Demon famous throughout the world; how could you do such a shameful thing!
Aura held her head with both hands, issuing a series of interrogations to herself in her heart.
"Cough... The effect of this magic is too exaggerated, isn't it? Hmm... Actually, back when the Demon King was still around, someone proposed a tactic: use this to first hide mana, then mask Demon traits and scent, thoroughly disguising Demons as humans, and then infiltrate human cities to launch surprise attacks from the inside..."
Seemingly to divert everyone's attention, Miss Aura began to analyze with a serious tone. This display caused Fíliya and Solitär to exchange a subconscious glance, and both saw the surprise in each other's eyes.
"But this tactic has two hidden dangers. First... we Great Demons discussed it for a long time without producing a method that could perfectly mask the Demon Race's aura... merely hiding the physiological feature of horns is actually much simpler."
"The second point is that the act of 'Mana Concealment' is naturally antithetical to the Demon Race's way of life. No demon likes to hide their own mana, so reversing this habit might be even harder than creating a 'Magic to Conceal Aura'... So in the end, it was left unsettled."
Aura finished speaking these words in a calm tone, only to discover that not just Linie, but even Fíliya and Solitär were staring at her with strange looks.
"Who are you? What have you done with Aura?! Confess honestly!"
Fíliya went even further with a flying pounce, directly pinning Aura to the ground.
"What 'who am I'?! I am me! Aura!"
Aura struggled with a bewildered look on her face.
"Impossible. It is impossible for Aura to speak words possessing such rational thought!"
Fíliya struggled to suppress the smile at the corners of her mouth.
"That's right. With Aura's IQ, how could she possibly participate in a discussion about magic?"
Solitär also stepped forward at this moment, ruthlessly delivering a follow-up blow.
"That is your prejudice! I get it, you two are doing this on purpose, just to mock me! Let go!"
As Aura spoke, her face flushed red with anger.
"Then answer a question for me first. I have to verify it before I can let you go."
Fíliya narrowed her eyes, looking solemn.
But Aura looked impatient.
"Verify what? Verify? This body of mine has accumulated over 500 years of mana that feels as solid as substance; could it possibly be fake? You tell me, what kind of thing could impersonate a 500-year-old Great Demon!"
"Who can say for sure? Anyway, if you don't pass the test, I won't let you get up."
As Fíliya spoke, she looked down at Aura with a teasing gaze. From very early on, she had always liked this feeling of 'bullying' Aura.
"Then what about Linie? Linie, look at me quickly. I am your most respected Lady Aura. You can prove it for me, right?"
Aura cast an expectant look toward Linie.
"Linie has no way to prove it, you know. Because Linie is too weak, there is no way to distinguish if the Lady Aura before my eyes is real."
At this moment, Linie's right hand was clutching a bright red, luscious apple, and this apple had obviously just been handed to Linie by Miss Solitär.
"Hiss... were you bought off so simply?! I really doted on you for nothing!"
After roaring this sentence in self-abandonment, Aura finally turned her head back to meet Fíliya's eyes.
"Tsk... Fine. You ask, and I'll just answer."
Aura's tone gradually became helpless.
"Very good. Then, question: Who is the strongest person among the 'Seven Sages of Destruction'?"
"Of course it is me, Lady Aura. If we discuss the threat to humanity, I, Lady Aura, claim first place; who dares claim second?"
"Fake. Hurry up and dispose of it."
Fíliya feigned an expression of great dissatisfaction and directly condensed a glimmer of white light in her hand.
"It's Macht! It's Macht, okay?!"
Seeing the situation, Aura could only hurriedly correct herself.
"Mmh, not bad. Then, second question: Who is the lamest in the 'Seven Sages of Destruction'?"
"That definitely isn't me, right? I was chosen by Lord Demon King precisely because I am very useful and talented. The weakest couldn't possibly be me!"
Aura said with a face full of confidence.
But the white light appeared once again in Fíliya's hand.
"Fine! It's me! It's me! I, Aura, am the lamest, weakest, and the biggest dead weight in the Seven Sages. Are you satisfied now, you devil! I wish for you and Solitär to go to hell together!"
Miss Aura shouted aggrievedly, looking as if she could cry tears the very next second.
"Mmh, I'll take your auspicious words. Seeing that Aura is a good child with self-awareness, I am relieved."
Fíliya chuckled lightly, completely disregarding Aura's curse just now, and simply reached out silently to pull Aura up from the ground.
"Alright, let's end the jokes here. That magic I just transferred to Solitär should allow you all to enter human cities... Mmh, didn't I say it at the start? I will bring you all to walk under the sunlight. Although living in this abandoned shipyard all the time isn't bad, I still want to go see the greater world together with you all."
Fíliya's tone gradually became gentle, and she even reached out to pet Aura's head again, as if comforting her half-broken heart.
"But the consumption of this magic is very high. If we have to maintain this state continuously during daily activities... Aura and I are fine, but Linie definitely won't be able to hold out."
Solitär immediately raised this issue and lowered her head.
When she heard Fíliya's words about bringing them into the sunlight, she was naturally very happy, but amidst that happiness, she was indeed still afraid.
After all, staying away from humans and surviving alone was the lifestyle she had persisted in for a thousand years. To break it just like that... it would be impossible to say there were no ripples in her heart.
And when Linie heard Solitär say this, she also seemed to realize this was a serious problem, so the apple that had already been bitten more than halfway was slowly placed down by her onto the table.
Am I... going to be driven away?
An inexplicable panic arose in Linie's heart. But just as she raised her head again, wanting to say something, what appeared before her was already Fíliya's face.
"Mmh, this point is indeed a problem. However, this magic of mine is only in the preliminary completion stage; there is still large room for optimization. The direction for the next efforts will be towards 'reducing consumption.' Let me spend a bit of time to lower the consumption of this magic to a level that even Linie can bear..."
As Fíliya spoke, she even reached out to secretly pinch Linie's small cheek a few times.
"Lady Fíliya... Why do you want to go to such lengths for me?"
In her astonishment, Linie subconsciously asked this question.
"Why? Umu... If I have to say it, it's because I treat you all as 'family.' So... is the reason 'I am willing' good enough?"
As Fíliya spoke, she sat directly onto a chair to the side, then hugged Linie and placed her onto her own lap.
"Mmh... It's enough."
A tinge of red dyed Linie's face.
This scene made Solitär narrow her eyes slightly, while Aura directly clenched her teeth tight, thinking, That bastard has never been this gentle to me!
After a short while passed like this, Fíliya finally stood up, putting Linie down from her lap.
"Alright, let me go up and see what my room has turned into..."
Fíliya muttered a sound, saying she wanted to go upstairs.
But Aura blocked her path at this moment.
"Hmm?"
Fíliya tilted her head slightly, her expression showing a bit of confusion.
"Ah... there really are such people in this world. Clearly saying we are 'family,' but in reality, aside from the one she cares about most, the others are just tag-alongs."
Aura's tone clearly carried a sour scent. This caused Fíliya to fall into a moment of thought, but fortunately, she quickly understood why.
It was definitely the issue of 'gifts', right?
So she hurriedly rummaged through her bag.
Of course she had prepared gifts for Linie and Aura, it was just that her mind was filled with Solitär just now, so she forgot to give them to the two.
Umu... Looking at it from this point, Aura's 'interrogation' had no problems at all. This fellow's mind was indeed filled with thoughts of Solitär as the priority.
Fíliya pushed open the door, and upon seeing the room exactly as it existed in her memories, she immediately revealed a satisfied expression.
Then, she swiftly threw herself onto her bed, savoring that familiar softness.
She buried her face directly into the quilt, face down, and took a deep breath.
"Ah... such a nostalgic scent."
Fíliya murmured, then rested her head on the pillow, slowly closing her eyes.
Of course, she had no intention of sleeping. Although she had trekked all the way here, she wasn't so tired that she needed to lie down immediately.
She simply wanted to quietly experience this long-lost feeling.
Even she found it quite incredible. Although the days she lived in this abandoned shipyard occupied only a very small part of her life, this place had undoubtedly become a location in her heart that held an equal sense of belonging.
Just as she was feeling emotional, a figure from outside the door slowly walked to her side.
Fíliya showed no reaction, keeping her eyes closed and breathing steadily.
Solitär looked at her like this, and a gratified smile couldn't help but appear at the corners of her mouth. She then slowly sat down by the edge of the bed.
"Is making the Demon Race 'become more like humans' your solution?"
Solitär probed in a hushed voice. At this moment, she had ceased maintaining the 'magic to disguise demon identity' and instead redisplayed her biological characteristics as a demon.
"Hmm... Of course not. This is just a compromise for the current stage. If I want to take you all to play in human cities, this is the only way for now... What I hope for most, of course, is for you to be able to walk under the sunlight normally without needing to hide your horns or mask your aura."
Fíliya spoke as she slowly rolled over, then opened her eyes to meet Solitär's gaze with a smile.
"Is such a thing really possible...?"
Solitär was somewhat in disbelief.
"Hmm, the hope is indeed quite slim."
Fíliya didn't immediately say anything definitive. Both she and Solitär knew just how acute the conflict between humans and the Demon Race was—a life-and-death racial struggle that had lasted for a millennium. A contradiction of this magnitude was something that even if a god were to step forward, mediation would be impossible.
"But 'slim' means the possibility isn't zero. Although weak, it is not non-existent. Isn't that the true meaning of hope?"
When Fíliya said these words, her face wore a confident smile. This caused Solitär's mood to become bright and sunny as well. Although she still couldn't understand where Fíliya's confidence stemmed from... she was willing to trust Fíliya.
After finishing that sentence, Fíliya quickly straightened her upper body, got out of bed, and walked to the window.
She abruptly pushed the window open, allowing the bright outdoors to squeeze into the room.
"Umu... Anyway, I still have to continue getting stronger. Once I become a big shot capable of influencing the direction of history, maybe the method will just sprout up on its own."
Fíliya turned her head, chuckling lightly as she looked at Solitär.
Solitär looked at the girl bathed in sunlight and felt it was a bit dazzling... Yes, it was so bright she subconsciously squinted her eyes, yet she couldn't bear to look away.
"In that case... would it be better if I played the role of a 'Princess' waiting for you to save her?"
Solitär asked.
"? You don't look like a Princess at all. Your temperament doesn't match. A 'Witch' would be more accurate."
Fíliya placed a hand on her waist, her expression very subtle.
"Then, what kind of existence would be willing to come and save a Witch?"
Solitär pressed on.
"Hmm, I don't know. But what's certain is that the fellow definitely isn't a Knight, and even less likely to be a Hero... If I had to say, it could only be a 'Kindred Spirit of the Witch', right?"
As Fíliya spoke, she sat back down on the edge of the bed.
"So, we count as 'Kindred Spirits'?"
"Isn't that obvious?"
"How does it feel?"
"Not bad."
Next, the two lay together for a while, until Solitär spoke again.
"Speaking of getting stronger... your progress is indeed very obvious. Even I can't quite see through you anymore... What happened?"
Solitär turned on her side, her face full of curiosity.
After all, in her view, the mana within Fíliya was already quite profound. Compared to when she left, her total mana capacity had practically more than doubled.
"Hmm... a lot really did happen. It's truly marvelous. When I was little and heard those adventure stories, I always felt they were ridiculous. The protagonists in them would unleash infinite potential the moment they reached a life-or-death juncture, and then suddenly become very strong. I always felt such developments were fake... but such a thing truthfully happened to me."
Fíliya's tone sounded like a mix of helplessness and emotion. Her words obviously piqued Solitär's curiosity, so Fíliya spent some time recounting her experiences inside the Ruins of the Royal Tomb to Solitär in full detail.
"Water-Mirror Demon... To think such a thing hasn't gone extinct yet? And it even replicated a copy of 'Frieren the Slayer'... That was indeed a very dangerous situation."
Solitär mulled over the story Fíliya had told.
"Hmm... It should be the last one, right? I guess we'll never see a 'Water-Mirror Demon' again. It's quite a pity."
"A pity?"
Solitär blinked. She hadn't expected Fíliya to think that way.
"It is a pity... Think about it, is there any trial opponent more suitable than the 'Water-Mirror Demon'? No matter how much you improve, the Water-Mirror Demon can create an opponent of the same level as you... Moreover, you can engage in a deathmatch with a strong individual without worrying about actually killing the other party... Tsk, the more I think about it, the more of a pity it is."
Fíliya revealed a regretful expression, which caused Solitär to shake her head.
"You're the only one who would think like that... You clearly often mock other mages for having brains filled only with thoughts of battle, yet aren't you exactly the same in the end?"
Her tone was laced with a bit of ridicule.
"Umu... I originally thought I didn't like fighting either. But after truly tasting that feeling of brushing past death... how should I put it? It's quite stimulating."
Fíliya's expression looked slightly awkward.
"Is that so..."
Solitär remained noncommittal.
"However, it is truly incredible. You actually defeated that 'Frieren the Slayer'. Although it was just a copy, it is still a praiseworthy great achievement... I saw Frieren once when I went to encircle and suppress the Hero Party 80 years ago... Honestly speaking, I don't have the confidence to defeat her either."
"The copy was clumsy as hell, acting completely on instinct. The real Frieren wouldn't give me that many chances."
"Mmh, that is true... But it's still worth praising. You did well. Good job~ Good job~."
Solitär spoke, her tone gradually taking on a cloying sweetness, and then she reached out her hand to give Fíliya a few headpats.
"So gross. Can you be normal?"
Fíliya curled her lips in disdain, but she still obediently leaned in according to Solitär's signal. After enjoying Miss Solitär's headpatting, she slowly laid down on Solitär's lap
"Well then, can you let me see that magic you've grasped?"
Solitär asked out of curiosity.
"Mmm... No, this magic is too dangerous."
Fíliya shook her head with a solemn expression. She dared not easily attempt to use a power she couldn't fully control yet. After all... the effect of this magic was [Disintegration of All Things].
"Is that so."
A trace of disappointment emerged in Solitär's eyes. As a scholar who loved research, she was naturally curious about what kind of power Fíliya had mastered, but she also understood Fíliya's concerns, so she didn't say anything more.
"However, there is still something very interesting I can share with you."
Seeing that Solitär seemed a bit down, Fíliya immediately tossed out a new topic.
"Hmm?"
"Mmm... You should have noticed it too. My mana growth speed is a bit too fast... To be honest, I was also shocked when I confirmed this."
"The starting point was the instant I used that magic. Since then, the mana inside my body seems to have been activated, spontaneously forming a strange cycle."
"The effect caused by this cycle is... they—my mana—will forever remain in an [Active] state. This has raised the speed at which I mobilize my mana to a whole new level."
"Mmm, to put it bluntly, my casting speed has become faster again... And it doesn't stop there. Because the mana is automatically circulating infinitely, so... this is equivalent to me engaging in passive meditation."
"In other words, even if I do nothing now, my mana will grow automatically... Even if I just eat, sleep, and space out every day, my mana growth speed is faster than when I used to meditate diligently."
Fíliya spoke with a tone of helplessness, and even shook her head.
"Sigh, this feeling of getting something for nothing is sometimes quite distressing for me. How can mana that grows out of thin air be compared to power gained through painstaking cultivation? Solitär, don't you agree?"
Fíliya's tone gradually became somewhat punchable, and Solitär was obviously genuinely irritated by her.
Solitär reached out directly and pinched the soft flesh on Fíliya's cheek.
"Apologize. Apologize right now! Apologize to all those mages who cultivate diligently!"
Solitär said fiercely.
"? Did I do something to wrong them?"
Fíliya tried to remain stubborn, but Solitär added a bit more force to her hand.
"Hiss!... Okay, okay, I was wrong! I shouldn't have postured! It's my fault for acting innocent after getting a bargain!"
Fíliya began to chicken out and repeatedly begged for mercy.
"Hmph."
Seeing Fíliya admit her mistake, Solitär finally let go of her, but immediately seemed to regret it slightly, so she rubbed the red spot on Fíliya's face.
"So, what do you plan to do next?"
"Nothing special. Just rest normally first. At least I need to complete all the preparations before we set off."
"Hmm?"
Now Solitär was a bit confused again. In her view, Fíliya was a person with very clear goals; once she had a plan, she would implement it immediately. Yet this time, she had uncharacteristically calmed down?
"No, my impatient bad habit isn't that easily cured. However, the place I'm preparing to go to this time is very dangerous. Even for us, we must make sufficient preparations."
" Preparing to go... go where?"
"Heheh..."
Fíliya crossed her arms over her chest, her expression unfathomable.
"The Empire. And specifically, the most bustling central region of The Empire. We are going to settle down there for a while."
"..."
Solitär was stunned. She truly hadn't expected that the [Journey] Fíliya spoke of would start with such a difficulty level right off the bat.
"But..."
Just as she wanted to say something, Fíliya interrupted her directly.
"Relax. Whatever you can think of, Solitär, I have considered... However, it has to be this way to be exciting. I just want to take a few members of the Demon Race and openly enter the central region of The Empire."
"Only in that country, which possesses the densest magical atmosphere and the strongest magical prowess, can I verify if my [Magic to Disguise as a Human] is capable of passing off the fake as the real."
Solitär fell silent. If she thought about it rationally, The Empire was definitely not a good choice. The risk was too high.
But... if she really believed in Fíliya, should she discard a bit of rationality at the appropriate time?
"Then we should at least ask for Aura's opinion, right?"
Solitär suddenly said.
"Huh? You would actually consider Aura?"
Fíliya looked at Solitär with a shocked face.
"..."
Solitär's gaze was slightly evasive. She just planned to push Aura out to take the bullet, hoping that fellow Aura would say something to refuse.
"Mmm, alright. Indeed, we should ask for her opinion."
...So Fíliya quickly called Aura in and told Aura of her plans.
"How about it, Aura? Do you dare go to The Empire?"
After speaking, Fíliya immediately looked at Aura with a provocative gaze.
"Hah? What is there not to dare? You all think I, Lady Aura, am a wimp? I have to prove today that I'm actually very brave! Isn't it just The Empire? Look at how much it has declined; what is there to be afraid of?"
Upon hearing this, Aura patted her chest directly, revealing a face full of confidence.
Solitär instantly covered her face with her hand, wearing an expression that said she couldn't bear to look.
She had counted on Aura being a bit cowardly and not agreeing to it. She didn't expect that this fellow, who had been a coward all her life, would suddenly become brave at a time like this.
"Very good!"
Fíliya, pleasantly surprised, high-fived Miss Aura.
Clap. Clap.
"How about it? Solitär, do you have anything else to say?"
Fíliya looked toward Solitär.
"Nothing more to say... Do as you please."
Solitär spoke, sighing deeply.
"Then... how long do you need to [Prepare]? That magic of yours that disguises us as humans isn't that easy for the Demon Race to master."
After sighing, Solitär immediately raised a realistic problem.
"Mmm, I've considered this point too... No matter what height you demons grow to, it is very difficult to learn this magic on your own. After all... you have no way to imagine the image of yourselves [Becoming Human]. So even though the structure isn't complex, it is very hard for the Demon Race to learn."
"Fortunately, I have already prepared a solution. I have already transferred your portion to you, Solitär. Next, I just need to relearn the [Magic to Disguise as a Human] twice, and then transfer this magic to Aura and Linie respectively once... Mmm, after all, I created this magic, so even if I transfer it away, relearning it is very fast. No need to worry about this point."
After saying these words, Fíliya's face brimmed with a confident smile. At this moment, she rejoiced greatly that she had learned this [Transfer Magic] from Serie. After all, having used it just slightly once, she immediately felt the benefits of this magic.
And hearing Fíliya speak like this, Solitär completely gave up.
Since this fellow planned to go to such lengths, what else could she do?
She could only let her have her way.