Sensing that Orsaga's gaze had become noticeably more amicable, a puzzled expression briefly flickered across Alison's face.
A question mark practically floated above her head.
After a moment's hesitation, she chose not to ask about it. After all, being a bit friendlier wasn't exactly a bad thing. Instead, she changed the subject with a smile.
"I remember Golarial should still be in this city. Maybe you could look for her. She kept bringing you up when we were traveling together."
Orsaga didn't respond directly. He simply chuckled and said, "She's here? That's not bad. If fate allows, we might run into each other on the road."
In other words, he had no intention of seeking her out.
Hearing that, Alison immediately understood—Golarial's judgment of him had been spot on.
This man… was utterly heartless.
As they'd say in her homeland: "Colder than DIO pulling a knife."
The Myling World didn't have that exact phrase, but similar proverbs certainly existed.
So, Alison shot Orsaga a disdainful glare, looking at him like he was a classic scumbag.
In response, Orsaga could only shrug helplessly.
He truly didn't get it—wasn't it a fair exchange on both sides? Why did everyone act like he was the one who broke hearts?
Still, he couldn't be bothered to explain. He calmly accepted the look.
After all, that kind of gaze carried no real malice.
Barely even a sprinkle of water off his back.
He changed lovers frequently, precisely to avoid forming emotional ties.
Compared to typical demons who completely lacked attachment to anything or anyone, Orsaga—perhaps due to lingering traces of humanity—was somewhat nostalgic by nature.
So, before any emotional bonds could form, it was better to move on.
After all, who had time to manage a harem? Fair exchange and mutual benefit—no strings attached—was the most logical way.
Of course, if the connection was truly strong, he didn't mind keeping someone around either.
It didn't bother him much—he was hardly the sentimental type.
Besides, he would eventually need to recruit subordinates and build his own force.
Whether sooner or later didn't really matter. It was just a bit inconvenient right now.
As these irrelevant thoughts drifted through his mind, Orsaga casually picked up a neatly cut slice of fruit and popped it into his mouth. Then, he looked at Alison and asked,
"Once your injuries are healed, are you heading straight back to the front lines?"
Alison gently shook her head, denying his assumption. A trace of nostalgic warmth rose on her face as she smiled and said:
"I plan to return to the Elsella Elven Kingdom first. It's been over a hundred years since I've seen my homeland—I miss the scenery there."
Ever since she'd been stationed at the Front line more than a century ago, fighting on the front lines, she hadn't had the chance to return home.
Now that things on the battlefield had stabilized for a bit, she naturally wanted to take the opportunity to visit.
Even for elves, who lived for thousands of years, a century wasn't something to be dismissed lightly.
And for someone like Alison, who didn't enjoy constant conflict, time seemed to crawl by on the chaotic frontlines.
'The Elsella Elven Kingdom… That must be Golariel's homeland as well.'
Silently committing the name of that country to memory, Orsaga said with a smile,
"Going home to take a look sounds nice. It must be a beautiful place."
Hearing this, Alison's lovely face immediately lit up with pride.
"Of course it is!, The Elsella Elven Kingdom is one of the most beautiful countries in all of the Western Continent. Every building there is a masterpiece, refined countless times to perfection. If you ever get the chance, you absolutely must visit!. Though entry requirements are strict, if you're interested, I can help you get in."
Feeling her eagerness to share something she loved, Orsaga didn't turn her down. He simply nodded with a smile,
"If I get the chance, I'll be sure to take a look."
But deep down, he thought to himself:
'Masterpieces, huh? Typical elven flair. But I wonder… can those things really last?'
He couldn't help but think of the Demon Lord still gazing hungrily at this world from the depths of the Abyss. Orsaga wasn't too optimistic about the future of such delicate beauty.
Still, thanks to his former life in the Wizarding World—where he had once been known as a "great artist"—he had more appreciation for such things than most demons.
So if he had time, a visit might actually be worthwhile.
Seeing his genuine curiosity, Alison brightened even more and added,
"If you go, you must visit the Garden of Arla. That's the heart of Elsella's artistic heritage. Not only does it display our own elven art, but rare pieces from other races too. Honestly, if you don't go there, it's like you haven't visited the Elven Kingdom at all!"
Orsaga nodded, smiling as he said,
"All right, I'll make sure to see it when the time comes."
The two continued chatting for several hours, not parting ways until dusk finally began to fall.
---
Watching Orsaga's departing figure, Alison gently touched the bracelet around her wrist.
It was a special piece of legendary-ranked equipment—capable of detecting lies.
And throughout today's conversation, it hadn't reacted even once. Which meant, by its judgment, Orsaga had been telling the truth the entire time.
But whether that really was the case…
Alison couldn't help but mentally add a question mark.
Nothing in this world was absolute, and that naturally included the bracelet's ability.
All it meant was that Orsaga's words had passed the test—raising their credibility significantly.
But gaining her complete trust? That was out of the question.
Gently tapping the emerald gem embedded at the center of the bracelet, Alison parted her lips and spoke calmly,
"Kara, investigate someone for me. I've just sent you his basic information."
A raspy female voice answered from the bracelet,
"Understood."
"Good. Do it as quickly as possible."
With the instructions given, Alison sank into quiet contemplation.
The timing of Orsaga's appearance at the Front line had been far too convenient.
And as a high-ranking officer stationed there, she should have been informed the moment a powerhouse of his level entered the city. But she'd received no notification.
That didn't add up at all.
Had Orsaga sneaked into the Frontline?
She wasn't sure.
And what was his real objective?
She didn't know that either.
All she was certain of was that things couldn't be as simple as he claimed. He was clearly hiding something.
As for why she hadn't questioned him directly—some matters involved personal privacy, and she didn't have the standing to pry.
Digging too deeply would only make people dislike her.
And even if she had asked… what, was Orsaga really going to just tell her the truth?
Alison doubted it.
So, rather than press him, she simply made sure he harbored no ill intent toward her and treated the rest of their conversation as idle small talk.
The deeper answers would have to be uncovered slowly—through her own investigation.
What she didn't know, however, was that had she asked more directly, there was a good chance Orsaga would have told her the truth.
Sometimes his mouth worked faster than his brain, and letting something slip by accident wasn't out of the question.
Of course, how much truth he'd actually reveal… well, that was anyone's guess.
Better not to count on it.
As for whether he'd noticed her suspicion?
Of course he had.
But he didn't care.
He'd left plenty of traces behind—getting noticed was only natural.
As long as no one uncovered the core of the truth, their attention wouldn't be too troublesome.
And if it became a problem? Just treat it like a side quest in a game.
Something to add a little spice to daily life.
In fact, minor complications like this could even be useful—like camouflage to mislead others and muddle their perception of what was really going on.
If people didn't grow suspicious of someone like him—someone so obviously gifted—it would actually surprise Orsaga.
He'd start thinking the natives of this world were dangerously stupid.
That's why, from the very start, Orsaga had never assumed he could remain completely unnoticed.
This was, after all, a high-tier world. Underestimating others would only get you killed.
_
T/N:
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