Chapter 370: The Bond Between Two People
Serie's body shifted slightly in Kurtz's arms, her eyes fixed on the light screen as her brows furrowed involuntarily.
"I never expected this," she finally said, her voice filled with obvious disbelief. "A demon would actually share its food with a human child."
"That truly is surprising," Kurtz replied with a faint smile.
At this moment, Serie's tone turned suspicious. "Could it be... that it's all an act? To gain our trust or something?"
Serie had always harbored the utmost malice toward demons, and that included Solis, despite her being a special existence.
In her opinion, even Kurtz should maintain the same attitude. Unfortunately, this man often saw further than she did and therefore thought more deeply.
A thousand years ago, he taught magic to humans in hopes of creating the first human nation.
And now, he had begun considering whether a new path could be found not only for humans and the other races of the continent, but also for demons.
Kurtz gently rested his chin against her shoulder, his gaze lingering on the people displayed on the light screen, especially Solis's expressionless face.
"Perhaps," he admitted calmly. "After all, demons are naturally skilled at disguising themselves. So your suspicion is not impossible."
Serie turned slightly and looked at his profile from close range.
"You also think it's a disguise?"
Kurtz fell silent briefly before answering slowly.
"Not entirely."
He adjusted his embrace slightly, allowing her to lean against him more comfortably.
"What do you mean?" Serie asked in confusion.
"A pretense requires a clear motive. If she truly wanted to gain our trust, there are more effective methods she could choose."
"For example, helping resolve an obvious crisis, or deliberately saying things that would make us believe she understands human emotions."
Kurtz's gaze remained fixed on the screen.
"But sharing food with an unfamiliar child is too obvious an act. It's hardly the optimal choice for a demon."
"So you think she acted sincerely?" Serie muttered, still sounding unconvinced.
How could a demon possibly possess thoughts about helping others?
"You should know that she has no idea we're observing her," Kurtz continued. "Aside from Olivia, even Flamme cannot detect my surveillance magic, much less Solis."
"Or maybe she deliberately did it for Flamme and the others to see," Serie argued stubbornly.
"There's no need for that." Kurtz shook his head lightly.
"Because Solis already understands one thing very clearly—her true authority lies in your hands and mine. Trying to please Flamme or the others would accomplish very little."
"I think the real decision-making power is entirely in your hands," Serie narrowed her eyes at him. "After all, you've been the one interested in this demon from beginning to end. I barely interfered at all."
Her words carried a faint trace of jealousy. After all, she had finally managed to suppress the dangerous little thoughts inside her overly bold apprentice, Flamme.
What if—and only hypothetically—Solis someday truly learned human emotions and developed thoughts she should not have?
Should she rip off the demon's head and use it as a ball?
No... that would not work.
A demon's body dissipated the moment it died, so there would be nothing left to tear apart afterward.
Serie glanced sideways at Kurtz, waiting for his answer.
Kurtz chuckled softly before lightly pinching the soft flesh at her waist, making her body tremble slightly.
"How could that be? You are the undisputed President Serie of the Association," he said deliberately, drawing out his words. "And also my wife."
"Whenever I made a decision involving her, didn't I discuss it with you first?"
"Hmpf," Serie snorted softly, clearly accepting the explanation, though she quickly shifted the topic again.
"So what? Even if it wasn't to impress Flamme and the others, or directly curry favor with us, what else could it be? Don't tell me you truly believe a demon would suddenly develop a conscience."
"Kindness... perhaps not entirely." Kurtz's gaze returned to the screen as he watched Solis walk back together with the others.
"It was more like an initial test."
"A test?" Serie asked in confusion.
"Yes," Kurtz spoke slowly, trying to explain it in terms Serie could easily understand.
"It's similar to an extremely complex spell. After countless unrelated calculations and operations, an unexpected but logical result eventually appears. The vast majority of Solis's actions are still driven by her own survival instincts and her desire to understand emotions. But during this period, what has she been exposed to?"
He paused briefly before answering his own question.
"Our daily interactions. Ordinary human behavior that she could neither fully replicate nor fully comprehend. That's why I allowed her to leave the Magic Association and enter human society."
Everything Solis saw today was entirely unfamiliar to her.
Faced with an overwhelming amount of new information, she chose the most direct method available to her:
To imitate the kindness she observed.
"In other words..." Serie gradually followed his line of thought, though she still found it difficult to believe. "Her actions were more like instinctive imitation?"
"That interpretation is not entirely wrong."Kurtz shook his head slightly. "After all, imitation is the beginning of understanding."
"At the very least, I can already see signs of change within her. As for whether that change is ultimately good or bad... that still remains uncertain."
"Hmm..." For some reason, Serie suddenly frowned.
"What's wrong?" Kurtz immediately noticed the subtle shift in her mood and tightened his embrace slightly.
"I just have a bad feeling about this." Serie rested her face against his chest, her voice sounding muffled.
"For some reason, she still feels dangerous to me. Especially when she's staying beside you and remaining inside the Association."
"I see." Kurtz gently patted her back reassuringly.
"But precisely because we don't know the answer, we need to continue observing. Only then can I determine whether demons are truly capable of understanding emotions. And whether a demon can ultimately become closer to a human."
Serie lifted her head and looked into the familiar light within his eyes.
She understood him too well. She understood his curiosity, his desire to explore the unknown, and his habit of chasing answers no matter how dangerous the path might be.
A thousand years ago, he acted for the future of humanity. Now, his gaze seemed fixed on something even farther away.
"I knew it..." Serie sighed helplessly.
"You're always like this. The moment you see a mountain, you immediately want to know what's beyond it, even if that mountain might collapse at any moment."
"That's exactly why I need you."
Kurtz lowered his head until their foreheads touched, his voice softening. "I need you to watch my back so I don't accidentally step into danger.
"I need you to pull me back whenever I'm tempted to take unnecessary risks. Or walk beside me if I insist on moving forward."
Those words instantly softened Serie's heart.
She knew she could never truly reject his desire to explore the unknown, just as he would always tolerate her stubbornness and whims.
Long ago, they had already become each other's deepest bond.
"I don't want such a troublesome responsibility..." she muttered softly, her cheeks faintly flushing.
"But... since you've said it like that, I suppose I can reluctantly agree. I'll keep a close eye on Solis. If anything feels wrong, I won't hesitate."
"Hmm. I have no objections."
Outside the crystal windows, the night had already deepened.
Seeing that Flamme and the others were nearly back at the Association, Kurtz finally dispersed the magical light screen.
Serie relaxed completely again, leaning quietly against his chest and enjoying the rare peace between them. Although her doubts toward Solis had not fully disappeared, the warmth of the man embracing her gradually eased her unease.
"By the way," Serie suddenly muttered, "don't think about backing out of the conditions you promised me earlier."
Kurtz chuckled softly. "I wouldn't dare forget."
The two exchanged smiles, temporarily setting aside the future of demons and humanity alike.
At this moment, the warmth between them was the only thing that truly mattered.
[End of Chapter]