"Thank you for your time. I'm ready for the negotiations."
"Good. But my guidance might've been unnecessary. Your human deception is exemplary—a model demon."
"Your wisdom outshines mine, Lady Solitär."
I accept her praise, though it's obvious—she's brilliant, distinct from instinct-driven demons. Her mana's hidden, but her heresy lies elsewhere.
I'm escorting Solitär to her lodging, part of my surveillance duty since yesterday. Linie's absent, reassigned to Aura's guard after yesterday's negligence. A relief—watching Linie was harder than Solitär.
(Researchers are incomprehensible to us…)
I observe Solitär ahead. We just visited the magic department at her request. Like the scriptures library, she dove into books, but also engaged the staff—her "talks." She claims the magic department, like scriptures, is vital to Freesia.
The magic department studies magic, with humans and demons collaborating. Foolish—our magic surpasses humans'. Sharing it, especially with them, is wasteful. But—
"Sharing magic tech, evolving as a group—that's humanity's strength."
Solitär enthused. Zoltraak, a demon's killing spell by Qual, was analyzed and integrated into human magic in eighty years, now a standard attack spell. We overcame it decades ago, I countered, but she disagreed. Humanity's collective strength—cooperation—outpaces our individual evolution. I don't grasp it, but she's convincing.
They're focused on flight magic—trivial, yet revolutionary for humans, she says. I barely followed. They also study mental magic, relevant to demons, but its purpose is unclear. She enjoyed it, fulfilling demonic magic pursuit. More demons use the department—worth investigating.
"No need for modesty. You understand human habits, deceiving them well. Using family is effective—empathy. Humans sympathize with others. It'll work in negotiations."
She continues, referencing our mock negotiations. Per yesterday's promise, I used her to learn human psychology, simulating the Granat talks. She played Granat; I responded.
I leveraged family—a child's plea for "mom." I framed demons as having it, winning trust. Granat's earl is sentimental; it'll work easily.
"Your mock cases helped. Some I hadn't considered. Your human studies shine."
Her mimicry was stunning—human-like, beyond gestures. How many humans has she met to reach this?
"Your coexistence lie was novel. Repenting past chaos, founding Freesia for atonement. Absurd to us, but humans might buy it."
Atonement—a human-loved concept. Her lie, if believed, is potent. Freesia accepts refugees, making it plausible.
"Not my idea—Aura's. Well-crafted, right?"
We share the sentiment. Aura, longest with humans, understands them best.
"One advice: avoid the protective barrier. Aura doesn't want it raised—too soon."
"Is Aura doubting my ability?"
"No. Signing the treaty is Freesia's victory. The barrier's no obstacle. I said yesterday—it stops physical invasion, not economic or religious ones. They'll beg to lift it."
The topic shifts to the barrier. I sought her input, but her answer aligns with Aura's. Not my inadequacy—Freesia's strategy uses invisible forces: economy, faith. Aura plans to invade Granat this way. The treaty's part of it. We're all in her palm.
"If Aura wanted, she could dismantle the barrier instantly."
"Instantly? Even Aura can't easily break Flamme's barrier."
I blurt out. Aura's power is immense, but—
Great Mage Flamme
A human mage from over a millennium ago, a genius rivaling great demons. Her barrier, perfect, thwarted Aura's past invasion. How could it be undone?
"Simple. Use humans."
Incomprehensible to demons.
"Humans? They can't break what we can't."
"Not mages—ordinary humans. You know your master's magic, right?"
"…!"
I gasp, forgetting the obvious—why Aura was called Guillotine.
"Servitude magic, Azerliese. Unique to Seven Sages, unmatched in controlling humans."
Seven Sages—elite great demons. Aura's Azerliese, now tied to Freesia's blessings and trials, is fundamentally different.
"Use Azerliese to control humans, infiltrate Granat, and disable the barrier. With retained free will, Granat won't notice. Human movement can't be stopped—a societal weakness. Control one, and it spreads exponentially, like a plague. Without a counterspell, Granat falls in a month."
Azerliese makes humans puppets, dismantling barriers while conscious. Demons, seeing humans as food, can't conceive it. Solitär calls it a plague—a perfect invasion.
I'm terrified—not of humans, but Aura. I never truly grasped her as a second Demon King. If she turned Azerliese on us, it'd be a new dominion, unlike the Demon King's. But—
"Why bother with talks if she can dominate humans?"
"Humans aren't that foolish. Moving too fast risks uniting them, like against the Demon King. That war was dull, unlike experiments or talks."
Solitär, smile fixed, recalls the lost war. It shifted demon life; we're at a disadvantage. She found it uninteresting—unlike our sense.
"My friends all died. I don't want that for Aura."
Her murmur—true or false, I can't tell. She doesn't want war with humans.
"A plague shouldn't kill the host too soon. Spread during incubation, unnoticed until too late. Most efficient."
She explains, hands clasped, like a teacher. No resistance, no unity—beautifully efficient.
"But Aura probably doesn't want to end her pretend play."
She mutters incomprehensibly, catching Aura's nuances as a friend.
"I understand. I'll focus on my role."
"All for Aura's will—Freesia's way."
My duty is clear—serve Aura, prove loyalty, not just doctrine. Then—
"Lyugner-sama! Hi! Where's Linie-sama?"
A shrill human girl approaches. Familiar? Human kids blend together. She's here for Linie, who's liked—seen as an equal. Fine, since she enjoys it.
"Linie's at the church."
"Bummer, I wanted to play."
My luck, her loss. I wish she'd leave, but—
"Hello, little one. I'm Solitär. Your name?"
"Hanna!"
"Cute name. I'm new here. Want to chat with big sister?"
"Sure! I'll show you around!"
Solitär kneels, instantly disarming the girl, extracting details—hometown, family, favorite food, dreams. Trivial to me, vital to her research. Researchers are odd.
"Hanna! You can't wander off!"
"Mom…"
The mother appears, searching. Why care so much? Just another individual. Human nonsense.
"Sorry, my daughter troubled you."
"No trouble. She kept me company. Thank you—very helpful."
Solitär smiles, indistinguishable from human talk. The pair's fooled. In another land, they'd be demon food. Foolish species.
"Bye, big sister! See you!"
The oblivious girl waves. Solitär responds. Better than babysitting Linie. Then—
"Goodbye."
A chilling killing intent and mana flood the area.
"Oops. Forgot this is Freesia."
It's fleeting—humans don't notice. Solitär's casual, as if an experiment failed. But I know.
"Why try to kill them?"
"My habit. I kill humans I talk to. Habits stick."
"Why? You study through conversation."
"Yes. The most fascinating are their final words—their essence."
Her casual answer narrows my eyes. She studies humans but kills them? Not for food or instinct—pure intent.
"The real reason? I'm a coward. I don't want humans knowing my face or name."
Her heresy defines her as a great demon.
I'm speechless. Great demons, ancient and feared, have titles. She doesn't—because—
(She kills every human she meets…!?)
An impossible feat—killing all who know her. What power and obsession? Cold sweat runs down my back—biological fear, like with Aura. I was deceived too.
"Freesia's special—the only place humans know me and live. Wonderful. I'd love to destroy it."
Her smile and eyes paralyze me, like a frog before a snake. Not mana—primal terror.
"That's—"
"A joke. I wouldn't. Aura's my friend, and I want to keep playing here. Sorry for the weird talk."
I'm relieved. My life felt shortened. Her words' truth doesn't matter—only that I'm not her target. If she'd killed them, as a priest, I'd oppose her, facing that monster. My loyalty to Aura is unchanged, but instinct screams not to fight her. A contradiction.
"I have a request, related to this."
"A request?"
She speaks casually, intent unclear.
"The alert level rose last night. Know why?"
"For the Granat talks, to pressure them."
Her knowledge of classified wartime measures confirms why Aura ordered surveillance and no conflict. The alert might involve her.
"That's the cover. The real reason's different."
"What?"
She reads my mind, making me gasp.
"Frieren the Slayer, the Hero Party's elf mage, may soon come to Freesia."
"Frieren… here!?"
Her name worsens my dread—a taboo for demons.
"Likely to avoid panic, especially among demons. You know her title's terror."
She seems to enjoy my grimace. Understandable.
Frieren the Slayer
No demon doesn't know her—the mage who killed the most demons, now their greatest fear post-Hero.
"I've faced her."
"Really? Surviving her is incredible. Like Aura. Master and servant are alike."
Her possible sarcasm silences me, recalling my humiliating retreat from Frieren. Aura likely shares that shame. It explains the wartime alert—Frieren won't spare Freesia or Aura.
"No worries. I'm here to support Aura."
"You're a true friend. With a great demon like you, even Frieren's no threat."
Her purpose relieves me, bolstered by her strength. Two great demons, plus us—unassailable.
"But fighting's a last resort. I'll aid covertly. It's not a bad fight, but I avoid showing my face—key to longevity."
Her cowardly tactic, unbefitting a mage's pride, can't be challenged.
Her mana concealment makes sense—to evade Frieren's detection. A great demon's mana would alert her. Leaving traces blends her into Freesia, enabling a surprise attack. Like Linie, undemonic.
She's a nameless great demon, surviving through this monstrous uniqueness.
"I need your help. It's simple—"
Her "request" is an order I can't refuse, only hear.
"That's it?"
"Yes, can you do it?"
It's not what I expected—bafflingly pointless.
"But what's the point? It won't work on Frieren."
"No, it will. She's an elf but aligns with humans. It's most effective on her. Aura knows it."
Her researcher's face explains, but I don't get it. Frieren's human allegiance is clear, but effective? She lives to kill demons. Yet Solitär's likely right.
"Why doesn't Aura do it?"
"Overconfidence, pride—demonic traits. Even hunted, we don't learn."
She analyzes demons like research. I can't grasp it, but her caution is evident.
"Don't overthink. It's to protect Freesia and Aura—only you can do it."
No hesitation or fear now—she's our ally.
"For Aura, I'll do it."
I'd beg for it.
"Perfect. It'll work out. Keep it from Aura—she'd scold me. Say I persuaded you; she'll forgive."
"No need. It's my will. Lend me your strength."
Her consideration humbles me. My role: protect Freesia and Aura from Granat and elves. I'll use even this great demon. All for Aura's will.
Lyugner, the liar, doesn't realize he's infected by Solitär's plague, deceived, unaware of what it means—
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