"We've finally reached the capital."
"I'm leaving."
Heiter's words prompt me to turn on my heel. I shouldn't have come. I convinced myself to get this far, but I'm at my limit. The capital confirms it—I don't belong here. Why am I even doing this? Déjà vu hits. It felt the same the first time. The difference?
"I'll join you. I'm worried about Linie."
Himmel, casually agreeing, nods and uses Linie as an excuse. She's not here—left in the village. She wanted to come, but given the capital visit's purpose, I couldn't manage her too. I bribed her with souvenirs. So predictable.
"You're just scared of the king. Pathetic as ever."
"You tried to ditch me last time because you hated audiences!"
"Of course! I was tricked into coming. Hero failure."
"Hey, keep it down in public. Fight at home."
Himmel's shaking, terrified of the king, as usual. Pathetic. He argues, but I've conquered the king. My real issue is the new threat.
(Serie… definitely my natural enemy!)
Since Heiter told me about Serie, the ceremony's star, I've been dreading this. Her history is a nightmare. A mythic-era elf, outliving even Frieren if true. Worse, she's Flamme's master—the genius human mage whose barriers stopped me from conquering Granat. And Flamme was Frieren's master.
What a joke. A demonic lineage for us demons. The root of it is coming here.
I must flee. No shame, no pride—survival is all. I've strayed from that instinct, but now it's back. I got Himmel here; the rest is Heiter and Eisen's problem. Yet—
"Don't be stubborn, you two."
Eisen cuts in. Heiter watches—not watching, monitoring. They won't let me escape. Heiter's scheming got me here. A walking lie.
"Don't you start. I heard you and Himmel nearly got executed."
"No issue. I'm a warrior."
"You're trembling. Such a coward. No one could cut your neck anyway."
"Scary is scary. I'm ready to leave."
"Let's all escape. We're a party."
"Don't lump me with you."
"Hahaha! This takes me back."
Himmel and Eisen are shaking. What a farce. Cowards, despite Eisen's unbreakable body. Himmel tries to flee, practiced. Are they really the hero's party? I'm dragged in, Heiter egging us on.
Amid louder chaos than my first visit, my fateful capital trip begins.
"First time seeing it, but the vestments suit you, Aura."
Eisen remarks as we walk the capital, heavy with dread. He's never seen me like this.
I'm in vestments, not my red robe, matching Heiter's—chilling. My Holy City attire, reused here.
"No flattery."
"They're a hit in the Holy City."
"Better than a hooded robe."
I got permission to skip the robe, hiding my horns. Heiter's influence or my work? It lets me move freely in the capital. Robes are restrictive, hard to see through, and too noticeable—more than my horns now.
"They suit you, but I prefer that dress…"
"What was that?"
"Nothing."
I silence Himmel's muttering. What does he think I am? A doll for dress-up? Lily's too old for that, and Linie won't play. She wears dresses by choice. Heiter made her matching vestments, but she refused. Only that elf would indulge Himmel's tastes.
"So many mages… over a hundred."
"Really? Lots of mage-like outfits."
"We can't sense magic."
"You, a demon, must feel it strongly."
I refocus on the festival-like scene. The capital's always busy, but today's extreme—thanks to the ceremony. Many are mages, obvious without magic detection. The claim that most Central Countries' mages are here seems true. But it's a hassle.
(Annoying… I'm not a spectacle.)
Their stares fix on me. Partly because I'm a demon—my presence is known, but a horned demon in the capital is odd. That's normal, not worth minding. The real issue is my magic. As a great demon, it terrifies them. Even lesser demons would cower; human mages, more so. Normally, I'd revel in it, but now it's just a zoo animal's vibe.
"Something wrong, Aura? Missing the village?"
"Yes. No seeing your face."
"Harsh. There's a grimoire stall—want to check it?"
"Low blow, Heiter! I was gonna ask!"
"Sinful woman."
Heiter times his jab perfectly, irritating. But the mages' stares lessen. His magic, rivaling mine, dilutes my presence. Or maybe the hero's party draws attention. He might've planned this. Overthinking, but possible with him.
We end up touring magic shops. It starts with my grimoires, but Heiter hits a tavern, drinking by noon. Himmel poses for crowds unprompted, Eisen's swarmed by kids. Chaos—business as usual.
(No luck…)
Tired of babysitting, I rest on a bench, scanning the crowd and probing magic. Nothing. I've searched since arriving, but no Frieren. Miscalculated? Her arrival would cause a stir—hero's party, after all. Without magic concealment, I'd sense her instantly. Her deception works too well. A perk, maybe. Demons wouldn't mimic it, except maybe Linie. Then—
"Aura-sama! Been a while. Back in the capital?"
A woman's voice. Who? I see a familiar face—the wife of a man I cleared of false charges on a whim. Human faces are hard to recall, especially with more lately.
"…Yes. Not for priestly duties."
"Please visit us again. The family would love it."
"Maybe if I feel like it."
"Yes. May the Scales' blessing be with you."
She starts praying to me. I'm stunned. No blessings here. I didn't expect this in the capital. Worshipping a demon as a goddess—how foolish. Others join, holding scale-shaped accessories. Worse than a zoo now. It finally ends, but—
"See that? She was worshipped."
"Amazing, right? I was shocked too. Truly the Scales, Aura."
"All thanks to our efforts."
"You did this."
More annoying people return, mocking me. My title's spread here too. The culprits act like proud parents. What a joke.
"No, no, you started it, Aura. Your big scene here spread your fame. Some treat this place as a holy site."
"Aura-ism, huh?"
"Let's pray too. Might get blessings."
"Yeah."
"Want execution?"
"Without magic, you might actually pull it off someday."
Himmel and Eisen start praying. Ridiculous. How much will they mock me? Me, start a religion? Never. They'd be executed first. I get the king's feelings now. Heiter just mutters nonsense.
My exhausting capital tour finally ends.
"Well met, hero's party. First gathering since the Demon King?"
The king, as haughty as ever, greets Himmel's group. I bow reluctantly, as always. Himmel and Eisen do too. No execution this time. We're at a pre-ceremony audience, dragged into it.
"I'm not part of the hero's party."
"Read the room."
I mutter, but Himmel scolds me. Same as before, but different. Heiter and Eisen are here, the king's entourage has changed, and many mages are present. Our audience is just a warm-up act. Annoying.
"Hmm, no Frieren?"
"Apologies. She's on a magic quest, so sadly…"
"Pity. She'd fit this event. No matter."
The topic shifts to the absent elf. Only she's missing from the party. Not here means she didn't come. Maybe she doesn't know about the ceremony.
(Nice phrasing…)
Himmel's smooth answer, likely rehearsed. Magic quest? Her grimoire hunt's not a lie, but it feels off. "This time" implies a next, but the king will be gone by then.
"Yet a new face joins. Been a while, Guillotine Aura—or Scales now?"
"Either's fine."
"A-Aura!?"
I'm sick of the teasing, but Himmel panics. Eisen twitches too. They didn't know?
"Fine. I permit her speech. Expecting decorum from a demon is odd."
The king explains. I can speak casually—met him multiple times, thanks to Heiter's "mediation." Himmel's jealous, probably. He and Eisen better watch their tongues.
"Your recent work here was commendable, as in the Holy City. Quite helpful, Heiter."
"Absolutely. With her, I can retire easy."
"You…"
Heiter's unfazed, even before the king. Retiring already? Unlike Himmel, he overestimates his age. Use me then quit? Demons have more decency.
The king's praising my capital work—different from the Holy City. For five years, I've handled corruption and scandals here with Azelieuze, exposing traitors and spies. It shifted the king's skepticism about me.
But the cases baffle me. Some order killings indirectly; others ruin rivals for little gain. Heiter calls them malice-driven. I'm caught up in it too.
Once my presence was known, people approached, some to slander, others to beg. Heiter mediated, per the king's orders, to protect me from malicious humans. I can't spot malice, so I rely on him. I'm learning, but it's slow. For now, I'm stuck with his schemes.
I proved my worth since last audience, surprising the king. He's been tricked, in a way. My casual speech might be my reward.
Talk shifts to Himmel's marriage prospects. Public exposure hits him hard—he can't use his usual tricks with me here. Serves him right. He's so stubborn, he might die a virgin. More priestly than Heiter.
"A fine chance. A reward, Aura. Any wishes?"
I'm stunned. A reward? A demon, from a human king? Unthinkable before. But what do I want? Freedom's impossible. Beyond that, nothing comes to mind. Why?
Magic, items, rights—endless options, yet I'm blank.
I'd planned to hide until Himmel's death. No issue there. This servile life gave me power even the Demon King lacked. It lets me stand before the king and face what's coming calmly. These years weren't wasted. Unbelievable, but—
"…Nothing. Just don't execute me."
Despite the risks, I might not mind this life anymore.
"Very you. I'll decide then."
The king accepts. Fine. Like Linie, I'll take what's offered, if useful. As I think this—
A colossal magic force dominates everything.
"—!?"
Like lightning, everyone trembles. Not everyone—Himmel and Eisen are calm, sensing something but less affected. The mages shudder, staring at one point. I look too.
"The guest of honor arrives. Let her pass."
The king, reading the room, orders the door opened. As it slowly parts, she appears.
A petite, girlish figure, but pointed ears mark her as an elf. With a fearless smirk, she strides forward.
This was the first meeting of the great mage Serie, Aura, and the hero's party.
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