The demon king raised an eyebrow, as if he couldn't understand the fairy's words.
In a way, he expected her to want revenge or something like that.
On the other hand, he couldn't deny that her decision was rational. In fact, it was sensible.
But that's precisely why he was surprised.
He had read many books and understood that most living creatures tended to be irrational and act based on something called "feelings" and "pride."
Properties that often took priority over their own survival.
And curiously, those who chose the most sensible options were called cowards depending on the circumstances.
"I understand," the demon king responded, still on alert. "Though I warn you that if you change your mind or try to take revenge on me, I'll kill you immediately."
The fairy sighed, as if that comment had amused her.
The demon king found that a strange reaction to a threat.
"Try it if you want, but I won't allow it," she said carelessly. "I'm not planning to try to kill you or anything like that, but that doesn't mean I'm going to leave you alone either."
Alexander's head tilted slightly to the left. The demon king was confused by that declaration.
How could such an insignificant being act with such arrogance in front of him?
"What do you mean?" the demon king asked with genuine confusion.
The fairy flew until she was in front of Alexander's face, pointing at him with her finger.
"Isn't it obvious?" the fairy said. For some reason, those words had slightly annoyed the demon king, as if they had mocked him.
"Even though you won, you stole my friend's corpse! I can't let you go around wreaking havoc and tarnishing the hero's image, so I'll be watching you until you recover and can stop parasitizing his body."
The fairy explained. There wasn't a hint of hesitation in her voice.
A normal person would have felt uneasy about the fairy's change in attitude. People don't get over their companions' deaths so easily.
However, the demon king didn't reach that level of reasoning, so he didn't worry about it.
"I understand your proposal, however I must admit I don't think I can survive outside this body," the demon king said calmly, as if admitting that weakness in front of a potential enemy didn't scare him at all.
"You see, in my desperation to survive Alexander's attack, I ended up losing more than 99.99% of my body, and with it, my means of survival."
The demon king began to explain, showing no shame in admitting he felt desperate to avoid receiving Alexander's attack.
Sylvie felt some relief knowing they had managed to corner the demon king, but didn't let those emotions show.
"In that state I needed to get more matter to survive, so I fused with Alexander. You could say his body is now part of mine, so it's not possible to separate from it."
Sylvie looked away with annoyance. She still felt sad inside.
In fact, she was fighting not to break down.
"I understand," she said. "Can't be helped. I'll have to watch you for a longer time than usual."
The demon king was even more surprised by Sylvie's quick acceptance of the circumstances.
However, suddenly the aura's presence became more ominous.
Her pupils turned black, and her smile twisted unnaturally.
"I suppose it'll be the perfect way to see your end. I'm looking forward to seeing the desperate face you'll make when the new heroes take away your so desperately sought freedom."
Her voice had changed to a much more sinister and monstrous one.
It had nothing to do with the shrill voice from before.
"I don't understand what you're saying. New heroes? Isn't that the next demon king's problem? What's more, will there be a next generation of heroes and demon kings now that I broke the cycle?" the demon king asked with an excessively calm attitude, as if he didn't care in the slightest about the fairy's change in attitude.
Sylvie's body was beginning to twist, as if she were victim to spasms. The light around her was losing color, adopting darker or lighter tones.
The demon king then remembered something. Fairies are beings that crystallize a fantasy. Their nature is pure and innocent.
While they're allowed certain attitudes, a fairy cannot come to wish ill on another for their own selfish desire.
For example, it's still considered pure if a fairy wants to kill the demon king to save the world.
However, if the fairy wishes ill on a person in pursuit of their own satisfaction, it's considered impure.
Feeling those kinds of feelings escapes the archetype they're bound to and causes them to become corrupted.
The demon king understood that fact, and therefore was aware that this fairy wished him ill.
However, rather than worrying him, it generated extreme curiosity about what a fairy who broke from its archetype could become.
"Isn't it OBVIOUS?" she responded as her smile twisted even more. "You're a villain, and as a villain, you're destined to fail. Don't you read books? It always happens the same way. The villain has a horrible ending and you'll have the same fate. It doesn't matter if it's a hero or the world itself collapsing. Someday you'll fall into despair and I'll be there to enjoy it!"
Those words surprised the demon king, but also gave him an idea.
A smile drew itself on Alexander's face. The demon king had found a new game to entertain himself.
"Fine, then I'll prove you wrong," he said with a somewhat defiant tone.
"If you say being a 'villain' condemns me to misery, then I'll simply become a hero."
Silence was abruptly established.
The world itself had fallen silent before the taboo the demon king had dared to pronounce.