"A human that is….no longer human? What d-do you mean?"
What the boy uttered was beyond comprehensible. All Fier could infer was some contradictory nonsense, as if spoken in the heat of the moment. In the first place, if a 'human' is not a human, then what even is it?
"Ah...Forgive me. I guess such phrasing could sound rather confusing, but there's no exact way to describe this 'me' right now. Hmm..."
After pausing for a few seconds to ponder, the boy sat down and spoke again.
"If this orb is what you could consider as 'Human me'. I'm the separated 'Will' that connects me to the high above."
"T-the high above? You don't say...?"
The boy was spouting even more absurd stuff, but it only felt more rational for Fier to believe it than not. Even now, the subtle, creepy pressure was still crawling under his skin, leaving him restless and unable to think straight. That wasn't including the sharp pain in his left shoulder was growing worse by the second.
"Though, I suppose terms like 'God' and such don't apply to me. That's that, I guess. Next question."
"Then…May I know what would require somebody as esteemed as you to be in this kinda place?"
Fier's tone has grown a bit more formal after that identity reveal, but the boy doesn't pay any heed. To him, the demon's attitude was as trivial as it could be.
"For fun is what I'd usually say, but I'm fulfilling an old wish of mine."
"An…old wish? To be human, out of all things?"
What the boy claimed was baffling.
To Fier, humans were pathetic. They were a bunch of selfish, desperate pricks who would resort to any means to achieve their own goals. Throughout his time running away from the demon purge, he was able to witness the sides of humans that could even make the demon's skin crawl.
In fact, from what he had learned, many allied with the demons before their fall was actually because humans made them suffer, unlike the natural hatred demons possessed.
Thus, his disgust for humanity only grew.
But what he hated most was how weak most of them were. The root of why many did what they did.
It was also a reminder of his past weak self that could only rely on luck to survive day after day, fearing for his own life at every second.
Weakness was undoubtedly a powerful drive, but it was also as disgusting when he himself was a distinguished member of the demons.
Why would anyone want to be like that?
"Yes, a human. Such is the wish of my past self."
"Forgive me for being rude but...aren't they weak?"
Looking up to the vast sky, the boy replied,
"Weak as they are, it only adds to the complexity that makes them a piece of art. Not that I'm a connoisseur or anything, though..."
"Though?"
The boy glimpsed at the little orb up high in his palm. He then stared at the demon, his face wearing a reminiscing smile.
"I do think that other race is a bit too simple for my liking. He, on the other hand, probably wouldn't agree though. Would you like to know why he wants to become a human?"
"N- YES!"
Fier wanted to refuse, but his mouth didn't listen. A last-ditch effort to assume any actual control of his body.
Somehow, his brain kept forcing a fixed response, as if making him play a certain role. A powerless puppet, if nothing more.
"He simply wanted to be what could have been him."
'Was that what he meant by...'
A human that is no longer one.
However, there was another implication when the seemingly important mystery got its answer that quickly.
"Surely, a descendant of hers like you should be able to understand such a pursuit, no?"
"?"
Was he talking about the 5th demon king? Fier wondered.
In truth, he hadn't learned much about the ideals of his authority predecessor, as it was deemed unnecessary by his master. Therefore, what she was like was very much a mystery to him.
No matter how dearly his master talked about the person who was the 5th despite calling her notorious, he couldn't grasp her at all. Not her personality. Not her goal. And certainly enough, not her worldview.
From the beginning, such was what demons lacked in their nature.
It made him even more curious about her. He wondered if possessing more understanding of her would allow him to understand his master as well, whose shadow had only grown ever so distant after the end of his training.
"I...What was s-"
Before Fier could ask, the boy cut in with a surprised tone.
"…Ho? You're an interesting case. That authority...you didn't inherit it, right?"
"!"
This time, Fier was shocked. His affinity with the authority itself was, stated by his master, to be able to fool gods itself.
Their interaction itself has only exceeded 10 minutes at most. Most of the time, the focus wasn't even on him, so the revelation was highly possible to be on a whim.
'Unbelievable. Is this what it feels like to face such a being?'
This only further cemented the incredible insight as well as the identity that the boy possessed.
"Such absurd compatibility. That explains the confusion. Not that any of it mattered anymore."
'!'
FLICK!
With a flick of his hand, the pain on Fier's shoulder left, followed by the sound of flapping.
'A bird?'
His body was finally free, and yet it instantly froze again. The moment he blinked, he somehow reappeared within the cage, seated on the same chair.
The same boy, now standing a few meters away, walked over to him. Fier couldn't make out his face anymore, and his heart couldn't help but beat faster in anticipation.
'?!'
Suffocation was the only thing he felt as he stared at the now formless face. The voice was corrupted, and yet make sense it did.
"A chance. I shall give you one. I'll give you 1 minute. To find a way out of here. The moment you fail. He. Spare you not. Did you know?" A bright white shape resembling a smirk widened on the frightening face, "He grows through trouble. Yet he detests trouble most."