Chapter 46: Aura's Compromise
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The day after the duel.
It wasn't until evening that Aura's consciousness gradually returned. She blinked, staring blankly at the familiar ceiling as her mind slowly cleared.
It took a while for her to fully understand her situation—and to remember her defeat.
"Why… did it have to be like this…"
"I'm sorry, but my magic is just too good against your human wave tactics," came a familiar voice beside the bed.
"Despicable villain…!" Aura's head turned instantly, and she glared at him, her face a mix of anger, humiliation, and frustration.
Even though she realized that if they fought again, she'd likely lose in the same way, the chance to curse him still brought some comfort.
Yet, she couldn't shake her disappointment.
After waiting five hundred years for another duel, she had expected an overwhelming victory. And while it was overwhelming, the one who was overwhelmed had been her.
…Honestly, if she weren't so concerned about her pride, she might have burst into tears right then over such a crushing defeat.
But as much as she tried not to cry, her frustration showed as she bit down on the quilt, her eyes locked onto Ash with a fierce gaze. The torn quilt served as a stand-in for him, her silent, biting protest.
This display brought considerable unease to Ash. Worried she might actually lash out, he backed away a little, then sighed, shaking his head. "Are you a sore loser? Hasn't anyone taught you to accept defeat gracefully?"
"You despicable villain—!"
"Alright, alright, I'm despicable." She continued to glare at him, growling through clenched teeth, but Ash merely shrugged nonchalantly. "Say what you want, but don't forget what you promised."
"…What do you want?" Although resentment was clear on her face, she knew the difference in power between them. After a long pause, she reluctantly chose the same compromise she had been forced to accept five hundred years ago.
Yet, she still made sure to warn him: "Let me make this clear! If you plan to torment me like last time, I'm not going to sit back and let you do as you please!"
"Who do you take me for?"
"A despicable person."
"Isn't that enough? Wasn't it a fair fight? How is that despicable?" He replied casually. Then, to preempt any argument, he gave her a quick, gentle slap on the forehead to silence her. "Rather than arguing, just come with me."
"Ugh, there's more?" Aura muttered, pulling his hand away. She sighed, lying on her side. "I didn't say this earlier, but it's better to bring it up now."
"What is it?"
"While I want to become the Demon King, it's not just the Demon King who's a problem. There's also the Omniscient Schlacht and the Golden land's Macht —they're both huge threats. Even if we join forces, we might not be able to defeat them. Do you truly think we have a chance?"
"…Let's put Schlacht aside for now. As for Macht of the Golden land, he probably has no interest in this."
"Really? But even so, there are still plenty of other troublesome foes out there."
"Let's not worry about that for now. Either way, we need to make the necessary preparations before anything happens."
The demons may not be numerous, but they wield considerable hidden power. From time to time, a great demon appears, and no one truly knows how many powerful demons lie hidden in this world.
Those demons are masters of concealment, nearly impossible to locate. Even the devil himself might not know where they are.
Furthermore, it would be far more convenient and effective for Aura to gain control over high-ranking human officials rather than trying to take command of the great demon clans directly.
"Leave all your forces here—don't even bring the Undead Legion—and come with me to the Empire."
"The Empire? Why?"
In this world, there is only one empire, and it stands as the strongest among the northern nations... in fact, the most powerful country in the world.
That Empire is the last surviving successor of the great civilization that once ruled most of the world a thousand years ago.
Even now, in the face of demon attacks, the Empire remains the toughest adversary on the front lines.
"The Empire is troublesome," Aura replied, clearly unimpressed. "Honestly, if it weren't for the Empire, the Central Continent would've fallen to us long ago. Don't tell me you want me to control the Emperor? Forget it. If that were possible, we'd have done it already." Just thinking about the Empire brought a look of distaste to her face.
Ash understood her frustration, perhaps even better than she did. Sitting at a desk in the room, he poured himself a glass of water and replied casually, "Indeed, being surrounded by the Empire would be a nightmare. They've inherited far too much from Flamme's legacy and have only grown stronger over the past thousand years."
"Flamme? Oh, you mean the ancestor of human magic from that book you were reading?"
"…Yes. Besides the great demons, the Empire itself is our most difficult obstacle."
While he hadn't planned to engage the Empire directly yet, just thinking about it was enough to give him a headache.
Despite only a fragment of the great empire surviving the surrounding nations' siege, it remains the strongest faction, with its heart in the imperial capital—a power that neither demons nor humans can take lightly.
Long ago, Flamme, with a noble vision, spread magic throughout human society, particularly in the Empire, hoping it would become a beacon for humanity. But the reality turned out to be a mix of success and contradiction.
The Empire indeed became the backbone of resistance against the demons, but its role as a guiding light for humanity is questionable.
For Ash knew that in the future, once the Demon King falls and the demon realm descends into chaos, the Empire, freed from its greatest threat, will turn against them. In doing so, it will secure its place as the dominant magical civilization and the strongest human nation.
The Empire venerates Flamme, as well as their master Serie and her apprentice, Frieren.
Even at that time, Serie had followed Flamme's will, teaching magic to humans for over half a century. Frieren had also played a crucial role as one of the heroes in the fight against the Demon King, helping to rid humanity of its greatest threat.
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POWER STONES WOULD BE APPRECIATED.