Solitär's words made Aura nod involuntarily, thinking that it was indeed true.
Then, watching Solitär and Fíliya walking side by side, she felt something was off.
Where is it...?
She fell into a brief contemplation again.
Oh... it's the shoulder distance!
Before, when these two walked together, there was still a gap of about twenty or thirty centimeters. But now... their shoulders were almost rubbing against each other.
What kind of events happened while I wasn't looking...? I just feel like these two are getting closer and closer.
Aura thought with a complicated expression, but she didn't say anything more as the group embarked on their journey once again.
Over the following days, Fíliya's party would occasionally sense the mana of the Magic Special Forces. However, those guys seemed to have received new instructions; the moment their detection clashed with Fíliya's group, they would flee at top speed.
"Are we being watched?"
On this day, Solitär seemed a bit impatient. If not for Fíliya stopping her repeatedly, she would have insisted on capturing a few Magic Special Forces members to dissect and see if they were truly immune to pain.
"No. With their style, if they were monitoring us, they wouldn't leave such a huge opening. I think... we most likely just have bad luck and ran into the period where The Empire is conducting a large-scale recall of the [Magic Special Forces]. These forces usually only patrol the borders, but just counting the ones we've met, there have been nearly ten squads... These guys should also be rushing towards the Imperial Capital and just happened to encounter us."
"Looking at it this way, The Empire must be brewing some kind of plan. I haven't seen this kind of large-scale mobilization of the [Magic Special Forces] before."
As Fíliya spoke, she lifted the cloth bag in her hand and shook it gently.
Under her movement, the bag emitted a crisp clinking sound.
Inside were all the [Magic Special Forces] badges she had collected along the way—she had already amassed over thirty of them.
It had to be said that the workmanship of these Magic Special Forces badges was quite good and they had decent collection value. It was just that other people certainly wouldn't have the means to attack the Magic Special Forces as wantonly as Fíliya did.
"Sigh... I feel like I missed out on something."
Sitting in the carriage, Fíliya suddenly let out a sigh, piquing the curiosity of Solitär and Aura.
"Mm... it's nothing. It's just that when I was in Weise, I chatted with that guy Denken. I did him a small favor, thinking I could count on him to look after us once we reached the Imperial Capital. But analyzing the current situation... the changes in the Imperial Capital are likely even greater than I imagined. That old fellow Denken might not even be able to save himself, right? I guess I can't count on him."
Fíliya spoke with a regretful face, but this matter wasn't particularly important to her. Soon, she began chatting with Solitär about other things.
After a trek lasting two months, Fíliya's party finally saw that magnificent capital city.
The mere sight of the giant gates, thirty or forty meters high, proved one point: the level of development of The Empire far exceeded that of other nations.
"Tsk, tsk... They raised the gate again... It used to be only twenty meters high. They've really done a good job with this vanity project."
Standing before the gates of the Imperial Capital, Lady Fíliya's expression remained extremely calm and confident.
"Let's go. Enter the city."
Fíliya held Solitär's hand with one hand and beckoned to Aura and Linie with the other. The group walked leisurely up to the guards as if nothing was amiss.
Fíliya saw it very clearly; the moment that guard met her gaze, he was obviously a bit unnatural, which made her even more disdainful.
She thought to herself that The Empire wasn't all that much. The guard exposed that he recognized her in an instant... Hmm, presumably her portrait was already well-known by the various departments of The Empire?
Hmm... then when will some capable assassins come?
Fíliya chuckled lightly, surprisingly feeling a faint sense of anticipation in her heart.
"Wasn't entering the city a bit too smooth...?"
Even Aura felt it was somewhat inconceivable. Although they had the identity-concealing magic, for a few demons to just waltz into the human nation with the strongest magical power... wasn't this a bit...?
"What else did you expect? I told you, that magic of mine is powerful. Unless it's a character on the level of Frieren, you don't need to worry about being seen through. Besides... I get the feeling that I'm the only one being targeted... Why is that?"
Fíliya subconsciously recalled the guard's expression, as well as those Magic Special Forces guys she had encountered before...
Hmm, could it be because of the [First-Class Mage] identity?
Is The Empire hunting down all [First-Class Mages]? Are they that bold?
Having arrived at a conjecture in her heart, Fíliya immediately felt a bit doubtful again. She still didn't believe the Magic Special Forces dared to go to such lengths. What level are you guys at, daring to oppose us?
Forget it, let's find a place to stay first. As time passes, things will surely become clear.
Fíliya temporarily abandoned her thoughts and led Solitär and the others into the city.
"Wait! What is that!"
Miss Aura suddenly let out a cry of surprise.
Everyone looked in the direction she was pointing.
It was a merchant caravan unloading goods. If one had to say there was something special, it was that the [workers] moving the cargo were all using magic to unload it.
"Look at your ignorant appearance. Here, there's more over there."
Fíliya spoke grumpily, then pursed her lips, gesturing towards another direction for Aura.
Aura looked over and saw that wherever her gaze landed—whether it was a young girl shopping, an old man tending to flowers, or children stacking stones with magic—everyone was filled with the aura of mana.
"Don't tell me everyone in [The Empire] is a mage..."
Aura murmured in disbelief.
"Of course not. Can't you tell at a glance? These ordinary citizens are at the apprentice level at most... They can't be counted as mages at all; they've just mastered some magic convenient for daily life... But that is shocking enough. The Empire is indeed a nation with a very dense magical atmosphere. From this perspective, the nation that Flamme dreamed of, where [everyone can use magic], has indeed been built."
Fíliya spoke in a calm tone. This struck Solitär as somewhat strange. After all... this fellow beside her was Flamme's direct disciple, and her relationship with Flamme was very good... In that case, seeing her teacher's dying wish achieved a thousand years later, why use such a cold tone? It really wasn't like her character.
"Because although The Empire is prosperous... this is built upon the sacrifice of other nations. The people of The Empire can live such happy lives because the Imperial Army campaigns across the continent, oppressing the people of weaker nations. This is completely different from the appearance of human unity that Flamme envisioned. However, this can be considered a sickness of humanity. Look, even without the external enemy of the [Demon Race], humans will still lay hands on their own kind."
Fíliya seemed to pierce through Solitär's thoughts, speaking her explanation before Solitär could ask.
"Mm... it's still a bit too early to ponder such propositions. Let's go, I'll take you guys to eat something... Though... I don't know if that shop I liked has gone out of business."
Fíliya changed the subject, a smile reigniting on her face, and began leading the group toward the alley in her memories.
"Although I had mentally prepared myself, there is still some regret... However, things like this happen from time to time. Let's go."
Seeing that the restaurant she used to frequent was closed, with even the signboard having vanished into thin air, Fíliya simply nodded calmly, then turned around.
"It's a pity I couldn't let you taste the flavors here. I loved coming here to eat when I was a child."
Fíliya's tone was full of regret as she spoke, looking towards Solitär.
"A child? How small?"
Solitär, however, was curious about a different point in her words.
"Mm, around fourteen or fifteen years old."
"That's not very small."
"I suppose that might be the case for you. Truly a pity..."
Fíliya spoke, sighing lightly.
"? If you insist on talking about it, isn't there a way?"
Seeing Fíliya in this state, Solitär kindly reminded her. What she was referring to was, of course, Mental Magic.
"Oh... you reminded me. Let me try. You two come over here as well."
Fíliya spoke, beckoning to Aura and Linie.
Once the four of them were standing together in a circle, Fíliya slowly employed Mental Magic. She shared that specific taste from her memories with everyone.
"...What is this? A tingly, itchy sensation. How strange."
Miss Aura closed her eyes to feel it, then rubbed her arm with her hand.
"It's warm..."
Linie also chimed in, revealing a smile.
Judging by their reactions, it seemed Fíliya had shared not only the taste but also the feelings she had at that time.
"And you? How does it feel?"
Fíliya looked at Solitär's side profile. As expected, what she cared about more was this fellow's opinion.
"Not bad, I suppose. It's a pity I don't know what ingredients were used, otherwise I could recreate it for you to taste."
Solitär spoke calmly.
After emerging from the small alley, Fíliya had already adjusted her mindset. Looking at the busy street before her with people coming and going, a smile unconsciously surfaced at the corners of her mouth.
"Solitär, you felt it too, right?"
"Mm, strange things have mixed into the crowd."
Solitär nodded slightly.
"Where? Where? How come I didn't see it?"
Miss Aura, standing behind them, had a face full of confusion.
Thus, Fíliya explained a bit.
"This is another organization, different from the [Magic Special Forces], called the [Shadow Warriors]. But in my opinion, they haven't managed to blend into the shadows at all. Though, I suppose I'm in no position to criticize them on that point..."
Fíliya laughed in a self-deprecating manner, then continued to add.
"Look at that small vendor setting up a stall. He looks like he's dozing off, but he's actually been peeking at the crowd the whole time. Those people tens of meters away are obviously not going to patronize his business, yet he keeps wasting energy watching the flow of the crowd... Is it because he's bored?"
"Oh... So, is he hiding his identity?"
Aura nodded, finally seeming to understand.
"Mm, these [Shadow Warriors] were like this in the past, and it seems they haven't made much progress. They just disguise themselves in various professions and mix into the crowd to monitor abnormal situations within the capital... Right? Old gentleman."
As Fíliya spoke, she slowly paced over to a beggar in the corner of the wall.
"Old gentleman, don't you think you are quite rude? In that short amount of time just now, you observed us out of the corner of your eye several times."
Fíliya stood before this Dwarven old beggar, her expression carrying a hint of coldness.
"I don't quite understand what you mean..."
That Dwarven elder caught by Fíliya revealed a terrified look in his eyes, as if saying [Please don't hurt this old thing], and his body even cooperated by emitting a slight tremble.
Tsk, tsk, tsk... As expected of an expert. Despite having absolutely no fear, he can control his muscles to produce such incredibly precise trembling movements.
Seeing this, Fíliya immediately held this old man in slightly higher regard.
"I say, what are you sneaking peeks at us for, you old thing?"
Fíliya slowed her speaking speed, but her tone remained just as merciless. If it were any other time, she would have even wanted to kick the broken bowl in front of this old thing flying.
"..."
Seeing this, the elder seemed to not have given up the struggle yet, and slowly opened his mouth to speak.
"Everyone here is a young woman in the prime of youth. This old man just took a couple of extra looks; is that some unforgivable sin?"
"Ha! Exposed yourself, didn't you? What beggar uses a word like [Sin]?"
Fíliya pointed her finger directly at the elder's nose and continued speaking.
"Some [Shadow Warriors]... In my view, you have at least three flaws."
Fíliya crossed her arms over her chest, looking at the old man before her with a face full of disdain.
"...Is that so? Then this humble one is all ears."
The elder answered slowly. As his words fell, his entire temperament underwent a heaven-and-earth overturning change in an instant; it was clear he had completely stopped acting.
"First, your temperament is way too different from a [Weird Pervy Old Man]. On this point, never mind me, even that one over there can feel it. Give it up."
Fíliya spoke, pointing her finger at Miss Aura.
"Second, your race betrayed you, Mr. Dwarf."
As Fíliya spoke, a smile unconsciously appeared at the corner of her mouth.
"Oh? I don't quite understand that part."
Before her, a trace of a different emotion finally appeared on the face of the gray-bearded elder wearing tattered clothes.
"Heh... I grew up listening to all kinds of stories. In those circulated tales, Dwarves are all beings with a special skill. And in my life so far, I've met quite a few Dwarves. Some were powerful warriors, some were excellent blacksmiths, and some were shrewd merchants... But I have never heard of a Dwarf who had fallen to the level of a [Beggar]."
"With the down-to-earth, hard-working, and persistent nature of Dwarves, I really have a hard time imagining a Dwarf becoming a beggar, you know? On the contrary, with the Elves' overly loose nature, it would be much more acceptable if they ended up as slaves or beggars. You picked the wrong identity from the start."
Fíliya expressed her views with a triumphant look, and the elder before her nodded as if he understood.
"Then what about the third point?"
He even took the initiative to press for more.
"The third point is even more obvious. Look around you. Within a radius of several hundred meters, is there a second beggar besides you...? By the way, the very appearance of a beggar in this location of the Imperial Commercial District is already a flaw... Really, you are too unprofessional."
Fíliya revealed a look of utter disappointment, and sighed deeply in front of the old man.
"That can't be helped. I was never a person good at hiding myself... As expected, a head-on confrontation suits me better."
The old man chimed in with Fíliya's reaction, slowly stood up from the ground, and then straightened out his tattered shirt.
"Oh? What are you doing? Are you planning to make a move on me?"
Seeing the other party stand up, Fíliya also prepared her defenses. After all... her previous series of so-called 'deductions' were actually just looking for clues while already knowing the answer.
She didn't need to think that much at all. The moment she saw this old man, she already knew that he was a rare powerhouse.
She could tell at a glance that this old man's body was a body of steel forged by an incomparably refined furnace of Fighting Spirit. If they were really talking about strength, this old fellow might just be the third strongest warrior in her cognition.
The first is undoubtedly Rivale, and the second is Stark's master, Eisen.
Confronting a warrior at this distance is normally a very dangerous thing for a mage, but... Lady Fíliya remained the exception.
Mastering [Self-Gold Transformation], she was not afraid of a warrior's sneak attack at all. What, could you possibly destroy the Gold Transformation?
If even the God of War, Rivale, couldn't accomplish such a thing, how could this dwarf before her possibly be capable of it? She thought disdainfully.
"No, this humble one has just been sitting for too long and wanted to get up and stretch a bit," the Dwarf Elder said.
Fíliya had been observing him, and naturally, he had been observing Fíliya's group as well. In this instant, he felt that his intelligence needed an update—a major one.
This Lady Fíliya was not as simple as the 'Eccentric of the Magic School' or a 'Newly Promoted First-Class Mage'.
He sensed a clear threat from her presence. That sensation of hair standing on end when facing a formidable enemy was something he hadn't experienced in a long time, so he dared not act rashly against Fíliya.
Moreover, there were several strong reinforcements of unknown capability beside Lady Fíliya. The Dwarf Elder could tell they were suppressing their mana, but since he wasn't a mage, he couldn't accurately gauge exactly how strong Solitär was.
However, his battle instincts told him that if he made a move here, the one to die would most likely be him. Furthermore... this was the prosperous Commercial District of the Imperial Capital. If this battle were to affect the general public, this area could turn into a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood in the blink of an eye.
"Alright then, you keep stretching. I'm leaving."
Seeing that the other party had no intention of fighting, Fíliya casually turned around. She felt no psychological burden whatsoever about this act of voluntarily exposing her back.
Let alone this dwarf, even if Rivale were to come out and ambush her right now, she was confident she could activate [Self-Gold Transformation] before the attack arrived.
No matter how fast a warrior's movements were, could they be faster than her reaction and thought speed? Lady Fíliya was obviously very confident about this.
Her behavior left the Dwarf Elder, who was disguised as a strange beggar, somewhat bewildered.
An opponent like Fíliya was something he had only seen once in his life. He couldn't understand why she would leave directly after deliberately exposing his identity... offering neither negotiation nor threats.
"Because there is no need. Probing and standoffs are the most boring things. I believe you are smart people."
Fíliya seemed to pierce through the Elder's thoughts, offering an explanation before he could ask.
"Whether it's the [Magic Special Forces] or the [Shadow Warriors], I have no interest in you. The reason I pointed you out was just to see if you would reveal that amusing look of shock. I am quite satisfied with the current result. So, just don't come and disturb my peaceful life."
After dropping these words, Fíliya quickly vanished from the Dwarf Elder's sight.
"Not disturb...? Unfortunately, that can't be done if the plan is to continue..."
The Elder watched the retreating figures of Fíliya's group and silently frowned.
"It seems I must re-evaluate the danger of that matter," the Elder muttered to himself, then retreated into the shadows of the alley.
"I just feel like that old man is a bit familiar..." Miss Aura, who was strolling along, suddenly spoke up, her words successfully attracting everyone's attention.
"Oh? Another unexpected harvest. You know him?"
Fíliya looked at Aura with curiosity. After all, she never expected to get any useful intelligence from Aura.
"Mm... I'm a bit unsure too. He shouldn't have been this old back then... Over eighty years ago, when the Demon Race launched a massive invasion of the Empire, I heard there was a very strong dwarf warrior who held back the Demon Army single-handedly... Maybe it was him?"
"That definitely has to be him. A dwarf, single-handedly... If it isn't him, could it be Eisen? Eisen should have been charging straight for the Demon King's Castle with the Hero... By the way, your Demon Army really isn't much if it got stopped by one old man, is it?"
"Uh... I don't know the specifics either. I wasn't on the scene, and the one responsible for attacking the Empire wasn't me..." Aura replied timidly, as if trying her best to prove that she wasn't the weak one.
"Heh."
Seeing this, Lady Fíliya said no more.
Just like that, Lady Fíliya took Solitär and the others to rent a residential house, and they truly began to live within the Empire.
After offering that benevolent pointer to the Dwarf Elder that day, she no longer felt that sense of being monitored. Life could be described as quite comfortable.
During this time, while shopping with Solitär, she also discovered a very interesting place.
It was a tavern. Normally, this kind of place would be something Lady Fíliya detested deeply, but... she was surprised to discover one thing: the people gathered in this tavern were actually all [Shadow Warriors].
As for how she detected it, it was rather simple. Although Lady Fíliya wasn't very good at hiding herself, she was very good at dismantling the disguises of others.
Relying on her terrifying means of piercing through all physical reactions of another person and capturing every emotion, she could easily discover if a person was lying or hiding their identity.
Good grief, I said don't come and disturb me, yet you moved your stronghold directly to the vicinity of my home?
Hm? But that doesn't seem quite right either. I chose this house myself, and that tavern was there from the beginning. And I haven't felt any surveillance gaze during this period... so it's just a coincidence?
Whatever. Since I'm here, teasing these guys has its own unique flavor.
Lady Fíliya stood in front of the tavern, a smile unconsciously surfacing at the corner of her mouth.
"Boss, come out and welcome a guest!"
Wearing an arrogant expression, Lady Fíliya kicked the tavern door open.
The instant she entered, the atmosphere inside became incomparably awkward.
The Store Manager, who was wiping a glass, almost failed to hold it steady. A drunken female mercenary's sword suddenly fell to the ground. Only a cute girl, who looked like a waitress or a poster girl, reacted first and slowly approached Fíliya's side.
A guest?! We're still closed, you know?"
Fíliya looked at the woman approaching her. The stranger was slightly shorter than herself, with long pink hair tied in twin tails that draped down from her ears. Her bangs were cut just long enough to cover her eyebrows, giving her an aura that felt quirky and impish.
Although this girl was trying her best to play the role of a shop clerk, Fíliya could tell at a glance that beneath that disguised exterior lay the foundation of a sharp and lethal killer.
"Oh? Is that so? Then what's the deal with her?"
Fíliya raised an eyebrow slightly and casually pointed toward the drunkard woman off to the side.
With messy blonde hair tied in a simple ponytail at the back of her head, this young woman, dressed like a mercenary, had reacted strangely the moment Fíliya entered.
She had reached out to touch her sword, but as if unable to grip it steadily, she let the sword fall to the ground just like that.
Judging by the drunken reaction on the girl's face, this result seemed logical, yet Fíliya felt something was off.
After all... what flickered in the other party's eyes was neither suspicion nor curiosity, nor was it the emotion one shows when facing a threat. Instead, it looked more like... world-weariness.
Hmm... I see. Still pretending with me, are you?
Fíliya instantly understood everything. After all, she simply didn't believe that an agile [Shadow Warrior], even if paralyzed by alcohol, would be unable to hold her own sword steady. Therefore, the earlier reaction was highly likely just a performance.
"She... She is..."
The cute twin-tailed shop clerk looked troubled. After all, Fíliya barging into the tavern was an unforeseen emergency, and she hadn't received any contingency plan for how to handle such a situation.
"Heh. Manager, where did you hire this girl? She doesn't look too bright. She freezes up after a simple question; how is she supposed to entertain guests?"
Fíliya brushed directly past the clerk, moved her feet, and slowly walked over to the bar counter to sit down.
"It can't be helped. Iris is a new child, after all, and she isn't very good at dealing with people yet."
The clerk picked up the cup that had fallen, gripping it tightly with a grave expression as she inspected it thoroughly. Only then did she let out a sigh of relief, as if a weight had been lifted, pretending she was truly fortunate that the cup hadn't broken.
"Is that so? Then it seems, Manager, you can tell me what the background of that drunken mercenary is... Could she be your younger sister?"
Fíliya propped her cheek with one hand, her elbow resting on the bar counter, and narrowed her eyes at him.
"No, that person and I have a simple employment relationship."
The Manager, a young man with short blonde hair parted in the middle, looked calm, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"Oh, a bodyguard, then... It feels a bit strange, though. This is the Imperial Capital; is there really anyone who would cause trouble here?"
Fíliya asked, blinking her large, curious eyes.
The so-called person causing trouble is you, isn't it...
The young man serving as the manager subconsciously retorted in his heart, but his superficial disguise didn't falter.
"Well, there are naturally no troublemakers, but as you know, a place like a tavern inevitably gets guys who drink themselves into a stupor... Schulitte's job is to invite those kinds of people out of the shop."
Hmm... I feel like there are way too many holes in that statement.
Fíliya pursed her lips upon hearing this, then pointed her finger again.
"Then why doesn't she throw herself out first...? By the way, you sure are tolerant with your employees, Manager. Is it really okay to get dead drunk during working hours?"
As Fíliya spoke, she pinched her nose and revealed a look of disgust. Being someone very sensitive to alcohol, she had an instinctive aversion to that mercenary girl who was marinated in booze.
"We are closed, after all... Besides, isn't Schulitte quite cute like this?"
The Manager said with a smile, placing a specific emphasis on the word 'closed' in his sentence.
What? Trying to chase me away? Well, I'm not leaving.
Fíliya completely ignored the other party's hint and fished a cloth bag out of her satchel.
"Then just give me whatever to drink. By the way, the non-alcoholic kind."
Fíliya spoke on her own accord.
...You're here to pick a fight, aren't you? Coming to a tavern specifically to order 'non-alcoholic drinks'—what are you trying to do?
The Manager only felt a bit helpless.
"Young lady, this is a tavern."
"Mm, and? Oh... don't worry, I won't short you on the money."
Fíliya lifted the cloth bag in her hand and gave it a gentle shake.
Uh... Is this about money?
The Manager held his forehead with his hand. He felt powerless against this God of Plague whom he couldn't fight and couldn't chase away. This was clearly a critical juncture in their plan, yet they had suddenly encountered such unexpected trouble.
In the end, the Manager could only serve Fíliya a cup of... hot water.
"This is the only non-alcoholic drink we have."
He said as much.
"It's fine, as long as it's drinkable. I'm dying of thirst after walking around so much."
Fíliya didn't complain. She directly picked up the cup and performed a simple check... Mm, very good. Neither the liquid in the cup nor the cup itself had been tampered with.
Then, she drained it in one gulp.
"Mm... As expected, it's lacking a bit of flavor. Well, that's that. I just came to say hello to the neighbors. That's all."
Fíliya put down the water cup, casually held the cloth bag in the air, and then turned it inside out.
Next, a melodious clinking sound, like coins colliding, resonated through the entire tavern. But when the Manager looked, the things falling out of that cloth bag weren't coins at all, but... a large pile of [Magic Special Forces] badges.
"Why are you staring?"
Seeing the Manager's grave expression, Fíliya couldn't help covering her mouth and revealing a smile.
"It's just that your payment is a bit too much."
The Manager's shock lasted only for an instant. He quickly returned to his usual expression and swept those badges into his pocket, not missing a single one.
"After all, I am a generous person. In my hometown, people praised me for being a good child with a beautiful heart."
Fíliya chuckled lightly, then continued to add:
"Mm, I'll be coming by often in the future, so I suggest you hurry up and update your menu here. Personally, I prefer drinks with orange juice or apple juice flavors... It's so boring to only sell alcohol."
"That is indeed a pretty good suggestion. I will consider your opinion, dear guest."
The Manager responded while wiping a glass.
"Oh? The decoration of your little shop is quite interesting too. This is the first time I've seen someone frame a longbow and arrows to mount on the wall."
Fíliya looked toward the wall inside the bar area.
"That won't do. If you want to disguise yourselves, naturally you have to be a bit more ordinary. It's best to put away things like that which easily attract attention."
After leaving this final piece of advice, Fíliya stood up from the bar and walked straight toward the door.
That is..."
Another brand new day. Fíliya was strolling through the streets with Solitär and the others.
While walking, a giant statue in the distance attracted Solitär's attention.
"Oh, that. Didn't I tell you? The Empire's [Flamme] statue... looks just like that."
Fíliya looked in the direction Solitär pointed, and a trace of helplessness immediately surfaced on her face.
Flamme herself was a big sister with flowing long hair, but this [Flamme] statue of the Empire was the image of a stern-faced, very serious middle-aged man.
"Is it that true history naturally lost its fidelity during transmission, or was this the Empire's intentional doing?"
Solitär fell into thought. It seemed her inner 'expert on humans' had been roused to research interest in this instant.
"Oh? That is quite an interesting topic... Worth exploring."
Fíliya seemed to get interested as well, and then led the group to the front of a huge library.
"Although I don't hold much hope, let's start searching here. I recall there are quite a few books regarding the Empire's history here."
Fíliya signaled Solitär with her eyes, and Solitär naturally followed behind Fíliya.
"Uh... well, I'm not interested in this kind of thing... Can I go back first?"
Holding quite a few things in her hands, mostly food, Miss Aura had a somewhat subtle expression.
"Mm... that works too. Forcing you to read books you aren't interested in isn't good... But there's a limit to sneaking food, you know?"
After narrowing her eyes and scanning Aura, Fíliya tossed a warning at her.
"Uh... Don't worry, I'll save some for you."
Miss Aura replied with a slightly guilty conscience.
"Then what about Linie? Going back with her?"
Fíliya turned her head to look at Linie.
Linie's gaze hesitated between Aura and Fíliya for a brief moment, but ultimately, she stood behind Fíliya.
"I will stay with Lady Fíliya... Lady Aura won't get lost anyway."
Linie spoke slowly.
Heh.
Seeing this, Fíliya immediately cast a triumphant, victorious glance at Aura.
Didn't expect that, did you, Aura? Linie has long since been my person. Even you are my person!
"...Whatever."
After appreciating Linie's betrayal from zero distance once again, Miss Aura turned her head away as if abandoning herself to despair, unable to bear looking directly at that pain.
Judging by her performance, once this fellow returns home, she'll probably turn her grief into appetite.
The three entered the interior of the Imperial Library. Fíliya rushed to the front desk quickly, then revealed a puzzled expression.
"Hmm? Little girl... Wasn't there an old granny working as the administrator here before? Where is she?"
Fíliya asked the girl before her curiously.
Hearing Fíliya's words, a momentary look of astonishment surfaced in the eyes of the girl serving as the librarian.
This was a very beautiful girl, with short silver-grey hair. Her face was haggard and slightly melancholic, simply looking like a sickly girl who had walked out of a storybook.
"The previous administrator has passed away."
The girl's voice was very clear, her tone containing a hint of sadness.
"...Oh. Such things happen from time to time. Died... so she died."
Fíliya was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, but her dejection only lasted for an instant before she quickly returned to normal.
"Is there anything I can help you with?"
The maiden serving as the librarian continued to ask.
"...Books regarding the Empire's history. Where are they? Please take us there."
"The Empire's history...?"
The administrator lady frowned slightly, then spoke.
"What a pity. About three years ago, the library's collection was inventoried and organized once. Many of the older books were disposed of. I don't know how many books on the Empire's history remain... Please follow me."
The administrator lady slowly stood up, then stood by Fíliya's side to lead the way.
"? So you can stand up. Looking at your appearance... I thought you couldn't get up."
Fíliya sized up this cute girl before her. After all, this girl was full of a sickly temperament, making one feel she ought to be in a wheelchair.
"Words like that are very rude, you know? Please do not say them again."
Regarding Fíliya's teasing, the librarian lady's expression remained very calm, only a faint hint of rebuke flowing between her brows.
"Mm-hm, indeed. I was wrong."
Fíliya rarely admitted a mistake, and only then did the group head elsewhere.
After a period of time, the librarian finally stopped, then turned to look at Fíliya's group.
"This is probably the place. This area records various ancient histories—the Empire's, and other countries' as well... Please help yourself. Also... please absolutely do not damage the books."
The administrator lady exhorted with a serious face.
"Mm, got it. But can you do me one more favor?"
Fíliya called out to stop the administrator lady.
"Hmm? Is there something else?"
The administrator lady tilted her head blankly.
"You seem to have forgotten to tell me your name?"
Fíliya also imitated the other's posture, tilting her head and meeting her gaze.
"...You really are an interesting person."
Seeing Fíliya's strange appearance, the administrator lady couldn't help but reveal a smile.
"My name is Lutine."
"? Not bad. Sounds like a well-behaved good child."
After obtaining the other party's true name, Fíliya immediately nodded.
After giving her name, Lutine slowly disappeared from everyone's sight.
Immediately after, Fíliya felt a burst of stinging pain.
That was Solitär fiercely elbowing her.
Although she and Solitär often bickered, the force this time was different from usual.
"Hiss!"
Fíliya immediately rubbed her waist, the look in her eyes towards Solitär containing a trace of pleading for mercy.
"When did you become so gentle? Being so patient with good-looking human girls."
Solitär spoke faintly.
"Where was that... I don't think I have double standards. Aren't I very patient with demon girls too..."
Fíliya muttered something in a low voice.
"So why did you ask for her name?"
Solitär asked with ill intentions.
"Hmm? Because she is obviously a member of the [Shadow Warriors] too. Asking is never wrong."
Fíliya spoke with an innocent face.
...?
This time it was Solitär's turn to be stunned. She truly hadn't expected Fíliya's reason to be this.
Moreover... she did feel there was something odd about that seemingly frail human girl just now, but she hadn't thought much of it.
So... Fíliya had seen through the other's identity long ago?
She thought Fíliya was engaging in some kind of... activity motivated by lust again.
"I saw something was off at first glance... That child looks like a sickly girl, but her body isn't weak at all. Her muscles are quite tough. Really, Solitär, are you being a little too jealous lately?"
Fíliya crossed her arms over her chest, observing Solitär's reaction with a teasing expression.
"Am I?"
Solitär blinked blankly.
"You just are."
Fíliya nodded with absolute certainty.
As expected, we can't find anything."
Fíliya closed the book in front of her, shook her head, and looked over at Solitär.
This was already the seventh time she and Solitär had come to the Imperial Library. Spending a large amount of time burying themselves in the library every day had resulted in absolutely nothing.
Although Fíliya hadn't held much hope to begin with, such a result was inevitably a bit disappointing.
"Well, didn't that human girl say the Imperial Library underwent a purge? Many books are missing... Even if it hadn't been purged, anything involving [Great Mage Flamme] would certainly be a secret among secrets. It's impossible to find any clues," Solitär spoke slowly, then turned her head to meet Fíliya's gaze.
"Tsk, so you actually knew it wasn't possible either, huh... Yet you still accompanied me to waste time."
Fíliya curled her lips.
"That's not true. Since I am searching with you, it doesn't count as wasting time," Solitär said with a smile. This was her honest thought; as long as she could be with Fíliya, doing even the most boring things held meaning for her.
"Ew... so cheesy."
Fíliya deliberately exaggerated her reaction and scooted half a step back.
Just as she and Solitär were teasing each other, the sound of steady footsteps slowly approached them.
"Hmm? Lutine? It's quite rare for you to actively come find me. What's the matter?"
Fíliya looked at the librarian lady with curiosity. If there was any extra harvest from this week... it was getting slightly acquainted with this librarian.
Mm... after all, her main position in the Magic Association was also a librarian, so she actually had quite a few topics to chat about with this Miss Lutine.
"..."
Facing Fíliya, Lutine didn't speak immediately. Instead, she took a deep breath.
"The Commander wants to see you..." Lutine spoke slowly, her expression appearing somewhat hesitant.
During this week, Miss Fíliya hadn't been idle aside from visiting the library. While touring the entire Imperial Capital with Solitär, she had also caught most of the [Shadow Warriors] hiding in the crowd.
Such behavior was practically an open provocation, but this was exactly what Fíliya intended.
"Oh? Finally here? It seems my labor bore fruit after all." Fíliya chuckled lightly. "And the location?"
"It's right in the tavern..." Lutine hurriedly supplemented.
"Is that so... Then I'll just refuse."
The corners of Fíliya's mouth outlined a wicked smile.
"Eh!?"
Lutine's expression froze. It was clear she completely hadn't expected this development.
After all... Fíliya's actions clearly signaled an intent to communicate with their superiors... so why would she refuse after they issued the invitation?
Lutine couldn't figure it out. Such complex matters were never her responsibility. Although she looked like a clerical worker, her real job was slaughtering on the front lines.
"Hmm... But if I do that, it would be a bit pitiful for you, Lutine. I heard that if [Shadow Warriors] fail a mission, they face terrifying punishments... What should we do?"
Fíliya looked Lutine up and down with ill-intentioned eyes.
Then, she was gifted a slap by Solitär. Of course, this slap landed on her back.
"Don't look at people with those lecherous eyes," Solitär said displeasedly.
[?... As expected of the human-loving Miss Solitär, standing on the human side instantly...? Uh, fine, I was wrong.]
Fíliya suddenly had the thought of teasing Solitär a bit, but seeing Solitär raise her hand again, she immediately chose to chicken out.
Sigh, soft and squishy human girls are still easier to bully... Fíliya thought to herself, then shrugged.
"Um, then, Fíliya, what will it take for you to accept the invitation?"
Lutine placed her hands before her chest, looking at Fíliya with a slightly nervous expression.
"Heheh... That depends on your [Sincerity], Lutine-dear. You don't want the mission sent down from above to fail, right?"
As Fíliya spoke, she took a step forward and pinched Miss Lutine's hand.
"..."
Lutine's expression grew increasingly grave, yet she dared not pull her hand away. This reaction made Fíliya incomparably satisfied.
"Miss Solitär..."
Lutine cast a helpless look of distress toward Solitär. After all, in her view, only that mysterious mage beside Fíliya could possibly make this Lady Fíliya listen to reason.
"Get away from Lutine!"
But before Solitär could speak, another delicate shout was heard, followed by a bustling figure rapidly approaching Fíliya's side.
"Get lost!"
That pink figure leaped up, delivering a flying kick straight at Fíliya.
But Fíliya seemed completely unaware of the danger, still leaning on Lutine's body, reluctant to leave. It was unclear whether this fellow was overly confident in [Self-Gold Transformation] or simply wanted to take advantage of the situation a bit longer.
Thus, Solitär could only help helplessly, grabbing Fíliya by the back of her collar and yanking her aside, causing the pink-haired girl's kick to miss.
"Oh my? Isn't this Miss Iris? Not acting anymore? That obedient look in the tavern was indeed just a disguise."
Even while being held by the collar by Solitär, Fíliya still had the energy to deliver taunts.
But her taunts didn't have much effect. After all, Miss Iris's attention wasn't on her at all right now.
"Lutine, how are you? Did that guy do anything excessive to you?"
Seeing her attack miss, Iris didn't get angry. She immediately placed her hands on Lutine's shoulders and began asking about her well-being.
"I'm fine..."
Lutine smiled at the newcomer, then reached out to wipe the sweat from Iris's forehead. She knew Iris must have rushed here all the way out of worry for her.
"My, my, what a pair of tragic lovebirds..."
Fíliya stood properly again, laughing as she clapped for the two in front of her.
"You... You bastard! You already have three of your own! A whole three! Why do you still have to make a move on Lutine!"
Iris shielded Miss Lutine behind her, glaring viciously at Fíliya.
But in Fíliya's eyes, this fierce appearance looked exactly like a... hissing kitten.
What do you mean I made a move on Lutine? Did I?
Miss Fíliya asked herself honestly. She had only teased her casually; it was far from the level of "making a move." This guy is just being overprotective, isn't she...
Hmm... I feel like things have become interesting.
Looking at Miss Iris's appearance of a wife-protecting maniac, the smile at the corner of Fíliya's mouth couldn't help but become increasingly brilliant.
"Oh? Is it really okay to speak to me like that? I am, after all, the guest your superiors strongly invited... If I don't go to the appointment today, wouldn't Miss Lutine's mission fail? generally speaking, what kind of punishment does a [Shadow Warrior] receive for a failed mission? To be honest, I'm quite curious."
Fíliya chuckled lightly as she looked at Iris.
"People like you really are the most disgusting kind, only knowing how to threaten others by using their weaknesses..."
Iris grit her teeth tightly, but judging by the expression on her face, her will was clearly wavering.
If she caused Lutine's mission to fail, leading to Lutine being punished...
Just the thought of such a possibility brought a wave of bitterness to Iris's heart. But when she remembered how this person had teased Lutine just now, she simply couldn't sit back and ignore it!
"I'm sorry... Lutine."
Iris apologized softly to Lutine.
"It's not your mistake."
Lutine gazed at her with a gentle, all-affirming look.
"Tsk, tsk... what a tragic and beautiful bond. If you keep going, I might just be moved to tears."
Fíliya looked at the two before her with a serious face.
"? Really?"
Iris froze for a moment, then a smile quickly appeared on her face.
"Fake!"
Fíliya immediately retorted, wondering to herself if it was perhaps too unkind to bully a fool like this.
"Hmm... Fine then. I'll give you a small chance. Let me see your strength. If you can satisfy me, I might just overlook your offense."
As Fíliya spoke, she casually manifested a one-handed sword in her hand using magic. By now, she had cultivated this magic to a level roughly on par with Solitär herself.
"Come on, let me see what kind of standard you [Shadow Warriors] actually possess."
Facing Fíliya's provocation, Iris hesitated slightly. She wasn't afraid of Fíliya—otherwise, she wouldn't have thrown that kick earlier. She was merely worried that if she engaged in combat... would the other mage beside Fíliya make a move on Lutine?
In terms of combat power, Lutine was clearly on a similar level to herself, but Iris had become accustomed to this mindset of protecting Lutine.
"It's fine... Miss Solitär is a good person. You are the one who needs to be careful... If it's no good, just give up."
Lutine comforted Iris softly.
Give up? I certainly won't... The higher-ups kept saying absolutely do not come into conflict with that guy... But what this bastard shouldn't have done, absolutely shouldn't have done, was lay a hand on Lutine... How could I possibly endure that!
Iris glared at Fíliya, then slowly stood up. With a swift motion, she drew her weapons from the leg bands of her waitress outfit—two short swords, slightly longer than daggers.
"Oh? Your presence is quite impressive, though I wonder how your actual skill holds up."
Fíliya casually flourished a sword flower in the air with her one-handed sword, then nodded slightly, signaling Iris to make the first move.
...Tsk, a mere mage daring to let a warrior take the initiative at this distance... You bastard, could you be any more pretentious!
Iris curled her lips in displeasure, then charged forward, rushing at Fíliya like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey.
However, Fíliya maintained an air of ease throughout. After all... in her eyes, Iris's speed was simply a bit too slow.
Ever since the Demon God of War, Rivale, sharply commented that she had a talent for learning martial arts, Fíliya herself had developed a slight interest in the way of martial techniques, so she would occasionally spar with Linie.
Furthermore, most mages of this era possessed close-quarters combat experience themselves. The pure turret-type mages like Frieren were a category already eliminated by history. The reason Frieren herself was still invincible... was purely because her stats were too high.
"What's wrong? Dual short swords facing a single-handed sword, yet you're at a disadvantage... And for a warrior to be suppressed in close combat by a mage, don't you feel a bit embarrassed?"
While exchanging blows with Iris, Fíliya still had the leeway to hurl various taunts at her.
Iris paid no attention to Fíliya's sarcasm because she simply couldn't spare any extra mental energy to think about anything else.
She currently had only one thought: What kind of monster is this woman in front of me?
Clearly just a mage, yet both her strength and speed were at the level of a top-tier warrior... Moreover, Iris vaguely felt that Fíliya was obviously going easy on her... At least several times, that guy could have left wounds on her body, but instead used those openings merely to pinch her face.
"Hmm, although your skill is lacking a bit of polish, your stamina is surprisingly good."
After a period of entanglement, Fíliya finally felt a tiny bit of fatigue.
She hadn't expected Iris's petite body to possess such exaggerated stamina. One had to realize that Iris was using a combat style of wide, sweeping attacks, yet she maintained a very exaggerated desire to attack throughout, as if she wasn't worried about stamina depletion at all.
Tsk, tsk, she really does hate me.
Fíliya chuckled lightly.
"Heh... For a warrior, this level is more than enough... On the other hand, your stamina is much worse than I imagined. As expected of a mage's body."
For the first time in this battle, Iris revealed a smile.
Perhaps she could win... In this instant, that thought was born. After all, her stamina held a significant advantage compared to Fíliya.
"Hmm... Indeed. Continuing like this would be a bit disadvantageous for me, so it's better to end the playtime here."
Fíliya nodded in agreement. Then, utilizing a flaw she had just created, she freed up a hand and gently patted Iris on the shoulder.
"Huh? What are you doing?"
Iris looked at Fíliya's action, finding it somewhat baffling.
"...Seriously?"
Fíliya, however, was so surprised she was momentarily speechless, her eyes widening as she looked at Iris's bewildered expression.
Because in that moment of contact just now, she had instantly inflicted 25 times the pain sensation upon Iris... She had thought this would instantly make the girl collapse on the ground in agony, but she hadn't expected the opponent to act as if nothing had happened.
"Heh, is this your magic? It's about the same level as a mosquito bite."
Iris remarked disdainfully, then raised her twin short swords against Fíliya once more.
But Fíliya's expression was grave, and she looked at Iris with a gaze that resembled pity.
"What? You bastard... are we fighting or not?"
Fíliya's line of sight made Iris feel only discomfort.
"You... have had a very hard life."
Fíliya spoke slowly.
She knew very well how powerful her magic was. Let alone 25 times the pain, even just 5 times could make an ordinary person kneel and beg for mercy. At ten times, even an old soldier retired from the battlefield would be reduced to tears.
But the girl in front of her endured 25 times the pain sensation without any reaction.
This could only explain one thing: the guy opposite her had grown up steeped in [Pain] since childhood.
Lutine's eyes had been fixed tightly on the battle, worrying for Iris. She had also hesitated about whether to go up and help, but... she could clearly feel that diagonally ahead of her... not Miss Solitär, but that petite girl who had been pretending to sleep on the library bench the whole time, was constantly observing her. If she made any move, that girl would lock onto her immediately.
So... her heart was also heavy right now, and she could only pray that Fíliya wouldn't hurt Iris.
And very quickly, that prayer of hers truly received a response.
She saw Fíliya holding Iris by the back collar of her neck, carrying her over, and then tossing Iris to Lutine.
"Rest assured, I just put her to sleep... It's boring, I don't want to fight anymore. Let's go, take me to see your boss."
Fíliya looked at Lutine with a calm expression.
Oh my? You're all here, quite the full lineup."
Guided by Lutine, Fíliya arrived at the entrance of that familiar tavern.
A crowd of Shadow Warriors—some whose names she knew, others she didn't—stood silently guarding the tavern's entrance, scrutinizing her with solemn gazes.
"Hmm? You guys really have zero sense of humor. You're all stiff as wooden logs."
Seeing that no one paid her any heed, Fíliya couldn't be bothered to say more. She simply turned around and looked at Solitär.
"Do you want to go back and rest for a bit? I estimate this won't take much time."
Solitär met her gaze expressionlessly, her look seemingly saying, 'Are you kidding me?'
Solitär didn't know exactly what Fíliya was thinking, but there was no way she would allow Fíliya to walk alone into an encirclement of so many warriors. No matter what, she was going to follow and see.
"Alright then. What about you, Linie?"
Seeing Solitär's resolute attitude, Fíliya didn't argue further and instead looked toward Linie.
Linie's expression was unusually determined as well.
"Is that so..."
Seeing this, Fíliya nodded. Then, with a tacit understanding shared with Solitär, she glanced toward the residential house they had rented.
At that moment, a figure was gazing back at them from a second-floor window.
Fíliya nodded to that person. Immediately, Miss Aura leaped down from the window with great speed and rushed to her side.
"Not bad. I thought you would continue sleeping."
Fíliya offered a smile to Aura.
"Hah? With so many warriors gathered outside, if I hadn't reacted, I would have lived in vain, okay? ...Actually, I was quite anxious. I didn't know when you guys would come back."
Aura spoke in a low voice.
"On that point, I felt the same as you. On the way here, I wondered if they would subdue you before I returned... If so many warriors launched a sneak attack on you simultaneously, you likely wouldn't have had time to deploy your magic."
As Fíliya spoke, the corners of her mouth outlined a smile, and she continued to add:
"Judging by the fact that they didn't make a move on you, they indeed have some sincerity regarding this [Negotiation]... Let's go. Follow me inside to take a look."
...After a brief exchange, Fíliya led the group directly into the tavern's interior.
The moment she saw that figure, Fíliya understood. This guy was definitely the [Commander] Lutine had spoken of.
Half of this commander's face bore traces of burns, and he wore an eyepatch covering his right eye. Although he heard the slowly approaching footsteps of Fíliya's group, he remained calm and composed, keeping his gaze focused on the wine glass in front of him.
Whether in temperament or strength, this guy was a very qualified leader.
"Wolf, the usual."
Fíliya called out casually to the store owner behind the bar counter.
The owner seemed to have prepared for this long ago. The moment Fíliya sat down, he pushed a glass of orange juice in front of her. After completing this action, the owner named [Wolf] very consciously retreated outside the shop.
"Oh? Valros, you're actually wearing decent clothes today. What, is the beggar life over?"
Fíliya took an unceremonious sip of her drink. She didn't immediately engage with the [Commander] but instead directed a greeting at the dwarf warrior standing half a meter behind him.
"Today, I am here to serve as a guard."
The dwarf warrior Valros answered slowly.
"Oh? But I get the feeling that this person doesn't seem to need any guards, right? Your strengths should be roughly on par with each other? Though I can't tell exactly who is stronger."
Fíliya chuckled lightly.
"Guards are the sort of thing that one hopes never to use, yet are absolute necessities to have... Aren't you doing the same, Lady Fíliya?"
As Valros spoke, his gaze shifted to the three figures behind Fíliya.
"If this old man guesses correctly, the three behind you are not human, are they?"
"Oh? Not bad. Only a week has passed, and you've already investigated that clearly?"
Fíliya looked at Valros with curiosity.
"Rather than an [Investigation], it is more like this old man's intuition... When we met on the street last time, I felt something was odd. But looking at it now..."
Valros paused.
"...The look in the eyes of the one behind you is undoubtedly that of the Demon Race... This old man has seen far too many of those non-human gazes in his life."
"Solitär? This old fellow says you aren't human."
After hearing Valros's words, Fíliya immediately flashed a teasing smile at Solitär.
"I wasn't human to begin with..."
Solitär replied huffily. Since she had already been exposed, she couldn't be bothered to maintain the magic disguising her as a human and directly chose to reveal her true appearance.
"This really is..."
The moment he saw Solitär reveal her twin horns, Valros's expression instantly became much more grave.
"I didn't expect the Demon Race to have truly mastered such dangerous magic... If this technology had been utilized a hundred years ago, humanity would truly have gone extinct."
Valros murmured in a low voice, his expression seemingly lamenting something.
"I am also quite curious about this. Lady Fíliya, how exactly did you achieve it? How can you make powerful demons obey your commands?"
The [Commander] finally couldn't resist speaking up.
Fíliya was very satisfied with this, as this was precisely one of her strategies.
Aren't you very good at pretending to be composed? Keep staying silent if you have the ability.
Fíliya thought disdainfully, then spoke aloud.
"Before asking questions of others, shouldn't you state your own name first?"
"...That was indeed rude of me. My name is Levi. I am the Commander of the Shadow Warriors, and in a certain sense, I can also be considered their [Father]."
"Oh?"
Regarding this fellow claiming to be a [Father], Fíliya immediately felt a trace of curiosity, so she instantly voiced her doubt.
"Father, is it? I express my skepticism on that... Is there a father in this world who abuses his own children like this? That isn't something that can be explained away by simply being a 'strict father'."
Fíliya looked at the so-called commander before her with an expressionless face.
"Those children are all orphans who survived the war, raised single-handedly by me... The selection process for the Shadow Warriors is indeed painful, but it is also something those children are informed of and participate in voluntarily. They are willing to dedicate their strength to the glory of the Empire."
Commander Levi spoke slowly, but no emotional fluctuation could be seen on his face.
"Heh... classic rhetoric. [Informed and voluntary], is it?"
Fíliya wore a mocking smile on her face as she fired off a rapid series of sarcasms at the commander before her like a cannonade.
"Mm, surely they were born dreaming of sacrificing themselves for the Empire, right? Surely it wasn't that they were constantly indoctrinated with this concept during their growth, right? Those 'defective products' who weren't loyal enough surely weren't destroyed, right? Even if they didn't pass the [Shadow Warrior] selection, those failures could surely live peacefully like ordinary people, right?"
Of course, there is a second question... Hmm, those wars that caused them to lose everything surely had nothing to do with you, right?"
"Mr. Levi, there is only one thing I can be certain of regarding you... You are truly quite the hypocrite. You are the culprit who, directly or indirectly, caused these children to lose everything, yet you still pretentiously style yourself as a 'Father'."
"To you, they are nothing more than tools selected through inhuman training. There is not a shred of familial affection to speak of, so stop using such a laughable term as 'Father'."
Fíliya's words were merciless, yet Levi, the man sitting before her, merely revealed a faint smile after listening to her entire tirade.
"Miss Fíliya, you indeed possess an intelligence that does not match your age... However, regarding your accusation, I actually have reasons that could exonerate me. Would you be willing to hear them?"
"I would not. I am not here to debate morals with you. Let's turn the page on what was just said and get straight to the point," Fíliya said with a stern face. She couldn't be bothered to listen to this guy's sophistry.
"Since that is the case... Lady Fíliya, I hope you can join our side and become a power of the Empire."
Hah?
Fíliya almost couldn't maintain her composure. Although she was the one who said to 'get straight to the point,' the guy opposite her was perhaps a bit too direct.
"That is rather interesting... I am a newly promoted First-Class Mage, a member of the Magic Association. Why would you think of recruiting me?"
Fíliya forced herself to calm down slightly.
"In my view, you are a potential candidate for recruitment... After all, aren't you mixing with the Demon Race?"
As Levi spoke, he raised his wine glass toward Fíliya, but she had absolutely no intention of clinking glasses with him.
"And the benefits? Since it is a recruitment, there must be some benefits, right?" Fíliya narrowed her eyes as she looked at him.
"Benefits? That word isn't quite appropriate. What I can offer you isn't something as simple as benefits, but everything you desire."
"Whether it is the best laboratory, or all of the Empire's magical research results, or perhaps..."
Levi paused mid-sentence, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the three figures standing behind Fíliya.
"I can guarantee that as long as you contribute your power to the Empire without reservation, the Empire can allow Demons to become citizens... Of course, the prerequisite is that you can manage your Demons well... I can grant you a large fiefdom where you can build a city according to your own will. The Empire will also give you maximum assistance, and you can freely select your Demon citizens to inhabit it."
After listening to Levi's words, Fíliya raised an eyebrow slightly.
How should she put it? The conditions this guy offered were indeed not bad. However, for Fíliya, while there was a little attraction, it wasn't much.
Her goal was not to have the Demon Race become subjects of the Empire and then fence off a piece of land to amuse herself. Moreover, what made Fíliya even more curious was... did this guy actually have that kind of authority?
To have the Empire accept the Demon Race? To accept humanity's former mortal enemies... and even carve out a large area for Demons to govern autonomously? Even the Emperor of the Empire wouldn't dare to make such a promise, right? Is he playing me?
Although waves of shock were stirred in her heart, Fíliya remained outwardly calm.
"Hmm... a very nice proposal. A little more and I might just be tempted," Fíliya said slowly.
"Hey (#`O')! What are you do—"
Just then, Miss Aura behind her seemed to get nervous. Upon hearing Fíliya's words, she immediately wanted to say something, but her mouth was quickly covered by Solitär.
"Shut up!" Solitär whispered coldly, leaving Miss Aura to shrink back to her original position pitifully.
Fortunately, this interlude did not affect the negotiation.
"However, can you answer a query of mine first?" Fíliya stared at Levi's eyes with a look of suspicion.
"Please ask."
"What exactly do you want to do? Why hunt mages in large numbers?"
during this past week, Fíliya had done quite a lot... For instance, she had coaxed a little bit of intelligence out of Miss Lutine.
She originally thought the Empire only wanted to kill First-Class Mages of the Magic Association who held different stances from them. However, she learned from Lutine that the Shadow Warriors and the Magic Special Forces had even initiated assassinations against scattered Second and Third-Class Mages. In just these short two or three years, the number of mages who had died at the hands of the Empire already numbered in the hundreds.
One had to realize... in this world, 'Mages' were a rather scarce resource. It was a profession that, across the entire continent, only totaled four or five thousand people. Among them, those who could hold their own—mages of the Third Class and above—numbered less than a thousand to begin with. Yet the Empire, in two years, had directly eliminated one-tenth of them.
"It is very simple. Because our goal is to eradicate all magic in this world."
Levi spoke calmly, as if chatting about domestic trivialities.
Fíliya's pupils trembled. She hadn't expected that the organization dedicated to 'Extinguishing Magic,' which she detested so deeply, was right in front of her.
"Eradicate magic? What a joke..."
Fíliya was just about to say something when she was interrupted by Levi.
"Lady Fíliya, you must be thinking that we are doing this for selfish desires, merely to kill all mages not belonging to the Empire so that the power of 'Magic' exists only within the Empire, becoming its exclusive weapon, correct?"
"Otherwise what?"
Is having one's own lines spoken by others first always this uncomfortable? Fíliya thought unhappily.
"I think you have misunderstood... The great cause of the [Eradication of Magic] is absolutely not for me, nor for the private interests of the Empire... This is a magnificent feat to save humanity."
For the first time, a clear emotional fluctuation appeared on Levi's face. This made Fíliya frown tightly.
Because whether through her own visual observation or the feedback from her emotional scoring... this guy in front of her... really wasn't lying. He seemed to genuinely believe this.
"Are you serious... If you want to eradicate magic, there is a very unsolvable problem standing before you." Fíliya stared coldly at the other party's reaction. "That [God of Magic] will not sit idly by and watch such a thing happen."
But contrary to Fíliya's expectations, Levi once again revealed a confident smile.
"Yes, regarding that Elf, Serie... we have already devised a method to execute her. Of course, if Lady Fíliya is willing to join us, our odds of winning will approach one hundred percent."
Is this guy teasing me?
The corners of Fíliya's mouth twitched slightly, as if she had heard some colossal joke. But on the other hand, 'Killing Serie' was an incredibly attractive subject for her; for a mage, there was no activity in this world more stimulating than researching that.
So, should she... agree? How is that possible.
Even if she were to make a move on Serie... it would have to be a duel she fought alone. She would never cooperate with this kind of idiot whose brain was filled with thoughts of eradicating magic.
Heh, Lord Levi, if I am not mistaken, you are not a native of the Empire at all, are you?"
Fíliya gazed at the commander of the Shadow Warriors, suddenly steering the conversation in a different direction.
Levi's eyebrows twitched slightly. Although his expression still appeared incredibly calm, a flaw had clearly appeared in his perfect poker face.
"Why would you think that?" Levi asked softly.
"Heh, who do you think I am? Let me tell you, besides the identity of a[First-Class Mage], the person standing before you is also a scholar who has read extensively on ancient and modern history."
Fíliya crossed her arms over her chest, her expression growing increasingly frivolous.
"This brownish-gold hair of yours... and this very distinct eye color... Even with half your face burned and wearing an eyepatch, I can still see those traits belonging to the ethnic groups of the southern continent. Therefore, you are not an imperial citizen at all."
Fíliya spoke slowly. Although Levi maintained his expression perfectly while she stated her case—truly worthy of the phrase 'unflappable in the face of the unexpected'—Fíliya had already learned from her emotional scoring feedback that her guess was indeed correct.
"Impressive. Lady Fíliya, your performance has exceeded my expectations."
After listening to Fíliya's words, Levi smiled, slowly placed his wine glass on the bar counter, and even applauded her.
"I am indeed not a native of the Empire, but rest assured, Lady Fíliya, the current me is truly a part of the Empire. As you know, as long as one can demonstrate their value to the Empire, the Empire does not mind anyone's origins. Even someone like me, who wandered all the way from the Southern Nations to the north, can be highly regarded by the Empire... Thus, all the promises I made to you earlier were not falsehoods either."
"Is that so."
Fíliya curled her lips, not planning to linger on this topic. She asked instead, "You just said that you have already prepared the means to assassinate Serie? Could you disclose a little?"
"Of course, no problem. As long as Lady Fíliya is willing to join our side, the plan can be shared with you immediately."
The smile on Levi's face remained unchanged.
Tch... It really isn't that simple, huh.
Fíliya's heart sank. Logically speaking, her best course of action right now would naturally be to pretend to agree to join and then probe for some intelligence, but deep down, Fíliya truly did not want to do that.
For one, she highly suspected that the moment she nodded in agreement, the other party might just put some magical tool similar to the[Command Bracelet] on her to ensure her 'loyalty'.
Secondly, she intensely detested the guy in front of her. Even if it was to extract information, she adamantly refused to spout nonsense like 'I want to join'.
"Heh... then you have to prove something to me at least. The price of betraying the Magic Association is incredibly steep. You aren't planning to rope me in without proving anything, are you?"
Fíliya looked at Levi with a helpless expression.
"That is only natural. Since our side is the one proactively inviting you, we naturally must prove our strength... Hmm, have you heard of the [Witch of War]?"
Levi spoke slowly.
The Witch of War? Fíliya certainly knew what kind of figure this was.
There were only three [Great Mages] currently alive in this world.
The first was the supreme leader of the Magic Association, the [God of Magic], Serie.
The second was that unreliable, white-haired twintail, Frieren.
And the [Witch of War] was the third Great Mage in this world.
These three actually shared a common trait... Hmm, they were all Elves.
Although all three were [Great Mages], they couldn't actually be evaluated on the same level.
To give an analogy, Frieren and the [Witch of War], Minuse, probably scored a hundred points on a test paper, and thus were respectfully called Great Mages.
As for Serie... it was because the test paper could only have a maximum of a hundred points, so she condescended to be a [Great Mage].
...