Frilian: This Demon Isn't So Cold

"Are you sure?"

At the same time, far outside the city of Tiyua, two hidden demons were conducting an investigation.

If anyone who experienced this firsthand were here, they would find that they are standing on the very spot where those monsters and demons once perished. This grassland, which was burned to ashes by flames, is now sprouting green again, yet it is clearly different from its surroundings.

The main issue is that the grass here is noticeably shorter than the surrounding grass.

"That's right, the magic that remains here does indeed belong to Carlos," the demon with a pair of small horns on his head laughed.

"He betrayed the demon race." Another demon's voice deepened. "This is not good news, Solitaire. You should understand what this means."

"I have no interest in what you're thinking right now," the demon called Solitaire replied immediately. "Forgive my bluntness, but I never want to see that guy again in my life."

"Even if he has already betrayed the demon race?"

"Isn't what the Demon King did to us also a betrayal of the demon race?" Solitaire shook her head, showing no loyalty to the Demon King whatsoever. "Glaosam, I advise you not to be stubborn. In some ways, he may even be more extreme than the Demon King."

"You're not allowed to talk about the Demon King like that!" Glaosam was furious, and even the magic he used to conceal himself began to tremble.

"Yes, yes, I know you're fiercely loyal to the Demon King." Solitaire didn't dwell on the issue. "But this is no longer something we can interfere with. Don't forget what happened before. He's an existence that even we demons can't imagine. Don't you think so?"

"You have such a high opinion of him?"

"It's just intuition. Without it, I wouldn't be alive today." Solitaire turned and strode into the northern forest. "I've already determined the ownership of the residual magic here. Whatever you do after that is none of my business."

"Do you think you can just walk away like this?" Grao'sam was very unhappy with her leaving like this.

"I still want to live. If you want to attack me here, feel free to do so." Solitaire didn't turn around, but continued, "But to live, I will struggle ugly and desperately until my very last breath."

Graosamm clenched his fists, but made no move.

Solitaire knew he wouldn't make a move.

Solitaire knew that if Graosam chose to attack her here, it would be unacceptable for the entire demon race.

How could the Demon Race, standing at the pinnacle of combat power, engage in a life-or-death internal struggle, especially in front of humans?

Anyone who saw this scene would probably think they were crazy.

And it is precisely because Glaosam is so loyal to the Demon King that he would never do such a thing.

"You still can't see the reality, Graosam." Solitaire walked away, a faint smile always on her face, yet it conveyed no warmth whatsoever. "Even the Demon King has no complaints about Carlos, so why are you, as his subordinate, so dutiful?"

"I will absolutely not allow myself to appear before Carlos again until Carlos is definitively dead."

She shook her head and disappeared into the deserted forest.

Graosamm, who remained where he was, gazed at the wide walls of Tiyuya for a while before leaving as well.

……

Winter days pass quickly.

Huddled in the warm hotel room, flipping through a magic book that seemed like it would never be finished, occasionally venturing out, Celia would teach Vlamed how to use all sorts of offensive magic, while Frilian and Sylvia would listen in, and Carlos would only stay for a short while each time before leaving.

He has more important things to do.

As a result, naturally, nothing was gained.

There are very few records about the characteristics of demons among humans. The few that remain are all about teaching humans to stay away from demons or how to kill them. As for books about the soul, they are even more unattainable. Not to mention existing magic, even records are hard to find.

The only hopeful solution ultimately returned to the goddess. After all, the goddess's magic within the holy scriptures is vast and complex, and until it is fully deciphered, no one can say for sure whether there is any magic within that can resolve the current situation.

"There are only two years left. Do I really have to stay with Sylvia like this?"

Sparse snowflakes fell slowly from the sky. Carlos sat on the rooftop covered with a thin layer of snow, gazing at the desolate distance.

"If I just keep doing this for decades, maybe I really can do it."

He had already secretly discussed it with Celia during this time.

"If one day you start to feel like any other demon to your master, then please don't hesitate, do everything in your power to kill him." That's what Carlos said.

Celia accepted it quite calmly.

Therefore, Carlos did not actually learn the magic that Celie taught Vlame and the others in this city. He believed that he had already learned enough magic. What if he continued to learn and Celie was no match for him?

Carlos wasn't sure how strong his future self's desire to live would be.

After all, who can predict the future?

"Why are you watching the snow here again? Don't you get bored?" Sylvia climbed up the eaves of the nearby building, brushed the snow off her clothes, and plopped down next to Carlos.

"It's not boring, isn't it because you're here?" Carlos was getting more and more adept at saying such things.

"Liar. If you really wanted me here, you should have used [Flight Magic] to send me up here just now." Sylvia saw through his false sweet talk, then leaned on his shoulder. "But I forgive you."

"Since you've already figured it out, why did you still come up here?" Carlos sighed, his breath condensing into mist as it met the cold air in front of him, before slowly dissipating into the air.

"Because I don't want you to feel lonely." Sylvia was also looking at the desolate distance. "Master still has her grandmaster and junior sister to keep her company, but because of me, you don't bother them anymore. Of course, I have to make it up to you."

"To be honest, I regret it a little," she said.

"Regret what?" Carlos asked, puzzled.

"I shouldn't be so petty," Sylvia replied calmly. "I'm already happy that you can accept me. But now I've made you like this, yet you're still willing to indulge me and tolerate my willfulness."

"Hmm..." Carlos pondered, without replying.

"Do you remember when I said I'd found your weakness?" Sylvia suddenly brought it up.

"I remember, what's wrong?"

"At that time, I thought, 'So you're such a responsible man. Because you don't want to lie, you won't say things you can't keep.'" She curled up, but didn't use any magic to warm herself up. "And that's when I liked you even more."

"Perhaps that's true." Carlos neither confirmed nor denied it.

He just wanted to get closer to the guy he admired.

"Carlos".

"I am here."

Even after I'm gone, you must be happy.

"..."

"Can you say yes?"

"It's getting late, we should head back." Carlos got up to leave, but Sylvie stopped him.

You haven't answered my question yet.

"You'd do anything for happiness?" he asked.

"That won't work, but I believe you know what you can and cannot do," she replied.

"I can't agree to that."

Please.

"You're very willful."

"Um."

"...Even if I agree to you now, who will supervise me then?" Carlos said helplessly.

"It's you," Sylvia said, releasing his hand and smiling. "As long as you remember me, I believe you can do it."

"I'm not that confident in myself."

"It's okay, as long as I believe in you, that's enough."

"You mean whatever I want? Even the things you don't want me to do right now?"

"Yes, I won't be around by then anyway." She was still smiling. "I can't be that selfish anymore."

"He's obviously very selfish," Carlos thought.

In late winter, bathed in the faint afternoon light, the two returned to the warm hotel.