Frilian: This Demon Isn't So Cold

"We arrived in [Val] in less than two days?"

The next day, before nightfall, Sylvia set foot on the soil of the city of Val, but her face showed an expression of disbelief.

"Didn't we already confirm this with the locals?" Carlos asked, smiling at her.

"No, no, it's just... isn't this a bit too fast?" Sylvia shook her head vigorously, still feeling like she was in a dream.

Yesterday, they camped outdoors and had an unforgettable night. Today, they're going to stay in a hotel.

They had previously traveled by horse-drawn carriage... Compared to that, the efficiency is simply on a completely different level...

"After all, I haven't stopped at all." Carlos took her hand. "If you want to experience the unique features along the way again, we can just slow down on the way back from here."

"good……"

Facing the friendly glances from passersby, Sylvia blushed and was pulled by Carlos to the hotel to register.

"Are there two rooms?" he asked.

At the hotel reception, the woman's gaze swept over the two of them, and she said expressionlessly, "There's only one double room left."

The tone implied a yes or no attitude.

"Let's go to another hotel," Carlos said, turning to look at Sylvia.

"This is fine, this is fine."

"OK."

Carlos prepaid for the next week's room.

Once they reached the second floor of the hotel, he said:

"We were just scammed by that receptionist."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Nearly half of the rooms around here are empty."

In any case, it's already close to evening, and there can't possibly be that many empty rooms left here.

"Don't use your magic to probe outside!" Sylvia gently punched his chest.

"I didn't misuse it; I used it very carefully and in a controlled manner, so I won't be discovered," Carlos explained to himself.

But after meeting Sylvia's resentful gaze, he decided to change his mind and admit it.

"Yes, I'll try to be more restrained in the future."

"Alright, alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Let's go to our room first." Sylvia seemed to find this amusing and pushed him away.

Using the key they obtained from the front desk, they opened their own king-size bed room.

Carlos put down his luggage and then stood there motionless.

"What's wrong?" Sylvia leaned closer, thinking he was at a loss for what to do, so she was teasing him.

"When will we start getting down to business?"

"Huh?" Sylvia hurriedly took several steps back, covering her face with her hands in embarrassment. "Too...too early...and...too sudden!"

"What are you talking about?" Carlos turned around in confusion. "Didn't you say you were going to fight for your master's ideals?"

"Yes, yes..." Sylvia's face turned even redder.

"Wait, what were you thinking about just now?" Carlos understood what had just happened in the blink of an eye. "Or did you not take what I said seriously? There are less than two months left?"

"Even then it wouldn't have been right, it was too fast..." Sylvia whispered.

"I didn't see at all that you would reject me," Carlos said bluntly.

"Gulp..." Sylvia stopped talking. She felt that she would probably just pretend to refuse a few times, and then be easily won over by the other party.

That's so unladylike!

But there's nothing we can do about it. Carlos isn't human, so we can't treat him like a human.

Sylvia convinced herself in just a few seconds.

"You're not allowed to dislike me then."

How could I possibly dislike you?

"That's what you say, but you can't really say you 'dislike' me outright." Sylvia sighed at her complicated feelings. "I feel a little unwell."

After all, she had just managed to get Carlos to change his mind with just a look. This unconditional care gave Sylvia a strange feeling, and she even wondered if he was simply deceiving her. But what was the point of doing this?

Carlos raised his hands. "I didn't do anything, you know."

"Of course I know! I was just feeling a bit sorry for myself." Sylvia shook her head, putting her dejected thoughts behind her. "Let's have dinner first, and then we'll slowly study the Holy Scripture today."

"Okay." Carlos wouldn't offer an opinion at a time like this.

He came here to keep her company.

As a result, that evening, Sylvia held the holy book in her hands, her eyes almost turning into circles.

The words in the sacred texts combine to form sentences, and the sentences combine to form a story from a mythical era—something she already knew.

No matter how hard Sylvia looked, she couldn't find any trace of a coded message.

"This is too difficult! How can I possibly decipher the true goddess magic from it?" she couldn't help but complain.

In fact, it wasn't just Sylvie; Carlos, who was behind her, had the same feeling.

Even though he considered himself to have a certain talent for magic, the idea of ​​having to interpret magic from stories was still quite incredible to him.

"I think... this might not have anything to do with talent; those monks might have used exhaustive methods," Carlos said, offering his guess.

The pattern is extremely difficult to find, or perhaps there is no pattern at all. In that case, the only answer left is the most idiotic one—

Arrange and combine them, and then let the monks who worship the goddess try them one by one.

After all, even if anyone other than the monks successfully deciphered the code, they wouldn't be able to verify whether it was true.

"That would be far too cruel," Sylvia said, tilting her head back. "Why would a goddess do such a thing?"

"Yes, why?" Carlos closed the holy book in her hand. "If only I could ask the goddess in person."

"I'll ask."

"I believe you, but please don't say things like that." Carlos reached out and stroked Sylvia's soft hair.

He knew that, according to the common understanding among monks, one could see goddesses in the afterlife.

"Mmm." Sylvia nodded obediently.

"Go to sleep."

The light source is turned off, and all is quiet.

"I want to hear a story."

On the bed, Sylvia and Carlos were slightly separated because there were no sleeping bags to cushion the impact, and the environment was too private. Sylvia felt that if they were to lie together like they had yesterday, she really wouldn't be able to fall asleep!

"That's what happened after Mahat." Carlos tried to search his memory. "Later, I encountered some demons, but they were all insignificant. I've even forgotten about them, but I secretly learned their magic."

"Speaking of which, I've wanted to ask you this for a long time, although it was only confirmed yesterday. But isn't the way you learn magic a bit strange?"

"So you're finally asking this question now?" Carlos smiled and replied:

"Well, for magic of average difficulty, I can probably learn it if you just demonstrate it to me once."

"I'm so envious!"

"It will take away the fun of learning magic," Carlos joked.

"Do you think I'd want to hear something like that?" Even though she knew the other person couldn't see her face, Sylvia still pouted.

Learn magic with just one glance? How many magicians dream of such a talent?

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I know I was wrong."

"Although this apology is insincere, I forgive you."

"I got forgiven again... By the way, how many times can I be forgiven in total?"

"I don't know, I'm not sure, maybe it's been countless times?"

"So does that mean I can do whatever I want? And I'll always be forgiven in the end?"

"If you make that kind of joke again, I'll hit you."

"You'd really be willing to hit me? Besides, you can't beat me."

"Really..." Sylvia covered her head, whether out of helplessness or something else, but she smiled. "You should continue telling the story."

"it is good."