I am the old, fiery-faced man from the senior department.

“Theresia…I understand.”

The lynx watched their departing figures, stood there silently for a long time before finally leaving.

……

As she accompanied the dragon on its journey, she truly acted as a tour guide, wholeheartedly introducing everything that interested the traveler.

The two only stopped their pointless chatter when they arrived at her bedroom and stood before the clearest floor-to-ceiling window in the tower.

“Mr. A…we are very grateful to you. If it weren’t for you, we don’t know how many more of our compatriots we would have lost.”

"Let's skip the formalities, Demon King."

The dragon gazed at the distant horizon, where the warm light of the setting sun shone through the dark clouds, illuminating the desolate land.

"It's just that I can't stand seeing some stubborn guy working so hard."

The true dragon stared directly into the demon king's eyes, his gaze sharp, as if he were scrutinizing her qualifications.

"Theresia... what is it about you that makes you so charming..."

"What exactly did you use to make that stubborn old man follow you so devotedly?"

"Is it the Demon King's magic, or your ability to read minds? Or perhaps a combination of both, an ability that makes people lose themselves?"

The dragon raised his right hand, his fingertips lightly touching the demon king's soft skin.

“I’m really curious, Theresa.”

"You just leave a god whose thoughts we can't even fathom to be alone with her like this? Kal'tsit, I really hope your mind is worthy of the years you've wasted right now."

The evil spirit, its face hidden by a hood, chatted merrily with the uneasy lynx.

"I believe in Your Highness..."

"Which prince do you trust? The one you betrayed, or the one you're about to betray? Oh, look at my unreliable memory. It seems those monarchs are like candy wrappers to you; now that you've eaten the candy, no one cares what happens to the wrappers. You probably disposed of all the candies before him this way, didn't you?"

The evil spirit spoke in a very malicious tone.

Now she can only stay here every day, unable to see the patients who need her, nor able to command those willing to sacrifice themselves to reclaim their future land.

Being cooped up here is like being a caged bird, having to watch the old woman who dragged her into this mess reminiscing about the past while planning for the future.

"If you've called me here just to complain about your temper, Doctor, have you ever seen the Tower of Babel at four in the morning?"

The lynx thought this guy had some serious business to discuss with her, but instead she ended up listening to her sarcastic remarks.

Theresa, why did you send me away...? I understand your concerns and thoughts, but only this one thing...

I should have stopped you; the waters of the true dragon are very deep, and you can't handle them...

"If you truly care about Theresa, why don't you go and experience the power of her thunder yourself?"

The lynx didn't have the leisure to play childish games with the evil spirit. She needed to check if Theresa had inadvertently used her powers...

“The power of the gods is indeed magnificent.”

The evil spirit had already pushed open the conference room door.

"But I believe that as long as you are here, she is safe."

"No need for you to say more, Doctor, I will protect Theresa."

"What are you saying, Kal'tsit?"

The eerie gaze of the evil spirit could not be concealed even by the hood.

"What I mean is, if we just use you as a hostage in exchange for one person, I'm sure His Majesty would be happy to exchange Theresa for a traitor who is at his disposal."

……

“Kal'tsit is my friend. She taught me how to be a proper king, and she also made me understand why the Sarkaz and Kazdel have declined so much.”

“I am very grateful to Kal'tsit. Without her, Theresa might have died in the wilderness of Kazdel along with her brother.”

The Demon King's voice was gentle, his eyes were gentle, and even the way he straightened his body to avoid backing down seemed gentle.

But gentleness alone cannot move a true dragon.

"Perhaps others will be moved by your words, but for me, it is far from enough, Demon King."

The dragon's hand covered her slender throat, its warm fingertips gently caressing her, as if touching a fragile treasure.

“Kal'tsit will not be your everything. If someone tries to thwart the future of the Sarkaz, you will not refuse to kill her; if someone can bring about the future you have planned, you will not refuse to sacrifice yourself for her.”

"Is Kal'tsit important? Yes, she is very important."

"A new and inexperienced demon king must have a mentor to guide him before he can inherit the throne."

“This form of the evil spirit is unsuitable. She is almost lost in this war, and her sanity may collapse at any moment.”

“Your brother is not suitable either. People who are obsessed with power and ambition will only raise the next demon king who will be destroyed.”

"A guide who has absolutely nothing to do with Sarkaz, a demon lord who has nothing to do with Sarkaz..."

Sarkaz's gaze remained unchanged; the gentle demon king praised the true dragon with sincere respect.

"Your wisdom is unmatched, Your Majesty."

"But if I could, I would prefer to end this long turmoil with the perfect ending described in a fairy tale picture book."

"Everyone loves the stories in fairy tale picture books, which are beautiful and gentle. But reality is often real and cruel."

The image of the Demon King was reflected in the eyes of the true dragon.

"Gentle Demon King, tell me... what makes you so powerful that you can bring fairy tales to life?"

"This is all I can give, Your Majesty."

If it's for the future of this country and its people, nothing is worth sacrificing, not even the life of the Demon King.

"..."

"I'm so sorry, it seems we've come at the wrong time and have inadvertently interrupted your conversation."

The doctor spoke with a lot of apologies, but his actions showed no sign of remorse.

"Theresia..."

The lynx swept its gaze across the two faces. The true dragon remained as calm as ever, like a windless sea, while the demon king wore a genuine smile.

They were too late; it seemed that Theresa's deal had already begun.

“I know you, Doctor. Theresa told me you are very talented.”

"I am truly humbled to have caught your eye, but my frail body is unworthy of your favor. Please, in your kindness, allow me to continue to follow my sovereign."

Before she could finish speaking, the evil spirit had already arrived beside the Demon King. She stood between the two of them, closer to the true dragon than the Demon King himself.

Seemingly feeling that she might not have any intimidating presence, she stood on tiptoe to meet the dragon's gaze.

Although he was shorter, his aura was just as strong.

"Please forgive her, Your Majesty, but the Doctor... has been unable to calm down due to the recent increase in the number of wounded."

The Demon King stopped the evil spirit and apologized to the true dragon on her behalf.

"Naturally, I have always been very tolerant of talented people."

The true dragon will not care about the evil spirit's presumptuous offenses. The Demon King will apologize for every offense she commits, and she can directly demand compensation from the Demon King if she wishes.

"Let's end our journey to the Tower of Babel here for today."

The true dragon passed over evil spirits and demon kings, and before departing, he approached Philin and whispered some words of reflection in her ear:

“You have no idea what she would sacrifice for this country, Kal'tsit. You know her less than I do.”

"!!!"

The lynx's pupils constricted sharply, then it looked at the Demon King in astonishment.

The Demon King's smile remained as gentle and kind as ever, but...

She sensed a hint of the Demon King on the true dragon.

"Theresia..."

She didn't know what to say... nor what stance she should take...

"Kal'tsit, Doctor. I'm sorry to have worried you, but could I rest for a while now? I'm getting tired of facing the pressure from that lord all by myself."

The Demon King's words were as gentle as ever, revealing a hint of weariness and relief.

However, she did not tell them about the sacrifices and concessions she and the dragon had made.

"You succeeded? Great, Theresa, you did a good job..."

"Theresia...you...you should rest first."

M3 grabbed the evil spirit by the back of the neck to shut her up, then followed the lynx away.

"I'm sorry... Kal'tsit. Now is not the time to tell you."

The Demon King sat alone in a chair, gazing at the world outside.

She raised her hand and touched her throat; the warmth left by the dragon had not yet dissipated.

"Are you really willing to trade the freedom of an entire race for a nominal claim?"

"I believe in your kindness."

“Kindness… Ha, a farmer wouldn’t be so kind as to accept a bunch of inferior livestock to wreak havoc on his herd.”

"As you said, no one likes a bloodthirsty and savage beast."

"I hope you can show me that they are qualified to be asylum."

“I will prove it to you, but… it will take some time. Just as a wounded person will remove rotten flesh to help the wound heal, the Sarkaz will also need time to discard their corrupt old customs and reintegrate into civilization.”

"...You are so wicked, Your Majesty."

Recalling the lynx's panicked appearance when the true dragon left, even the gentle demon king couldn't help but chuckle.

He did nothing wrong, neither coercing nor seducing her, yet he was willing to play the villain for the sake of the lynx.

"Kal'tsit... I'm envying you more and more now..."

Looking at the Demon King amidst the dark clouds and thunder in the distance, his eyes revealed an undisguised desire.