I'm fighting Kal'tsit? Really?

"In other words, this is a course that only makes sense for the weak."

Theresa raised one hand, revealing a dignified and polite smile, her tone even carrying a hint of earnest inquiry: "Then, may I ask, how do we define 'the weak'?"

Tianma also gave a very free answer: "I think so, that's it."

"No standard?" Theresa asked again.

"No, defining boundaries is only meaningful when necessary. For example, some people have bigger goals than anyone else."

Gerald didn't deliberately focus his gaze on Nastya; he knew that any unnecessary movements at this moment would only bother the child.

“In my eyes, that person may live as a weakling for a very long time because her goal determines how difficult her future path will be.”

He casually plucked a small thorn from a stone pillar in the courtyard and held it in his hand as a symbol of suffering: "At the same time, some people's wish is just to find a place to sleep, eat, and spend their lives leisurely doing nothing, without competing or fighting. They obviously don't need much strength."

"Those who are helpless in the face of avalanches but can still protect themselves and feel content in ordinary times are not, in my opinion, weak people."

"Just as I could be killed by you, we could all be killed by some unknown behemoth, and that behemoth could collide with a star and become extinct in Terra. When an avalanche really happens, worrying about who is weak or not is meaningless."

After listening to Gerald's words, Theresa lowered her eyelids slightly, her fingertips unconsciously touching the fabric on her knees, as if pondering the deeper meaning hidden in his words.

A gentle breeze rustled through the courtyard, and her ever-gentle demeanor made the brief silence seem exceptionally peaceful, even causing the little demonesses beside her to hold their breath, afraid of disturbing the demon king's thoughts.

Finally, after a few seconds, she raised her eyes, looked directly at Gerald, and slowly spoke:

"But when a person is threatened by the outside world, discriminated against, labeled and isolated as a result, this situation does not seem to belong to any of the parties you are talking about... Even if his wish is just the simplest thing, to find a place to survive, trouble will keep coming to him."

“That’s another issue. If the root of the problem lies in a system that is much larger than ourselves, then in my view there are only two choices.” Gerald gave his answer directly, his tone completely flat: “Either find the source of the conflict and try to resolve it, or don’t waste time and eliminate all the threats.”

Theresa's eyes flickered slightly. She didn't immediately refute, but instead sighed softly, "Your answer is much more radical than I expected."

"After all, this has nothing to do with our class. Strictly speaking, it's class time now."

Gerald's words abruptly interrupted Theresa's speech.

He seemed to have no intention of listening to the other person continue, even though he himself knew how rude his behavior was, especially since even Lamarlene was glaring at him with a somewhat fierce expression.

However, Theresa didn't seem to care about the other person's rudeness. She just smiled gently and said, "I can't deny that when I was uttering those words, I did consider some real-world factors."

"And you want to seek answers from me, a foreigner."

Gerald narrowed his eyes, and his tone changed subtly.

“Hmm, as a friend of the Sarkaz, and also as an outsider, you might offer me a different perspective.” Theresa nodded, agreeing with the other’s words. “However, right now, I am just a student, no different from the children. I apologize for disrupting the class; please continue.”

Pegasus's gaze lingered on Theresa's face for a moment, but in the end he only frowned slightly and did not pursue the topic any further.

He flicked his fingers lightly, and the wind in the air vibrated for a moment, startling the dazed little banshees awake.

"Continue the lesson." His voice was calm and natural, as if his conversation with Theresa had been nothing more than a trivial interlude. "We were just talking about how to use the terrain and environment to create escape opportunities when facing a capture. For example, your choice to use the sky as an escape route was absolutely terrible..."

Gerald's story continues.

This time, however, the Demon King did not raise his hand to ask a question again. He also stopped caring about the other party's role in the matter.

……

Courses always come to an end.

Gerald preferred to take the children back to the Tower of Words himself rather than have Ramalen lead them—after all, he and Theresa had hardly communicated at all, their only exchange being those inexplicable conversations just now. He didn't see anything to talk about if he were forced to stay.

So when the bells rang from the distant tower, Gerald politely greeted the two and gently carried the little banshees into the sky with the wind. He muttered things like "adapt" and "learn!" which nearly broke the little banshees' already fragile resolve.

Their figures disappeared above the courtyard along with the birds that flew across the sky.

This time, it took its time, slowly flying away into the distance.

Theresa, who had listened to the entire lesson, stood silently watching the departing figures of the crowd, and sighed openly in front of Lamaren.

“You seem a little hesitant,” Ramallen said, maintaining her usual posture as she stood a short distance away. “Is it because of what Gerald just taught us?”

It must be said that although most of the little banshees were captivated by their Demon King, it would be somewhat embarrassing to show a lack of focus in front of Princess Theresa. As a result, most of the little banshees did their best to be serious during the second half of the lesson.

This also allowed their suffering to continue.

Influenced by Saria's teaching style, Gerald's teaching style was actually quite different from his usual casual approach. He basically attacked all the little banshees indiscriminately, almost including Theresa, who was sitting next to him.

He happened to seize the moment when everyone's emotions were about to erupt. After endless suppression, he reluctantly typed out a word of praise, praising everyone's strengths and making everyone's emotions and mindset rise again.

As an observer, Ramallen had already begun to think about how to explain things to Theresa.

However, Theresa's answer was unexpected.

"I'm just a little relieved that he's not a Sarkaz, that he's an outsider who has nothing to do with us, and that he won't get involved in the troubles that belong to the Sarkaz in the end."

"This is true for both of us."

The Demon Queen slightly closed her eyelids, as if burying some indescribable emotions deep in her heart. Her tone remained calm, yet it carried a faint hint of weariness.

The remaining half-sentence ultimately turned into a soft sigh, lingering on the lips for a moment before being quietly carried away by the breeze and blending into the courtyard.

—[Otherwise, he would probably stand on the opposite side, leading the charge and becoming the sharpest blade at the forefront of the next battlefield.]

The doubt and slight disappointment that Tianma revealed in his emotions best explained this.

Chapter 76: The challenging dungeon you've been waiting for is coming soon!

After one lesson, Gerald had memorized most of the little banshee's name and characteristics.

There's no need to elaborate on Nasti, whom I already knew. The rest are also quite a bunch of geniuses: there's the hot-blooded protagonist from a shonen manga who immediately clashed head-on with the power armor and was beaten to his knees; there's the amazing wisdom of someone who bypassed the power armor to attack the controller; and there's a certain legend who was so unlucky that he took five or six hits from an air cannon but silently adapted.

The main point is that each of the eight people has their own ideas, which is exactly what Gerald hopes they will learn: to give their own solutions when facing a crisis.

As the only hope for survival in the war environment, the little banshees almost all had a very clear and consistent understanding of their own roles.

If you can't fight, run away.

This made him, as the teacher, quite happy, to the point that he understood why Saria had risked everything in prison to come to the library to teach him.

Because he was truly a promising young man, his biggest worry was that some children would still be the kind who, upon meeting someone, would unleash a barrage of curses without stopping, stubbornly clinging to their pride and the so-called "glory of the royal court," and wouldn't change their ways even when they were almost beaten to death.

If this really happens, he'll have to be beaten several times before he can change. If Ramalen comes and sees the situation, she'll be lucky if she doesn't tear him apart.

Of course, it's also possible that she'll personally take the stage and beat up these little demonesses until they reform, and that's when the success will be considered achieved.

But now I don't have that concern anymore.

After experiencing a life-or-death chase in the sky, the little banshees initially held a complex attitude of both fear and awe towards Gerald, fearing that they would be chased by that strange power armor again.

However, after just one lesson in the courtyard, the situation quietly changed.

The children, who had initially kept their distance, gradually drew closer to him. Their wariness and unease were replaced by curiosity and interest as Gerald patiently explained things, casually took them flying in the sky with him, and displayed a nonchalant attitude that showed no respect even towards the Demon King.

That's how children feel. Although some of them are not young anymore, their upbringing is limited to this valley.

Despite their initial fright and fear, their curiosity about new things ultimately prevailed. In just a few minutes of flying, many of the little demonesses felt they had already made up for the beatings they had suffered.

"Teacher, teacher." A bespectacled little banshee, who had achieved the feat of being knocked down in one hit during her power armor test, tugged at Gerald's sleeve and asked cautiously, "Can we all fly up to class from now on?"

"Maybe, but they won't just stay in the classroom listening to stories."

Does this child think his magic can be used an unlimited number of times?

However, the suggestion itself makes some sense.

Education is inherently lagging, and the elderly witches' teaching methods, while necessary, lack excitement in such a mundane life, which is precisely what he, as a teacher, needs to supplement.

After all, their learning goal is not to compete with each other to create a new succubus lord, but to learn how to survive in reality.

Following the air currents, Pegasus led the little banshees slowly up the invisible steps to the top of the Word Tower, then turned to them and said:

"Alright, although we went a little overtime, that's about it for today's lesson. I'm going to talk to your banshee teachers. You can do whatever you want with the rest of the time."

"……teacher?"

Another little demon sensed something amiss, a sense of foreboding flashing through her mind. She raised her hand and asked, "Is this where we disperse?"

"Do you want to take the stairs inside the tower?" Gerald looked at the little banshee, tilted his head in confusion, and said, "But I think it would be faster here."

"?"

Suddenly, it was as if the air beneath their feet had vanished, and everyone felt a sudden sense of weightlessness.

The sound of the wind suddenly stopped in my ears, as if all the sounds of the world had been taken away, leaving only the sound of my heartbeat amplified infinitely as I plummeted downwards.

This time, however, there were far fewer screams than before.

The little banshees no longer clung frantically as before, but instead tried to adjust their bodies to adapt to the changes in their environment. Some of the quicker ones were even able to use the spells they had learned to perform tentative protective spells in mid-air.

Those little banshees who hadn't had time to adjust their posture instinctively curled up and closed their eyes to await the impact of landing.

Although most of them still fell to the ground without any skill, at least they began to try to control their bodies in the air, instead of passively relying on the wind to support them at the last moment.

Gerald looked down at the little banshees who were tumbling and sprawling on the grass, and said with a wicked grin, "Anyway, we'll have to get used to it eventually. It'll be fun to come here a few more times."

"Besides, you are quite clever."

Pegasus glanced disdainfully at Nastie, who was well-prepared and used a spell to create chains that bound Gerald's legs.

She was wrapping the chains around her wrists again and again, stubbornly trying to keep herself from falling.

Gravity pulled her down, but the force from the chains was pulling her up—Gerald easily broke the chains binding him, then lifted Nastya in front of him and said with satisfaction:

"Pass."

--------

The scene quickly shifted from the Tower of Words back to the courtyard.

Although the other succubi wouldn't mind him, a pegasus, dining with them, he was already marked with Ramallen's name, and he felt embarrassed to trouble them. After a day of wandering and classes, he finally had to return to the courtyard to find Ramallen.

Compared to his previous experiences where a single sparring session would interrupt the entire day, this was one of the few complete days he had ever spent in the valley.

From the dew that covered the window at dawn, to Ramalien's tentative battle with him, bathing, eating, and strolling in the valley; then to the Tower of Words where he met some older female demons and the backbone of the tribe, and sparred with them a couple of times; finally, he came to the tower to teach the young female demons, but in the middle of the lesson, he bumped into the courtyard and encountered the Demon King.

These daily routines calmed him down considerably.

His dreams had transformed from a mere training ground into a sanctuary for his soul, a place where he could release his emotions. He could also find time there to reflect on and alleviate the things he experienced in reality.

When Gerald stepped into the courtyard, he saw that Ramalyn had changed out of her formal and elaborate royal dress and into a light, casual home outfit.

The dark robe, made of soft silk, has wide sleeves, and the hemline accentuates her slender and elegant figure.

Compared to the solemn siren queen during the day, she now appears more relaxed and casual, and her imposing aura has been greatly diminished by the change in her clothing.

"Your Highness is gone?" He looked around but didn't see the figure in the white dress from before, so he asked Lamaren, "It hasn't been long."

“Her Highness will rest in the valley for a few days.” Lamaren turned around upon hearing this, a faint smile on her face. “Like you were back then, Her Highness is also visiting the valley for the first time. Tomorrow, we can accompany her for a stroll through the valley.”

Tomorrow.

Gerald silently pondered the time in his dream and the things he needed to do the next day. Then he nodded: "Okay, I understand."

"What do you think of His Highness?" Ramalyn stopped what she was doing, used a spell to open the wall of the hidden room, and invited Gerald to enter with her.

Once back in familiar surroundings, the lights came on, illuminating the expressions on their faces. After her earlier gentle demeanor, Lamaren adopted a worried expression: "If you don't like Her Highness, you can tell me, and I'll inform you of her arrival in advance next time."

“The Banshee has always been very supportive of Theresa… I don’t want to hurt your feelings because of these things, so if we can clear up some misunderstandings, I think it will be better for both of us.”

"Why do you think I dislike Theresa?" Gerald asked, somewhat surprised. "Just because of what I said to her? Just so you know, I seemed to have been about the same when we first met."

"……Yeah?"

Lamarle hadn't considered this point. A rare hint of hesitation appeared on her face before she quickly asked, "So, if His Highness also extended an invitation to you, would you accept?"

“There are differences between leaders, Lamaren.” Gerald shook his head, took off his coat and hung it on the hanger beside him: “Banshees and Sarkaz are two different concepts. The reason I have admired you from the beginning is that your actions as the leader of the Banshees are impeccable. You simply chose me as your gamble when you had few other options.”

"It's understandable that you would ask me for help for the sake of the banshee's continuation. But Theresa is different; she is the demon lord of the Sarkaz."

“I don’t know the full picture, and I can’t even compare to those children in terms of knowledge and insight.” Gerald frowned, and after a moment of consideration, he said, “I just think that even a demon king with extremely powerful methods and courage will one day reveal some of his wavering attitude to outsiders.”

"...Then either it means that Sarkaz is facing a bigger and more troublesome problem than imagined, or it means that she has become weak after becoming your princess."

"In any case, if all she seeks is a simple mutual aid agreement, then I will accept it; the friendship of a demon lord is invaluable to everyone. But if it's something as grand as saving the Sarkaz, a matter concerning the fate of an entire race, then I have absolutely no way of reaching an agreement with her."

He personally leans towards the former.

Human nature is hard to change, but the situation is constantly changing... But when it comes to the problems facing the Sarkaz, Gerald himself is completely baffled.

After all, apart from the book that Saria gave him and some conversations with Sarkaz mercenaries in the past, the only other tidbits of knowledge he knew about Sarkaz came from his conversations with Ramalen.

Lamaren remained silent for a moment after hearing this answer.

After a long while, she finally snapped out of her thoughts and sighed almost imperceptibly: "It's alright, don't be angry. At least you haven't had any misunderstandings with His Highness, which puts my mind at ease."

“Well then.” The Banshee Queen’s tone shifted as she moved closer to Gerald, her voice carrying a subtle undertone: “Shall we continue resting in this room today… or would you like to have another match in the courtyard? I suddenly feel that sometimes sparring is a good thing. At least when facing certain enemies, my skills won’t be too rusty.”