"So—you just ignored that so-called Elven Queen?"
As they slowly exited the Imperial Royal Museum—
Serie, cradling little Flamme in her arms, looked at Agusheed with interest.
When confronted earlier by that fellow elf, Agusheed had simply turned around and walked away without saying a word.
He hadn't acknowledged her presence again, even after they'd toured the entire museum.
"She's just a lunatic."
"No need to engage with her."
Agusheed responded bluntly, clearly uninterested in discussing the matter.
"Even a demon like you finds her crazy?"
"What did she do? Come on, tell me."
Seeing Agusheed out of sorts sparked Serie's rare curiosity.
Partly because she was genuinely interested in what that fellow elf had done.
After all, not even Serie had ever been called a "lunatic" by Agusheed.
But Agusheed didn't look back, nor did he intend to respond.
He simply quickened his pace, clearly wishing to drop the subject.
"Come back—"
Serie started to raise her hand, ready to magically drag him back—
But Flamme, held in her arms, poked her to signal that she knew.
"Back during our travels, Agusheed told me—"
Flamme paused to gather her thoughts and continued:
"That Elven Queen came to him 250 years ago, seeking so-called Immortality Magic and Resurrection Magic."
"Because she'd heard from some great demon that Agusheed's Severance Magic could interfere with time—"
Serie raised an eyebrow—this was getting interesting.
"And?"
"So she gathered nearly all the forces of the Empire at the time to try and capture Agusheed alive."
"And?"
"Then the Elven Queen, along with all of the Empire's forces, was completely crushed by Agusheed—that's how he earned the title Collapse of Nations."
Crushing the entire Empire single-handedly 250 years ago?
Serie wasn't shocked. She was well aware of Agusheed's power.
But…
"Seeking immortality and resurrection…"
Serie murmured the words, putting them together with the Queen's identity—
She could more or less guess what drove that elf to such delusional fantasies…
Love?
How laughable…
Though she scoffed inwardly, as they strolled toward the western district,
Serie casually glanced at Agusheed's retreating back.
Then she looked down at the little Flamme in her arms.
"I, Archmage Flamme, will spend the rest of my life teaching him what love is."
Those foolish words once blurted out by Flamme echoed faintly in her ears.
"If such a day ever comes, then what would that demon…"
Her thoughts suddenly stopped.
Serie shook her head, brushing aside that fleeting nonsense.
Even she found her own musings laughable.
Teaching a demon what love is…
Heh—
What a joke.
——————————
Dusk fell as they walked the road home.
Agusheed had left Serie and Flamme far behind, showing only his back.
An old, long-sealed conversation echoed in his mind—
"Ophelia Alde… Queen of the Unified Empire, correct?"
"Why do you covet my life?"
"Because I… cough… heard you possessed magic that could interfere with time."
"So… cough… I challenged you to battle—"
"I see. Just another mage driven mad by the pursuit of power."
"Take your people and leave. I'll spare your lives this time—don't come again."
"No… it's not power…"
The blood-soaked Elven Queen had collapsed in front of Agusheed that day.
Even as her emerald eyes dimmed and she faced the overwhelming might of the strongest demon—
She still refused to let go of his ankle, gripping tightly.
"I… I just wanted to borrow your magic to save… save the one I love."
"What… did you say?"
"Please… cough… I beg you… use your magic to save him…"
"Even if… cough… it means killing me—"
"Save your lover… kill you?"
"…"
"Your lover… was he injured, sick?"
"He gave up twenty years of his life… for me…"
"It was the only time in my life I felt truly loved…"
"I beg you… no matter what it costs… please save him…"
"He lost… his lifespan… you mean your lover… is dying of old age?"
"Please…"
"To bring back someone whose life is simply running out—"
"That kind of magic… is beyond me."
——
"Such a frustrating memory…"
Agusheed rubbed his forehead and muttered softly.
That memory from 250 years ago inexplicably irritated him—
It frustrated him more than any mind-affecting spell.
He had clearly ended that conversation as concisely as possible.
Yet… why did that memory still—
In that moment of turmoil, absentmindedly—
Agusheed noticed the ring on his left ring finger, the one Flamme had placed there.
Two hundred and fifty years ago, when Ophelia Alde had pleaded with him—
Her bloodstained hand had also held a ring, similar to his—though more worn and faded…
"So agitating… maybe I didn't tell Flamme everything…"
"To be honest, I'm a little curious now."
"Could you tell me the full story of what happened between you and that fellow elf?"
"Preferably… the whole thing—"
Serie's distinct chuckle snapped Agusheed out of his reverie.
He turned to see Serie, now holding Flamme again, standing right behind him.
"Could you not provoke me right now, please?"
Agusheed's frustrated tone made Flamme tense up in her arms.
But before she could react—
Serie grinned, her golden eyes glinting with amusement.
"Oh? Are you challenging me?"
That sentence made Flamme realize—
The thing she feared most was about to happen.
Serie gently set Flamme down and took a step closer to Agusheed.
They now stood barely half a meter apart.
"Wanna fight?"
She smiled as she stared at Agusheed, who clearly had no intention of backing down.
"Then let's fight—"
And so, to the challenge of the greatest archmage in history,
The strongest modern demon gave his answer.