The Demons' Proposal
In the royal palace of the Liannen Kingdom, Lydia received shocking news.
"...A demon delegation has arrived?"
"Just to be sure, Your Majesty." Erterion wiped the sweat from his damp hands. "Has anything like this ever happened during your reign?"
"No— I can say with certainty it hasn't. Not under me, nor any before."
Demons weren't a race that enjoyed conversation.
"Using your head is the way of the weak. So this isn't the demons' way—it's human."
They occasionally spat words to deceive humans, but sending a delegation under the Demon King's direct orders was unprecedented in human history.
"...Which makes this a tremendous ill omen."
Lydia smiled. But she made no effort to hide the cold sweat trickling down her cheek.
"This Demon King is very clever."
Lydia stood.
"From here on, it'll be a very tough fight."
Defying overwhelming opposition, she approved an audience with the demon delegation.
Sisilia knew the moment she saw the demons why they'd set foot in the capital. That's why she wanted to kill them before they could speak. The instant they declared themselves a delegation, the truce would activate, making them untouchable.
But the plan failed. Thanks to a single demon.
On the way to the audience, Sisilia eyed the culprit behind her failed plan and asked Liliana, who was trembling beside her.
"Who's that demon? Piss-pants."
"Th-that's Her Excellency Freya, First Legion Commander of the demon realm."
"...Another annoying hierarchy. Authority over time, huh? That didn't feel like resurrection—more like erasing the fact it happened."
"...!"
'Her level's impossible to gauge. Is she insanely strong? Or insanely weak?'
Either way, one thing was clear.
'Gonna be busy.'
Overtime for a while, no doubt.
"We pay respects to Her Imperial Majesty. Thank you for so warmly welcoming our demon delegation."
Under the heated killing intent of the Windsor Knights and royal guards, the demon delegation prostrated before the throne hall.
Queen Lydia met them with a smiling face.
"Well, aren't you a masterpiece. You're the first demons in human history to come this far."
"An honor."
"And you even know etiquette. Amazing. I thought your kind had no such concept."
"We studied hard. We've decided to adopt the fine aspects of human culture."
The lined-up Windsor Knights stood ready to strike if Freya showed the slightest suspicion. But Freya remained perfectly still, prostrated in flawless courtesy.
A demon delegation. An event unprecedented in human history was unfolding in the Liannen Kingdom.
"We don't have time for idle chit-chat, do we? Your soldiers are still defiling our lands at this very moment."
"If I may—"
The mage from the magic tower, recording every minor gesture and word, ground their teeth. Impeccable etiquette, without a single flaw. It meant the demons had thoroughly scouted human intelligence.
"They are demons beyond the Demon King's influence. His Majesty expresses deep regret over their misconduct."
"...!"
Demons beyond the Demon King's sway? If the people of Liannen learned loyalty to their queen through acquired education, demons were born knowing innate loyalty to the strong.
"...So you're saying the Demon King can't control them?"
"We regret it deeply."
A blatant taunt. Openly cutting off the tail.
"Then you won't object if we humans kill them?"
"That would be ideal."
Freya smiled faintly.
"They're a headache for us too."
"...".
Open mockery. Lydia's expression chilled for an instant.
But with their outwardly amicable stance, there was no cause for hostility. Here, she had to stay rational, extract their goal, and uncover their scheme.
"...So, what's the reason for this long journey?"
"We have one request for our closest ally, the Liannen Kingdom."
Courtiers and knights widened their eyes at those words.
"...Ally?"
The word's impact shook even Lydia's composure for a moment. But she quickly regained her cool, flashing a leisurely smile.
"Strange. We have a truce, not an alliance."
"Humans have a saying."
Freya raised her head. Her milky-white eyes held a strange demonic allure that made one avert their gaze.
But Lydia stared straight back without flinching.
"There are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests."
Freya beamed.
"A splendid phrase. We demons were drawn by it."
"...Surely you didn't come here proposing an alliance?"
"No."
"Then?"
Freya enunciated slowly.
"Lend us passage to the Empire."
No one present misunderstood the implication. The demons had their eyes on the Empire—not Liannen.
People swallowed hard.
Queen Lydia replied without hesitation.
"What if we refuse?"
"Then, regrettably."
Freya said calmly.
"We'll just pass through."
"...Just pass through?"
"But that would be rude, so we came to ask permission."
In other words, the attack on the Empire was already set. And to stop it—
'The truce would be voided.'
For a standard nation-to-nation truce, territorial violation was clear breach. But this was—strictly speaking—a promise to the goddess and demon god.
Demon movements not aimed at attacking Liannen wouldn't violate it.
"But we demons understand how great a burden this is for your kingdom."
And Freya's next words were shocking.
"Thus, should we demons triumph over the Empire—we offer half its territory."
"Gasp."
Freya turned to the noble who gasped.
"We find it truly regrettable."
Freya wore a sincerely sorrowful expression.
"Our eternal archfoe—the Liannen Kingdom."
"We demons, who fought you for 500 years, know your mighty power best."
"Especially the Windsor Knights—a terror even to us demons. Knights beyond human limits."
"So why don't you hold humanity's hegemony? Why are you ruled by far weaker beings?"
Words piercing the nobles' exact grievances.
Liannen's strength was best known to its own people. Especially after Lydia lifted isolationism, exposure to foreign news made it even clearer.
No human rival matched Liannen now. Dispatching just the Windsor Knights could topple the Empire easily; even regular soldiers outclassed theirs.
"You deserve better lives. You've fought well for 500 years."
Resonance. Demons were sensitive to emotions. And now, Freya sensed the humans' swelling sympathy.
"I didn't know demons held our kingdom in such high regard."
Lydia grinned, reminding the nobles of reality.
"After slaughtering us in droves."
Nothing more foolish than demons caring for humans.
Freya replied leisurely.
"Yes. We've fought long. Our enmity runs too deep to reverse. That's why we know well."
Freya placed a hand over her heart.
"We demons can't topple you easily, nor you us. So—"
When the truce ends, the long war resumes. Empire falls or not, it changes nothing.
That's what the demons were saying.
"Let's fight over more land. We've gained little from this endless struggle."
Lydia's eyes hardened.
Freya was right. War has no winners. Countless dead, incalculable resources lost.
Liannen's wounds matched the demons'. Splitting the Empire would take time to assimilate—but so for them.
Liannen would enter an unprecedented golden age.
"A proposal beneficial to both. Only the front changes. Our roles remain, your duties too. Think it over."
The demon said.
"We demons desire fertile soil and fresh human fear."
A tale alluring enough to humans.
"Even without Liannen, it matters not."
Freya rose and bowed politely.
"In one week, at night's fall, we'll return. Please consider positively."
For the kingdom? Or humanity?
Having tossed the dilemma, Freya glanced back at the palace before returning to the Demon King Castle.
"Confusion, fear, and faint hope."
Liliana clutched her belly, giggling beside her. Human emotions were always so entertaining.
"I wonder what choice the humans will make."
Freya recalled the memory before coming here.
—If you go to the human world, beware a human named Sisilia.
When Demon King Cain advised her, Freya hadn't quite understood. The Cain she knew wasn't the type.
—She's... different.
But upon meeting, Freya grasped the true meaning. Not because she turned the somewhat strong Liliana into minced meat in an instant, for humans.
The emotion Sisilia felt staring at her was clearly—
'Curiosity. A human felt curiosity facing me.'
Not the emotion for facing a powerful demon. A predator's leisure-born curiosity.
And it matched Freya's own exactly. She'd felt curiosity toward Sisilia too.
So Freya corrected herself. She wasn't curious about human choices.
What truly piqued her was—
"No—what judgment will she make? Like the Demon King, you've caught my interest too."
A long life. Discovering the unexpected was joy.
Freya thought a week hence would be thrilling already, moving to board the carriage.
But then.
"Then speak."
'No presence.'
Freya fell silent a moment, then turned. Sisilia stood, sword drawn.
"I told you."
Concentrated wind aura leaked from her blade.
"...Is that your choice?"
Freya was genuinely disappointed now.
'In the end, just another ordinary human.'
"Foolish judgment. Thinking you can beat me, deciding to break the truce on your own."
She'd rejoiced at finding something intriguing, only for it to succumb to rage.
"A clear mis—"
Swish—!
Wind grazed Freya's neck. Her pupils contracted.
The sword's trajectory vanished. No—saying it vanished was wrong. The process erased, only result left. Or rather, it felt that way.
"Didn't like it."
Whoosh. Freya's hair cascaded down.
She slowly reached back. Empty.
"Felt like a bob would suit you."
Freya looked down. Her fingertips trembled faintly.
'What is this?'
She touched her cheek. Hot, temperature rising.
Belatedly, Freya realized: anger.
Then Sisilia grasped Freya's chin, tilting it up.
"Yeah. Suits you. Now you're kinda cute."
She beamed, stroking Freya's hair.
"S-Sisilia! How could you run off mid-meeting?!"
As Beatrice rushed from afar, Sisilia straightened and waved at Freya.
"See ya."
"...".
Freya stared blankly at Sisilia's retreating back.
"Fr-Freya?"
Only when terrified Liliana spoke did she snap to.
'...Pay her back the same.'
As she reached toward Sisilia's flowing silver hair—
"...!"
An unknown sensation gripped her heart; Freya lowered her hand without acting.
"Fr-Freya?"
"Ah."
A clear droplet trailed down Freya's cheek. She pressed her chest.
The heart she'd thought long stilled pounded fiercely, asserting its existence.
This phenomenon—she'd heard of it.
"...This is, love?"
"Pardon?"
Liliana flinched.