Over a thousand years before the Sinseki Era.
During the ti of the Unified Empire, within the Imperial Territory—
A carriage carrying two people slowly crossed rivers and mountains.
Erging from dense forests, it rolled gently down a small path winding through vast open fields.
Agusheed, who had traversed this world and lived a five-hundred-year life as a "great demon,"
Saw for the first ti the city known as the Imperial Capital—
Eiseberg.
A magnificent city, nearly comparable to the grandeur and beauty of ancient ruins.
Yet all of this stirred not the slightest ripple in Agusheed's heart.
"So we finally see the capital again…"
In stark contrast to Agusheed,
The red-haired woman beside him rested her cheek on one hand, a glimr of anticipation in her eyes.
"The news of the Archmage Flam's return must've spread by now—surely my students have been waiting eagerly."
She spoke to herself, glancing sideways at the silent Agusheed.
His face remained expressionless, almost dull.
"Can't you look forward to it, just a little? Maybe one of my students will be able to see through your disguise."
Flam smiled playfully, clearly amused by the idea.
"That's impossible."
Agusheed dismissed her words with amusent.
*"Other than His Majesty the Demon King, Serie, and you—her disciple—
No other magic user in this world can see through my disguise magic."*
Flam didn't argue.
She simply maintained that faint smile:
"Agusheed, you'll regret underestimating my students…"
Agusheed remained calm, eyes fixed on the magical auras radiating from the capital in the distance.
"If you think they can do what even the 'Corrupt Sage' and the 'All-Knowing One' couldn't, I'll be watching with interest."
Flam dropped the topic.
She stretched lazily, then leaned comfortably against Agusheed.
Agusheed frowned and glanced at the sun to estimate the ti.
"Didn't you just wake up?"
"So I can't nap again just because I already woke up?"
Unable to refute her childish reasoning,
Agusheed could only let her be.
Flam went from leaning to lying down, resting her head on his lap, watching his unmoved expression with a helpless smile.
"What a boring man."
She closed her eyes and listened to the wind across the plain, murmuring softly:
"Ten whole years… such a long journey."
"Long? It's only been ten years."
"If you hadn't insisted on taking a detour through the southern borders of the Empire, it would've been even shorter."
Flam chuckled at his careless tone.
"True… only ten years…"
"What feels long to is probably just a fleeting hundredth of your long life, isn't it…"
Agusheed didn't catch her deeper aning. He simply replied honestly:
"You exaggerate. It's more like one-fiftieth."
"One-fiftieth? Really?"
Flam feigned surprise, not upset by his lack of understanding.
"Agusheed, your life from now on will surely be longer than I can even imagine…"
"Perhaps."
"What a perfunctory answer…"
"Even if you say that, I can't give you a better one. I truly don't understand human emotions."
Though she'd long known this, Flam wasn't discouraged.
After a mont of silence, just before Agusheed's attention drifted to the scenery again, she suddenly spoke:
"Agusheed, I want to tell you—I've fallen for soone."
Agusheed paused, then nodded slightly.
"Who?"
Flam chuckled softly at the expected response.
"A man completely oblivious to feelings…"
"What do you an?"
Then ca silence.
The two of them fell quiet, unsure how to continue the topic.
After a while, Agusheed spoke first:
"You've been acting strange lately, Flam."
She rolled over on his lap.
"Strange how?"
Raising a finger, Agusheed began listing details from mory.
"After we escaped death in Eng Road and left 'Aureole', you were depressed for a while…
But ever since I mysteriously passed out for a few days at the Goddess's Monunt in the Offen Mountains due to 'Goddess Magic'—
You've been unusually cheerful. Happier even than when we reached Aureole."
His words made Flam open her eyes.
Lying belly-down on Agusheed's lap, she kicked her feet in the air.
"So, what do you want to ask?"
Agusheed asked directly, without any build-up:
*"Did sothing happen during those days in the Offen Mountains that changed your outlook?
Or are human emotions simply that fickle?"*
Flam let out a soft laugh, seemingly amused by the question.
After thinking a bit, she chose not to answer directly, but asked in return:
"Which do you think is more likely—the first or the second?"
"The first."
Flam closed her eyes again—and lied.
"Too bad. You guessed wrong. It's the second."
"Agusheed, you really don't understand humans at all."
"For humans, surviving a disaster is sothing to be grateful for."
She swung her legs playfully.
"Besides, just surviving an encounter with the Demon King is cause for celebration, isn't it?"
At the ntion of the Demon King, Agusheed sighed.
*"You've got so nerve, Flam…
You almost got killed by His Majesty.
He even banned from setting foot in Eng Road for a thousand years."*
"How could I have known we'd run into the Demon King at the far northern edge of the continent…"
She showed no sign of guilt.
"Who'd have thought he'd build the Demon King's Castle there?"
Agusheed had no retort. He never really argued with Flam.
More accurately, he no longer had the will to.
Perhaps five hundred years ago, when he first beca a demon, he still had such emotions.
But now…
He turned his gaze to the open fields.
Now…
He couldn't even rember his na or face from his past life—
Let alone those so-called "feelings."
In his five hundred years as a solitary demon, he had forgotten almost everything except magic.
Noticing sothing off about him, Flam turned to face upward again.
Gazing at his completely human-looking face.
"Even demons have things to worry about?"
"As long as sothing is alive, it can feel joy, worry, and anger, right?"
Agusheed didn't deny it.
"What about… 'love'?"
At that sudden question, Agusheed placed a hand on Flam's forehead.
Confirming she wasn't feverish, he calmly replied:
"There you go again with your fantasies. Demons can't feel 'love.'
That strange concept of loving and being loved—I'd never understand it, even in a thousand years."
He wasn't exaggerating.
When he realized he was losing his human emotions, he had tried to reclaim them.
But centuries passed, and he not only failed—he lost even more.
Flam said nothing.
She nestled closer on his lap.
"How far to the capital?"
"At this pace, about two more hours."
Estimating the distance from the city ahead.
"That long…?"
She murmured, then reached up and poked his cheek.
"What is it?"
"I want to see a flower field."
"You can't see that lying down here—and there aren't any around anyway."
"I want to see a flower field."
"Give a break, Flam…"
"I want to see a flower field."
"My magic isn't for you to summon flower fields whenever you want—"
He lowered his head, about to refuse.
But seeing her hopeful eyes, he sighed.
"Just this once."
Agusheed raised his right hand.
Magic that grants the body the properties of soil.
Magic that lets things pass through clothes.
And—
Magic of Blooming Flowers.
In an instant, flowers blossod across his entire body. He placed his flower-covered hand before her eyes.
Flam laughed again.
He'd said "just once" last ti, too.
So gentle—
"You really… don't seem like a demon at all."
She plucked a mirror lotus blooming over his heart.
For a fleeting mont, Flam wished ti would stop—
Just like the language of that flower…
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