Over a thousand years before the Sinseki Era.
During the time of the Unified Empire, within the Imperial Territory—
A carriage carrying two people slowly crossed rivers and mountains.
Emerging 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 time 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 glimmer of anticipation in her eyes.
"The news of the Archmage Flamme'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."
Flamme smiled playfully, clearly amused by the idea.
"That's impossible."
Agusheed dismissed her words with amusement.
*"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."*
Flamme 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."
Flamme dropped the topic.
She stretched lazily, then leaned comfortably against Agusheed.
Agusheed frowned and glanced at the sun to estimate the time.
"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.
Flamme 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."
Flamme chuckled at his careless tone.
"True… only ten years…"
"What feels long to me is probably just a fleeting hundredth of your long life, isn't it…"
Agusheed didn't catch her deeper meaning. He simply replied honestly:
"You exaggerate. It's more like one-fiftieth."
"One-fiftieth? Really?"
Flamme 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, Flamme wasn't discouraged.
After a moment 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 someone."
Agusheed paused, then nodded slightly.
"Who?"
Flamme chuckled softly at the expected response.
"A man completely oblivious to feelings…"
"What do you mean?"
Then came 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, Flamme."
She rolled over on his lap.
"Strange how?"
Raising a finger, Agusheed began listing details from memory.
"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 Monument in the Offen Mountains due to 'Goddess Magic'—
You've been unusually cheerful. Happier even than when we reached Aureole."
His words made Flamme 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 something happen during those days in the Offen Mountains that changed your outlook?
Or are human emotions simply that fickle?"*
Flamme 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."
Flamme 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 something 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 mention of the Demon King, Agusheed sighed.
*"You've got some nerve, Flamme…
You almost got me killed by His Majesty.
He even banned me 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 Flamme.
More accurately, he no longer had the will to.
Perhaps five hundred years ago, when he first became a demon, he still had such emotions.
But now…
He turned his gaze to the open fields.
Now…
He couldn't even remember his name 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 something off about him, Flamme turned to face upward again.
Gazing at his completely human-looking face.
"Even demons have things to worry about?"
"As long as something 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 Flamme'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.
Flamme 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 me a break, Flamme…"
"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 blossomed across his entire body. He placed his flower-covered hand before her eyes.
Flamme laughed again.
He'd said "just once" last time, 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 moment, Flamme wished time would stop—
Just like the language of that flower…