Demon Invasion

The peaceful days passed one by one, each blending seamlessly into the next. There were no sadistic elves ordering her to commit suicide, no demon-hunting mad mages pursuing her with relentless zeal. For the first time in what felt like centuries, Aura actually found herself thinking that staying among humans wasn't so bad after all.

There was no need to worry about her safety, no need to be concerned about the endless power struggles among demons, where the weak were devoured and the strong were always looking over their shoulders. Here, she didn't have to constantly be on edge, fearing that she might be overtaken by some younger, stronger demon eager to replace her. She could take her time, leisurely increasing her mana, exploring new magical theories, without the weight of constant dread pressing down on her.

Although she had lost her freedom, Aura had gained a sense of security.

Ah, except for a certain immortal golden-haired elf who occasionally showed her a covetous look that sent chills down her spine. Whenever Aura caught Serie's eye, it was as if she were being soaked in a jar. Aside from that unsettling presence, everything else was fine.

With this newfound peace, Aura could wholeheartedly devote herself to the study of magic. For demons, besides tormenting humans, the pursuit of magic was the second most important purpose in life. Magic was power, and power was everything.

Although she still hadn't found a way to unilaterally break the obedience spell, Aura had made rapid progress in other areas of magic. Perhaps if she returned to the demon territory at her peak, she could challenge Macht of the Golden Land.

But this thought was only a fantasy for Aura.

Trying to escape from Serie for the third time would be impossible—no, even the strongest of the Seven Sages of Destruction, Macht, could not manage such a feat. She bet that even the Omniscient Schlacht himself would fail to break free from Serie's grasp.

What Aura thought of now was only surviving under Serie's control.

That elf was already so old; maybe one day she would reach the end of her lifespan and die. Then Aura would regain her freedom.

Although no one has ever witnessed the end of an elf's lifespan, Aura feels that she is still young and it should not be a problem for her to outlive an old elf.

The peaceful life she had settled into seemed to stretch out before her without end, an endless sequence of quiet days spent in study and occasional indulgence. But deep down, Aura knew that such tranquility could not last forever. In the back of her mind, she was always aware that the world was full of unpredictable dangers, and there would always be accidents that could shatter her peace.

And then, one day, the first sign of trouble appeared.

"Have you heard? Have you heard? They discovered signs of a large number of demons near the southern border of a small country. It's said they found a hidden elven village in that forest."

"An elven village? Is it the legendary place where elves gather? Is there really such a thing? I thought the elves had long been extinct. I have lived for so many years and have never heard of elves appearing anywhere."

"Isn't Lady Serie an elf?"

"Oh, right, Lady Serie is so close to humans that I almost forgot she's an elf."

'An elven village?' Aura, who had just returned to the library with her arms full of bread and meat, suddenly became alert. She had been following Zanze's instructions, completing her daily lunch shopping at the bustling market, and was now on her way back to the library to resume her duties. The comforting smells of freshly baked bread and roasted meat filled the air around her, a rare treat she had come to enjoy during her time among humans. 

But this explosive news stopped her in her tracks, making her heart race with a mix of curiosity and unease. She sat down at the front desk while eavesdropping these two human mages.

'Could there be another elven village in this world besides the one with Frieren's?'

The two dusty human mages who had been talking outside the library were likely just returning from the empire's border, their robes still caked with the dirt and grime of travel. They were engaged in animated conversation, probably discussing the grimoire return procedures as they had been instructed, but their words had ignited something in Aura's mind.

"I heard the battle there was brutal. Multiple great demons appeared and mercilessly slaughtered the elven village. Soldiers and mages who witnessed the scene couldn't bear to look at the elves' deaths."

"Ah—aren't elves supposed to be as strong as Lady Serie? but they were all killed by the demons. What a pity! I may not see an elf in hundreds of years."

"Not all of them died—eh… but it's the same as all of them died. I heard that only one white-haired elf is still alive. But the weird thing is that she actually used demon magic! Ridiculous, right? That's demon magic that has never been analyzed by outsiders! Many people say that she colluded with the demons and destroyed her own village."

"Demon magic?! That's possible. What a shame. Elves were already few in number. The destruction of that elven village brings them close to extinction. Have they found that elf who colluded with the demons?"

"Not yet, I heard that a great mage has already led a team to fight. The people accompanying her are all powerful warriors who can fight in close combat, attack from a distance, and track down. There should be no risk of failure."

'What?'

Aura's reaction was immediate. She stood up from her seat at the front desk of the library, her heart pounding with sudden anxiety. Her thoughts raced as she considered the implications of what she had just overheard.

But after a moment of frantic worry, Aura forced herself to sit back down, though her mind continued to whirl. She couldn't afford to act rashly—panic wouldn't help her or anyone else. Leaning back in her chair, she tried to think rationally.

'Well, Flamme must have received the news earlier and should have already left to stop those humans from hunting Frieren.' Aura reassured herself, letting out a slow breath. Flamme was an incredible mage, and if anyone could prevent a catastrophe, it would be her.

Since their last drunken fight where she had pinned Flamme down and toyed with her, Aura never met Flamme again.

Flamme had visited the Continental Magic Association a few times, but Aura avoided her. It was said that three years ago, after Flamme met with Serie, Serie had acknowledged Flamme's title as a Great Mage.

A first-class mage at the age of twenty-four, and a Great Mage at the age of thirty, Flamme was probably the youngest in human history to achieve such a status. And it wasn't just her age that made her remarkable; it was her sheer power. Flamme had honed her combat magic on the border battlefield, facing threats that would have broken lesser mages. Her strength was likely immeasurable now, far beyond what Aura had faced in their drunken tussle.

Aura probably couldn't beat her a second time.

"Are they really going to hunt down that elf? She's the only known kin of Lady Serie. Wouldn't it be too offensive to hunt her without Serie's approval? Why isn't Lady Serie handling it herself?"

"You know Lady Serie never gets involved in such matters. Whether it's demon invasions, human extinctions, or the disappearance of elves, Lady Serie remains indifferent. Perhaps she no longer considers herself an elf and sees herself only as a mage, without any allegiance."

"Oh, is that so? I'm just worried that the association might have objections..."

"Don't worry about that. Vice President Flamme personally led the team. The great mage I just mentioned is her. Vice President Flamme represents the will of Continental Magic Association."

"Wait!! You two, stop right there!"

The two dusty mages were about to walk away when they were suddenly stopped by a voice behind them.

It turned out to be Aura, the director of the Magic Library. She caught up with them, holding a bunch of bread and other ingredients. It was obvious that she had just returned from the market and was preparing to go home.

"Lady Aura, is there something you need from us?" one of the mages asked respectfully, immediately recognizing her. His companion followed suit, bowing with equal reverence.

Both of them were seasoned mages of the older generation, who had earned their credentials under Aura's scrutiny back when she served as the chief examiner. Unlike the newer mages outside Kribi City, who barely knew of Aura's existence, these two held her in high regard. The pressure of her rigorous exams had etched her name into their memories, and they respected her greatly, no matter how far they had traveled.

"Is Flamme really going to kill her own disciple over such a small matter? Although humans have never been able to learn the magic of demons, this does not prove that the elf who learned the magic of demons has defected to the demons."

The two mages exchanged puzzled glances, their brows furrowing as they tried to make sense of what she had just said. There was a moment of silence, filled with unspoken questions, as they searched each other's eyes for some shared understanding.

Finally, one of them spoke, his voice tinged with confusion. "What are you talking about? Miss Flamme has never taken a disciple."

"Huh???" Aura's reaction was immediate and intense, her eyes widening in shock. She stared at them as if they had just spoken in a foreign language. The words echoed in her mind, clashing with everything she thought she knew.

The two mages, seeing her bewilderment, exchanged uneasy glances. "We're certain, Lady Aura," one of them continued, his tone cautious. "Miss Flamme is known for her solitary nature. She's never taken on a disciple, at least not that we've heard of. And if she had, it would be big news—especially among the magic circles. Everyone would know."

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Here we comes, the demon invasion has begun!!!

I'm gonna take one day off for my graduation ceremony in my university. Here's you can chat with cliffhanger-kun while waiting for me h3h3~

But, if this story somehow managed to reach 400 stones tomorrow, it won't impossible to update more~~