Fitting in
That night, in the Village Chief's house, where a warm fireplace burned, the atmosphere was subtly awkward. The old Village Chief, his hands trembling, accepted the heavy purse of money from Lowell —money meant for repairing the village's outer walls. His face was a mixture of fear, gratitude, and disbelief, and he repeatedly murmured, "Thank you... thank you, gentlemen... for saving the village..."
The young knight Rustan never took his hand off the hilt of his sword, his body taut like a fully drawn bowstring, his wary gaze fixed on Solitär stood quietly behind Lowell.
The "nameless Great Demons" had now concealed all magical fluctuations, her face displaying an innocent, even slightly shy, expression of curiosity, as if she were just a girl next door who had wandered into this place by mistake. But this only made Rustan more uneasy.
"Mr. Lowell," Rustan's voice was a little hoarse with tension, "Are you sure... this... she won't harm the village anymore?" His gaze swept back and forth between Lowell and Solitär, seeking definite assurance—even though Solitär had only attacked the village's outer wall once before stopping, he could still vaguely sense her Yamato and inhumanity.
Before Lowell could answer, Rosaline, nestled beside Rustan, chuckled. She had dazzling blonde hair, and her personality was as bright and cheerful as her hair. She hugged Rustan's arm tightly, her emerald eyes filled with innocence and trust.
"It's alright, Rustan! You're too nervous!" She shook Rustan's arm, her tone relaxed. "I sensed that Demons lady's magical fluctuations just now, and it scared me half to death! That's incredibly powerful! Definitely First-Class Mage from the Continental Mage Association! If she really wanted to harm us, she could have just attacked directly. Why go through all this trouble? We're far from being able to do it. There's no point in her lying to us."
Rustan looked down at his lover's carefree smile, his tense features softening slightly, a hint of helpless affection flashing in his eyes. But his knightly duty prevented him from fully relaxing. "Well... that's true, but I'm the only knight in the village. Protecting everyone is my responsibility, no matter how powerful the enemy..."
"Alright, alright~" Rosaline extended her index finger and gently touched his lips, interrupting him, a blush of happiness spreading across her face. "Tomorrow is our wedding day! No shouting and fighting here! The all-knowing and all-powerful Goddess wouldn't be so heartless. This must be the Goddess's arrangement, to make this Demons lady abandon evil and bless our wedding! This means that even Demons can coexist with humans, and our love will receive the blessings of all existence, lasting forever..."
Just then, Solitär's eyes lit up, as if she had heard the most interesting keyword. She took a small step forward, clasped her hands in front of her, and her face radiated a pure, almost fanatical thirst for knowledge. She immediately launched into a rapid-fire monologue:
"Ah~! That's right, that's right! This must be... oh, it's the Goddess's ingenious arrangement! You two are truly a match made in heaven! Can I learn more about you? This is so interesting! What do you do for work? Is knight training tough? Is studying magic boring? How did you meet? Where was your first date? What fun things do you do when you're in love? Miss Rosaline, your blonde hair is so beautiful. Is this headband a token of love from Mr. Rustan? It looks so exquisitely made! Mr. Rustan, the design on your necklace is also very special. Was it a gift from Miss Rosaline? What kind of food do you each like? Are you sweet or savory? Where did you grow up? What were your childhood dreams? What are your current dreams? And what are your future dreams? How many children do you plan to have? Do you prefer boys or girls? Have you thought of names yet?... Ah, I'm so sorry, asking so many questions at once, it seems a bit difficult for you to answer, doesn't it?"
Her barrage of questions came like a sudden storm, leaving Rustan somewhat bewildered, his wariness completely replaced by confusion. Rosaline paused for a moment, then couldn't help but burst into laughter again, her laughter like the clear ringing of bells.
"Look! Rustan!" Rosaline laughed so hard she bent over, wiping away tears from her eyes. "Isn't she a lovely, talkative little sister? Look at her thirst for knowledge, just like our neighbor's little sister Sessi, who always asks 'why'! Although her behavior is a bit impolite, breaking down the village wall..."
As she spoke, she glanced at the mess outside the window, but there was little blame in her tone. "But isn't this an apology and compensation? Come here, little sister."
Solitär seemed to accept the title of "little sister" well, and immediately walked obediently to Rosaline. Rosaline reached out and gently stroked Solitär's blue-green hair, then gently pulled her into her arms, giving her a warm hug.
"Ah~" Solitär let out a barely audible sigh, tinged with novelty, as if savoring the warmth and touch of this physical contact. "This is... a human embrace? Is it maternal love? Or an older sister's love for her younger sister? What a wondrous experience... Body temperature 36.8 degrees Celsius, heartbeat steady and rapid, accompanied by relaxed micro-expressions. Now, please answer all the questions I just asked, one by one. This is crucial for my understanding of the foundation of 'coexistence'..."
Rosaline was amused by her earnestness and couldn't help but laugh, saying, "Okay, okay~ you little questioner, I'll answer you one by one. But it's too late today, and I have to be the most beautiful bride tomorrow, so I can't stay up all night. Some questions, I'll tell you slowly after the wedding, okay?"
Rustan stared at the surreal scene before him—his beloved fiancée was tenderly embracing the Great Demons, just an hour earlier, had tried to raze the village to the ground...
Finally, he sighed, and his hand, which had been resting on the hilt of his sword, slowly fell to his sides. A look of helpless relief, as if to say, "Oh well, that's how it is," appeared on his face. Perhaps, he had no other choice but to trust these mysterious travelers who could persuade the Demons.
Standing a short distance away, Lupa took it all in, a complex emotion flashing in her heterochromatic eyes. She quietly approached Lowell, her voice low. "Master, can Human race and Demons... truly coexist like this?"
Lowell's gaze swept over the embracing Rosaline and Solitär, then over the helpless Rustan and the still-shaken Village Chief. His eyes were deep, and his tone carried his usual clarity:
"I don't know. Who can predict the future? I'm just a drifter, occasionally putting in an effort." He shook his head slightly, as if stating a simple fact.
"Racial conflict, entangled with countless tears and prejudices, is more complex than hatred between nations. I was born a demon, but that doesn't mean I'll take sides... Even now, I'm afraid some people will accuse me of 'Why is Your Majesty rebelling?' In the end, I don't have any grand ideals; I just hope there will be less war and less conflict in this world, so we can have a few more days of peace and tranquility. However, I don't like fighting, nor am I willing to put in much effort, so I'm just incidentally increasing the strength of my side."
Upon hearing this, Lupa couldn't help but chuckle softly and shook her head, "Master is really... straightforward."
At this moment, Frieren, who had been quietly sitting beside Lowell as if she were about to fall asleep, gently tugged at his sleeve. Her emerald eyes were half-closed, and her face showed obvious weariness. She mumbled in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Lowell, too much information. I'm sleepy."
Lowell looked down at her, his clear-headedness instantly turning into a helpless smile. He naturally reached out and ruffled her silver hair. "Okay, I know you don't like hearing this. Let's go back and rest."
"Don't touch my head," Frieren protested.
"A nut tart," Lowell tried to bribe.
"Touch me all you want." Frieren instantly lit up with a smile, and she even tilted her head slightly to rub against his palm.
Lowell chuckled, turned to the group, and nodded simply. "It's late, so I won't disturb your rest any longer. We'll be staying for the wedding tomorrow. Farewell."
Having said that, he turned and left with Frieren, Lupa, and Linié. Seeing this, Solitär politely said to Rosaline and Rustan, "See you tomorrow, please make sure you have time to answer my questions!", and then quickly followed Lowell and his group.
Outside, the cool moonlight spilled onto the snow, casting a line of footprints. The village returned to tranquility, save for the occasional bark of a dog in the distance and the lingering, faint magical atmosphere in the air, which brought this extraordinary night to a close.