Campfire Conversation

The night was as dark as ink, and all was silent. In the open space in front of the abandoned hunter's cabin, only a campfire flickered alone in the night, crackling softly and casting a small, warm, orange-yellow glow to dispel the surrounding darkness.

Frieren, Lupa, and Linié were already asleep inside. After a fierce battle, even energetic warriors and Demons who didn't need much sleep needed rest.

Of course, even without fighting, it's time for them to sleep; they're still at an age where they need to grow.

The duty of keeping watch naturally fell to Lowell.

He didn't use a clone; his main body sat back on a rough, half-buried log, with a pot of lukewarm water beside him. His gaze seemed unfocused as it fell on the leaping flames, and sparks of fire were reflected deep within his black pupils.

Solitär did not rest. Instead, she sat lightly on a flat rock not far from Lowell, her arms wrapped around her knees. Her pale green eyes gleamed in the firelight with the tireless light of a pure observer, as alert as a nocturnal animal.

The silence lasted for a moment, broken only by the whisper of the wind through the treetops.

Lowell suddenly clicked his tongue softly, his gaze still fixed on the fire, his tone tinged with a helpless mockery:

"Tsk, why aren't you asleep yet? There's no good show to watch. The battle's over, prisoners are tied up, the wounded... uh, looks like there aren't any wounded, they've all been healed. Night watch is boring, go back and grow some more."

Solitär her head, strands of her blue-green hair brushing against her cheek, a naive yet inquisitive smile on her face:

"Oh? You look like you're holding back so much to say. Solitär kindly offered to stay and chat with you, but you don't want to? Besides, what's wrong with your physique? Aura over four hundred years old, which is considered quite senior in the Demons. Solitär is well over a thousand years old."

Upon hearing this, Lowell pointed to his face with slight surprise. "I have a lot to say? Is it obvious?" He subconsciously touched his chin, as if trying to confirm whether his expression betrayed his true feelings.

Solitär didn't speak, but tilted her head slightly, maintaining a "doesn't that need to be said?", matter-of-fact expression on her face, her pale green eyes staring at him without blinking.

Lowell met her gaze for two seconds, then chuckled, touching his nose with a touch of self-deprecation:

"Alright... I knew you weren't staying to keep me company, but rather to understand this 'outlier,' right? Just like your enthusiasm for observing humans, I, who have deviated from the conventional path of Demons, am also an excellent research subject for you..."

"Tsk, speaking of which, the appearance of Demons is truly a mystery. That guy Qual is uniquely ugly, while most of them are handsome men and beautiful women. Is it to seduce humans? Hmm... that's true. If he hadn't met me, Qual certainly wouldn't have had the power to seduce humans."

He sighed, but his tone wasn't heavy. Instead, it revealed a sense of relief at finally finding someone to confide in, and the deliberately suppressed excitement in his eyes was no longer concealed. "Anyway, I really wanted to say it, and it was really uncomfortable to keep it bottled up. It's good to talk to you, at least you won't think I'm crazy."

He took a deep breath, turned to Solitär, and lowered his voice, but with barely suppressed excitement. "Solitär, did you see that? Lupa's performance tonight... was amazing! Amazing! Amazing! I'm so happy! I'm so happy I can't sleep!"

He used "That's great!" three times in a row, his smile so bright it almost seemed to burst with fire, a stark contrast to his usual lazy and averse-to-trouble demeanor.

Solitär blinked her pale green eyes, a hint of confusion in her gaze. "Was she that happy? From what I observed, she merely executed a successful defensive counterattack and subdued the attacker. Many Demons generals could achieve this level of combat, perhaps even more efficiently and ruthlessly."

"Of course they're different," Lowell retorted immediately, leaning forward unconsciously as if to emphasize her point. "The Demons generals can do that because they are monsters driven by a bloodlust, devoid of emotion. But Lupa is human."

His eyes shone brightly as he began to recount. "Look, the unwavering vigilance of the warriors during the attack; the sense of responsibility shown in immediately issuing a warning after realizing they couldn't defeat the enemy instantly, rather than acting recklessly; the composure and resourcefulness shown when 'Frieren' was subdued, using the strategy of discarding armor to create a loud noise to distract her, and then launching a swift counterattack to rescue their comrades; and the ruthless decisiveness to show no mercy to the enemy and to strike with deadly precision..."

He became more and more excited as he spoke, his pace quickening. "These qualities, taken individually, might not be remarkable, but to be concentrated in a teenage girl and perfectly displayed in a real life-or-death struggle! How precious is that?"

Why do Demons, despite their long lifespans and immense individual strength, always manage to contend with and even defeat top Human race warriors? It's because of human 'emotions'! While emotions and desires may bring weakness and hesitation, they can also foster courage beyond instinct, a strong will to protect, and astonishing potential that erupts in crucial moments!

Lowell's gaze drifted towards the cabin, as if he could see through the wooden planks to the sleeping peach-haired girl inside. His tone was filled with undisguised pride and anticipation.

"She's only this young! Yet she has such a mindset and strength! Given time, she will definitely... definitely become the strongest warrior! Just thinking about that makes me... makes me so happy! I'm so happy, so incredibly happy..." He was like a parent who had seen their child win a championship, his joy overflowing.

Solitär listened quietly, her fingers unconsciously twirling a strand of hair as she processed the information in Lowell's words. After a moment, she slowly said:

"... Are you that happy? If it were Demons of this age, it's true that they might not be able to defeat an ordinary, well-trained human soldier. But, Solitär still can't quite understand this level of emotional fluctuation."

For her, observing and understanding this strong and positive emotional connection is more worthy of being recorded than the event itself.

Just then, Rain, who was bound like a dumpling and had been unconscious, twitched his eyelids slightly.

He quietly opened his eyes and met Lowell's gaze, which happened to be turning towards him.

"Awake?" Lowell's excited smile vanished instantly, replaced by his usual expression, as if the person who had been so excited just moments before was a completely different person. "Tsk, it seems you really are the most physically fit among us. Impressive endurance, the only 'warrior'."

Despite the excruciating pain, Rain's eyes warily scanned his surroundings. He saw Isa, Hawk-Eye, and Elsa, all bound in the same way, as well as the body of his companion Mark (which had been hastily disposed of). His heart sank to the bottom.

He looked at Lowell: "... Your Demon King's observation skills are quite sharp. So it seems you discovered us in the village during the day, right?" He recalled Lowell's seemingly casual yet profound words when he was wrapping up the apple.

Lowell chuckled and lightly tapped his temple with his fingertips. "What, who do you think I am? Do you think you can fake being unconscious and launch a sneak attack? The level of disguise you showed during the day might be acceptable for others, but if you want to fool me, you'll have to practice."

He abruptly changed the subject. "So, why did you have to come and kill us? Putting others aside, judging from your appearance, you don't seem like one of those hyenas who would do anything for money. You seem more like a warrior who once valued honor. What, after falling from grace, have you lost even your basic principles?"

My apprentice is young, never spits on the ground, never litters, she's just an ordinary girl with a bit of fighting skills and a love for adventure, a model young lady.

I left her here on night watch, hoping for some peace and quiet. But you still came knocking, willing to harm even innocent girls in your attempt to kill us?"

When confronted with the questioning, Rain's facial muscles twitched slightly, but he kept his lips tightly pressed together, remaining silent and turning his head to the side, displaying an attitude of refusal to cooperate.

Lowell wasn't angry. His gaze swept across Lowell's face as if he were reading an open book. He gave a soft "Oh?" as if he had discovered something interesting.

"Let me see... a soldier in the Empire Army, once Ransen's right-hand man? Tsk... the official record says you died in a mopping-up operation a few years ago, and Ransen was heartbroken about it?"

Rain froze, staring at Lowell in disbelief.

Lowell continued in that calm yet all-knowing tone, "Actually, he was someone whose achievements overshadowed the emperor, and was seen as a potential threat to the Ransen faction by some important figures in the empire. During a secret mission, he was assassinated by his own people and should have been killed without a trace, but was saved by the 'Shadow Warriors' organization, which also served the empire but was even more clandestine?"

How ironic. Abandoned by the empire you served, you turn to another organization within it... Let me guess, do you believe there are corrupt officials in the empire's upper echelons, but the empire itself is still worthy of your loyalty? Or is it that you have nowhere else to go but the 'Shadow Warriors'? Or are you afraid of implicating your mentor and friend, Ransen?"

Rain's pupils contracted sharply. "You!?"

"Just a little bit of mind-reading magic." Lowell waved his hand dismissively. "You don't naively think that a warrior like you, who mainly relies on muscle memory and combat instincts, can keep any secrets from me... this Demon King, do you?"

"Hey, don't waste your energy. Trying to bite your tongue off and kill yourself? Forget it. First of all, biting off your tongue won't kill you anytime soon, and stopping the bleeding is too easy; it'll only cause you more pain. Even if you really die..."

Lowell's lips curled into an almost cruel smile. "Who told you that once someone dies, I can't read their remaining memories and obsessions? Ever heard of the 'Mountain Clan's' secret arts? Well, you probably haven't... Anyway, don't do anything foolish; it will only make your end more tragic."

Seeing the despair and struggle flash in Rain's eyes, Lowell leaned forward slightly, the campfire casting interplay of light and shadow on his face, and spoke in a low voice:

"Alright, stop this. I have no intention of harming your empire. Let's talk properly, Mr. Rain. Let's talk about... the 'warrior's honor' you once cherished as your life, for example..."

Solitär nearby, heard the conversation veer in a direction that interested her, and gave her a "Wow, that's cool!" look.