"Mediating the war between us and the Curse Demons?"
The Great World Tree repeated Richard's words, his tone filled with disbelief.
"Miracle Wizard, you want to mediate the war between us and the Curse Demons." The Great World Tree stressed the words. "Are you sure you misspoke?"
Richard nodded calmly. "I misspoke about nothing. My first purpose in coming here is to mediate the war between the two civilizations."
"Then I'm very curious." The Great World Tree chuckled with interest. "Why do you want to mediate our war?
"Shouldn't our war be a good thing for you? If we stop fighting, aren't you afraid we'll stab you in the back?
"Besides, in what capacity are you mediating this war? Do you hold enough weight among the Curse Demons?"
The Great World Tree's questions struck directly at the heart of Richard's purpose—why would the Wizards mediate the war, and what gave them the right to do so?
"I have to say, Your Excellency, you are truly straightforward."
"Wasting time is a bad habit."
Richard smiled. Looking at the Great World Tree, he replied unhurriedly, "First, I'll answer your first question: why are we mediating this war?
"We are mediating it because the enemy we are fighting possesses the ability to devour war. The wars of the entire World Cluster will all become his nourishment..."
Before Richard could finish his explanation, the Great World Tree before him erupted with an unimaginably immense pressure.
Even Richard felt a trace of strain beneath that pressure.
"You said the enemy you are fighting possesses the ability to devour war?"
The Great World Tree's voice was exceedingly grave, utterly different from his earlier attitude.
Richard's heart stirred at this. He suddenly recalled that the Titans of the Myriad Machines Dimension had once said that Titans seemed