Sinora genuinely could not gauge the strength of the great demon before her, nor did she dare provoke her. Before determining where she stood, Sinora decided it was best not to probe too deeply.
Meanwhile, in Sinora's special cell, the one most shocked by the revelation that the Poet of Great Love was actually a great demon was Antanas.
She stared at the Poet of Great Love in utter disbelief, unable to fathom when the girl had become a great demon!
Antanas's thoughts churned. She tried to recall every moment they had spent together, yet she could find neither clue nor conclusion.
She could only marvel in her heart at how deeply this little princess had concealed herself. To think that they had traveled together all this way without her noticing a thing.
The Poet of Great Love offered no explanation to Antanas for the moment, simply gazing at Sinora the Spellbreaker across the barrier.
"Then please state your terms for the transaction first, Miss Sinora," the Poet of Great Love said politely.
"I have only one question: do you wish to lead us in restoring our nation? Starting with dominating the Protos Empire," Sinora asked, having once again reverted to her demure, ladylike demeanor.
Since the other party could brazenly disguise herself as a human to enter Herrom Prison and rescue her, it proved she had already achieved a considerable level of infiltration within the Protos Empire and possessed unique methods of manipulating humans.
The mere fact that she had brought Antanas into submission and brought her here to meet Sinora spoke volumes about her finesse in that regard.
Perhaps this black-haired, green-eyed great demon could truly become their new queen.
"..."
The Poet of Great Love fell silent for a moment.
Beside them, Antanas watched Sinora and the Poet of Great Love. She had never expected Sinora's desire to be so simple—far simpler than she had originally anticipated.
At this moment, all the Poet needed to do was tell Sinora that she was willing to lead them in restoring their nation, and Sinora would choose to submit.
And yet...
"I'm sorry, but I don't want to lead you in restoring your nation. I'm already tired of seeing innocent people get hurt."
The Poet of Great Love shook her head, rejecting the proposition.
"...That truly is a pity. Even if it means fighting you today, or dying by your hand, I will not go with you."
A faint, regretful smile touched the corners of Sinora's lips.
It held disappointment, but also a hint of admiration.
At the very least, the girl had shown her ample respect by not attempting to deceive or placate her.
Even as Sinora prepared herself for a final battle at any moment, she still could not sense the slightest hostility from this black-haired, green-eyed demon.
"What if we transform the Protos Empire into a nation where humans and the demon race can coexist in harmony? Would that not work?"
The Poet of Great Love pondered as she offered her own thought to Sinora.
"What are you talking about?"
Sinora's voice faltered as she stared at her in utter confusion.
Even the previous Demon King had never envisioned such a thing. It was a beautiful notion, but wholly unrealistic.
Neither humans nor demons would ever agree to it, and there was no possibility whatsoever of the two sides cooperating to achieve it.
The strong kill the weak, the strong conquer the weak, the strong enslave the weak—such was the predestined natural order.
"I mean that I am working hard to change the Protos Empire, to reform its system. I have a dream that one day, every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low; the crooked paths shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth; the holy light shall be revealed, shining over all the mortal realm."
"..."
Sinora could not tell whether the girl was being serious or had gone completely mad.
If such words came from a human's mouth, one might find them naive and lovely. Coming from this ominous, black-haired, green-eyed great demon, however, they evoked only a sense of twisted chaos in Sinora.
"Even assuming you could actually pull that off... if the destruction of the demon race is simply brushed aside like that, is that truly fair? Don't you think humans have gone too far in certain ways? Is the vengeance we seek now not in accordance with our demon race's natural law?"
Sinora fell silent for a moment before voicing the deepest doubt in her heart.
The other party might possess efficient and effective strategies, but that was not what she wanted.
The Poet of Great Love merely looked at Sinora with a calm face tinged with faint perplexity.
As the silence stretched between their locking gazes, Sinora remained unable to decipher what she meant.
"...Given my position, it isn't appropriate for me to discuss this matter, so I cannot answer you," the Poet of Great Love finally said in a slow voice. "Once the chain of vengeance begins, it will never stop, and the ideal I wish to realize must be built on the premise of peace. War has no victors—only losers."
"Then according to your vision, is the best choice for our demon race right now to tuck our tails between our legs, pretend to be humans, and grovel alongside them just to survive?"
For once, a trace of anger surfaced in Sinora's voice as she questioned her.
She knew full well that the other party's voice carried an inherent magic that made her emotions rise and fall beyond her control, but she was certain that these were her genuine feelings. She had no fear of laying bare her stance. She would rather wait in this prison until death for an opportunity to restore their nation than agree to go to the surface and discard the dignity of a great demon just to scrape by!
"..."
The Poet of Great Love did not answer immediately. She simply continued looking at Sinora, as if feeling her emotions, until the intensity of her gaze caused Sinora to instinctively avert her eyes.
"Sinora, demons who live long lives must understand a truth. Clinging to conviction can sometimes heal you, and sometimes wound you. It can sustain your will to live, but if you sink too deeply into it, you will lose yourself to it."
The Poet of Great Love looked up, as if gazing at the light filtering into the cage, and murmured to herself, "If you are tired, then rest. For conviction was never meant to torment us."
"I..."
Sinora stared at the Poet of Great Love's cheek, unwilling to follow her upward gaze.
In the end, she gritted her teeth and cast her eyes downward.
She did not want to let go, nor did she dare to.
"I know what you say is true... but what is wrong with my thoughts?"
"Sinora, no matter what kind of living being one is, there are naturally many things in life that are completely unfair. But the moment you encounter unfairness, if you ignite the flames of vengeance to shatter order and stir up an even fiercer war, do you truly believe you are helping the demon race? You must think this question through clearly before deciding whether to resort to the worst possible means."
"..."
Sinora parted her lips to speak, but the words caught in her throat.
In her worldview, there was no such thing as 'forgiveness'—only temporary 'forbearance.'
The counter-question went somewhat beyond her understanding, delving far deeper than anything she had ever considered.
So much so that she could not formulate an exact answer as to what this vengeance was truly for.
"..."
"I don't know the real situation on the surface, but I can roughly guess the kind of life the demon race leads today. I wish to wash away our disgrace through revenge, to uphold the dignity and freedom of the demon race. That alone is worth staking my life on. As long as there is a chance of victory, I will do it," Sinora said after a long silence, almost as though seeking guidance.
"Then, once you defeat the Protos Empire, what comes next?"
The Poet of Great Love smiled, let out a soft sigh, and promptly posed a new question.
Afterward, she spoke no further.
Her gaze, brimming with helpless sorrow, seemed to ask Sinora: *And then? Will the demon race's glory be restored? Will you live the life you desire from that day forth?*
"I... am not sure. But I believe it will at least be better than now," Sinora said in a low voice.
She did not understand what lay deep within those emerald eyes, nor whether the girl truly had an answer.
Yet if she could not get to the bottom of this question, she would not be able to calm the turbulent waves rising in her heart today.
"..."
To the side, Antanas occasionally knitted her brows as she watched the Poet of Great Love and Sinora.
Back on Level B4, she had not noticed it, but this black-haired, green-eyed fellow seemed to possess a unique talent for emotional connection. Combined with that peculiar demonic voice capable of playing upon another's heartstrings, the effect was truly formidable.
Through mere words, Sinora, once so unshakeable in her convictions, had begun to waver. She was gradually becoming captivated by those eyes, desperately searching for an answer.
Yet Sinora herself remained utterly unaware of the transformation.
Chapter 431