Under the gaze of the still-young Great Mage Flamme—
She saw for the first time her emotionless Grand Demon companion show an expression of astonishment.
And after this, that astonishment actually transformed into an incredible bitter laugh on his face.
Bitter and heartbreaking...
"Agusheed, what's wrong with you..."
Flamme, with one hand on her hip, was undoubtedly filled with confusion.
Especially when she saw Agusheed slowly rise,
Then uncharacteristically take the initiative to slowly approach her—
This confusion deepened further.
"I see..."
"How incomprehensible..."
"Even I can't quite understand what's happening here..."
Agusheed muttered softly to himself, the corners of his mouth shifting slightly.
Regarding the current situation, he had some speculation.
But he still needed confirmation of certain things.
So he walked toward Flamme like this, not stopping even when they were less than a meter apart.
He came very close, already at what could be called an intimate distance.
So young Flamme also fell into a daze amid her surprise.
But she didn't retreat—
After all, she had done things like stealing kisses when Agusheed was asleep at night.
Such small waves naturally wouldn't make her shy.
The reason for her daze was simply that Agusheed's actions were too proactive.
From their meeting until now on their return journey—
She had never seen Agusheed show such an expression.
Make such unreasonable moves.
"Agusheed, what are you—"
Flamme's words weren't finished before she stopped as if stuck.
Because Agusheed, looking down at her from above,
Almost without any awkwardness, slowly placed his hand on her face.
Just like a dream.
What exactly is happening?
He—
How could Agusheed make such a move?
Flamme initially thought she wouldn't have any reaction—
But when Agusheed actually took the initiative to reach out, her ears still inevitably turned red.
Her ten fingers unconsciously twitched, not even daring to meet Agusheed's eyes...
"You, you, you..."
"Ag-Agusheed—"
"What, what's wrong with you?"
Already so mentally confused she didn't notice her own incoherence,
Flamme's small face, matching her hair color, was radiating heat toward her head—
Looking at his wife, still young and whose face hadn't been trained to be as thick as after marriage...
Agusheed couldn't suppress a light laugh.
He hadn't thought of how to answer Flamme's question, so he temporarily set it aside.
Pinching his wife's small face,
While watching what seemed like steam rising from Flamme's head,
Agusheed confirmed she was real, not an illusory dream.
Even Grausam's Paradise Transit Magic couldn't achieve this level—
So undoubtedly...
Just as that stupid disciple had said...
This was indeed Flamme herself, just still young.
His speculation had been mostly confirmed, but for precision—
Agusheed still asked softly.
"Flamme..."
"How old are you now?"
How old?
This extremely offensive question for a woman made Flamme regain some rationality.
At the same time, this impolite statement from the strongest Grand Demon confirmed that this was indeed Agusheed.
Although she didn't understand why Agusheed would have such changes,
Nor why he would suddenly ask such a question,
Flamme still responded, though not with an answer.
"How rude, Agusheed—"
"Didn't I tell you that a girl's age is a secret?"
Flamme sighed slightly, extremely exasperated by Agusheed's emotional intelligence.
No one other than Agusheed himself could ask such a question.
"I see..."
"Can't say?"
Agusheed's voice didn't seem particularly disappointed.
He just smiled more intensely, even the corners of his mouth curving up slightly.
Feeling Agusheed's gentle and unceasing caress,
Flamme, whose small face had reddened to her ears, softly said 'idiot' before turning her gaze back.
"Of course I can't say..."
"If you care so much, then consider me eighteen."
It really is her, no mistake.
This is what Flamme would say.
"Eighteen..."
"You're still like this, Flamme—"
Not continuing this topic that wouldn't yield results,
Agusheed looked down at Flamme with her wandering gaze and changed his approach:
"Then Flamme, which year of our journey to and from Aureole is this?"
"Really, you don't have a fever either..."
Reaching toward Agusheed who was so close,
After touching the strongest Grand Demon's forehead and then placing the back of her hand against her own forehead, Flamme blinked her eyes slightly.
"Setting aside whether you're confused from sleep..."
"Why are you suddenly asking this?"
"This is important to me—"
"How's that for a reason?"
Agusheed would unconditionally accommodate Flamme.
Correspondingly, Flamme likewise couldn't refuse Agusheed's requests.
So even though she had furrowed her brow,
Puzzled about what exactly had happened to Agusheed after touching the Goddess Monument...
She still spoke honestly.
"The ninth year—"
Flamme's face lifted slightly, leaning forward like this.
"Also, we're currently at the Goddess Monument in the Kino Mountains—"
"Although your memory is poor, you wouldn't forget even this, would you?"
Yes—
Agusheed naturally wouldn't forget.
How could he forget the journey he had shared with Flamme?
So he was just confirming.
And at this moment, his speculation was verified.
The doubts in Agusheed's heart slowly scattered like the flower petals swaying at his feet.
"I see..."
"So that's it, this is how it works—"
The strongest Grand Demon murmured softly under his wife's puzzled gaze,
Then lowered his head, slowly bending down, without a moment's hesitation.
When that black hair gently fell on the tips of pale red hair—
Flamme finally realized the current situation.
So she fell into a daze.
Huh?
Feeling the entanglement of hair and the heat she could feel up close by her lips—
Humanity's first Great Mage froze in place, speechless and incredulous.
Her waist was gently embraced,
Not a dream, but in reality...
The unromantic Grand Demon she loved so deeply bent down like this.
Making a move that stopped Flamme's world.
—
Sixty-one years before Great Mage Flamme's death, the ninth year of their journey to and from Aureole.
Northern Plateau, Kino Mountains—
Before the Goddess Monument, the strongest Grand Demon who had returned to this moment from a thousand years later,
Finally embraced his irretrievable wife once more.
And then—
Gave the response he should have given after regaining his emotions.
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Powerstones?
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