Chapter 301: Wavering
Carlo was startled by Flamme's intense reaction, but he explained immediately, "No, Lady Flamme, you misunderstand. I do not mean the elves."
He paused, a strange glint flashing in his eyes as he lowered his voice.
"I mean... the Demons."
"Demons?" Flamme froze.
"Exactly! Demons!" Carlo's breathing became somewhat rapid. "They possess lifespans far longer than humans and powerful life force. Although their life energy is slightly different, it is fundamentally a source of life."
"Most importantly, they are enemies! They are an existence that endangers the entire continent!"
"Using their lives to cast this magic and extend our own lifespans requires no concern whatsoever. It could even be called... a righteous purification."
Carlo's words were like the whisper of a devil, filled with twisted logic, yet the temptation within was fatal.
Flamme was momentarily stunned, her mind in chaos.
Using the lives of demons... to cast this magic?
Reason told her this was still plundering life; the essence hadn't changed.
But emotionally... demons were indeed the universally recognized enemy of the continent.
Using their lives seemed far easier to accept than using the lives of innocent humans.
Once this thought emerged, it grew wildly in her heart like a weed.
"But..." Flamme's lips quivered as a fierce internal battle raged within her. "Demonic life energy is completely different from ours. Will forcibly converting it cause unforeseen consequences? The risk... is too great."
She didn't refuse immediately but raised a concern.
This in itself showed she was wavering.
seeing that Flamme hadn't flatly rejected him like before, Carlo was delighted and hurriedly said, "Of course there are risks. But as long as we are cautious, starting experiments with the lowest-level demons and proceeding step by step, it might not be impossible!"
He looked at Flamme with burning eyes. "This might be the only way to achieve your wish without causing intense guilt."
Silence fell over the research room.
Flamme stared blankly at Carlo, then looked down at the drafts on the workbench symbolizing forbidden knowledge. She didn't respond.
Using the lives of demons to buy her own time?
This proposal was too shocking, too deviant.
But it also held a sliver of feasibility.
She didn't know what the ending of this path would be—whether it led to the eternal life she desired or a fall into an abyss of no return.
She only knew that her heart, which had gone silent with resignation, was once again throbbing uncontrollably.
She needed time. She needed to think this through carefully.
Flamme left the research room with her head bowed, giving Carlo no answer.
The heavy atmosphere hadn't fully dissipated. Carlo stood alone before the table, his heart still pounding from the conversation with Flamme.
He looked at the scattered drafts, his mind replaying the bold idea he had proposed: utilizing the life force of demons.
This idea hadn't come out of thin air.
It had emerged when he was stuck in a moral dilemma similar to Flamme's, staring blankly at the magic. Ariel, who always showed surprising interest in all kinds of magical knowledge, had inadvertently had a conversation with him.
Inside the library.
Ariel held a pile of books and sat opposite Carlo, chatting seemingly casually.
"Mr. Carlo, your research seems to have hit a bottleneck?" Ariel's voice was gentle, carrying a tone of concern.
Carlo sighed, the desire to confide rising within him. "Yes. The conversion efficiency problem is too difficult to solve, and this method... costing the lives of others..."
He didn't continue, but the struggle on his face was obvious.
Hearing Carlo still agonizing over such things, Ariel gently closed the book in her hands and said, as if casually, "Human life energy is indeed too thin. With this conversion efficiency, it might require countless sacrifices."
Her words accurately poked Carlo's sore spot.
"Is there no other way?" Carlo asked subconsciously, unwillingness in his tone.
A barely perceptible arc curled at the corner of Ariel's mouth, as if she had been waiting for him to ask.
She opened a book about monsters and demonic creatures, tapping her finger on the cover. Her tone was understated, yet carried a hint of temptation.
"Why... must it be limited to humans? The world is vast, and life forms are varied. There are quite a few races with life energy denser than humans."
"You mean elves? No, no, no!" Carlo's first thought was the elven race, known for the most potent life energy. He shook his head like a rattle-drum.
"Of course not elves." Ariel sighed.
She naturally didn't mean elves.
After all, this man was only hesitating because of the moral constraints in his heart. Ariel didn't need to think twice to know that even if it were elves, he wouldn't be able to bring himself to do it.
"I am referring to... those existences known as 'Demons'."
"Demons?" Carlo froze.
"Mn." Ariel nodded. "Their life force is far denser than humans. More importantly, they are enemies of the world. Using their life energy for research... isn't that killing two birds with one stone?"
Watching the light suddenly ignite in Carlo's eyes, she continued in that seductive tone, "Think about it, Mr. Carlo. As long as it is against demons, no method is too excessive, right? Even using them for research is perfectly fine."
She leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice. "Besides, don't you think this is an excellent direction? It advances your research and contributes to the fight against demons."
"As for risks... isn't all pioneering magical creation a fumbling exploration into the unknown?"
At the time, Carlo was trapped in the dual dilemma of efficiency and morality. Ariel's words, seemingly offering a perfect solution, were like a guiding lamp lit in his dark maze.
He had grabbed onto this "life-saving straw" almost immediately, thinking it was a genius idea.
However, now, as Carlo savored that conversation alone, a chill quietly crept up his spine.
He recalled Ariel's eyes at that time. The expectation within them had been hard to hide. Why was she expecting it?
And why did she specifically mention demons?
Just then, a gentle knock on the research room door interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in."
The door opened, and Ariel walked in.
She wore that same gentle smile, her gaze sweeping over the messy drafts on the table before landing on Carlo.
"Mr. Carlo, judging by your appearance, it seems your discussion with Lady Flamme has made new progress?" Ariel asked lightly.
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