As the Demon King, I have married a slave elf. How should I express my love?

Although it's called a fist, it's just a soft little hand. Even if it actually hits you, it seems to only have the power to make people laugh.

But through that hand, Sagan sensed a power powerful enough to pulverize an ordinary magician.

--That's true, she is a magician after all.

To become a magician, one must begin by strengthening oneself. Only by extending the lifespan of the physical body, making it strong enough to shatter rocks, be immune to all diseases, and even not need sleep, can one remove all obstacles on the path of research.

Therefore, humans cannot defeat magicians.

Even without using fire or lightning, a magician's strength and speed are beyond human imagination. If Sagan hadn't taken that punch, the room would probably be unrecognizable by now.

However, the current atmosphere left him at a loss.

Varefal's strength is comparable to that of Sagan and Barbaros before they inherited the title of "Demon King." In short, he is not just an ordinary mage or bandit, but a formidable enemy to be wary of.

—But she was just a little kid. Not only was she short, but she also had a soft, round face; she was a child through and through.

Sagan was unsure whether to adopt a high-pressure approach or a more friendly one.

In short, it's really difficult to handle.

Even after his punch was blocked, Varefal still made a threatening sound, causing Sagan to scratch his cheek in exasperation.

"Hmph, don't forget to thank Nefie. I wouldn't have shown any mercy even to a brat like you. If she hadn't pleaded for you, you would have had your neck snapped and been thrown outside by now."

These words finally made her realize that her life was a gift from Sagan, and that if Sagan changed his mind, killing Varefal on the spot would not be a problem.

—But I can't do that in front of Neferpitou!

The force of the punch gradually lessened.

"……Why?"

His voice and appearance were just like his appearance—childish and indistinct. His previously deep voice seemed to have been altered through a mask.

Varefal's question left Sagan completely baffled.

"Why what?"

"I'm here to take your life. Why don't you kill me, your enemy?"

Sagan frowned, seemingly uninterested.

"Didn't I just say? Neferi saved you, so I'm keeping you alive. That's all."

If Neferpitou had accidentally killed her while fighting back, the kind-hearted Neferpitou would have been heartbroken. It's a miracle she discovered her true nature before she could act.

—On another note, she really did seem to have no hostility or hatred at all.

Even though she was a loser who had been captured, shouldn't she, as an enemy, harbor some hatred or humiliation towards Sagan?

Perhaps she had just lost her fighting spirit temporarily, but she didn't look like the magician who wanted to kill Sagan a few minutes ago. She looked even more bewildered than Sagan.

In an atmosphere where both sides felt at a loss, Sagan then asked:

"So, why did you attack me?"

"...!"

Although every magician wants to inherit the power of the Demon King, magicians are not actually obsessed with power.

Or rather—their definition of power differs from that of ordinary people.

Magicians pursue the power of knowledge and technology, and are not interested in the force of fighting against people.

The more knowledge a magician acquires, the more power he gains. Power is a natural byproduct of the pursuit of knowledge. While force can subdue others, it does little to aid in the acquisition of knowledge.

While acquiring knowledge can be equated with acquiring power, this equation is irreversible.

What Varrefar wanted, however, was the "force" side.

The power of the Demon King is not knowledge, but the immense magical power derived from the Demon King's Mark. There may be some people in the world like Barbaros who want to seize the Demon King's status and wealth, but there are no magicians who come solely for "power".

Sagan's suspicious glare frightened Varefal so much that he couldn't move.

—So it seems she really is just an ordinary child.

This doesn't look like the magician who was about to unleash dragon's breath at all.

With Neferi watching anxiously from the sidelines, Varefal hissed:

"...I want power."

"Hmm. But logically speaking, this isn't something a magician would pursue."

Magicians are all highly skilled, but it's all just for self-preservation; they live forever simply to preserve their physical bodies and wealth.

Those were means, not the main purpose.

They did not crave power to the point of pursuing it even at great risk.

Of course, there are always exceptions.

Sagan's questioning made Varefal appear ashamed:

"...Because I am weak, I need strength."

"I see? Well, you do need strength to survive."

It sounds contrary to the concept of a magician, but Sagan could accept this answer. For one thing, Sagan herself had constantly honed her skills to achieve immortality. Sagan herself was, in fact, an exception whose "obsession with power surpassed even her knowledge."

From this perspective, her target wasn't necessarily Sagan or Neferpitou. This is why she harbored no hostility or hatred towards Sagan.

"Then why did you specifically target me? I am, after all, the Demon King. Didn't you even consider whether you were adequately prepared before taking action?"

"Sagan is the new 'Demon King,' and if the title 'Magician Killer' is true, then he should be unable to withstand attacks other than magic."

"So you think you can defeat me, is that it?"

After Sagan finished speaking in a commanding tone, Varefal nodded, his hand trembling slightly.

--Why does this feel more and more like bullying the weak?

This was not a pleasant feeling. Even though Sagan's life was threatened, he felt as if he were the villain.

He didn't know how to describe the situation, but he felt completely out of sync.

"Okay, actually your idea isn't wrong, the problem is that you're just too weak."

“…………”

Varefal didn't speak, but just bit his lip tightly.

Sagan put his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair, then asked what he was most curious about.

"—Speaking of which, you're a dragon, aren't you?"

Upon hearing this, Varefal shuddered.

"...That's right."

"So there are still individuals existing in this world. If you live long enough, humans are no match for you, are they? Why then do you crave power so much?"

Dragons, simply by existing, possess power beyond human imagination, without needing to accumulate knowledge like magicians. According to ancient legends, a dragon that lives for ten thousand years possesses power enough to tear apart gods.

But now she deliberately chooses methods with little chance of success; isn't that just as foolish as a human being?

—Or is she just eager to do well? Or does she have some hidden reasons why she absolutely has to become stronger immediately?

Varefal lowered his head, tears welling up in his eyes.

"because……"

It seems she truly has some unspeakable sorrow. Her frail and dejected appearance is unlike that of a dragon, or even a magician.

"Oh, is that so!"

Seeing her like that, Sagan finally understood the true nature of that abrupt feeling.

—I get it, she reacted just like I did when I was caught stealing food!

That talk of hostility or hatred is going too far afield.

You could say she's like someone who's so hungry they have to steal food and get caught, or a thief trying to steal money but ending up stealing the ringleader. In short, she's a clueless little brat who brought this on herself.

Sagan was more experienced and empathetic than anyone else when it came to these behaviors.

He seemed to have suddenly realized something, while Neferi looked puzzled.

"Mr. Sagan, have you understood something?"

"No, I was just talking to myself."

—Ah, now I understand. It's roughly like this: she just wanted to find someone easy to bully, but unexpectedly ended up getting beaten up and left in tears.

It becomes simple and easy to understand if you just replace "want power" with "want bread".

Since she was only up to her hunger, Sagan couldn't muster any anger.

Of course, the little girl did do something wrong, but instead of yelling at her, it would be better to gently guide her and tell her what she did wrong.

Sagan always thought she was facing a magician or an enemy, which is why she was so disorganized. The whole thing was wrong from the start.

—In that case, Sagan knew exactly what to do with her.

Sagan suddenly felt like an idiot for being so nervous just now, and he snorted:

"Never mind, that's not important. But since you dared to challenge the Demon King, I have no choice but to give you the punishment you deserve."

"Mr. Sagan, about this matter..."

Neferi seemed about to plead for her, but Sagan nodded to her, indicating that she understood.

Varrefar was probably imagining the miserable end that was about to befall her; this time, tears welled up in her eyes, and she began to tremble.

Sagan solemnly pronounced her verdict on the little girl:

"For the next week, I need you to help Neffi with the housework!"

"...Huh?"

Nefi and Varefal both spoke in surprise.

"Aren't you short-staffed for cleaning?"

"Huh? Uh, yes."

Faced with Nefi nodding vigorously, Sagan also nodded arrogantly.