Not just Sophie—even the battle-hardened elites of Chirisia were staring at Agatha, eager to hear how the former Demon Queen planned to counter her own people's invasion.
"Well… you'd have noticed this once fighting broke out anyway," Agatha fidgeted under their gaze. "Demons idolize brute strength. Warriors are celebrated; mages? Not so much. Even though large-scale magic is devastating, most demons grow up believing physical power is the only true strength. Magic's for the 'weak.' That's why, despite our connection to the Demon God, we've never developed proper magical corps."
She paused. "Also, like humans, most demons are land-bound. Few can fly. If we set traps along their invasion route, it'll cripple them. Other tactics depend on terrain."
General Bevins nodded. *Flaws in teamwork, no aerial advantage—sounds easier than fighting Nepeldon.*
As the meeting wrapped, Sophie caught Serei's eye.
"We'll adjourn here," Serei declared. "General, draft a strategy based on this intel. Prioritize speed—the sooner we present to the king, the better. Logistics are covered."
Sophie gazed at her husband, heart-eyed. *So commanding. So hot.*
---
"Mom, are the demons really coming?" Charles snatched a ziba dumpling from Sophie's plate—claiming it before she could.
"Yes. Stay inside, study magic, and *be careful.*" She ruffled his hair. Who knew how many peaceful days they had left?
"When they attack, I'll blast them back to hell!" Charles puffed his chest.
"Good boy." Sophie smiled sadly. "But more than fighting, I need you to protect Agatha… and the baby when it comes. Promise?"
"Promise!" Charles nodded, oblivious to her unspoken fear.
---
"Teacher Sophie! Brother!" Milta's voice rang from the library balcony three floors up. She leaned dangerously over the railing, waving a book.
Sophie's heart lurched. *No guards. No railings. Just—*
Milta slipped.
Screams erupted as the girl plummeted. Serei sprinted, despair clawing at him. *Too far. Too late—*
A shadow streaked past him.
Black wings snapped open mid-air, and Agatha—now adult-sized—caught Milta mere meters from the ground.
Then the wings vanished.
They dropped again, but Serei was there this time.
Sophie gaped. "Agatha… *you have wings?!*"
"I *didn't*!" Agatha poked the newly retracted appendages. "They just… popped out when I thought '*Save Milta!*'" She grimaced at the inky feathers. "Ugh. Couldn't they be rainbow-colored?"
"*So cool!*" Sophie nuzzled the wings. "How do I get some? Phoenixes should *fly*, darn it!"
"*I* know!" Milta piped up, miraculously unfazed. She brandished the book that had nearly killed her. "They're *Fallen Wings*—exclusive to Demon Kings. Legend says the Demon God was once a light deity. Those wings mark his strongest fallen angels reborn."
The book's illustration matched Agatha's markings perfectly.
A chilling question hung in the air:
*Who wrote such intimate demonic secrets… and why?*
**What other forbidden knowledge lies hidden in those pages?**