Frieren: Understand Humans, Aura!

After the previous failed attempt to block the strongest human mage, Flamme, the Schlacht faction of the demons suffered severe losses, and their influence within the demon territory plummeted.

Although it remained one of the top factions in terms of power, the current situation was a far cry from the promising position it had once held, where it was vying for the top spot.

Even the demons under Schlacht's command were buzzing with talk about the recent operation against Flamme.

As the Omniscient One, Schlacht was known for devising plans that achieved great results with minimal casualties, and his ability to see into the future had never failed in the grand scheme of things. However, this time, even the weakest demons could smell the blood spilling from Schlacht.

And after paying such a heavy price, the result achieved is - not a single bit to be seen.

Had even the Omniscient Schlacht made a mistake?

Many demons were growing suspicious of the magic that allowed Schlacht to see the future, particularly the magic that could predict events up to a thousand years in advance. Even the Demon King had lost a great deal of trust in him. Schlacht's prestige within the demons had plummeted, and the disastrous loss of nearly ten great demons under his leadership was still a topic of gossip among the higher-ups. The aftermath of this debacle, including accountability and the division of power, would continue to trouble Schlacht.

As for what exactly this tremendous sacrifice was for, and whether it would yield any meaningful rewards—only Schlacht himself knew.

[Your decisiveness surprises me. I never expected that the me from a thousand years ago would be such a determined gambler.]

[And the me from a thousand years later no longer gambles?]

[I don't want to gamble.]

[Does that mean I have no choice but to gamble?]

[Yes.]

[Will the future me win the gamble?]

[I don't know.]

[Why don't you know? Will the future me die?]

[I can't tell you. If I do, you'll really die.]

[That's essentially already telling me…]

[Then let's just embrace death calmly.]

[Looks like there's still hope.]

As Schlacht tended to his wounds, he casually conversed with his future self.

In his life, moments requiring true gambles were rare. His future sight magic usually revealed the outcome of his actions, allowing him to decide whether or not to proceed. There was no need to gamble.

However, that didn't mean Schlacht never had to take risks.

There were moments when even future sight couldn't reveal the outcome, forcing him to bet. Unlike others who gambled along the timeline, Schlacht gambled along the threads of causality.

The voice of the future reached Schlacht's ears again, this time asking the present him:

[Is it worth it?]

This time, Schlacht's gamble was an enormous risk, made outside the observed timeline. The future him couldn't predict how this disruption of the timeline would play out, just as he couldn't foresee the outcome when he previously killed the strongest human sage in advance.

[The future me doesn't know. How could the present me know?]

[Maybe you do.]

[I don't know...] Schlacht paused in silence, then answered the question from the future. [After gaining the ability to see the future, I rarely have a chance to gamble... I can only pray that this rare gamble, which cost such a great price, will bring me enough reward.]

[History has changed...]

The future's voice shifted, and Schlacht immediately knew that his future self had "seen" it—the moment of revealing the dice rolls had arrived.

[How is it?]

[A bit surprising.]

[A thousand years later, and I still can't control my emotions?]

Schlacht chuckled at his future self.

[History records that Aura is the most heinous and evil of the great demons who nearly killed Serie.]

[What?!]

Schlacht was left speechless. This was no longer a time for discussing whether demons could be shocked by such a revelation. Even the most rational and composed demon brains would short-circuit at this.

[History records that the great demon Aura insulted Serie to her face three times... and still managed to walk away unscathed.]

[Huh?]

[History records that Aura infiltrated Kribi, the headquarters of the Continental Magic Association, reached the bedroom of its current president, Zanze, and nearly suffocated her in her sleep.]

[Excuse me?]

[History records that even Flamme, the strongest human mage, admitted she was on the verge of death multiple times during her battles with the great demon Aura.]

[What?!]

[History records that Aura killed her way in and out of the The City of Magic, Kribi, seven times. Not even the combined efforts of all mages in the city could stop her. She left the city completely unharmed, right under the watchful eyes of several Great Mages.]

[What?!?]

[Witnesses of the time claimed they saw human Great Mages in tears, lamenting their utter failure to stop her.]

[Huh?!?]

[History records that during a full assembly of the Continental Magic Association—one where they were discussing the future of human magic—Aura abruptly appeared, overturned the central table in front of the Great Mages, and silenced the entire room with her presence. Not a single human dared to speak out.]

[What—?!?]

Schlacht's head spun. This couldn't possibly be real.

Aura? Doing this? How could any of it even be true?

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't wrap his mind around it.

Yes, Schlacht had seen that Aura was an anomaly from outside the time stream, possessing immense potential... but this potential—Schlacht had never expected it to reach such a level.

This time, Schlacht's gamble had paid off massively.

So massively that even Schlacht himself found it absurd.

Schlacht asked his future self:

[This... can you be sure that this is not a wild history compiled by humans?]

[Aside from the first point about almost killing Serie, everything else is officially verified history. There's no falsehood in it.]

[This official history is even more absurd than fabricated tales.]

[Agreed.]

After all, those who write fabricated tales only cater to what most people are interested in hearing. And when telling stories, logic is required.

Reality, however, requires no such thing.

Take the human side, for example. Even if you had a bard compose an epic about ancient human heroes, no matter how much they mythologized the greatest human mages of a thousand years ago or exaggerated their achievements, no bard would dare spin a tale about Flamme, the founder of human magic, single-handedly infiltrating the Demon King's castle, slaughtering her way in and out seven times, taunting everyone, and leaving unharmed.

That would insult all the other human heroes. If Flamme alone could handle the Demon King and all of the demons, then what about the countless human mages who spent centuries locked in stalemates against the demons? Wouldn't they all become utterly insignificant?

The same applies to the demon side.

[How did Aura accomplish all this?]

[I don't know.]

[Through sheer power?]

[It couldn't be. You and I both understand how strong Flamme and Serie are.]

[Through a special kind of magic?]

[That's likely.]

[A perfect disguise magic to appear human? A spell that erases her presence? Or perhaps a charm that makes humans unable to harm her?]

[I don't know.]

[Can I learn it?]

[Based on historical records, no.]

[Can I ask her?]

[The records indicate that even if you asked, you would gain nothing.]

[Then my only option is to use Aura—to let her infiltrate the human magic headquarter and act as a spy for the demons.]

[That is the best course of action.]

[I understand.]

Schlacht ended the future vision spell and sat in his tent, pondering. After a moment's contemplation, he finally devised the perfect plan to capitalize on Aura's ability to survive undetected within the human City of Magic, Kribi—even under the watchful eyes of Flamme and Serie.

He decided to send Aura to Kribi to steal critical documents vital to the development of human magic.