Volume 1. Chapter 63

Warm sunlight filtered through the dense canopy of leaves, casting golden patches of light over a small clearing where Ken and Lily sat. At first glance, it was an ordinary forest scene, but the tension in the air, their focused expressions, and low voices hinted at the seriousness of their conversation. The moment had taken place days before their confrontation with the illusion demon, yet the memory of it felt remarkably vivid.

“Lily,” Ken began, watching her with a thoughtful look, “if we tell the demon I’ll use the Alarayn flower to burn his whole illusion down with him inside it, he’ll probably panic. Creatures like him fear defeat even more than death.”

Lily sat across the clearing, hugging her knees, listening intently.

“You think he’ll take the bait?” she asked, frowning slightly. “He might just kill us before we can act.”

Ken nodded in agreement.

“That’s possible — but unlikely,” he replied. “That demon’s a coward. Petty, too. He needs to feel in control. He probably won’t act too rashly. If we make him think he’s the one holding the reins, he’ll get cocky. He might even offer us a deal. But mark my words — he won’t keep it.”

Lily tensed.

“Why not?” she asked.

Ken crossed his arms, his gaze sharpening.

“Because creatures like him are too prideful. Losing to a human is humiliation. He’s afraid of us — but his ego won’t let him just let us walk away. We need to factor that in.”

Lily slowly nodded, her expression serious.

“Alright,” she said. “So he’ll try to trick us. What do we do then?”

Ken smiled, his eyes glinting.

“You’ll act. Convincingly,” he said.

Lily raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“What do you mean?”

Ken leaned forward, his voice dropping as if he feared the forest itself might overhear.

“The demon will think only I realize this is all an illusion,” he began. “He believes I’m the only one who has the dagger that can kill him. That’s his mistake. But for our plan to work, you’ll have to get behind him and strike when he’s distracted.”

Lily frowned, trying to wrap her head around it.

“You think that’ll work?” she asked.

Ken shrugged.

“That depends on us. We have to be perfectly in sync. He might try to force you to do something terrible — like stab me with my own dagger.”

“Stab you?” Lily gasped, her eyes wide.

“It’s the kind of twisted thing a demon would do,” Ken said calmly, as if discussing the weather. “He wants to break you. Make you believe there’s no other way. But there is always another way.”

Lily looked down, uncertainty clouding her face, but Ken didn’t let her spiral.

“It’s all about appearances,” he continued. “If he tells you to attack me, you can make the stab look real — but it won’t be. Hit under my arm, or miss anything vital. I’ll fall like I’m dead.”

Lily met his eyes, full of doubt.

“You’re sure this will work?” she asked.

Ken grinned, confidence unwavering.

“If we play it right, absolutely. The demon will think I’m finished. He’ll drop his guard — and that’s when you strike.”

Lily was silent for a few seconds, processing everything. Then she smiled softly, her gaze relaxing.

“You’ve thought this through, Ken,” she said. “I don’t even know what to say.”

Ken beamed smugly.

“Well, you know me — I’m a man of many talents,” he replied with a smirk.

Lily chuckled, shaking her head.

“Many talents, huh?” she teased. “And no shortage of confidence.”

“You bet,” Ken said, leaning back. “If I don’t believe in our success, who will?”

Lily laughed again, her face glowing with warmth.

“With you, Ken, we’ll definitely make it,” she thought, watching him.

Ken leaned on his hands, staring up at the sky, deep in thought. Then he added:

“Lily, the most important thing is — we’re a team. If we both play our part, the demon won’t know what hit him.”

Her smile widened, and she nodded.

“Yes,” she said. “We’ve got this.”

Their discussion ended there, but a sense of determination lingered in the air. They knew danger loomed ahead, but together — they were ready to face it head-on.