"What do I know?" The old man turned, frowning at the grease smudged on Luo Yu's lips.

"Not—not that!" Luo Yu flustered instantly, her face flushing pale to pink. "How did you... how did you know I was going to assassinate the Champion?"

"My apologies, child. I forgot to mention—" The old man removed his fur hat, revealing long, tapered elf ears. "In my youth, I served as a high-ranking officer in the Demon King's Army. Luck favored me; I even scraped into the lower ranks of the Four Heavenly Kings. As an elf, I also dabbled in Divination Magic."

"Huh?" Luo Yu stared blankly. Her magical and cultural education in the Demon Realm barely reached vocational school level. *Four Heavenly Kings? What’s that?*

"Divination," he explained, "is a gift only high-bloodline races can awaken—witches, elves, Demon Kings, sorceresses. It glimpses past and future, blurred but true."

"Whoa! So OP? Looks fun!" Luo Yu tingled with envy. "I’m a student. Teach me. Free."

The old man: "... ..."

"Anyway," Luo Yu set down her meat skewer, sneering. "You’re ancient, with such noble Demon Kind blood... yet you only ever got this tiny post? Pathetic."

"Do you truly think I’m worthless?" The old man’s voice turned grave.

"Eh...?" Luo Yu faltered, unnerved by his sudden seriousness. "Well... yeah? With my bloodline, I’d have—"

"I *am* a failure," he interrupted, turning away. "But child, some limits are born into us." He fell silent, then fixed her with deep, sorrowful eyes. "Do you know the terror of watching an entire army erased by one blast of Great Magic? I... I even dragged my granddaughter into the Demon King’s Army back then. She’d have grown as lovely as you."

Luo Yu: "I..."

"This human Champion’s power has reached monstrous heights. Don’t dream of challenging him. He’s—"

Luo Yu saw ghostly blue flames ignite in the old man’s pupils. A soul-deep chill seeped into her bones, as if stripped bare before judgment. *Endless flames of vengeance—* the phrase flashed in her mind.

"Ugh!" Luo Yu snapped her head away, pouting. "Old man, getting all serious like this? This Emperor hates it. I’m not talking to you anymore."

"Very well." His terrifying aura vanished; warmth returned to his face. "If you fear even me, how can you face the Champion—a legend whose strength defies imagination?"

"I’m not scared!" Luo Yu made a silly face. "You’re just overestimating yourself ’cause you lost to him. Don’t judge this Emperor by your weakness. I’m invincible in this world!"

"Then tell me, little Emperor—have you defeated the Champion yet?"

Luo Yu’s cheeks burned. "N-not yet. Let him enjoy his last moments."

"You fainted before even seeing his face, collapsed right outside his tent. Captured. If not for a certain catgirl—"

"Old man! Why spill everything?!" Luo Yu scowled, scrambling into the carriage without another glance.

The old man doused the fire, packed the leftover meat, and took the reins. Their journey resumed.

Bandits struck at night.

Lizardmen wielding crude blades charged down the mountainside, surrounding the carriage. Seeing only a frail elder and a delicate, defenseless girl, their jeers grew louder.

Before Luo Yu could flinch—the old man vanished from the driver’s seat.

*Teleportation.*

She sensed the faintest magic ripple. In less than a blink, a one-sided slaughter unfolded beyond her sight. Her mind couldn’t process it; her eyes couldn’t follow.

When the world snapped back—silence.

"H-hey..." Luo Yu stumbled down, bile rising at the sight of severed lizard heads littering the ground. She stared at the blood-splattered elder bowing on the hilltop. "Did... did you do this?"

"Indeed." He grinned, offering a gore-streaked hand. "Impressive? Worthy of His Majesty’s approval?"

"Y-yeah," she stammered. "Wait—you said you were one of the Four Heavenly Kings? That’s... not actually a small title, is it?"

"Respected enough in the Demon Realm. Kept me fed and sheltered."

"Oh... I thought you were bluffing earlier..."

"Let’s move on," he said, climbing back up. "Past this city lies the capital. Our short journey ends soon."

"Mm." Luo Yu fell silent, curling up in the carriage’s corner, knees hugged tight.

Only when he halted for their final meal did she tug his sleeve, voice barely audible: "That... magic you used. Against the lizards."

"Which part?" He turned, puzzled.

"The lizards... it was strong..." Her words were mosquito-whispers.

"Ah—the bandits." He gestured for her to sit. "I warped time in that space. Stretched a fraction of a second into infinite slices. My body moved at accelerated speed."

Luo Yu blinked. "So... time-stop?"

"Close enough. Want to learn?"

"I..."

"No rush," he said gently, pressing a grilled skewer into her hands. "Live wisely. Avoid foolish dreams of challenging Champions. You’ll have lifetimes to unravel magic’s mysteries."

Luo Yu: "... ..."

"Eat."

"T-thanks." She took the skewer, head bowed. This time, even mosquitoes couldn’t hear her.