The solidified wax seal was surrounded by an invisible grasp, lifting the envelope beneath it from the ground. Like a thief in the night, it stealthily slipped through the narrow crevice beneath the door.
Within the grand entrance, the letter fluttered aimlessly upward, its wax seal unhurriedly coming undone. The parchment inside freed itself from the envelope's confines, stretching out in mid-air like a lady of Boot Street shedding her coat, every crease smoothed out by that guiding force before landing in a sunken, aged hand.
"Tsk, such fine control, never ceases to amaze, no matter how often I see it."
"..."
"To wield the Mage Hand spell with such finesse, doubt anyone else in the world could."
"..."
"Judging by how you've smoothed out the creases, am I right to assume you've cast Mage Hand at least eight times simultaneously just now?"
"..."
"Mr. Melrose, or should I say, Master Melrose, why the silent treatment?"
"Your Majesty, forgive my directness, but our arrangement did not include small talk."
"Oh come on, don't be so cold. Aren't we on the same side here? Don't you miss me just a little?"
"Do you need reminding, Your Majesty, that we last met merely twenty hours ago?"
"Ah, well, guess I did miss you then."
"Hmph, if something has driven you, the great Demon Lord, away from presiding over demon matters to visit this old fool, it must indeed be pressing. So, what trouble brings you to my doorstep?"
"That's the spirit! And you say I'm blunt. Anyway, seems like you've got mail. Shall we?"
The old mage rolled his eyes silently at the youthful Demon Lord's antic before lazily lifting the parchment to read:
[Dear Master Melrose,
Apologies for interrupting your diligent research, but are you aware of the recent developments in the outside world?
Another impending clash between humans and demons threatens our very survival. To avoid senseless infighting, a plea for your assistance is unavoidable. Should diplomatic efforts prove futile, we hope you can help retrieve the Hero from rebel hands.
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
As you well know, the Hero's significance to humanity is unparalleled. Your presence is sought not only for the reassurance of our success but to assess the Hero's capabilities.
History has shown that Heroes' strengths can vary greatly. Hero Helrista’s prowess was unmatched. While I dare not hope for similar brilliance, I trust this time; the Hero will not disappoint.
Should you accept this request, please join Morton Doyle en route to Carnwen Stronghold. I apologize for any delays this may cause to your magical experiments.
Your lifelong student,
Leopold.]
Setting down the letter with a grim expression, Master Melrose caught Murphy peeking over, "Mind if I take a gander at that?"
"Psst~"
A small flame caught the edge of the covert message, the fire spreading like wildfire, soon leaving only gray ash floating on the breeze.
"If you won't share, then just say so," Murphy tossed his head with a huff, "Why burn it?"
"It's tradition," Melrose retorted, eyes barely lifted.
"Hence my point about humans and their excessive protocols..." Murphy grumbled under his breath.
"But the content of the letter I can share," the old sage mentioned, emotionless.
"Oh?" Murphy perked up, sitting up straighter, "You’re the man, Mel! Best allies for sure."
Melrose's demeanor remained cool as he informed Murphy, "Due to the Hero's advent, the kingdom will soon enter into negotiations with the rebels. Leopold has written to me, requesting my participation in the delegation, to reclaim the Hero should talks fall through."
The young Demon Lord's brow furrowed, "Yeesh, Mel, isn't that a bit out of line for a king to do?"
"Indeed, the king places extreme value on the Hero."
"So much value that he’d break centuries of custom... If it ain't for the people's sake, he must be chasing some grand prize."
"Having said that, Your Majesty, what did you actually want to inquire about today?"
"Oh, yeah~" Murphy slapped his forehead as if suddenly remembering, "Got caught up in all that king's business, nearly forgot my actual question."
"What I wanted to know is, had you been unaware my magic circle led to the demon realm, could you have discerned whether I'm the Hero or the Demon Lord?" Murphy asked with a grin.
"Unless you divulged yourself, very unlikely." The mage paused, appraising Murphy's remarkable features, "A Demon Lord of your caliber is indeed unprecedented in our world's recorded history."
"Really?" Murphy’s interest was piqued, "How did previous Demon Lords stack up?"
Melrose measured his words carefully, eying Murphy oddly, "Rivers of blood."
"No helping it," Murphy shrugged, "Guess it’s just not in my nature."
"So you mean to say as long as I don't use those signature skills or dark magic, nobody could detect my true identity?"
"That’s right. Conceal your aura and abilities and to the world, you're just another ordinary human."
"Well then~" Murphy's smile broadened disarmingly, "I have the most amusing idea..." He leaned closer to Melrose, murmuring his scheme.
Half an hour later.
"Just like that, thanks a heap, Mel. If you ever need anything, you know where to find me," Murphy pointed to the magic mark on his hand, indicating Melrose could summon him if necessary.
The mage nodded, understanding the gesture, and they parted ways.
Melrose dove back into his magical research while Murphy sauntered to the mage tower window and vanished following a snap of his fingers, gravity's embrace welcoming him into obscurity.