Auriella stood in the dimly lit chamber, her eyes locked onto the twisted, lifeless body of the Voidkin. 

The creature had once been a mystery, an enigma that haunted her every step. Now, with the revelation that they hailed from Paxana, her mind reeled. 

"Why would they attack now though? It makes no sense," she muttered softly, trying to unravel the tangled web of motives that had brought these creatures to wage war on them.

Valen, who had been silently watching her, raised an eyebrow. "You don't know why they attacked? They didn't say anything?" he asked, his voice calm yet laced with curiosity.

Auriella shook her head, her brows furrowing. "No, they didn't. The only thing they said was that demons and humans alike should die," she replied, her voice tinged with frustration.

Valen frowned, bringing a hand to his chin in thought. "Is it really that simple?" he murmured, almost to himself.

Auriella caught his words and offered a small, relieved smile. "I'm glad I'm not the only one that finds it strange."

Suddenly, Valen stood, his expression shifting from contemplation to resolve. He took the journal from her hands and set it back on the table behind him with a decisive thud. 

"Anyway, I think we've spent enough time down here, don't you?" he said, gently but firmly guiding her toward the exit.

Auriella took one last glance at the Voidkin's corpse before they made their way up the long, winding staircase back to the library above. 

The silence between them was thick, heavy with unspoken thoughts and questions. But just before they could leave the confines of the library, Auriella stopped to tell Valen about Leo.

"I'm not the only one who returned," she confessed, her voice quiet but steady.

Valen paused mid-step, a look of surprise flashing across his face. 

"This is surprising news. Who else came back with you? Why didn't they come along with us?" he asked, his tone probing as he studied her carefully.

Auriella felt a wave of unease wash over her. She hesitated, her eyes dropping to her feet as a slight blush crept onto her cheeks. 

"He's my…human lover," she admitted, the words coming out almost as a whisper.

Valen's expression shifted, a mixture of shock and something darker flickering in his eyes. 

"A human…? That's…unexpected," he said, his voice tight, betraying the tension he felt.

Auriella flinched at his tone, fully anticipating his reaction but not entirely prepared to face it. 

"I know how it must seem, but he's kind to me. He held me as I lay dying and even followed me in death," she said, her voice softening as a sweet smile tugged at her lips, images of Leo filling her mind like a lovestruck girl.

Valen's gaze remained fixed on her for a long moment before he sighed heavily, his shoulders relaxing slightly. 

"Very well, I'll say no more. Now, I'm sure you brought this up for a reason, yes?" he asked, his tone more controlled, though a hint of tension remained.

Auriella straightened, lifting her head high as she nodded slightly. 

"We have a plan to bring demons and humans together, to create true peace between our species so the tragedy that occurred in our time never happens again," she declared, her voice filled with conviction.

Valen stared at her for a moment before a chuckle escaped him. 

Then, to her dismay, he began to laugh—a little too hard, his amusement ringing out in the quiet library.

Auriella frowned, crossing her arms over her chest as she raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for him to finish. When he finally did, he wiped a tear from his eye, still grinning. 

"Oh…my apologies. I don't mean to make fun of you, it's just…it seems more like a pipe dream than reality. Humans and demons working together toward peace?" he said, shaking his head as if the idea was too absurd to take seriously.

Her frown deepened, her hand reaching to touch the mana stone embedded in her sword. 

As her fingers grazed it, an image appeared above her head, a shimmering projection that caught Valen's attention.

"What's this?" he asked, his curiosity piqued as he studied the image.

The projection zoomed in, revealing a letter stamped with his own personal seal at the bottom. 

His eyes narrowed as he began to read the contents, his expression twisting from one of interest to one of pure disgust and shame. 

"We asked them for joint operations first? Not the other way around?" he asked in a low, incredulous voice as the screen faded away.

Auriella rolled her eyes at his reaction before she could stop herself. 

"You and the other members of The Infernal Ten realized the humans would never submit that request first, so you sent it the moment you all realized they were being attacked more heavily than we were," she explained, her voice steady as she met his gaze.

Valen shook his head, collapsing into a nearby chair, his face a mask of disbelief. 

"No, that's not right. Not exactly, anyway. It must be because…" He paused, his eyes darting back and forth as if searching for the answer within his own mind.

"Because?" Auriella prompted, her curiosity growing.

"Because we caused them to awaken, of course," he said, looking up at her with a sudden clarity.

The longer she thought about his response, the more it began to make sense. The pieces of the puzzle were slowly falling into place, yet there were still gaps, still so much they didn't understand.

Valen cleared his throat, brushing off the tumult of emotions that had briefly overtaken him. 

"…Anyway, you said you both had a plan, yes? Give me the details," he said, his tone now composed and authoritative.

Before she could respond, Auriella held up a hand. 

"It might be best to discuss the details with the rest of The Infernal Ten first. Also, you still need to officially promote me, right?" she said, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.

Valen chuckled, the tension between them easing slightly. He clapped a hand on her shoulder, nodding approvingly. 

"I knew I liked you for a reason," he said with a smile before turning to lead the way out of the library.

Auriella followed him as they made their way through the winding corridors of the fortress. 

The sounds of clashing metal and roars of the crowd grew louder as they approached the arena. 

As they arrived, it became clear that a particularly intense fight had just concluded. The energy in the air was palpable, the crowd's excitement still buzzing.

Valen approached the VIP section, while Auriella stood in the center of the arena, her arms behind her back in a disciplined military stance. His voice boomed across the arena, drawing everyone's attention. 

"Apologies for being away, everyone! I trust Gwyn did well enough in my absence, yeah?!" he called out, a grin on his face.

The crowd erupted in cheers, with some playful whistles directed at Gwyn, who was standing behind Valen. 

As a succubus demon, Gwyn was quite popular among the men. Auriella could see her chuckle, blowing a kiss to the crowd across from the VIP section.

Valen laughed, clearly distracted by Gwyn's antics. Auriella sighed softly, shaking her head with a small smile.

Clearing his throat, Valen redirected the attention back to Auriella. 

"Ahem, anyway, I'd like to continue with Miss Auriella's promotion, as we had gotten off topic before it was official. So, Major General Auriella, do you accept your promotion to Lieutenant General?" he asked, his voice carrying the weight of authority.

Auriella smiled softly, her heart swelling with pride. "Yes, Lord Valen. I happily accept this promotion!" she declared, her voice strong and clear.

The crowd cheered once more as Valen nodded in approval, a proud smile on his face. 

"Then it's official. Welcome to the rank of Lieutenant General, Auriella. Your journey is just beginning," he said, his voice filled with both encouragement and a hint of challenge.

As Auriella stood there, basking in the moment, she knew that the road ahead would be filled with challenges and uncertainties. 

But with the thought of Leo by her side and the newfound knowledge of the Voidkin, she felt ready to face whatever came next.