"What's so strange about that?" Vakiris said coldly. "Did you think just anyone has the ability to enter the deeper levels of the realm of consciousness? Or... are you actually gloating about imprisoning a Grand Duke?"

Clearly, even in such an unfavorable situation, the other party had not abandoned their pride. Roland even had a premonition that if he humiliated them too much, they might directly rush towards the witches, seeking death.

But this reply did surprise him greatly. Asking about the title was just a casual remark. After all, most high-level devils had their own unique titles, and someone capable of presiding over an advancement ceremony in the City of Devils must be no ordinary figure. He just hadn't expected that this devil's background was even more complicated than he had imagined.

Roland originally thought Vakiris was a consciousness that had accidentally escaped from a memory fragment, but now there was another possibility: that the other party might be from the real world!

The title Nightmare first appeared in the documents of Erusruk, and greeting it proved that it was not a historical figure, but someone still active in the high echelons of devils. Moreover, Roland had repeatedly watched that memory fragment many times, and had not heard a title corresponding to Grand Duke. If the Devil language learned from Kabrada was correct, it meant that the presiding figure at that time had not yet been promoted to Grand Duke.

Combining its own statement of "actively delving into the realm of consciousness" with the Northern Pearl's analysis of the frontline situation, Roland was increasingly leaning towards the latter answer!

In other words, Vakiris sitting across from him had spanned at least eight hundred years of history, and possessed strength and knowledge that made them a rare existence among devils. If its clearly abnormal reaction to Lan was included, this timeframe could be pushed back even further! The value of such a conversation target far exceeded a soul replicated from a memory fragment. Even if it said nothing, it would be equivalent to eliminating a Grand Duke-level devil for the frontlines, which in itself was of great significance!

"I must correct your statement. Firstly, I have not imprisoned you. At least for now, you are free." Roland replied, feigning composure. "Secondly, entering the dream world was your subjective action. I don't think there's any fault of mine in this."

"..." Vakiris was momentarily speechless, and after a long while, grumbled out, "You call this place the dream world?"

Pride made it unbearable to endure any humiliation, but it also made it impossible to make obviously unreasonable arguments. This silence had already confirmed the Nightmare's origin: it had indeed come to this place voluntarily through the realm of consciousness.

"Because every time I fall asleep, I enter here, which in a sense is no different from dreaming."

"Absurd!" Vakiris lowered its voice. Exploring the realm of consciousness required not only talent, but also highly concentrated spirit and an iron will, so as not to get lost in the sea of magic power. Yet this non-magic-wielding male could do it just by sleeping? It was too unfair!

"Hello, here's your order, please enjoy." At this moment, the waiter brought the meal, and all kinds of pastries and drinks were quickly placed on the table, looking quite delicious.

"That's just how it is." After the waiter left, Roland spread his hands. "As I said before, being honest is beneficial to both of us. I wouldn't lie to you about such a thing. Besides, none of the above is the point. The point is the truth of the Divine Will War... and the future of our respective races." He picked up his chopsticks and gestured for them to begin. "We can talk while we eat."

Vakiris reaffirmed one thing: this male was different from all the humans it had ever seen. How could one talk about such important matters concerning racial survival while eating? If it were any other normal person, they would probably be extremely serious and on high alert. But he didn't seem to be deliberately mocking it, as if doing so was the most normal thing in the world for him.

It picked up the cup of turbid Peninsula coffee and took a sip.

Instantly, a fragrant and smooth sensation glided down its throat.

Actually... not bad at all.

For some reason, it suddenly felt like it had lost.

No, it had to take the initiative! Vakiris forced itself to put down the cup and asked in a deep voice, "Where did you hear that the Divine Will War was not the Final War?"

Roland took out Lan's photo from his wallet and placed it on the table. "You've seen her, haven't you?"

Since Lan's portrait had appeared in the "image data" left behind by the Inverted Church, dating back to before the establishment of the Union, he deliberately had Ling dress up as Lan to see if the devil in the memory fragment would react. Although the reality differed from the prediction, Vakiris's shock at the time showed that it had indeed seen this woman.

After a long while, the Nightmare Grand Duke nodded. "Who exactly is she?"

"The Betrayer Apostle." Roland slowly recounted the secret conversation in the Rose Cafe.

After hearing this incredible story, even Vakiris was stunned. "Could it be... that the Apostle my mentor mentioned also refers to her?"

"Mentor?"

"Systalis the Thousand Shapes. It taught me a lot of knowledge..." After hesitating for a moment, Vakiris revealed the past of the Cloud School. "Its failure to ascend also caused the tottering school to lose its last protective umbrella."

"So that's... how it is..." Roland suddenly realized. The information of the two races had been integrated together for the first time in history. He felt that the missing piece in his mind had finally revealed its original form.

"Your Majesty, have you thought of something?" Phyllis asked.

"Do you still remember the portrait hanging on the wall during the meeting of the Union's Three Kings' Oath?" Roland took a deep breath. "I'm afraid the person in the portrait at that time was this high-level devil named Systalis."

"You're saying... what?"

"The Union would enshrine a devil's portrait?"

"This--how is that possible?" The Taquila witches all showed expressions of disbelief.

"If we consider the Cloud School's influence during the First Divine Will War, it wouldn't be strange for such a situation to occur. Since devils in the school could become Grand Dukes, it's normal for there to be witches or ordinary people from the school in the high echelons at that time. I guess Systalis was always skeptical about the Divine Will War before it died, right?"

Such a claim, in the eyes of some, was equivalent to standing on the side of humans.

"...I cannot deny that," Vakiris closed its eyes. "It had disputes with the current King, but the tide of war was not something one or two people could stop."

"The same is true for humans." Roland said calmly. "A disintegrated Cloud School can only be mourned at most, and when the Second Divine Will War breaks out, even that mourning will disappear. No documents of that history have been passed down to the present. Most likely the Three Chiefs destroyed all the records--the past of coexisting with devils would give people hope, especially when the situation is unfavorable. It would only weaken humanity's resolve to resist, so the Cloud School must be forgotten as a stain!"