What kind of person is Iraq?

Most of the people in the Empire, and even Ira himself, wouldn't know this, but his former colleagues or the king he served might have some understanding of it.

Vera could barely understand, and was certain, that [Ira was absolutely not loyal to the Empire]. You could say he looked forward to the Empire becoming a strong and equal nation in the future, or you could say he was loyal to his friendship with the late Emperor Uther.

One could even say that he was loyal to Isabella because he liked lolis, but one could never say that he was "loyal to the Empire," because Vera had heard Isabella mention more than once that if the Empire ever went down a bad path, he would personally destroy it.

Since these words are usually spoken after arguing with nobles, there's a possibility they were just said in anger.

But this at least shows that Ira doesn't really respect the Empire, or even humanity. In that case, there might actually be a chance... to complete "that," if only the ultimate "that" could be completed.

Maybe it can... It definitely can... It absolutely can...

"..."

The Philosopher's Stone.

Vera opened her eyes on the bed, muttering to herself as she awoke from a half-asleep state. Her dark mage robes hung loosely, barely covering a small part of her body.

The black robes contrasted sharply with the flawless lich's body; if this scene were described as a work of art, it would undoubtedly be described as something like "black and white."

"..."

What time is it now?

With that thought in mind, Vera straightened her mage robes slightly and then burrowed into the blankets... Although winter was almost over, the weather seemed unusually cold today.

As a magic-based class, because Mana is not used to enhance the physical body, it is more susceptible to cold, heat, and pain compared to physical classes... but that's about it.

Liches do not need to cherish their physical bodies.

"Yawn~"

Yawning, Vera stretched her pale hand out from under the covers, the deep blue ring on her finger shimmering. She languidly chanted: "Servants born of knots, creation pointed directly to the mist."

Accompanied by soft chanting, the azure mana flowed from the ring, like dancing fireflies, gradually taking shape in the air, seemingly a human figure.

But the chanting was not yet over.

With words as the trigger, he awakens the original texts of tens of thousands of words in his mind, bridges the barriers of the world, outlines the model of the spell, and uses his own magic as a catalyst to exchange for the magic flowing in the mana network formed by the World Tree to fill it.

"Illusion, depravity, silence, shaping, ascension, immortality, mind, mind, mind, mind, mind, you monster who forsakes the mother of life, denies the branch of the soul, born for me!"

With the transmission of the final byte, the spell was cast—[Mathematical Servant]

As the outlined magical framework was filled in, three humanoid figures resembling Mr. Lime appeared in Vera's room... Although these were made of mana, rather than the slime-like substance of Mr. Lime, their faces were not visible.

These math-obsessed servants acted according to Vera's wishes. Without needing verbal commands, they readily took action, helping Vera to sit up, tidy her clothes, wash, and move around.

Vera didn't need to do anything; she just needed to slump like a lump in the floor, served by the magic servants. That was what a mage was... or rather, that was what a court mage was, able to use magic at will.

"Vera, you still love to abuse magic."

Ira's voice came from behind. Vera, who was being carried by the math servants, didn't look like a noble lady. Instead, she looked like a thief who had stolen something and was being escorted to trial by the villagers (math servants).

This listless and powerless appearance is like someone so afraid their legs go weak.

"What do you mean by 'abuse'? I was just using magic normally, okay?"

Vera, who had been answering casually, became more alert. She waved for the math whizzes to put her down, then tapped her ring to dismiss them, saying, "Since it's easy, I'll definitely take it easy!"

"snort……"

Ira chuckled, and the little goblin sitting on his shoulder watched Vera and Ira talking curiously, feeling that the two had an exceptionally good relationship... Indeed, because the little goblins were not there that day, they did not know that Vera and Ira were old acquaintances.

"Don't you eat breakfast? I remember you once said that if a person doesn't eat breakfast, it will lead to... what was it again?"

Vera said this, though she couldn't quite remember exactly what Ira had said back then, "They'll rub against each other inside, but I'm a lich now, so I don't have to worry."

In response, Ira retorted, "How do you know I didn't eat breakfast?"

Vera: "Huh? Have you eaten?"

Iraq: "Actually, no."

"..."

Vera was speechless. She looked at the little fairy on Ira's shoulder, as if she had thought of something, and asked Ira, "Did the little fairy report something, so you're going to find the Demon King now? Is it something urgent?"

"Yes, you guessed right."

Ira nodded, speaking on behalf of the little fairy who was about to speak: "This little fairy said that she encountered a wild little fairy who had fled here this morning. It seems that the wild little fairy lives in the forest near the Demon King's territory."

"It seems that Satan Leaf hasn't gotten up yet, so the little fairy told me first that the wild little fairy's original group has been taken over and enslaved by the giant bee swarm, so they asked the Demon King's territory for help, which is undoubtedly a good thing."

Indeed, Vera understood without Ira needing to explain. Although there was a hint of schadenfreude in her voice, like "Great, a wild sprite is in danger!", it was definitely a good thing.

The giant bees have enslaved the wild goblins, so some of the goblins have come to ask for help. Once the Demon King's territory has dealt with the giant bees, it will be the Demon King's territory's turn to enslave the goblins, since the Demon King's territory is currently short of manpower.

Although it sounds like a case of "escaping one danger only to fall into another," everyone has to admit that being a slave (or monster) under the Demon King is happier than being a commoner in many other places.

By the way, logically speaking, apart from the leaders in the Demon King's castle who are qualified to participate in the morning court, all the residents of the Demon King's territory belong to the Demon King's personal property.

Therefore, everyone is a slave.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!"

"Save our comrades!"

She treated Ira like a mount, the tiny sprite sitting on Ira's shoulder and directing her, looking very happy. She genuinely liked this different human.

Ira seems to be different from all humans.