Reincarnated As Aura

"Oh, you know me... Even though you don't look like you've lived for a hundred years yet. So you must be connected with other demons—"

At that moment, I quickly grabbed my youngest child tightly with one arm and ran to the corner of the room, clutching the meaningless scales.

And then, with nothing else left, I resorted to the only self-defense measure I had as a demon who was barely more than a human.

"Th-these... these children! What happens to my children... their lives... do you care what happens to them!?"

"Mom's trembling!"

"Is Mom broken!?"

"What's wrong with her...?"

Help me, I don't want to die! I absolutely don't want to die! You're my children, right!? If you're human, then save your mother!

And if the details of the magic I practice are revealed, I'm done for! How can I prove that I haven't brainwashed the entire village...? What a shitty magic... But it's not like I could help it since the magic just took form before I realized it!

In the first place, the words of demons are said to be lies spoken as a means to hunt down humans, so I doubt that the thing in front of me will even listen to what I'm saying. No, it's probably best to assume that it won't listen.

There's no way I can prove my innocence to someone like that... oh...

I saw a glimmer of hope, but it was an incredibly reckless gamble. However, to survive this situation, I had no choice but to risk everything I had, literally.

"Listen to me... Frieren. The magic I possess is a spell that forces submission. By placing both my own soul and the target's on this Scale of Obedience, it measures the difference in our mana, and the one with the greater mana can control the other almost indefinitely..."

"Hmm... What are you planning on doing by telling me that? But if it's true, it'll be troublesome when you grows up. I guess I should deal with it after all."

"I know your mana is far greater than mine... I understand that...!"

"And?"

"Please... don't kill me... I'll do anything... anything you want..."

I raised the scale towards Frieren.

"'Spell of Obedience: Auserlese'"

I used my magic against Frieren.

————

"And that's roughly how Frieren and I met about 500 years ago, Fern."

"...Eh...?"

In a small cabin on the outskirts of the Holy City of Strahl in the Central Lands, a conversation took place between a woman with striking horns on her head, clearly identifying her as a demon—Aura—and a small girl called Fern.

However, the girl had an expression as if she were seeing something impossible or utterly incomprehensible, making it hard to describe the conversation in words.

As Fern displayed a perfectly baffled expression, Aura's mouth curved into a half-smile, which could be interpreted as either smugness or self-mockery.

"I'm a great demon who has been taking care of this elf for over 500 years."

Then she glanced at the elf—Frieren—who was peacefully asleep in a nearby bed, even though it was already close to midday.

"Don't you have any pride?"

"But I have no choice but to keep up appearances to avoid getting killed by Frieren. With my Spell of Obedience: Auserlese, I have to follow whatever she says..."

"I see..."

Fern, looking at Aura, who appeared quite small even for a demon, couldn't find anything more to say.

This is the story of a great demon who is a bit more understanding of humans than the original and considerably more pitiable than before.