Someone had suggested a genuine step forward.

Not another amendment.

Not another rewritten clause.

Not another endless debate.

An actual solution.

The applause grew louder.

Then—

"Blasphemy!"

The shout echoed across the chamber.

The applause abruptly stopped.

One of the senior church leaders stood, his robes swaying dramatically.

"Invite a devil into the Holy Capital?"

His voice thundered throughout the hall.

"Have all of you forgotten the teachings of the Gods?"

Another church elder immediately rose.

"This is madness!"

A retired SS-ranker slammed his cane against the marble floor.

"The capital has never permitted a devil to enter its sacred walls!"

Another shouted,

"How can we welcome the enemy responsible for generations of bloodshed?"

More church supporters stood.

Their voices overlapped one another.

"This insults every soldier who died!"

"This dishonors the Gods!"

"The capital must remain pure!"

Soon Authority supporters answered back.

"And how long shall we continue arguing?"

"We cannot decide without hearing both sides!"

"If she truly seeks peace, should we not at least hear her?"

The guild masters joined in.

"Enough delays!"

"Talk first!"

"Judge afterward!"

Within moments...

The chamber descended into complete chaos once again.

Voices rose from every direction.

Observers whispered excitedly.

Some applauded.

Others booed.

Commander Rurik rubbed his temples.

"...Again."

He muttered under his breath.

One of the guild masters sighed.

"I was beginning to think we’d finish peacefully today."

The fifth guild master laughed helplessly.

"That was your first mistake."

The shouting intensified.

Then someone yelled,

"Put it to a vote!"

Immediately another representative agreed.

"Yes!"

"Vote!"

Another church elder nodded.

"Let the assembly decide!"

The Authority representatives quickly accepted.

Several observers sighed.

This again.

It wasn’t the first time.

Throughout the past month...

Every meaningful proposal had eventually ended the same way.

Someone suggested progress.

Someone opposed it.

The chamber argued.

Then someone demanded a vote.

And the proposal inevitably failed by a narrow margin before the arguments restarted the following morning.

The endless cycle had become almost predictable.

Several representatives had already begun preparing for yet another failed vote.

Even the scribes quietly reached for fresh sheets of parchment.

Commander Rurik slowly stood.

His chair scraped loudly across the marble floor.

The sound alone silenced several nearby representatives.

Then he spoke.

"There will be no vote."

The hall froze.

Everyone turned toward him.

The commander looked around the room.

His tired eyes carried none of the irritation they had shown earlier.

Only resolve.

"Surely..."

"...everyone present has grown weary."

A few reluctant smiles appeared.

He wasn’t wrong.

People looked exhausted.

Some representatives had dark circles beneath their eyes.

Others had begun skipping meals because the meetings often continued late into the evening.

Commander Rurik continued.

"If we vote today..."

"...the result will likely resemble every other vote."

No one argued.

Because everyone knew it was true.

"The purpose of today’s proposal..."

"...is not to approve the treaty."

He looked toward Zero.

"It is simply to hear the other side."

He slowly turned toward the Church.

"You fear deception."

Then toward the Authority.

"You seek certainty."

Then toward everyone.

"So let us create certainty."

The room remained silent.

Commander Rurik spoke clearly.

"I propose that today’s motion not determine whether the treaty is accepted."

He paused.

"It shall determine only whether the Devil King’s successor may be invited."

Several church representatives prepared to object.

Before they could—

Rurik continued.

"The final vote."

He emphasized each word.

"Will take place only after the visit."

Only after everyone has heard her explanation."

"Only after every question has been answered."

"And only after this assembly has witnessed her character with their own eyes."

The proposal settled heavily over the chamber.

It was...

Reasonable.

Neither side truly gained an advantage.

The Church would have its opportunity to question Lilith directly.

The Authority would have the discussion they had long requested.

The War Council would observe everything personally.

There would still be a final vote afterward.

Nothing was being decided today.

Only the next step.

Silence lingered.

Then...

The Archbishop slowly rose.

Everyone watched him carefully.

His expression remained unreadable.

After several moments, he nodded once.

"The Church..."

"...accepts Commander Rurik’s proposal."

A wave of whispers spread throughout the chamber.

The Archbishop continued.

"But understand this."

"If the Devil King’s successor fails to convince this assembly..."

"The Church shall oppose the treaty without reservation."

He sat.

Immediately afterward—

The Speaker of the Authority stood.

"The Authority agrees."

His answer was equally brief.

"We have no objection."

"The final decision shall wait until after the meeting."

He also sat.

Everyone understood what had just happened.

The two greatest political powers had spoken.

The discussion was effectively over.

The remaining representatives could continue arguing if they wished.

But everyone knew.

The decision had already been made.

Several people attempted one last protest.

A retired veteran stood.

"But—"

The Archbishop calmly raised a hand. On second thought this could be an opportunity a big one and and get two birds with one stone that is get rid of the devils bloodline and take over the tech genesis since they have given their word in front of the whole assembly.

The huge capital of the tech genesis would simply become a bonus.

The veteran slowly sat back down.

One guild representative opened his mouth.

The Speaker of the Authority simply shook his head.

He quietly accepted it.

Within moments...

The chamber finally settled.

Commander Rurik looked around the hall.

For the first time in weeks...

No one was shouting.

No one was interrupting.

No one was demanding another vote.

A small smile appeared beneath his beard.

"So."

He spoke calmly.

"It is decided."

"The Devil King’s successor shall be invited to the Human Capital."

"The final vote regarding the peace treaty shall take place after her visit."

He lifted the ceremonial hammer.

"For today..."

His voice echoed across the silent hall.

"...this assembly is adjourned."

Bang.

The hammer struck.

Its sound reverberated throughout the Grand Assembly Hall.

No one celebrated.

No one declared victory.

There was still no peace treaty.

There was still no answer.

But after more than a month of endless arguments...

Humanity had finally taken its first real step forward.

And for the first time since the meetings had begun...

The assembly ended not with another deadlock—

But with hope.