Garion walked up to the guards again, calm and relaxed, like he owned the place.

He raised the bottle slightly and smiled. "You already know what I want."

The two demons glanced at each other, then at the bottle.

One of them snorted. "You're confident."

Garion handed it over without another word.

The first demon uncorked it and took a careful sip.

His eyes widened.

"…What the hell."

The second demon frowned, annoyed. "What."

"Drink," the first one said, shoving the bottle over.

The second demon took a mouthful.

He froze for a moment, then slowly swallowed.

"…This," he said quietly, "is amazing."

Garion cleared his throat. "Ahem."

Both demons snapped back to attention.

They exchanged a look, then stepped aside at the same time.

One of them reached out and pushed the door open.

"Go," the first demon said. "And don't waste it."

Garion walked through without hesitation.

Dahlia followed, then Arden, Dion, and Eliza.

The door closed behind them with a heavy thud, cutting off the noise of the bar.

Inside, the room was quieter. Softer light. Cleaner air.

A single demon sat behind a wide desk, horns polished, clothes neat, expression calm. He smiled as they entered.

"Welcome," he said smoothly. "My name is Velgon. I am the information broker of this city."

Garion looked around once, then nodded. "Alright."

He crossed his arms. "But I have to ask. Why all the trouble."

Velgon raised an eyebrow. "Trouble?"

"The wine," Garion said. "Something good that can't even be bought in his bar to pass."

Velgon chuckled. "Formality."

He leaned back slightly. "Low demons don't belong here. They can't tell good wine from poison."

Dahlia frowned. "So?"

"So only high demons recognise quality," Velgon said calmly.

"If someone can offer that, they are either important… or dangerous."

Garion smiled. "And you only deal with those."

Velgon nodded. "Exactly."

Arden shifted slightly. "That's a strange requirement."

Velgon shrugged. "This is a strange city."

Garion stepped forward. "Then let's skip the pleasantries."

Velgon's smile widened. "Of course."

He folded his hands on the desk. "Tell me, dear customer."

"What do you want to know?"

Garion didn't waste time. He stepped closer to the desk and spoke plainly.

"I want to know about the demon world. About the Demon Gate. And about the situation in this city."

Velgon raised an eyebrow and let out a soft chuckle.

"You ask big questions for someone wearing a mask."

He glanced at Garion's red pass stone.

"And you feel like a demon, yet you ask things every demon should know."

Garion didn't answer with words. He placed two heavy pouches on the desk.

They landed with a dull thud.

Velgon's eyes flickered down, then back up. His smile sharpened slightly.

"…I see."

He pulled the pouches closer without hurry.

"Very well. I am an information broker. I sell answers, not judgement."

He leaned forward now, voice lowering.

"The demon world is a world saturated with demonic mana. Not ordinary mana. Stronger. Denser."

Dahlia crossed her arms. "We already noticed that part."

Velgon nodded. "But that strength comes with a price."

He tapped the desk once.

"Demonic mana corrodes the mind. It feeds desire, rage, hunger. That is why so many demons are violent, impulsive, and half-mad."

Arden frowned. "Then why aren't you like that?"

Velgon smiled faintly. "Because that only applies to lowly demons."

He straightened slightly.

"High demon species have bodies and souls that can endure demonic mana. To us, it is fuel, not poison."

Dion muttered, "That explains a lot."

Garion nodded once. "Alright. Now the Demon Gate."

Velgon's expression grew more serious.

"The Demon Gate is a natural phenomenon," he said. "A tear that connects the demon world to other worlds."

Eliza tilted her head slightly, listening.

"No one knows why it forms," Velgon continued.

"No ritual creates it. No demon controls it. When it appears, it represents opportunity."

"Opportunity for what?" Dahlia asked.

Velgon smiled. "Invasion. Trade. Escape. Power."

He raised a finger. "But the Demon Gate is unstable. Space and distance inside it are twisted."

"When someone enters," he explained, "they are not sent next to the gate on the other side."

Arden leaned forward. "Then where do they go?"

"Random locations," Velgon replied. "At least twice the size of this city away from the gate for the farthest location."

Garion's eyes narrowed slightly.

"And there is a Demon Gate in this city," Garion said.

Velgon nodded. "Yes. One that recently became active."

"Recently," Garion repeated.

"Yes," Velgon said. "Before that, it was sealed from the other side. Demons could not enter."

Dion frowned. "Sealed by the other world."

Velgon nodded again. "That would be my guess. When it is sealed, demons cannot pass through."

"And now," Garion said slowly, "it's active again."

Velgon spread his hands. "For reasons unknown. We can enter now."

Garion leaned back slightly, thoughts racing.

"So only demons can enter the Demon Gate," Garion said.

Velgon nodded. "Yes. Only beings recognised as compatible with demonic mana."

Garion didn't speak for a moment.

Inside his mind, the pieces clicked together.

'So that's it. No wonder Eldrin and the other beasts cannot enter at all.'

He glanced at his disciples briefly.

'And the reason we can enter… is because we cultivate with demonic mana.'

Garion let out a slow breath.

"So it's not that the gate became unstable," he murmured quietly.

Dahlia looked at him. "Master?"

Garion shook his head slightly and looked back at Velgon.

"Final question," he said calmly. "How do we destroy the Demon Gate?"

Velgon's fingers paused on the edge of the desk.

For the first time since they entered the room, his smile faded.

"…I thought you weren't normal," Velgon said slowly. "But that question confirms it."

Garion placed another pouch on the desk. He did it gently, but the weight was clear.

Velgon glanced at it, then frowned instead of reaching for it.

Garion tilted his head. "You don't know?"

Velgon let out a low breath. "It's not that I don't know."

He leaned forward, elbows on the desk, eyes locking onto Garion.

"It's that the answer is dangerous."

Garion didn't look away. "Everything worth doing is."

Velgon stared at him for a long moment, then slowly shook his head.

"This information costs more than money," he said. "Much more."

Garion crossed his arms. "Name it."

Velgon's lips curved upward.

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