Temptation of the demons
In the universe of AoEx as in many other stories, demons represent temptation, using the dark side of human soul and desires to lure people into their trap. And, let’s be honest, it often works. But one thing that is pretty interesting here and that I have only seen for now in this story: it seems that humans themselves embody temptation for demons as well.
This is more an interpretation and a reflexion that came to me during a discord discussion than a true theory, but I would like to develop furthermore.
First, there is the physical part. With Lucifer being the perfect example, demons who experience incarnation cannot stand to live without a body after. They desperately crave sensations, the five senses and all the pleasures that come with them. But it seems that it is not the only longing they feel. Think about Satan, telling in the verge of agony that Yuri (a lowly human being though) is the only thing he wants and needs. Think about Hashiro, the hydra, who lost completely himself in a split of a second when he met Shura’s ancestor, his saying about how all the spirits of the other world “long for it”. Even some strange sentences collected in various chapters (ex: the hobgoblin saying “I am jealous” when Satan expressed his intention to leave Section 13. Still not sure about what he meant: he is jealous of Yuri because she seems so important to his Lord or he is envious of the “love” Satan feels. A bit unclear.).
All of this is very strange, but so very interesting !! It looks like temptation goes both way. Except that, far more than humans, demons cannot resist temptation. (Mephisto says it himself in a way during his ramblings). Incapacity of resisting temptation is the demons’ flaw design, as is the humans’ willingness to walk a “middle path” that make them suffer in the eyes of the demons.
What demons have and what humans want : power, longevity, strength, a sense of superiority.
What humans have and what demons want : body, sensations, creative thought (the reason why even Lucifer can’t do anything without some humans working for him) and feelings (which unlike what we previously thought look like a big thing).