@Kaarme Yep; this is pretty much a textbook example of "break her heart to save her". If a
regular mage is a target, a
Demon Lord might as well be a walking, talking bullseye, and the last thing Zagan would want is for Nephie to get caught in the crossfire. So, yep, be mean to the adorable elf in the hopes she'll leave him and go somewhere safe, where his enemies can't get to her. I doubt it'll happen, but I do hope it fails completely and Nephie just brushes it off.