"Hmm... a ceiling that is not unfamiliar at all."
Fíliya felt as though she had slept for a very long time, but that grand dream had obviously been quite rewarding for her.
The instant she opened her eyes, she sensed the changes within her own body. This feeling of incomparable clarity and freedom made her want to jump straight out of bed. Unfortunately... there seemed to be a few too many people gathered around her right now, and even she had to consider her image somewhat.
"What is this? Everyone gathering in my home one by one... are you planning to stage the grand finale here?"
Fíliya smiled as she looked at the crowd.
Hearing Fíliya speak up on her own initiative, many revealed expressions of relief.
"See, Ehre? I told you Fíliya would be fine," Übel said, patting Miss Ehre on the shoulder, though she was immediately met with a look of disgust.
"Especially you, Übel. When did I allow you into my house?"
"Huh? But I was worried about Fíliya too... And why are you only targeting me?!" Übel crossed her arms over her chest, staring at Fíliya with a somewhat aggrieved expression.
"Heh."
Fíliya merely offered her a single scoff in response before turning her head to look at someone else. Indeed, her hand was currently being tightly gripped by Sense.
"...It is probably because you also have green hair. While 'like repels like,' your magic also heavily counters Sense's," Wirbel analyzed, addressing Übel.
"Eh? Then aren't I being treated unjustly? I can't decide my hair color or anything."
"By the way, why are you guys here too? Are we that close?"
After shooting a reassuring look at Sense to put her at ease, Fíliya immediately shouted toward the few figures on the periphery of the crowd. Hearing this, everyone turned their gazes in that direction in unison.
"That may be true, but if even the examiner has disappeared, where else could this old man's group go? Besides, haven't we eaten together? We count as acquaintances, tentatively speaking, do we not?" Denken spoke slowly.
"Hah? Does eating together once make us acquaintances... As a great noble, you sure set your standards low, old man..."
Fíliya shook her head, but she effectively accepted Denken's words and didn't pick any further thorns.
"Right, how long was I out?"
Fíliya met Frieren's gaze and immediately asked the question she should have asked right at the start.
"Less than a day... Hmm, conquering the Ruins of the Royal Tomb was yesterday's affair."
Frieren gave a timeframe first, but feeling she hadn't been clear enough, she added the explanation afterward.
"Mmu, as expected of the City of Magic; the level of the Priests is just different. I was about to become loose parts, yet they healed me in such a short time... and left no aftereffects whatsoever."
"It wasn't a Priest," Sense suddenly spoke up.
"Eh?"
Fíliya paused, then looked at her older sister.
"When I rushed out of the Ruins of the Royal Tomb holding you, Lady Serie was already waiting in front of me..."
"Hah? That fellow Serie... er, does Lady Serie even possess healing abilities...? Well, I suppose that's nothing to be surprised about."
"Therefore, Fíliya must also thank Lady Serie," Sense exhorted with a solemn tone.
"Yeah, yeah, I know."
As Fíliya spoke, she sat straight up and limbered up her body. She felt incredibly energetic right now, and for some reason, she had gained a very strange perception ability out of thin air.
Moreover, this ability was different from Mana Detection; it was a more marvelous sensation. For instance, right now, even without looking at the reactions of the people around her, she could know all their emotional changes. Even how the blood flowed beneath their skin, the texture of their muscles, the degree of wear on their joints... in short, every minute detail of their bodies was completely visible to Fíliya at a glance.
"Hmm? Denken, you have quite a few ailments on you, old guy... But these are caused by natural aging and bad habits; they aren't injuries or curses, so I guess a Priest couldn't help you either? I feel you need to seek help from pharmacology."
After observing her surroundings for a moment, Fíliya abruptly dropped this comment on Denken.
"...I will keep that in mind."
Denken raised an eyebrow slightly, then bowed slightly to Fíliya.
"Alright, alright, if there's nothing else, everyone get going. Hanging around here one by one is dragging down the air quality."
As Fíliya spoke, she pinched her nose with one hand and waved the other to start shooing people away.
"Tsk, this woman really has no conscience at all. Forget it, seeing her like this, there's truly nothing to worry about. Let's go."
Wirbel spoke and turned directly to walk out the door. With him taking the lead, the others also slowly left the room after bidding farewell to Fíliya.
"Wait. Frieren, you stay."
Seeing that the white-haired elf with twintails also intended to exit the room, Fíliya immediately called out to stop her.
"What is it? Do I not pollute the air?"
Frieren smiled and returned to Fíliya's side.
"Well, strictly speaking, elves can't be associated with 'polluting the air' no matter what, right? You are the darlings of nature... let's not talk about this useless stuff. I have something to ask you."
"Ask away."
Frieren sat on the stool by Fíliya's bed and nodded obediently.
"What exactly is the principle behind that move of yours?! I still find it inconceivable. Why could it suppress someone to the point of immobility without any warning?"
"Hah?!"
Frieren's eyes widened, her expression a bit stunned. She hadn't expected that Fíliya held her back just to ask about this.
However, it wasn't incomprehensible. Since Fíliya had successfully killed her copy, Fíliya had definitely experienced that magic firsthand... Frieren was just surprised that Fíliya had also caught this battle-maniac mindset.
"How can I casually reveal the secrets of my trump cards? I'm not telling you."
After a moment of surprise, Frieren reacted immediately, looking at the fellow before her with a mischievous smirk.
"Unless... you tell me first how exactly you killed me. Just what did you... comprehend during your battle with me? I feel you have the scent of a 'metamorphosis' about you."
"Heh heh, since you have asked with such sincerity, I shall show great mercy and answer you. Actually... I'm not clear on it either. I don't even remember much of what happened at that time. I definitely felt I touched upon a profound threshold, but I can't quite say what it was specifically. Anyway, I also need to spend some time sorting through the harvest."
"Is that so."
Frieren merely nodded upon hearing this, saying nothing more, though her eyes maintained contact with Fíliya's.
"Um, thank you."
Frieren finally spoke up.
"Did you see the person you care about most?"
Fíliya chuckled lightly, instantly understanding why Frieren said that.
"Yeah... Even though the journey is only halfway through, suddenly having the feeling that a wish has been fulfilled is truly wondrous," Frieren's tone was very emotional.
"So are you going to give up on the journey? That would be too unfair to Fern, wouldn't it?"
As Fíliya spoke, she rested her elbow directly on Frieren's shoulder, leaning in toward her at the same time. After all, since she and Frieren had now become people who had taken each other's lives, naturally, they had become quite a bit 'closer'.
Sense, watching this scene from the side, frowned slightly but ultimately said nothing.
"I won't... I will continue traveling. I still have many confusions that haven't been answered."
Frieren rolled her eyes at Fíliya and said with a
Smile
After watching Frieren leave, Fíliya finally turned her gaze toward Sense.
"Mmh, I know Big Sister Sense is the best and has the broadest mind. You wouldn't throw a tantrum just because I chatted a bit more with someone else, right?"
Fíliya tugged directly on Sense's arm and shook it, her tone becoming incredibly soft and wheedling.
Faced with this, Sense could only silently take a deep breath, thinking to herself, I haven't even said anything yet, and you've already blocked off every avenue for complaint.
But what could she do? She could only comfort herself.
Perhaps having a younger sister was just this headache-inducing.
"Is your body really okay?" Sense looked at Fíliya with gentle eyes.
"Of course. I could run a few thousand meters right now. Look."
As Fíliya spoke, she began to roll around on the bed. This display finally elicited a laugh from Sense.
"It seems there really is no problem."
"There was never a problem to begin with. If you don't believe me, you should at least trust Serie's ability, right?"
Fíliya stopped her rolling, sat up straight, and shrugged.
"That is true. Since Lady Serie personally intervened, there surely won't be any hidden injuries left behind."
Sense nodded seriously, but before long, the expression on her face dimmed again.
"I'm sorry for placing you in such a dangerous situation. Actually, I realized there might be hidden dangers in this test, but I..."
Sense seemed to want to explain something, but Fíliya pressed a finger directly against her lips.
"What are you doing, Sense? Being naggy isn't like you."
"...Maybe being someone's older sister just makes one prone to nagging." Sense's eyes darted away slightly.
"Sigh, what are you blaming yourself for? Although the process was dangerous, wasn't the ending quite good? No one died in battle, and your reputation as a 'Pacifist' wasn't ruined either."
As Fíliya spoke, she slowly rested her head on Sense's shoulder.
"But, you were fighting such a dangerous battle, and I could only let you fall into danger from across a wall..."
"What kind of talk is that? You are the examiner; this is what you are supposed to do. If you had actually come in to help me, that would have been a dereliction of duty. Besides, given the situation at the time, you coming in wouldn't have been much use. The worst-case scenario would be the two of us dying together in a lovers' suicide inside."
Fíliya's tone was very casual, but it set off a massive wave in Sense's heart.
Sense was astonished. She was shocked that after hearing Fíliya say the phrase "worst-case scenario is a lovers' suicide," she actually felt... that didn't seem too bad.
But immediately after, she felt a sense of powerlessness.
This worrying little sister of hers was truly growing too fast... Fíliya had already surpassed her, so what qualification did she, as the older sister, still have to "protect" her?
Thinking of this, Sense couldn't help but fall into a state of anxiety.
But just as she was frowning in deep thought, Fíliya seemed to notice something. She pinched Sense's cheek, forcing her to look up at her.
"?!" Doubt welled up in Sense's eyes.
"Sit over here." Fíliya patted a spot on the edge of the bed.
Sense did as she was told subconsciously.
"Shoes off." Fíliya continued to issue orders with feigned anger.
Sense once again obediently took off her shoes. Seeing Fíliya with such an angry and serious expression, she suddenly became nervous, retaining not a shred of dignity as an "older sister."
Immediately after, Fíliya pounced directly, pinned Sense by the shoulders, and pushed her down beneath her.
"..."
Her long hair, spread out like a spiderweb, showed not a single strand willing to offer resistance.
"Listen well. If you keep blaming yourself endlessly like this, I'm going to get angry. You have only one mission right now."
"...What mission?" Sense asked timidly, though a trace of unsuppressible excitement was hidden in her tone.
"Mmh... sleep with me for a while longer."
As Fíliya spoke, she lifted the quilt and covered both herself and Sense, burying their heads inside.
*
The next day, Fíliya and Sense arrived at the Palace in the deepest part of the Magic Association.
Fíliya watched Sense go to report to the God of Magic, then waited in the rest area.
Before long, Sense returned and began to explain the rules of the third test to Fíliya and the other mages who had arrived on time.
"Because the number of people who passed the test this time is simply too high, Lady Serie has decided to conduct the selection personally... You need not worry; this test is very safe, and there will be no combat trials... But... Lady Serie is quite willful, so be mentally prepared. That is all... Go in and meet Lady Serie in order... First is Fíliya. Lady Serie has named you to go in first."
After a simple explanation, Sense nodded directly at Fíliya.
In response, Fíliya slowly nodded back, then turned to wave at a few acquaintances before walking straight in.
"What's going on? Is it my imagination? I feel like the examiner named 'Sense' is in a particularly good mood today? She's completely different from the day we conquered the labyrinth."
Kanne looked at Sense's figure with a face full of confusion.
Then, she received a kick to the shin from Miss Lawine beside her.
"None of your business. Don't think about what you shouldn't think about, and don't ask what you shouldn't ask," Miss Lawine warned.
*
Fíliya walked into the courtyard of the Palace and saw the elf with long orange hair at a glance. At this moment, the God of Magic was soaking her feet in the pool water, holding a white flower in her hand.
"Fíliya, do you know what power you have obtained?"
Serie turned her head to look at Fíliya and asked the first question directly.
"Mmh... actually, I don't really understand," Fíliya confessed honestly.
"That is a forbidden magic that even the mages of the Age of Gods failed to lay a finger on—'All-Disintegrating Magic,' or perhaps it should be called 'World-Destroying Magic.'"
Serie looked at Fíliya with a solemn face, but Fíliya didn't appear particularly nervous.
"Eh? Sounds cool... Could I use that to kill you, Serie?" Fíliya asked with a look of curiosity.
"You... I am speaking to you seriously; can you be a bit more solemn?"
"I am very serious, too. I'm really curious. Serie, you have countless types of Defensive Magic on you—resistance to mind control, direct damage mitigation, prevention of curse invasion—you have everything. So, can that thing I touched kill you or not?"
"Tsk... Of course it can, provided you can hit me," Serie said grumpily.
"Wow, that's awesome! Have I actually mastered a means of deicide? I'm amazing."
After receiving Serie's affirmation, Fíliya immediately became excited.
"Heh... then why don't you try it? Based on my understanding of you, you should have fired a shot of 'World-Destroying Magic' directly at me by now."
Seeing Fíliya's playful, smiling face, Serie provoked her directly.
"Mmh... that's a bit difficult for me. In fact, I tried it when I was free, but I couldn't recreate the feeling from that time at all. Although I used it once at the brink of life and death, I just can't reproduce it afterwards no matter what."
Fíliya spread her hands as she spoke.
"That is quite normal. If it were that simple to master, the mages of the Age of Gods wouldn't have flocked to it in vain... But in the world of magic, as long as you break through zero, it means it will inevitably become one. I believe that if you settle down for a hundred or two hundred years, you will definitely be able to use 'World-Destroying Magic' freely."
"Uh... isn't your concept of time a bit too jumpy? I am a human, you know? I won't live that long." Fíliya retorted helplessly.
"Hmm? I said I was serious. I look forward to the day you can freely use 'World-Destroying Magic.' To that end, I spent quite some time searching through my library. I have prepared all the means to forcibly extend a human's lifespan. Rest assured, I will definitely help you extend your life. When you are about to die of old age, remember to come find me... Tsk, back then I wanted to help Flamme extend her life too, but she refused with some nonsense about dignity. You won't disappoint me, right?"
Serie looked at Fíliya with a face full of expectation.
In response to this... Fíliya could only sigh silently, thinking that the brain circuitry of this God of Magic was indeed not something a normal person could keep up with
"Umm... could you consider my perspective a little? We humans can't really make promises with such a long timeframe. Let's leave future matters for the future, shall we?"
Fíliya spread her hands and looked at Serie.
"Is that so... Very well. It is merely a matter of a few decades anyway; it passes in the blink of an eye."
Serie rested her chin on one hand, thought for a moment, and nodded. Then, she placed the flowers she was holding by the edge of the pool.
"Then let us return to business. Regarding the matter of the First-Class Mage... Hmm, undoubtedly, from any perspective, I cannot find fault with you. However..."
Upon hearing that word 'however' come out of Serie's mouth, Fíliya's heart instantly sank. She wondered if there was some other troublesome matter waiting for her.
Fortunately, that was not the case.
"Once you become a [First-Class Mage], it means shouldering the most dangerous responsibilities. For example... subjugating Great Demons that pose a massive threat to humanity. Yet, you have consistently called yourself a 'Demon Lover' and have been mixing with those demons. I am curious... if you received a mission to subjugate demons, could you complete it properly?"
Serie's expression remained unchanged as she casually stirred the water in the pool with one foot, kicking up ripples.
"Hmm? You seem to have a misunderstanding about me. What I want to do has never been to protect or shield the Demon Race, but to lead them toward a new future and thoroughly remodel them. Hmm... if during this process there are stubborn individuals who refuse to accept this divine grace, I do not mind 'slaying' them."
Fíliya chuckled softly, her expression appearing exceptionally arrogant.
"Oh?"
Hearing this, Serie raised an eyebrow slightly. No matter how long she had lived, something like 'Remodeling the Demon Race' was unheard of to her.
"This, I did not expect. To think you intend to do such a thing... Tsk, what an arrogant idea."
"Arrogance is my base color, you know? Besides, anyone capable of becoming a powerful mage appears arrogant in some aspect, don't they?"
"Heh, you are correct. A powerful mage ought to look [arrogant]... Things like Frieren are simply failures."
Serie was evidently exceptionally satisfied with Fíliya's answer. She looked into Fíliya's eyes and spoke slowly.
"Name a magic you want."
Huh?
Fíliya froze, suspecting she might have misheard something.
"Wait? Didn't you already give me a magic?"
Fíliya immediately voiced her doubt. After all, she had long ago asked Serie for a [Magic to Ensure Sound Sleep]—the same kind Sense has.
"Heh, you passed an extra trial, so naturally you can receive an extra reward. This is only logical. Therefore, I have decided to grant you another 'privilege'. Of course, this time you are not allowed to ask for boring magic. Ask for something serious, understand?"
As Serie spoke, her expression became very serious.
"Uh, I got it."
Fíliya swallowed, thinking that if she didn't follow the other party's instructions this time, she might really get to witness the angry side of the God of Magic.
"Umm... I want [Transfer Magic]."
After thinking for a moment, Fíliya presented her request to Serie.
[Transfer Magic] was also something she had always wanted. Its effect was to ignore learning conditions and directly transfer a magic one had mastered to someone else. Of course, after the transfer, one would truly forget the corresponding skill.
However, this side effect was not as great as imagined. Although the skill already mastered would vanish, the experience of learning and using it remained. If one were to learn it again, it would be much faster than the first time.
"What do you want that for?"
Serie frowned slightly, her face full of confusion.
After all, this [Transfer Magic] was something she used frequently. Whenever a First-Class Mage who passed the test sought some profound magic from her that was extremely difficult to master with a human lifespan, she would use this Transfer Magic to directly assign her own magic to that First-Class Mage.
In her view, this magic not only offered no help to one's growth in strength, but it would also consistently weaken oneself. Only a fellow like her—who took pleasure in collecting magic, lacked no time, and could quickly relearn the magic she gave away—would actively master such a skill.
Of course, her definition of 'quickly' generally referred to at least a hundred years or more.
"Hmm, I just feel I might use it. I don't have anything else I want at the moment. This doesn't count as a boring magic, right?"
Fíliya calmly maintained eye contact with Serie.
Hearing this, Serie fell into a brief silence, then snapped her fingers.
An old grimoire flew out from the large gate not far behind her.
"This is it."
"Hmm? So the [Transfer Magic] itself doesn't need to be transferred?"
Fíliya placed her hand on the cover of the old grimoire, stroking it repeatedly, looking very satisfied.
"Of course. It is not a particularly profound thing. A human with average aptitude could master it in about ten years."
"Is that so... then am I...?"
After quickly stowing away the grimoire, Fíliya looked at Serie with a playful gaze.
"Yes, you pass."
"Then can I leave directly?"
Hearing the news that she had passed, Fíliya's expression showed no fluctuation. She only thought of leaving quickly to go home and study the grimoire she had just obtained.
"Wait."
"Ah?"
Fíliya, having been called to a halt, stiffened instantly, then slowly turned around.
"You voiced a lot of dissatisfaction within my barrier during the first round."
Serie narrowed her eyes with ill intent.
"Eh? You're not going to settle scores, are you? I don't think I was wrong, you know? The selection criteria for First-Class Mages really should be corrected a bit."
"Rest assured, I am not that petty. I thought about it myself, and perhaps the selection criteria indeed have room for improvement. So the most important problem now is..."
The problem is?
A trace of curiosity emerged on Fíliya's face, for she clearly saw a hint of embarrassed crimson on Serie's face.
Huh? No, no, I must have seen it wrong.
Fíliya found this hard to believe, so she shook her head vigorously.
"Ahem, since you are already a First-Class Mage... the first job I give you is to assist me in interviewing the subsequent examinees. Help me as a reference."
Serie's expression seemed a bit unnatural, but Fíliya was certain that if she dared to point this out, she would likely suffer quite a bit.
Hmm, so she just wants me to be an assistant... Couldn't she just say so directly? Why go through so many twists and turns... It seems this [God of Magic], aside from her majesty, is actually a little bit [cute
And so, during the subsequent interview session, the other examinees were surprised to notice one thing: when they walked into the atrium of the Imperial Palace, they could clearly see Fíliya standing dutifully behind Serie, looking completely well-behaved.
However, obviously no one dared to gossip at a time like this.
...
Under the scrutiny of Serie and Fíliya, Kanne stood ramrod straight, looking as if she didn't even dare to breathe.
"This one is obviously a no-go, right? Look at how scared she is just seeing me; this child is hopeless."
As Serie spoke, she turned her head to exchange a glance with Fíliya, as if seeking Fíliya's opinion.
"Mmh, she indeed lacks a bit of polish, but I wouldn't say she's hopeless, right?" Fíliya chimed in casually.
"It is hopeless. Someone who is terrified the moment they see an opponent stronger than themselves cannot become a First-Class Mage."
"Then I can only reserve my opinion," Fíliya said with a shrug.
"Is that so? Then it is a failure. You may go."
Serie issued the order directly to Kanne.
Kanne was naturally bewildered. She had never expected that after going through two rounds of testing, she would be eliminated in this final round after just a casual glance... This was truly hard for people to accept.
However, Kanne was not without self-awareness. She knew very well that she had received varying degrees of care in both rounds of the test to be able to pass... She was still far from reaching the standard where she could [stand on her own].
Thus, Kanne could only take a deep, silent breath, then stepped forward a few paces and arrived in front of Fíliya.
"Um, returning this to you."
Wearing a solemn expression, Kanne handed the book [Fíliya's Water Magic] back to Fíliya.
"Oh? Not planning to keep it?"
Fíliya raised an eyebrow slightly, clearly a bit surprised, but she didn't say much more and simply took the grimoire back.
"Mmh, I have memorized all of it. Of course, I can't use it freely yet; I need to spend a little more time," Kanne said, scratching the back of her head with some embarrassment.
"In that case, you must practice more in the future."
"Mmh..."
Kanne nodded, yet she showed no intention of leaving.
"Hmm? Are you planning to stick around and not leave?" Fíliya asked proactively upon seeing this.
"Um... You, Miss Fíliya, could you be my teacher?!"
After taking a deep breath, Kanne finally asked the question that had troubled her for a long time. Although it was strange to ask someone not much older than herself to be her master, she still wanted to do it.
"No."
Unfortunately, Miss Fíliya rejected her expressionlessly, without even a shred of hesitation.
"Eh... M-May I ask the reason for the refusal?" Kanne asked timidly.
"...Because you are too weak. If you want to be my disciple, at least become a First-Class Mage first."
Fíliya's emotions remained completely unfluctuating.
But for Miss Kanne, that was enough. And so, she secretly made up her mind that in the new round of testing three years from now, she would definitely become a First-Class Mage.
Eventually, watching Kanne's retreating figure disappear into the atrium, Serie couldn't help but shoot a doubtful glance at Fíliya.
"Do you truly believe that child has potential? I still feel she cannot become a First-Class Mage."
"Heh heh, Serie, this is a sign that you don't understand the human heart... Let me tell you a truth about humanity."
"[Do not look down on anyone who works hard]."
Fíliya looked at Serie with an enigmatic expression, but Serie merely let out a disdainful sound—
"Tch."
Next to come for the audience was Denken. The moment Serie saw Denken, she immediately revealed a look of distaste.
"Imperial Court Mage Denken, is it? You have wisdom to spare, abundant experience, and your magic level is not bad. Furthermore, you can bring out sufficient cruelty when the occasion calls for it... It is a pity, you are too old now... I have no interest in dregs that have already burned out. Failure. You may go."
"..."
Denken voiced no objection to this; he simply stood his ground and did not choose to leave.
"Sigh... Serie, even though you are a fellow who has lived for who knows how long, it seems that something like [an eye for talent] is not something that can be honed by time."
Fíliya rested her hands on Serie's shoulders. While kneading Serie's shoulders with gentle force, she slowly voiced her own view.
"Hmm? Is there something wrong with what I said?" Serie asked in return.
"Why don't you take another careful look?"
Fíliya said nothing more. Instead, she sandwiched Serie's cheeks between the palms of her hands and, slightly forcefully, turned her face to point directly at Denken.
"..."
Serie was slightly startled in her heart. After all... Fíliya was the first fellow who dared to commit such an act of [impudence] against her.
But she didn't say much, and her attention quickly focused on Denken.
"Wait..."
Serie seemed to finally realize something.
"Denken, when you saw me, you considered how to fight me... didn't you?"
Serie probed with some disbelief.
"Just for an instant... Only for an instant, and I abandoned it immediately," Denken said honestly.
"Very good... Very good..."
Serie's tone was immediately dyed with delight. For her, a mage who still possessed the desire to fight after [facing her terror] directly was a rare talent.
"You pass. Apologies, my eyes failed me. You have indeed not burned out yet."
Serie admitted her mistake quite frankly, then allowed Denken to pass the test.
...Wait until Denken had left, a cheeky grin immediately surged onto Fíliya's face.
"Do you have nothing to say to me? Like 'thank you' or something? If I hadn't reminded you, you would have missed a talent, you know?"
"Tsk, no... By the way, didn't Sense teach you to have manners when meeting me? You disrespectful thing."
Serie rolled her eyes directly at Fíliya, but this was only on the surface. In her heart, she was actually becoming more and more satisfied with this young human girl.
After all... whether it was Lernen or Sense and the others, they were all far too [reverent] toward her; conversely, when she was with this unreliable lass Fíliya, she could let down many of her airs and become incredibly relaxed.
...
Very quickly, Miss Edel also appeared here.
"Failure... I intended to say that, but Fíliya, you surely have something to say to me, right?"
Serie turned directly to look at Fíliya.
"Mmh, Edel's level can undoubtedly be ranked as a First-Class Mage; you can certainly understand this too, Serie... As for her lack of combat power, I feel that can be solved by [Companions]."
"Is that so... Then she passes."
Serie said no more and agreed directly to Fíliya's proposal. This surprised Edel somewhat, so she hurriedly cast a grateful look at Fíliya before tactfully withdrawing with great delight.
"Since you mentioned [Companions], that child's safety will be your responsibility from now on."
Once Edel had withdrawn, Serie immediately looked at Fíliya with a mischievous smirk.
"Eh? But I refuse. I have too many things to do in the future... I really can't bring her along."
Fíliya shook her head helplessly.
"Oh? You arbitrarily barged into someone's world, and in the end, you want to dump them and ignore them? You really are a heartless and willful fellow."
"Mmh... I didn't say I'd ignore her completely, did I? If there's a chance, I will still protect her. But with so many First-Class Mages in our Magic Association, there's no need to bind Edel to my side, right?"
"Heh... Do you know what this behavior of yours is called when judged by human standards?"
Serie seemed to have found a good opportunity to mouth off at Fíliya, so she appeared exceptionally excited at this moment.
"What is it?"
It was unclear if Fíliya truly didn't understand or if she was pretending.
"To sum it up in one phrase, you really are a [bad thing