Demon territory. At the high-level meeting, numerous powerhouses gathered, from ordinary demons to those at the Seven Sages of Destruction l
Demon territory. At the high-level meeting, numerous powerhouses gathered, from ordinary demons to those at the Seven Sages of Destruction l
Demon territory. At the high-level meeting, numerous powerhouses gathered, from ordinary demons to those at the Seven Sages of Destruction l
Demon territory.
At the high-level meeting, numerous powerhouses gathered, from ordinary demons to those at the Seven Sages of Destruction level, and the atmosphere was solemn.
A profound silence fell.
Prophet Schlacht, seated at the head, said in a deep voice: "The reason I've gathered everyone today is to inform you of something. Our plan in the Labyrinth Kingdom has utterly failed. We lost two of our Sage companions, and Frieren, on the contrary, learned two new spells from us."
Upon hearing this, some demons were first bewildered, then slowly came to a worried realization.
Their organizations were usually loose, with each looking down on the other, information flow was minimal, and they were too lazy to pay attention to the movements of mere humans. They were largely unaware of the full sequence of events.
"Even with that kind of battle power configuration, we lost?"
"Could Prophet Schlacht's prophecy have been wrong? That can't be, can it? Or perhaps it was fulfilled in a different way?"
"Those worthless fools who died aren't worth discussing. The key is to eliminate the threat."
"Indeed."
Suddenly, he continued: "I only observed that Frieren would go to the Labyrinth Kingdom and encounter danger. My observation of the outcome was insufficient, and I never expected our entire force to be annihilated. Moreover, anything related to her becomes very blurry; there are too many variables. She is not an enemy that can be easily predicted."
Not only is she difficult to predict, she's fundamentally an amalgamated monstrosity infused with a multitude of incomprehensible entities.
From a prophet's perspective, she's simply the embodiment of terror.
Unspeakable obscenities amalgamated, clothed in the fleshly exterior of Distortion, with countless howling souls burning within, all contained within the silhouette of an elf, a destiny filled with anomaly, chaos, and revulsion.
When you observe Frieren, she is certainly observing you.
It's just that she has actively sealed off methods that could contaminate in return, or perhaps she doesn't care to, so she generally ignores the demon prophet's prying.
Schlacht murmured: "After the battle at Northwind Fortress, she once warned me, using her apprentice's question as a pretext:"
"As long as one is strong enough, one will become an unalterable convergence point in a prophet's destiny. So she isn't afraid of my schemes; given Frieren's personality, she might even welcome them."
The demons remained silent.
They didn't quite understand elven emotions, but they certainly sensed a powerful spirit.
Indeed, if their immense losses could truly have been avoided, it should have been predicted back at Northwind Fortress. It shouldn't have dragged on until now, giving rise to an increasingly powerful and uncontrollable Flamme, and a Magic Association that grows stronger by the day.
The direct consequence of the defeat in the Labyrinth Kingdom was the accelerated formation of a unified front in the central regions, a dangerous situation.
"According to His Majesty's will and my prophecy, the elf must be dealt with." Schlacht scanned the room, then his gaze fell upon Grausam, the Miracle Illusionist of the Seven Sages of Destruction. "Grausam, you must be prepared."
"For what purpose?"
"The prophecy tells me that powerful Mental Attack Magic can put Frieren in mortal danger, so you are needed for the next plan."
"So, she'll be in danger, not that it's a weakness? And we don't know the outcome after that?"
"Precisely. That is the prophet's shortcoming."
Upon hearing this, the cautious Miracle Illusionist's eyes flickered. The situation was too confusing; indeed, Schlacht still couldn't pierce through the mist surrounding the opponent. Variables were destined to become unexpected turns in battle, yet they were unavoidable.
He was loyal to His Majesty and the prophet; it was merely a risk. Should he be summoned, he would certainly answer.
Furthermore, according to Schlacht's estimate, at that time, he wouldn't be the only Seven Sage of Destruction heading to the Elven Village.
"Then I shall be ready at any moment."
"No, it's alright. The opportune moment is still far off. The immediate priority is to deal with the Northern Allied Army, supported by the Central Region. So, the war council shall commence immediately."
Meanwhile, at the Magic Association branch in Northwind Fortress.
Outside the gates.
Numerous mages, staff members, and passersby gathered there, all bidding farewell to Frieren, who was once again returning to her homeland for secluded training.
Whenever one thought she had accumulated vast networks and resources to cause a stir, she would retreat from the current, publicly depart, and then remain untraceable for a long time, completely indifferent to power. Should one say she cared deeply for her homeland, or was it simply the nature of the elven race?
Compared to her typical kin, Frieren was already quite active; it wasn't strange for her to intend to withdraw.
"Master, everything's ready..."
Flamme, clutching large and small bags of luggage, loaded them onto the carriage. Among them were many souvenirs for her friends in the village, and she herself would be staying there.
Before Flamme came of age, Frieren intended to keep her direct disciple by her side to impart magical knowledge as early as possible. Moreover, she wasn't at ease with Flamme traveling far alone, especially since she was certainly on the demons' kill list, so they needed to be careful.
The road here led towards the Elven Forest, while another carriage headed north, driven by Lehman himself.
Wirbel said: "It looks like our little team has to part ways."
"Yes, I need to report to Master Serie."
"This period of secluded training will certainly take a lot of time. In any case, for anything ordinary, you can find Flamme. Unless it's an especially urgent situation, I won't easily come out of seclusion."
"I'm a little sad to see it end..."
The red-haired girl sat swinging her legs on the carriage, her sigh filled with nostalgia.
"It's nothing serious, Flamme. If you're interested, we can form a party again after a while, say, in 10 years."
"Spare me, you two," Wirbel said with a wry smile and a shrug. "This old bone of mine might live another 10 years, but I won't be able to go wild anymore. Besides, we're just a 'sunset red' team; young people should interact more with other young people..."
His words drew hearty laughter from the two adults in the party.
Judging by average age, the elven race alone could single-handedly pull the entire group into the elderly category.
"Enough of the jokes, everyone. I still need to head to the Northern front, so I'll take my leave first. We're all committed to the same cause, so we're bound to meet again someday."
Lehman pulled on the reins and departed with a flourish.
"President, Miss Flamme, thank you for allowing me to safely complete an adventure of such great magnitude at my age." Wirbel let out a long sigh. "Never mind, we see each other often enough, so let's skip the sentimental goodbyes. Farewell."
With that, he waved and turned to leave, and the other escorts waved as well.
"See you again."
The red-haired girl answered loudly, and then Frieren, next to her, nodded to the crowd and urged the carriage forward, heading straight into the forest.
Compared to the wild, primitive scenery of the past, there was now a clear road leading to the Elven Village. Lush bushes lined both sides, birds sang, and flowers bloomed, as if one were surrounded by a flower garden.
One could even see elves walking along the road.
At the very least, they were active in nearby towns, far more mobile than before.
Flamme, meanwhile, felt a continuous jolting, both because the road was bad and because her master's driving skills were lacking... Suddenly, she noticed Frieren gazing at the sky and releasing a wisp of oppressive aura, which startled her into thinking a major battle was about to begin.
"What's wrong?"
"This feeling... it's the demon prophet observing destiny, isn't it?"
"Ah! How do you know?"
"If your perception is strong enough, information will reveal its own flaws. That's why I make some preparations before entering deep sleep."
At the entrance to the Elven Village.
Miria Adair, who had heard earlier that her companion was about to arrive, woke up early and stood with a group of elves from the village at the entrance, watching a carriage slowly approach. It was a familiar face, bringing a sense of security.
Some enthusiastic kin greeted them from afar:
"Welcome back, Frieren!"
"You certainly caused a huge stir, but it's good that you've returned safely."
The master and disciple on the other side waved back, then the carriage stopped, and a third person, cloaked and mysterious, disembarked.
Who was it?
In a small community where everyone knew each other, even gait and posture could generally confirm if someone was a stranger. This individual was definitely an outsider, but why were their every movement so similar to Frieren's?
The next moment, the guest pulled back their hood, revealing a luminous white figure. Aside from being a little shorter, it was identical to Frieren's true form.
The entire scene fell silent. Even the usually thick-skinned Miria Adair swayed her wine bottle, muttering: "Could it be that I drank too much last night and haven't woken up yet?"
"Allow me to introduce everyone: this is the Water Mirror Demon."
Everyone was shocked. For elves with their long lineage, the great demons of mythological eras were not distant concepts; their names echoed through history. And now, Frieren was saying it had been subdued? And was standing there obediently?
It was genuine; at the very least, the demonic aura it emanated was enough to make even Archdemons retreat.
"As you can see, I've completely tamed it. From now on, it will remain in my replicated form and guard the village. It can also serve as a sparring partner. Feel free to attack it; its durability and recovery capabilities are impeccable. An extra fighting force can only be a good thing."
"Reliable Frieren, are you doing this for my sake?"
"No, at least it doesn't drink."
"Tsk!"
Suddenly, the silver-haired girl looked at her with a serious gaze, making Miria Adair even put down her wine bottle.
"You should be relieved from your gate duty. After all, you're more suited to leading everyone, and you're aware of a certain 'insurance plan' of mine..." She added: "The demon prophet is planning a new attack, so be vigilant."
"Oh, what if the demons find a way to prevent you from actively waking up?"
"Adair, I told you, if it gets too critical, use that 'insurance move'."
The sobered elf nodded solemnly.
Although Flamme was very curious about what these two close friends were discussing, it was clear they were keeping it secret to avoid the prophet, so she suppressed her curiosity for now.
Frieren then distributed the souvenirs she had brought, including numerous magic books and specialties unearthed from the Labyrinth Kingdom, adding a touch of exotic flair to the village's backdrop.
The rest were merely trivial matters:
The elves smoothly accepted the Water Mirror Demon.
Who would dislike a guardian that neither cried nor caused trouble, quietly staying by their side? It was visibly powerful.
Some children excitedly visited the new guest. It also bobbed its head in greeting and even remembered to pat the elven children's heads, acting more like a cute pet.
Reliable.
Besides this, Frieren also instructed that light armor be crafted for the Water Mirror Demon. Highly anomalous battlemages were more tenacious.
For instance, she and Flamme helped the villagers renovate a street and expand a new district. During this time, some elves joined them. Without meeting them, one wouldn't have known that the elven race was too reclusive; they only learned to visit once a famous stronghold emerged, and some simply joined.
Now it was a truly deserving village.
Regardless of population or scale, it now possessed the foundations for vigorous development, no longer lacking everything it needed as before. It had acquired continuously operating sectors:
The blacksmith's forge fires burned incessantly, with smelting business always ongoing, sending thick smoke billowing.
From the stables came occasional neighing, as livestock power naturally had to keep up to meet everyone's needs, requiring them to be brought out for a stroll now and then.
People around the shops were endlessly streaming, and strange new items constantly appeared, often making even elves glance over repeatedly. The elf owner, understanding everyone's psychology, knew that items didn't necessarily need to be practical, but they absolutely had to be something never seen before.
Furthermore, facilities like taverns, squares, training grounds, and postal services had further expanded, becoming increasingly well-developed.
Completely transformed.
Walking on the streets, Frieren actually felt a sense of unfamiliarity.
She had been gone for less than three months by her estimate, yet it felt this way to her. The elven race's development speed was faster than imagined. Their emotional detachment was a "result," not a "cause"; as long as their population grew sufficiently, tending towards social interaction, they would gradually resemble humans.
Of course, as elves, they still showed their unique characteristics. For example, facilities like theaters and stages didn't exist; there was little cultural entertainment that could stir their emotions.
"Master, we can buy fruits here that we saw in the Central Region!"
"How are they preserved?"
The owner proudly replied: "It's a spell passed down from the Southern Lands, 'Magic to Keep Fruit Fresh for a Long Time'. Impressive, isn't it?"
"Name your price. I'll buy it – I mean, the spell."
"It's no secret. Besides, how could I brazenly overcharge the village's protector? I'll give you a 50% discount. Take it."
Transactions like these further boosted Frieren's magic repertoire. As for Flamme, she had no choice but to buy fruits and vegetables to fill in the gaps for her master, as the latter completely disregarded daily sustenance.
Especially when she entered deep slumber, she relied almost solely on mana for sustenance; eating or drinking became irrelevant.
Afternoon.
After a round of shopping, they returned to their long-absent cottage. The first order of business was a thorough cleaning. Although Miria Adair had been asked to look after it casually, it still needed a proper tidying.
Frieren's style of cleaning was generally to use water manipulation, summon gales, and other magical means for a broad sweep; if magic could be used, it was used.
"Master, go easy on it."
In contrast, Flamme meticulously tidied every corner.
In a sense, half of her childhood had been spent there, and it was the Golden period of a person's life—youth—which held special meaning for the child, making her cherish it even more.
Working together, they quickly cleaned the place until it was sparkling new, and the long-unused pots, bowls, ladles, and basins were brought out again.
To celebrate, Frieren cooked a grand meal using the day's ingredients. Thanks to her frequent visits to the banquets over the past month, her culinary skills had improved even further, earning continuous "Delicious!" ratings from Flamme, who even worried about losing control of her figure from eating too much...
After dinner.
The silver-haired girl, having finished washing the dishes, stretched and yawned: "I should rest soon. I think I'll be in slumber for a while."
"Master, just go into your deep slumber. I'm here, and besides, there's the Water Mirror Demon..."
Flamme looked towards the window.
Unbeknownst to her, the White Elf was peering over the windowsill, bobbing its head, giving off an impression of understanding, as if it had made this place its home. Although it served as a guard, its physical presence there wasn't important, as its sensory range was vast enough to cover an entire city.
If an opponent could bypass its senses, barriers, scout familiars, and various other defenses, then guarding the gate wouldn't matter anyway.
Frieren nodded, then entered her room, lay on her bed, and simultaneously activated numerous warning spells.
"It's been a long time since I returned, The Lands Between."
She closed her eyes.
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