Three days after the Magic Association's visit.
During this period, the master and disciple remained in the underground laboratory, organizing their research.
Flamme, who had been bursting with anticipation to share her findings, could finally bring her results to light. Most importantly, she was deeply satisfied to discuss her achievements with her Master, chat about daily life, and exchange interesting anecdotes.
Frieren was delighted by this, unreservedly teaching her insights and decisive techniques to her disciple. She didn't worry about it being too difficult; Flamme would learn it all anyway.
Perhaps possessing the "Magic of Learning All Magic" was unlike ordinary people who spend their entire lives researching one or two extraordinary things. Her talent knew no bounds. The only thing limiting Flamme was the brevity of human life.
However, it was still too early to worry. For now, Frieren only needed to cultivate her disciple to the best of her ability. Only after having a student did she realize why so many Master Mages were willing to teach everything they knew; having someone to inherit their knowledge was more important than anything.
Although Frieren would certainly live longer than Flamme, magic was destined to be passed down, and then this disciple would help it spread, slowly but profoundly changing the world.
Starting on the third day.
They continuously deduced the theory for erecting a new barrier around the town, deriving it thoroughly before putting it into practice.
Due to a lack of hands, they even pulled Milia Asser into it.
Frieren snatched her wine bottle and admonished, "As the one who initially set up the barrier, you must understand it thoroughly."
"And then deploy it with us?"
"Don't even think about being lazy. You are the strongest in this town besides me and Flamme, and you are destined to be permanently stationed here to maintain vigilance, so the maintenance authority belongs to you alone. This is very important."
"Alright, I mostly just run the vineyard anyway, and a stronger barrier is good for my business."
However, she scratched her head in frustration after a careful look at the spell formula. It was too difficult.
A new system was constructed and overlaid onto the old barrier, which indeed ensured a significant increase in strength, but also demanded higher requirements from the caster.
Milia Asser looked to her left at the silver-haired girl meticulously composing the spell formulas, and to her right at the red-haired girl beginning to practically implement a small-scale barrier. This difficulty was almost nonexistent in their eyes, and complaining was useless; effort was worthless in the face of such talent.
In the end, she could only slowly absorb some simplified knowledge, which made things a bit easier.
The three of them meticulously reorganized the town's defenses in the laboratory, further deducing their universal application…
Two more days passed.
Milia Asser, emerging from the laboratory and seeing daylight again, yawned and stretched lazily.
"I give up on you two. Don't your backs and waists ache?"
"Perhaps you just lack exercise."
The silver-haired girl, following closely, flicked her finger, and the passage to the underground laboratory closed, concealed by the residential house without a trace. In reality, the elves generally knew of its existence, but the key secrets were its activation method and multiple layers of protection.
To prevent potential invasions, vigilance was essential, but in the future, the Elf Village's defensive capabilities would only grow stronger.
Flamme, carrying a large pile of magic stones, caught up with the two. These heavy items were all inscribed with spell formulas. A significant portion came from Frieren's created "Glintstone materials," which possessed stronger conductivity, making them perfect for deploying barriers.
Let's try it today. They had been engrossed in research for so long; it was time to test the effects. Working in isolation was not advisable.
Therefore, Frieren, in charge of the research, decided to test the waters first. Even if it seemed perfect to her two assistants, she insisted on meticulously refining it in the spirit of academia.
Come to think of it, this was the first time she had stepped out of her yard since her return.
As Frieren stepped onto the street, the first thing she heard was greetings from passersby. Admiration was evident in the eyes of this elf, and she returned their greetings, as did several others nearby. After all, everyone knew the guardian's deeds.
A slight sweep of her spiritual power confirmed that the population hadn't changed much; it was still around a thousand elves, interspersed with some human merchants.
But the town's appearance was revolutionary: houses stood tall, with complete brick and tilework, and every household had a lawn. What was remarkable was that the ground beneath their feet was paved with stone roads.
The meticulousness of having stone roads even in front of any random house suggested immense financial resources. Even in the capital of a major human nation, such coverage might not be universal. Traces of Mana were mixed within, which must have contributed to it.
With magic technology, buildings could easily rise overnight from flat ground.
Even with a solid foundation in magic, it could be considered prosperous, because materials didn't appear out of thin air; they always required processing and procurement.
Roads, lawns, red tiles, and fountains adorned the entire Elf Village's landscape. With sufficient infrastructure, carriages and horses could easily traverse, transporting various goods, a dazzling array that added a lively atmosphere. From the lively atmosphere, it didn't feel like a mere thousand-person town at all; it would be reasonable to multiply that tenfold.
Frieren hadn't been to many places in reality, but most were large towns. Even through her experienced eyes, they seemed prosperous. Where did the funds come from?
"Are you all so rich?"
As soon as she asked, Milia Asser proudly lifted her head, looking exactly like a peacock, awaiting her praise.
Flamme, with perfect understanding, explained, "Firstly, many elves who fled here brought their entire families and all their savings, so their reserves were ample. Secondly, we are few in number, and the forestry resources from timber and hunting alone are enough. Finally, Sister Asser established a vineyard, especially for high-end wines… I don't quite understand it, but it sells extremely well. Now she's a great tycoon."
"These industries are already sufficient to support the Elf Race, and quite prosperously."
"After all, Sister Asser doesn't really spend money. The wine is brewed with her own magic, almost a no-cost business. All the profits are used for renovations. The result is as Master sees."
At this, the drunken elf's smile grew even wider. Frieren's astonished gaze was well-received; it was rare to see such an expression on her childhood friend's face.
"Actually, there's one thing you haven't guessed, Frieren; even Flamme only grasped the surface. That is the banking business. Nobles from hundreds of kilometers around deposit a portion of their wealth in the Elf Village. Just the safekeeping fees alone bring in a huge profit."
"Why?"
It felt louder than before…
"Good morning."
"Because of you, actually. According to my promotion: 'A Divine Age Mage and your vault as neighbors.' Isn't that full of security?"
This promotional slogan was simple, crude, yet truthful. It capitalized on the opening of the Elf Village, choosing to bring money in first, immediately stimulating the entire town's economy and leading to vigorous development.
It was well-known that the famous Frieren resided here, protecting her kin. Protecting your money was just a matter of course. What other concerns could there be? It precisely hit upon the pain point of a wartime era, providing an extra layer of insurance for the quietly uneasy nobles.
"Milia Asser, you are also a genius."
"Of course, hahahaha!"
Hearing Frieren's heartfelt praise, her childhood friend laughed heartily, feeling so invigorated, something she hadn't felt in over a hundred years. What greater endorsement could there be than being recognized as a genius by one of the top three powerhouses of the Elf Race?
From childhood, Milia Asser's magical talent was not bad, but she was always overshadowed by her childhood friend. After striving with all her might and failing to surpass her, she might as well have adopted a more laid-back attitude. She had initially thought this, but Frieren pulled her into practicing other magic, continuing to serve as a foil. Now, things had changed.
She had finally found her unique path to showcase her talent. Although she leveraged existing influence, who's to say that isn't a skill in itself? Furthermore, even Frieren herself recognized it, so her level as a businesswoman was indeed high.
"Next, I plan to start a lending business, so everyone in town will be calculating. People remember figures for a long time, so we must utilize this talent well. A bank thrives on long-term stability…"
"Indeed."
Frieren didn't quite understand, but her intuition caught a whiff of a business opportunity; it made sense.
"Once the Elf Village's barrier is reinforced again, I'll raise the management fees. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
"No wonder you're so motivated."
"Yes, security is a scarce resource in this era," Milia Asser said meaningfully, a smile playing on her lips.
"I don't protect people; people are too fragile. I protect money. Money is eternal, and interests are shared."
"You intend to sell security as a commodity?"
"Exactly, Frieren! You also have business acumen, but you're far behind me."
"...…Then I'll have to reconsider the barrier art. Originally, I wanted to use a concealed barrier, diverting some Mana for invisibility, but now, forget it. The grander, the better."
This single sentence enlightened Milia Asser, making her nod like a pecking chicken. Learning by analogy!
She had actually grasped the essence of marketing precisely. Even though this researcher had no relevant concepts in her mind, she observed the patterns. What terrifying intuition, and even more, a form of wisdom.
"The reason I didn't bring it up was because I was afraid of causing you trouble. Thinking about it, an overly conspicuous barrier might be difficult, and perhaps doesn't quite fit the Elf Race's reclusive philosophy."
"A conspicuous barrier is simpler and more powerful, since no Mana is diverted for concealment."
"Besides—"
Frieren spread her hands and looked around. With bustling traffic and merchants, how was any of this reclusive?
"The Elf Race has long changed. They can neither hide nor do they like to be secretive anymore. If everyone truly remained stuck in their ways, your business wouldn't even take off. It's better to be direct; let's use the most spectacular barrier."
Her bold declaration invigorated the two. Evidently, she had an idea, which not only meant the upcoming work would be simpler, but also represented the Elf Village's de facto leader's approval of change, choosing a new path. Undistracted, with unwavering resolve, she adapted faster than anyone.
In truth, very few humans knew that among the Elf Race, Frieren was considered young. Moreover, living in a turbulent era, she was constantly deep in thought.
The silver-haired girl led her two assistants to the former village's barrier hub. It was of village scale.
Gazing at the glowing totem on the ground, she shook her head. It was no longer sufficient. The town, having expanded several times, could not be completely protected by it. It was time to discard it; there's no progress without breaking the old.
"Perhaps the town will expand further in the foreseeable future?"
Her murmuring elicited agreement from Milia Asser: "You saw it too, more elf babies. It's been over a hundred years since we had newborns, hasn't it? I almost thought we were the last generation."
"Indeed, I also feel the town has become vibrant. Before, everyone gave me a sense of dullness," Flamme chimed in.
"So, the barrier's scale must leave room for expansion."
Frieren flicked her finger. The totem spell array beneath their feet quickly faded, and the massive Mana-condensed structure was effortlessly dispelled in her hand.
The dissipated energy, in various colors like flowing silk, streaked across the sky, displaying shattered textures before disappearing.
Some merchants watched in startled unease, only realizing after the elves explained that the Divine Age Mage must be improving the barrier. What an exaggerated scale! So the village used to be completely enveloped by a concealed barrier?
Shatter! Layers of rising barrier fragments scattered like snowflakes, swept into the sky and vanished. The lingering Mana aura finally dissipated somewhat.
Then Flamme spoke first, answering Milia Asser's question:
"You were all mistaken. In reality, Master never left a flaw for dispelling; it's permanent. Finding the central hub doesn't mean it can be dispelled. She found a key point and destroyed it with brute force."
"Yes, you're very accurate. The barrier I'm about to replace it with will also have no backdoors. I'll construct the foundation first."
Frieren scattered glintstones and arranged profound runes.
Milia Asser, suddenly understanding the principle, was even more shocked. So, you didn't leave any key at all; you just relied on brute force to dismantle it. How bold, not caring about Mana consumption at all.
The next moment, the silver-haired girl raised her staff and slammed it into the ground. Glintstones rapidly grew. She forcibly transformed her own Mana to create a large quantity of glintstones, both sturdy and highly conductive, making them excellent barrier materials.
She imitated Caria Manor. Thanks to the research of Ranni, Sellen, and Thops, she had extensively supplemented her knowledge of barrier arts. Otherwise, her limit would still be a village-scale barrier. Now, she could attempt to envelop the entire town.
"Don't just stand there. Follow the steps we deduced earlier to cooperate with me."
"Yes, Master."
The two realized how terrifying it was once they entered the center of the Mana vortex. Tremendous energy swirled around them, capable of tearing flesh and bone at any moment.
At this very moment, all three were in a fiery abyss.
However, they completely trusted Frieren's abilities, so they fully concentrated on deploying the barrier, using spell formulas to complement and fill her spell array. Haste makes waste, and this step truly tested their fundamental skills in precise manipulation.
On the other side, the Water Mirror Demon warily looked around, entering maximum alert status, absolutely not allowing any mistakes. Should an intruder appear, it would immediately activate its Soul Separation to take over. Since the main body was nearby and awake, it could freely unleash its power, and no one would be able to interfere.
Fortunately, it went smoothly. It wove a transparent membrane, refracting light to form a rainbow halo, beautiful and magnificent.
It bloomed and flowed from the sky, constructing a semicircular structure that enveloped the town. It even expanded further outwards, encompassing the small forest adjacent to the town, exceeding a diameter of ? kilometers.
The very top continuously released Mana fluctuations, actively diffusing outwards.
Hum!
Amidst a deep resonance, four gigantic glintstone pillars rose from the ground around them, floating hundreds of meters high, guarding the central hub. The ground formed moss-blue mineral veins, and the atmosphere was majestic. A brand new Elf Village barrier appeared, building its defense system based on glintstones.
At this point, Frieren finally let go and breathed a sigh of relief.
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Unfortunately, two of our stories were removed... so I created a new account to post them: MikuDayo.
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I'm counting on your support <3 the director was very sad and scared by what happened...
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