On the other side of the desk, Flamme was fast asleep, head down on the table.
The first half of the night before, she had been full of life, declaring she would work overtime all night. But after Frieren convinced her to sleep, she had collapsed into a dreamland and must have slept well.
The sun was high in the sky; it was getting late.
So she woke Flamme, who, upon hearing the call, opened her eyes wide without a trace of drowsiness, seamlessly switching from sleep to wakefulness. Even Frieren had to admire this.
Youthful vitality.
Whether she was in reality or the Lands Between, Frieren would always be a little groggy for a while, but her apprentice was alert the moment she woke.
"You worked hard last night. If you feel tired, you can rest a bit more."
"No need." The red-haired girl shook her head and said, "Master, since you can't sleep, you probably haven't noticed, but practicing soul magic for a long time actually enhances one's spirit. It doesn't matter even if you never sleep."
"This is the first I'm hearing of it."
"So, the reason Master can't sleep is partly to maintain the seal, and partly a side effect of soul magic."
"Have you made any other discoveries?"
"I feel like the blessing you left me is getting stronger and stronger, resonating with my magic. It even seems like my body is in a constant state of enhancement... no, it should be a permanent reinforcement."
"That's normal. They are part of the same system. You are promoting their closed-loop enhancement."
Frieren hadn't had much time to talk with Flamme alone since her return; she hadn't expected this new development.
The limits of humanity can no longer hold this child back, can they?
That's how it should be.
The silver-haired girl knew that the magic she taught would have a different effect on her apprentice, even be carried forward and glorified. As expected, she was not disappointed; on the contrary, it was full of surprises.
The silver-haired girl opened the window and saw that everyone was already gathering in the lecture hall. Only a place of that size could accommodate so many listeners.
"Alright, let's do it the usual way."
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the master and apprentice arrived before the blackboard. Looking back, they saw that every seat was taken. It was as lively as ever. After all, this wasn't the first time a class had been held here; everyone knew the routine, and a considerable number had traveled through the night to get here.
Last night's overtime had given them the time, an opening Frieren had intentionally left.
Today, I am here to introduce a new magical attribute to everyone: the soul attribute. Many have heard of it, but are likely struggling with the method of refinement.
"I will tell you the trick and demonstrate the basic operation."
Frieren never kept people in suspense. The essence of the soul attribute she taught also answered an academic question: does the soul truly exist?
Unfortunately, Frieren had no intention of answering, simply treating it as a type of energy property.
She had already expertly written a line of a formula, a simple summary. On the other side, Flamme understood immediately and wrote out the detailed formula on the blackboard, lest her master's theory be too obscure and difficult to understand.
It was actually very simple.
Of course, that was for her, who was already thoroughly familiar with it. For ordinary magic apprentices, it was best to simplify it a bit. Besides, Frieren's specialty was demonstrating on the spot, always producing some astonishing effects.
Just then, the runic formula for attack magic appeared in the silver-haired girl's hand.
"The reason I teach the soul attribute is not actually limited to soul attacks. It can be combined with other magics entirely."
General Attack Magic is very malleable; we can try to give it instantaneous changes. Not only does this not alter its original simplicity and efficiency, but it also has more practical combat value.
As she spoke, the magic had already changed through several elements.
This is possible too?
Frieren had only just seen the new technique of General Attack Magic after waking up, yet she had already extrapolated from it. In truth, she was a student playing catch-up, yet she had once again reached the forefront of the field.
Only Flamme knew her master had just learned it, and she was genuinely shocked.
A Mage of the Mythical Era is not powerful just for being old; she is a genius who has accumulated knowledge through a thousand years of hard work.
"Currently, people's research on monsters is insufficient. They mistakenly believe that some phantom ghosts are formed from the souls of the dead, but that's not the case. The essence is transformation, summoning."
"Conversely, we can also use soul magic power to shape summons."
Frieren held out a hand.
A grayish-white sparrow spirit slowly rose.
It chirped once and actually began to fly around the lecture hall, circling once to attract everyone's attention, leaving a sea of stunned faces. That's right, the perception was indeed of a magic power that did not exist in this world; this was a summon unique to soul magic.
It was said that in the Land of Slumbering Souls in the far north, where the Demon King's Castle is located, there are also a large number of soul phantoms. Could it be a similar power?
"The resting place of the dead, frozen in the north—it truly exists."
"Perhaps we can use this to investigate the Demon King..."
The angle from which everyone was speculating was something Frieren hadn't expected. She had heard of it, but she didn't pay much attention to the Demon King. After all, it hadn't been decided whether it was absolutely necessary to kill it.
The current balance did not yet affect the elves.
Unless the demons, unified under the Demon King, displayed a higher degree of organization and social structure, then she would have no choice but to...
...fight. Even if a war started, it wasn't her style to gather intelligence on the enemy, especially for a target she was certain to kill.
Frieren would not consider martial ethics; she would only consider the certainty of winning.
Whatever means it had, she would pour on the damage with all her might and be done with it.
"Quiet."
After a reminder, Frieren continued with the main topic, teaching the formula in more detail while demonstrating the properties of the spirit body.
People soon discovered that she was just using soul magic as a promotional tool. What she was actually teaching was more than that; she was incorporating the topic of 'integrating attribute changes into magic' into the lecture.
In the Vice President's view, they could be taught together?
Everyone had no choice but to concentrate, not daring to miss any key points, keeping their minds racing just to barely keep up with Frieren's train of thought.
Not entirely.
It would be more accurate to say that Frieren was pulling them along from the front, while Flamme was pushing from behind.
The master and apprentice were becoming more and more skilled, knowing exactly how to instill difficult knowledge into everyone. It wasn't guaranteed you'd master it, but you were guaranteed to gain something. The audience was happy with this arrangement; after all, the Vice President's teachings were notoriously difficult, and mastering everything was impossible.
Often, the realization would come much later.
This kind of high-intensity brainstorming continued, lasting from morning until evening before gradually wrapping up. Just as the hard day's work was about to come to a close...
"That's all for the rough overview. Everyone can find me tomorrow..."
Suddenly, Frieren's tone paused, her brows furrowed slightly. Following her movement, Flamme beside her also seemed to notice something. A moment later, a sorcerer flew in through the window.
"Apologies for the interruption."
The person quickly leaned in and whispered, "The President went to Berletania and there's been no news for a long time. Headquarters has initiated the emergency response plan and hopes the Vice President will join the investigation."
"There's nothing to worry about with Serie. Instead of worrying about something happening to her, it's better to guess she's found an interesting investigation."
"We know, but the demon's mist is still expanding."
When the possibility of an expanding disaster was mentioned, Frieren couldn't ignore it, because the situation was still getting worse.
The safety of the founder of magic herself was not a concern, but if the scale of the demon invasion was too large, a few people might not be enough. It would be best to make a trip, especially since she already intended to.
Like a pillow arriving just when one feels sleepy.
Frieren looked directly at Flamme and nodded, and the latter understood.
"Everyone, we're ending early. The Q&A is canceled. Master has urgent business from headquarters to attend to."
The red-haired girl waved her hand, dismissing the audience.
Although the crowd had their suspicions, they didn't dare to ask, and instead politely thanked her and left.
Since it involved the Magic Association, it was probably news that could threaten the prestige of the continental association. It might also harm their own interests, so they decided not to be curious for now. In any case, since the Vice President was preparing to act, it would surely be resolved.
On the other side.
Wein was seen rushing in from the back door of the lecture hall. The old commander was still busy late at night; it must be urgent.
Seeing his hurried expression, it was clear it was about the same matter as the messenger.
"The Imperial army has also sent me intelligence. The entire border adjacent to Berletania is on high alert. They have been attacked by a large number of demons. They hope you can join the subjugation effort."
"I understand. Let's all sit down and talk first. I need the most basic, necessary intelligence."
Before her voice had faded, Flamme had already set up a table and chairs.
Big matters require small meetings.
There was no time for a collective decision-making process. Judgments had to be made now because the front line was changing every minute, every second. No one could predict what would happen next.
A messenger from headquarters, a commander from the allied kingdom's army—different information channels were enough to support credibility and corroborate each other.
Frieren did not let down her caution.
Such important, urgent news should be carefully examined, so she didn't give an immediate response. Instead, she questioned the two of them separately about the specific situation. After all, the upcoming expedition would not be easy.
"The President and four great sorcerers have been gone for over half a month."
"Previous communications said they had to defeat a greater demon to see the legendary ancient beast. If everything went smoothly, the squad should still be searching for and killing greater demons."
"But Lady Serie probably didn't bother with the low-level demons, so they are still spreading outward..."
The messenger recounted the events in detail.
His information was basically consistent with the report given to Frieren; it was indeed this team in action. Even the rhythm felt familiar. One has to defeat greater demons before seeing the legendary, strongest enemy?
She really didn't want to go through some complicated process again.
However, if the plan was going smoothly, Serie should have made a lot of progress by now. At least she wouldn't have to start from scratch.
According to the Association headquarters' estimates, a greater demon had already been subjugated. The reason the mist was so thick was that the ancient beast was gradually awakening, causing the demons to go berserk, which in turn proved that progress was being made.
As expected of Serie, decisive and swift. She was probably too engrossed in subjugation to bother with the small fry.
Frieren turned to Wein and asked:
"What is the Empire's attitude? After all, they are theoretically protecting Berletania and are responsible for the blockade. Is this an invitation for me?"
The seasoned old noble knew her question went deeper than that.
"To be honest, the court has always been resistant to the Association's intervention in the investigation, because they were worried you might take some of the key spoils of war." Wein said meaningfully, and sure enough, Frieren nodded.
His overly honest reaction made him cough involuntarily. You're not even hiding your intention to make a profit.
"But as you can see, the demon disaster has put a lot of pressure on the Empire's border. It's difficult for them to maintain their offensive against the demon race while also dealing with the increasingly massive demon attacks. They're stretched thin."
"This is a cake the Empire can't eat on its own, so His Majesty the King is open to the Association's intervention."
"He not only wants to quell the demons, but he wants efficiency, the faster the better."
After speaking, Wein handed over a pass.
Frieren unfolded it and saw it was not just a pass, but also had seals, signatures, and so on. It was also an important letter of authorization, carrying extraordinary significance.
"I accept."
"Sending two Mages of the Mythical Era is practically a setup for leveling the Demon King's Castle." Flamme couldn't help but ask, "Is it really necessary?"
"Because if it were a life-or-death battle with the demon race, you two probably wouldn't be so easy to mobilize, would you?"
The junior blinked, not quite understanding, but then it dawned on her, and she understood the meaningful smiles of the two elders. That's right, no matter how much the demon race clamored for the extinction of the elves, they lacked the power to carry out the plan. Their priority had dropped.
Now, Elf Town was becoming more engaged with the world, focusing on business.
Currently, the overall front line was advantageous. There was no need for Frieren and Serie to act for now, and most importantly, they weren't very interested.
If they're not interested, no one can move them.
On the other hand, the precious resources related to demon research were not to be missed; both were very concerned.
However, Flamme understood that her master actually held a deep-seated vigilance against the demon race, especially the Demon King. As the elves burst forth with great power in their process of socialization and organization, she was also considering the possibility of the demon race evolving under the Demon King's hand.
This chain of suspicion meant that one side had to be eliminated before the other could rest easy.
Frieren might suppress the demon race for the sake of balance rather than exterminating them, but she would never allow the Demon King to exist. She was probably just waiting for an opportunity with absolute certainty.
"Understood."
After a moment of contemplation, the silver-haired girl nodded, making the final decision. The Mage of the Mythical Era will set out.
Hearing this, the messenger and Wein breathed a sigh of relief.
"By the way, I brought some samples collected from the east of Berletania. You can take a look at them."
The bag basically contained some special items, local products of the magical nation, a whole pile of odds and ends. Although they looked strange, they all had the aura of demons without exception. It would serve as an early familiarization.
Frieren handed it to Flamme to carry; she could study it on the way.
Wein, on the other hand, handed over a stack of military intelligence letters: "The Vice President has been authorized by His Majesty the King and is qualified to read this intelligence. Remember to destroy it."
"I'll remember."
"In addition, His Majesty will summon you and Lady Serie when all this is over. Please be prepared."
The two had offered all the support they could; there was nothing more they could do to help. Although it was a pity, they could only watch as the master and apprentice waved goodbye, practically leaving with just the bags on their backs.
So they had planned this all along. They probably would have set out even without an invitation.
Stretching their necks, the people leaving the branch building saw two meteors streak across the square. It was an incredibly fast flight magic.
Whoosh!
Skimming at low altitude was like a tornado blowing through.
Besides Frieren and Flamme, there was no one else in the branch with such a strong magical reaction. A single glance was enough for everyone to make a judgment. It was clearly urgent, worthy of them setting out together. They would probably find out soon enough, because it was one hundred percent going to cause a huge commotion.
They just didn't know if it was for better or for worse.
Traveling through the night.
Since it was urgent, there was nothing to delay. They would rush to the front line at top speed.
So the master and apprentice adopted a method of taking turns flying. It looked like two parallel flight paths, but in reality, one person was flying while using a levitation spell to carry the other. When needed, they would switch to rest, even using a calming spell to take a nap in the air.
There were no more than a handful of powerful individuals in the world who could do this, and now with two of them cooperating, their speed was naturally astonishing.
The starry sky receded rapidly behind Flamme.
The firmament, dotted with points of light, was not pitch black but rather a deep purple. The faster they flew, the more the earth felt like an arc, the sky covering the layered peaks.
Reaching out a hand, she could touch the clouds, a dampness in her palm.
She had been nervous about going to a distant battlefield, but now she felt much more comfortable. Witnessing this vast world always lifted her spirits, her worries vanishing without a trace. Instead, she looked forward to the so-called nation shrouded in mist.
"Achoo!"
As a wisp of cloud brushed past her nose, the red-haired girl sneezed and couldn't help but rub her nose.
Frieren beside her smiled. With a snap of her fingers, a trace of warmth surprisingly spread around them, offsetting the high-altitude cold. A simple magical heat generation, but at an altitude of thousands of meters, it was no simple feat; it was practically divine.
The speed and altitude at which the two were currently flying were challenging the limits of a sorcerer.
They were also challenging the limits of the human body.
A warrior might be able to withstand it but couldn't fly. A sorcerer could fly but couldn't withstand it. Those who could do both were as rare as a phoenix feather.
Even with Flamme's extensive training, she felt a bit cold. If not for Frieren's heating magic, she would have had to descend to rest and warm up, but now she could continue on her way.
"If you feel tired, you can rest first. It doesn't really matter if we switch. I can fly to our destination without stopping."
"No, Master. Just consider it practice for me."
"Alright then."
After a moment's hesitation, Frieren still handed over the control of the flight to Flamme.
The red-haired girl focused her attention, maintaining her own flight while also supporting the weight of the petite elf. However, she couldn't manage the heating magic.
She gradually tried to increase her speed and could still handle it.
"Flying while controlling levitation, you are now casting spells simultaneously, and maintaining long-lasting magic at that, which is harder than bursting out two spells at once. Flamme, your fundamentals have improved again."
However, the moment Frieren spoke, their altitude dropped sharply. They plummeted downwards, on the verge of being smashed to pieces at any moment.
The silver-haired girl crossed her arms, unmoving, her expression unchanged.
Whoosh!
After falling for about a hundred meters, Flamme finally regained her trajectory, a wry smile of lingering fear on her face.
"Master, but I still can't chat with you at the same time. I truly admire Frieren's skill and daring in multitasking. She didn't interfere at all just now."
But with her mastery of gravity magic, she could probably come to an emergency stop one meter from the ground, without fear of the reactive force. She wasn't skilled in that area; she was still lacking.
"Don't pay too much attention to the flight posture."
"Try to entrust some of your magic to the wind. You will feel a resonance. Our magic doesn't exist in isolation; it connects to the world."
Hearing this, Flamme adjusted her breathing and finally calmed the fluctuations.
At the same time, she felt a magical power actively guiding her to sort out the formula and adjust her posture to better suit flying. The seemingly ordinary magic incorporated many of Frieren's clever ideas.
As expected of the grandmaster of magic who popularized flight magic, making the sky no longer belong only to the demon race.
"I've got it."
"You're doing well. Now, continue flying according to the scheduled rotation."
The two cooperated, always maintaining high speed on their journey.
With their brutally efficient way of traveling, the mere layers of mountains were not worth mentioning. They flew in a straight line the whole way, not even needing the map Wein had provided, just accelerating and speeding along.
Whenever Frieren took over, it was at the terrifying speed of a diving kestrel.
To disregard the dangerous high-altitude environment was simply arrogant. But a Mage of the Mythical Era could be that arrogant. Even in the most basic skills, she displayed a solid foundation, which benefited Flamme greatly.
On the third day of their journey.
When the red-haired girl looked at the mist on the horizon, she was stunned.
Not because of its terrifying scale, but because she had actually traveled from the Northern Fortress in the central lands to this remote magical nation in such a short time? A large army would probably take a month to march this distance, yet it had become such a short journey?
She had thought they would be eating in the wind and sleeping in the open, enduring the hardships of travel, but she had basically slept in the sky the whole way.
Thinking about it, it was a record-breaking feat.
Flamme pointed ahead and shouted excitedly:
"Master, we're here! It's Berletania, the nation shrouded in mist."
"That's right. Now try to enhance your vision. Its mist-blocking ability is actually very poor."
"Huh?"
"It's just that there are many demons inside, making people mistakenly think the mist itself is terrifying. In reality, it's a byproduct. I only just learned this myself. It's different from the investigation reports; you can't completely trust their rough judgments."
Frieren's professional answer made the red-haired girl thoughtful.
So she focused her magic on perception, especially augmenting her vision, and sure enough, she passed through the layers of mist.
Master was right.
After her vision passed through the barrier, Flamme did indeed see demon monsters one by one, as well as humans like walking dead. Corpses littered the fields, and mottled bloodstains dotted the surroundings. In stark contrast to the decay was the magnificent royal city, such a miracle, it was unknown how it was built.
Could it also be through the power of commanding demons?
And now, Berletania had fallen into a demon nation. The once prosperous border was now fortified with high walls, defensive lines, and sentry posts.
Flamme saw a tower above them signaling with flags; they had clearly been noticed.
Swoosh!
Frieren immediately changed direction and landed. Around them were Imperial sorcerers, and a familiar face was nodding in greeting.
"Mr. Barke, the court mage. It's been a while. You look a bit haggard."
"Vice President, Great Sorceress Flamme, my greetings to you." After the pleasantries, he touched the dark circles under his eyes and said, "After all, the situation here is complicated. We're constantly encountering demon attacks, and we can't even close our eyes at night."
"I'll resolve it as soon as possible."
"By the way, how did you arrive so quickly? I thought it would take at least ten days. It feels like we just sent out the request for help not long ago."
"Simple, because we flew here the whole way."
"Like just now?"
"Yes."
After getting Frieren's affirmative answer, everyone was dumbfounded. Even though everyone present was an elite Imperial sorcerer, it was hard to imagine the substance behind that statement. And the person herself wasn't even flushed or out of breath, showing no trace of a long journey.
In any case, they were more confident now. This battle had to resolve the hidden threat of the demons.
____
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