Chapter 352: I Don't Want You to Die
The night in the capital seemed to have finally quieted down, but not completely. After all, the craze for immortality magic had not yet subsided, and the most discussed topics in the taverns were still related to it.
At a well-regarded restaurant near the Magic Association, Flamme slumped into a chair at a table by the window in the corner, letting out a long sigh of relief.
A steaming cup of fruit tea sat before her, its sweet aroma seemingly soothing her overused mental energy.
Opposite her sat Frieren, a large plate of roasted meat before her. As an unconventional elf, Frieren loved to eat meat, especially roasted meat, which was her favorite.
A transparent barrier formed by subtle magical fluctuations enveloped the corner where they sat, isolating them from outside sounds. This was a soundproof barrier that Flamme had casually set up.
"Phew~ finally I can catch my breath." Flamme rubbed her temples. "I've seen quite a few magicians today, especially those old foxes, trying every trick in the book to get extra information about immortality magic from me."
Frieren put down her knife and fork, looking at Flamme with a puzzled expression. "Humans... why are you so obsessed with living?"
As an immortal elf, she couldn't understand the short-lived species' obsession with longevity, since time was worthless to them.
Flamme picked up her fruit tea, the warmth passing through the porcelain cup to her palm. "Because humans are too fragile and too short-lived. Just as they begin to experience the wonder of knowledge and want to explore more mysteries, life may already be half over or even nearing its end."
This transience was one of the most primal fears etched deep within the human soul, naturally giving rise to a yearning for immortality, even if this yearning led to worse consequences.
Flamme paused, her gaze drifting into the distance, as if recalling her past obsession.
"When I was young—no, I should say, when I was still obsessed with that goal, I was one of those people." She smiled faintly. "But later I realized that I was probably just afraid—afraid that I wouldn't be able to spend more time with that person, afraid that one day I would be forgotten by them."
"Then..." Flamme's voice lowered. "I even caused irreparable consequences. It was only after that that I truly came to my senses."
Frieren listened quietly, her emerald-green eyes fixed on Flamme, as if trying to understand this monologue, filled with complex human emotions.
"So, you're not pursuing it anymore?" Frieren asked.
"Well, I'm not going to pursue it anymore." Flamme smiled with relief. "Immortality may exist, just like Teacher Kurtz. But that was a path that belongs only to him. I have now found another path, a compromise—or rather, a peace—that belongs to me."
She gently swirled the teacup, her tone becoming lighter. "I've already decided that when I'm about to die, I'll use a solidification spell to freeze my existence at that moment. It is neither death nor life, but rather a kind of slumber, finding a place to slumber forever."
She paused. "Perhaps one day in the future, a new miracle will occur, or perhaps it never will. But at least that way I won't disappear completely, right?"
She smiled at Frieren, as if she were talking about an interesting plan that had nothing to do with her.
Frieren remained silent.
The kind of sleep that Flamme described, in her view, was not much different from death—only in form. She couldn't accept this future.
Suddenly, Frieren spoke, her voice much stronger and more serious than usual. "Master Flamme, go and learn Kurtz's magic of immortality."
"?" Flamme was stunned. She looked at Frieren in surprise, thinking she had misheard. "Frieren, you just said you wanted me to learn the magic of immortality?"
"Yes." Frieren nodded. "Go study those runes and learn the magic of immortality."
Flamme put down her teacup, leaned forward slightly, and looked intently at her elven disciple. "Why are you suddenly saying this? Didn't I already make myself very clear—"
"I don't want you to die." Frieren interrupted Flamme.
She said this calmly, without any intense emotional fluctuations, but every word was crystal clear.
Flamme was stunned, and a warm yet bittersweet feeling suddenly welled up in her chest.
She looked at Frieren, the elven girl who always had a cold expression and seemed unmoved by anything, who was now expressing the purest emotions in the most direct language.
After all, elves were known for their detached and cold-hearted nature.
They had almost unlimited time, and their emotions were stretched out to almost nothing. Flamme, who had studied with Kurtz for many years, knew this all too well.
It had taken Kurtz over a thousand years of companionship and shared experiences for Serie to gradually develop the relatively vivid emotional expression she possesses today.
She had never dared to hope that, in her limited life, she would hear such a straightforward expression of emotion from Frieren.
"Frieren..." Flamme reached out across the table and stroked Frieren's soft hair. "Thank you. Really...I'm so glad."
Frieren felt the warmth coming from above her head, but didn't flinch. She continued. "Kurtz is also human, and he has lived for a thousand years, and will continue to live. If he can do it, why can't you, Master? You're his student. You're very capable. So, go ahead and learn this magic. Just consider it as—"
She paused, seemingly searching for the right words, and finally found her most sincere thought at the moment. "Just consider it for me!"
"I don't want to be alone in the future, continuing my journey and learning magic. I want to be with you, with our teacher, forever."
Flamme's nose stung even more. She withdrew her hand, sat up straight, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.
She was moved, but she couldn't let Frieren harbor unrealistic hopes.
"Frieren, look at me." Flamme made her voice sound calm. "Listen to me. There are some things you may not know about Naster Kurtz's magic of immortality."
Frieren blinked, remaining silent and awaiting Flamme's further explanation.
"Those runes can indeed create immortality magic, that's true. But!" Flamme emphasized. "Only Master Kurtz can create this magic. Others, including myself, even if they memorize the structure of the runes perfectly and try to perceive them with the strongest mental power, will never be able to truly use them."
Seeing the confusion in Frieren's eyes, Flamme continued to explain. "You can think of it as a holy book written in special magical script, which only Teacher Kurtz can understand because he possesses the authority that the goddess of life once bestowed upon him. Without this authority, the texts in the sacred scriptures would be an incomprehensible book to others."
She sighed. "The teacher's release of the runes this time was essentially just an attempt to draw people's attention from clandestine research to open research, and also to hope that some geniuses might emerge from among the large number of mages. But to directly learn the magic of immortality? That's impossible. It's not a chasm that can be crossed simply through hard work or talent."
Frieren listened quietly, her gaze dimming as Flamme finished.
She lowered her head slightly, looking at the steak in front of her. The food, which had been incredibly delicious earlier, no longer seemed so appetizing.
She understood what Flamme meant. What Kurtz offered was a reward that could never be truly attained.
A slight doubt quietly crept into Frieren's heart.
Is he using this method to prevent others from learning the magic of immortality?
Frieren wanted Flamme to live, so she wanted to know if Kurtz had ever considered Flamme's future.
But Frieren didn't voice these thoughts.
She knew about Flamme's feelings for Kurtz. Perhaps it wasn't right to directly question Kurtz in front of her.
[End of Chapter]