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Amidst the grand cheers, flowers filled the sky, dancing.
At the fortress checkpoint, large numbers of citizens and guards were neatly arranged along both sides of the main road.
In the center, Frieren, Yulian, Fern, and Stark (in no particular order, listed by joining order) walked slowly, intermingling.
"To pass the checkpoint so easily, Mistress Frieren's name is truly powerful."
Fern looked around at the welcoming crowd and the open checkpoint ahead, finding it hard to believe.
"The important thing is that the mayor also gave us a hundred gold coins for travel expenses!"
Yulian said with a smile, waving his hand at the acting mayor in the distance.
"I didn't know my name had this effect either."
Frieren said lightly, feeling a bit helpless.
"So what was I working so hard for?"
Unlike the other three, Stark looked very haggard.
The gold coins were sent by the acting mayor this morning, and Stark had only just returned from the tavern this morning.
"No choice, who knew we'd get sponsored?"
"Sorry about that~"
Yulian smiled sweetly.
"We're finally here."
Frieren stopped at the checkpoint entrance.
The three others also stopped.
The city gate at the checkpoint was exceptionally tall, looking solemn and grand.
The gate was wide open, and the guards lined the way to welcome them.
For a moment, Frieren felt as if she had been transported through time.
"So this is the scene Himmel saw back then."
Fern, Heiter.
Yulian, me.
Stark, Eisen.
Me, Himmel...
The positions each of them once stood in have been taken by new people, seemingly foretelling the imminent start of a new adventure.
"So that's how it is."
Frieren pursed her lips slightly and smiled.
"We're finally about to embark on the road to the Northern Lands~"
A look of anticipation appeared on Stark's face.
"So fast~"
Yulian was crestfallen, his mind filled with thoughts.
Grandpa Heiter, we're setting off!
Fern pursed her lips slightly, smiling.
Next stop, the Northern Lands!
...
Twenty-eight years after Himmel's Passing.
Northern Lands.
Engu Road.
The scorching sun shone brightly.
On the rugged mountain path, fallen rocks blocked the way.
Clanging and rattling sounds echoed.
Large and small rocks were moved one by one and piled up on the side of the road.
"You've worked really hard!"
The merchant with the goatee said with a smile.
Beside him was a carriage loaded with goods.
"You're welcome, it's what we should do."
Frieren nodded lightly, then motioned to Fern to start working.
"Okay, let's help too."
"Stark."
Yulian stood quietly to the side, watching, and touched his nose.
Watching Fern and Frieren start working, he felt a sense of being morally obligated.
He felt like it wasn't good for him to stand by as a companion.
"Okay~"
Stark looked at the high pile of rocks with some despair but still agreed.
"Actually, we could totally fly over using Magic."
Carrying a brick in his hand, um...
Carrying a rock, Stark thought for a moment and suggested.
After all, moving them one by one like this wasn't efficient.
He didn't know how long it would take.
"But what about the others who come and go later? Won't they also have their path blocked by these fallen rocks?"
Yulian smiled, pursing his lips.
These were the exact words Fern had just said to Frieren.
Although Yulian also felt that moving bricks little by little like this was tedious.
But it was indeed a valid point.
"This is really troublesome..."
Stark was on the verge of tears.
"It's not bad to do a good deed once in a while, Stark."
Yulian nodded lightly at Stark, giving him an encouraging smile.
"It looks like traces of a battle, Mistress Frieren."
Fern said softly to Frieren while clearing the rocks in her mouth.
"Yes, it should be caused by a Mage's attack during a battle with a demon."
Frieren's expression was calm.
"Caused by a battle between a Mage and a demon?"
Fern blinked her big eyes.
"Then why, knowing the road is blocked, didn't they send people to clear it?"
"If we hadn't come here, would this road have been very difficult for the villagers to clear?"
"Would they even have had to take a long detour to transport various supplies?"
"This..."
Frieren's movements paused as she fell into contemplation.
She had never thought about the question Fern asked.
"Haha..."
The goat-bearded traveling merchant laughed.
"Those magic users wouldn't care about such things."
"In their eyes, fighting a demon is just the task of defeating the demon."
"But shouldn't defeating demons and protecting villagers be the most basic thing?"
Fern muttered.
"Mm."
Frieren responded with a deep hum.
She looked at Yulian with a somewhat complicated gaze.
Just like before, it seemed they were clearly all humans, but they didn't seem to consider each other much.
Why are you looking at me?
Yulian returned a confused look.
Frieren quietly turned her head back and continued working.
"That's why I think you are a group of true magic users."
The goat-bearded traveling merchant stroked his goatee and smiled, his eyes full of admiration as he looked at them.
Even though there were many rocks, with everyone's efforts, the road was cleared quickly.
Looking at the road that was now passable, the goat-bearded merchant thanked them gratefully and invited them to ride in his carriage.
"How lucky!"
Sitting in the carriage, Stark rubbed his aching shoulders and smiled happily.
"After all, it's still a distance to the nearest town."
Fern said, gazing at the town in the distance.
"See? Good deeds are rewarded."
Yulian smiled, pursing his lips.
Didn't they just hitch a ride?
"Thank you for taking us with you."
Frieren thanked the traveling merchant who was driving the carriage ahead.
At the same time, she glanced lightly at the smiling Yulian behind her.
She couldn't help but slightly change her impression of Yulian again.
Besides being shameless, he's also a helpful Demon...
"By the way, are you also here to attend the celebration?"
The traveling merchant smiled and found a topic to chat about.
"Celebration?"
Fern repeated after the traveling merchant.
"Yeah."
"Liberation Celebration."
"A well earned celebration..."
The traveling merchant smiled and turned back to explain.
"On this day in history, Himmel the Hero, Mage Frieren, warrior Eisen, and priest Heiter defeated the Demon that ruled this area."
"They liberated the people of this land."
"So the Liberation Celebration is held to commemorate this day."
"Is that so?"
Stark looked at the town ahead, lost in thought.
He had heard his master's name mentioned by strangers more than once.
Every time his master was mentioned, it seemed to be accompanied by the word 'legend'.
"That's right."
Frieren lowered her eyebrows, as if recalling something, and couldn't help but let the corner of her mouth curl slightly...
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