It was nothing more than chance.
My purpose in coming to this village was to check on the seal of Qual, the Wise Elder. Even after defeating the Demon King with my companions, bringing peace to the world, the threat of demons lingered. Not all of the Seven Sages of Destruction, the great demons, were vanquished. Qual, though not one of the Seven, wielded power on their level. Back then, we couldn't defeat him—only seal him away, thanks to Frieren's magic. She assured us the seal would hold for at least eighty years, but complacency was a luxury we couldn't afford. There was always the chance something unforeseen could break it. That's why I vowed to visit this village once a year, until the day Frieren herself might come. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect my first visit to bring me face-to-face with an unexpected visitor.
Aura the Guillotine.
One of the Seven Sages we let slip through our grasp, her whereabouts unknown until now. To find her here, of all places. And her purpose? The worst possible outcome: reviving Qual. Stopping her in the nick of time was nothing short of a miracle. Facing both Aura and Qual at once would have been a nightmare, even for me alone. No, perhaps that thought itself was my weakness.
The Obedience Spell, Azeliyuze—Aura's magic. I underestimated its danger. My mind was clouded by memories of her undead army from our past battle. The ability to control others, to exploit the weaknesses of humans—of us. She used that against me, and I was defeated… or so I thought.
(What… my body can move…?)
Am I still alive? I was supposed to be beheaded, turned into her puppet. Yet, as I confirm my head is still attached, my hand moves—an astonishing realization. Moments ago, no amount of effort could budge a single finger. Now, pain twists my face. Blood drips from my palm, where I instinctively caught her descending blade.
"—!"
In an instant, I leap back, reclaiming my sword and readying it. The fight isn't over. I don't yet understand what happened in that fleeting moment, but for now, I focus on the enemy before me. But what about the villagers, held hostage? And my opponent—
"—"
Aura stands frozen, like a lifeless doll. Like Qual, sealed behind her.
(…What?)
Positioning myself to shield the villagers while wary of another Azeliyuze casting, I hold my sword ready, but Aura doesn't budge. No scales in her hand, no attempt to retreat. Her expression is unnervingly blank, devoid of the emotion demons rarely show. Aura was never like this. To show no reaction in this situation is beyond strange. Then it hits me—not just her expression. She hasn't blinked once. It's as if her gears have ground to a halt.
"What's your game, Aura?" I demand, unease gnawing at me. "Another trick to lure us into a trap?"
I ask, knowing no answer will come. Is she trying to lower my guard, to ensnare me again? And yet—
"No, it's not that," Aura says, her voice mechanical, a stark contrast to her usual self. "My Obedience Spell, Azeliyuze, was broken. Without your command, I can neither move nor speak."
Her words are a dispassionate confession of her state.
"I broke Azeliyuze…?" I echo, bewildered. "How? And what does that have to do with you now?"
"Your soul's weight surpassed my mana's," she replies, her tone that of an impartial judge. "The scales of Azeliyuze are a testament to fairness. The side they tip toward becomes the master. There are no exceptions."
Her words, devoid of will, lend them chilling credibility. I recall something Frieren once said: the magic of the Seven Sages transcends human logic, yet even it follows rules. Azeliyuze is no different. Its power comes at the cost of a fatal risk—the caster can be enslaved. That explains the scene before me. The question is—
"Then… Aura, I permit you to speak."
I need to know how far my commands can control her.
"—!? Gah, cough!? Impossible…! How am I—?"
The moment I grant permission, life surges back into her, as if she's been revived. Her voice is her own again, not the puppet's monotone. Her face twists with confusion and shock. This must be the real Aura, stripped of free will by her own spell moments ago. But I can't be sure it's not an act. There's one way to confirm—order something she'd never do willingly.
"Aura, release the two villagers."
The command: undo Azeliyuze's hold on them.
"What? As if I'd ever—"
Before she can finish, the scales in her hand glow. At the same time—
"It's true! I can move!" the boy cries.
"Truly! Are you hurt, lad?" the chief asks.
The villagers, once paralyzed, regain their freedom. The daggers they clutched now lie discarded on the ground.
(Thank goodness… truly…)
Relief floods me. I nearly made an unforgivable mistake due to my naivety. Even if I'd defeated Aura, what would have happened if the villagers remained enthralled? That fear is gone. Her compliance proves she's under Azeliyuze's sway, her words true—she acted against her will at my command. There's no need to hesitate any longer.
It's time to slay Aura the Guillotine.
"…What?" Aura's voice trembles, sensing my intent or perhaps her impending fate. Her eyes widen as I grip my sword and step forward, never breaking eye contact.
"Wait…! I did what you asked, didn't I!? Why…!?"
Step by step. There's no need to rush. She can neither resist nor flee.
"I'm sorry…! I was wrong! Please, just order me not to harm humans! That'll fix everything, right!?"
"Answer honestly, is that true?"
"Yes, it's true," she says, her voice flat, bound by the spell.
It might be the first time I've heard truth from a demon's lips, made possible only by her own magic. The irony is bitter. One final question remains.
"Even so, you demons can never stop deceiving humans, can you?"
"Yes, that's true," she replies.
Humans and demons. An uncrossable divide. I needed to confirm it.
"—! No, that's not true! I swear I'll stop! Please, don't kill me!"
Tears well in her eyes as she tries to retract her instinctive honesty, pleading for mercy.
I'm sorry. I'll change. I don't want to die.
How many times have I heard demons beg like this? Hollow words, devoid of sincerity, repeated countless times over my decade-long journey.
I raise my sword, ready to end it. No more escapes. Ordering her to take her own life might suffice, but I must deliver justice with my own hand, as the hero who let her slip away before.
"It's over, Aura."
As she utters the demon's fabled plea—"Help me"—I prepare to swing my sword.
"Stop, Hero!"
A boy's pure voice halts me.
"Wait, please!" the village chief cries, restraining the boy. "Cutting her head off… it's too cruel. She's apologizing, Hero… please, forgive her…"
The straw-hatted boy pleads desperately, his hands and body trembling. It's no surprise—moments ago, he was under her spell, his life in peril. But it's more than fear. He pities the demon about to lose her head, despite her attempt to kill him. His compassion is almost too pure.
"…Perhaps so," the chief adds. "Hero, might we give her a chance to atone?"
Their words stir a memory.
The first time I encountered a demon child, early in my journey.
"Hero, finish it quickly!"
"This makes us no better than demons. They don't need to eat humans to survive, do they? Why not give them a chance to repent?"
"Don't mock us! Give me back my daughter…!"
That irreversible mistake. A life lost.
"…Mother…"
A demon child, lying amidst flames, fading with deceit on its lips.
(I understand now, Frieren. This is how you felt back then.)
I finally grasp Frieren's emotions from that day, the care she showed me. The pleading demon before me. The dream I'd abandoned over ten years of travel—my one true regret from that journey. A dream shared, ironically, by the Demon King we defeated: coexistence between humans and demons. An impossible ideal, far harder than slaying him.
"Himmel, if you don't kill it now, you'll regret it," Frieren's warning echoes, her gentle yet exasperated tone. She'd scold me again, but just once more. The greater the challenge, the better—for I am a hero.
(What can I do…!? Not again…!)
Aura trembles, facing certain death. Checkmate. Azeliyuze binds her movements, and though she can speak, it's meaningless. Her foe is the hero who felled the Demon King, who's slain countless demons. A demon's plea would never sway him. All she has left is deception, but her own spell exposes her lies. The irony stings.
A flicker of hope comes when the villagers' pleas stay Himmel's blade. But even that fades as he raises his sword again. All is lost. As memories flash before her eyes—
The hero sheathes his sword.
"…What?"
The word slips out. How is she alive? She can't comprehend it. Her gaze falls on Himmel, smiling as the villagers cling to him, their conversation a distant murmur. All she feels is relief at surviving.
(I don't know why, but I'm alive! Humans are such fools…!)
She smirks at their incomprehensible folly. Sparing an enemy who sought their lives? Absurd. But it's her salvation. Now, she just needs to bide her time and escape. Even if ordered not to harm or eat humans, it's a small price to pay compared to death. Himmel doesn't know that Azeliyuze's effect ends if the caster dies—or if he dies, freeing her. A century at most, a blink for a demon. She'd planned to hide until his death anyway. But—
"Let's go, Aura."
"…Huh?"
His words, perfectly timed, shatter her scheming. She can't parse them. Never in her life has she been so confused. Is he speaking to her? Go? Where? As her mind reels—
"You're going to become my friend."
Himmel's voice carries a hint of amusement. Her mind goes blank. The words are absurd, unthinkable in this moment. A "friendship" born of servitude.
This was the end of their reunion—and the beginning of a warped master-servant bond that would endure for fifty years.