Seeing that the other party clearly had no hostility, Frieren didn't think too much about it and agreed.
This left Ash only able to wait off to the side, watching, and wondering what kind of things they needed to keep secret from him.
———
Some distance away from Ash—
Frieren glanced at Ash, who was watching from not far off, then, with an air of disinterest, spoke bluntly, "If you have something to say, just say it."
"I originally planned to invite you, but you would definitely refuse, so I won't say it after all."
"What do you mean? Is talking to yourself popular in this era?"
"No. I just saw a future where you would refuse. And even if I spent time trying to make you agree to go defeat the Demon King together, the result wouldn't change at all. So I figured it was better not to waste my words."
"...."
Such strange talk made Frieren think that this man really was worthy of being Ash's friend, but she also couldn't be bothered to deal with him any further.
"It doesn't matter if I tell you, anyway you won't spread it. Actually, I can see the future."
"Is that so?"
"Haha! You don't believe it at all," Frank didn't mind in the slightest. Smiling, he gazed into the distance and continued as if talking to himself.
"Although new possibilities have appeared in your future, before long a young hero will come to find you. The one who saves the world will be him. It's really frustrating."
"I can't see any frustration in you at all," Frieren showed a puzzled expression and asked back, "Rather, if I'm not mistaken, you're the Southern Hero, right? The strongest among humans? Is that guy stronger than you? Did he defeat the Demon King alone?"
"Sorry, that was my mistake. I unconsciously gave all the credit to the leader. It should be said that all of you saved the world," Frank smiled meaningfully.
"Missing any one of you, it would have been impossible to defeat the Demon King. That was an unrepeatable miracle, something that could even be called a divine miracle."
"I don't think something like that would happen. Forget the Demon King, there are plenty of Great Demons who could defeat me."
"True. Even though your odds of winning should be less than one percent, if you are the ones sent, the odds become one hundred percent. No matter how the Demon King or Schlacht change their strategies, this outcome will not change. It's like destiny itself."
"You really can see the future? Someone who can see the future actually believes in destiny?"
"We can change many things, but there are still things that can't be changed. Things even more unreasonable than what's fated."
Thinking of how both Schlacht and he himself could see the future, yet still had no choice but to compromise when facing such unchangeable miracles, only bitterness and a completely opposite sense of acceptance remained on Frank's face.
Frieren, who could not see the future, naturally couldn't understand what Frank, who could see it, was lamenting.
She only felt his words were difficult to understand and inexplicable. Put bluntly, he sounded like a mystifying charlatan.
Frank could naturally tell what she was thinking even without her saying it out loud, but he didn't care at all and continued on his own, "In any case, could you help me pass on a message? When you meet that young man."
"What?"
"Humanity's strongest Southern Hero will personally open a path for you, even if my great achievements are buried in the shadows of history."
"Is it enough to just say that?"
"Yes, that's enough."
"But doesn't that mean, you'll die?", Frieren nodded indifferently, but still noticed something off in his words.
Frank, however, calmly stated, "That's right. I will die halfway through the subjugation. More precisely, one year from now. I will be surrounded and killed on the northern highlands by the Omniscient One, Schlacht, together with the Demon King's elite Great Demons."
"Why not avoid it?"
"If I don't go, you'll be wiped out by Schlacht halfway through."
"You don't look very scared. Why? You'll die, won't you?"
"There's still a year. If I start worrying now, what would I do later?", Frank shrugged helplessly.
"I see."
"Oh right, about this future. Can you keep it secret from Ash for me?"
"I can, but why?"
"His situation is pretty complicated too."
If possible, Frank also wanted to cooperate with Schlacht and directly decide on a new Demon King to end the chaos.
But facing reality, there were many things they still couldn't change, even if they could see the future.
In the end, there were still many things Frieren didn't understand, but she decided to help keep it secret anyway. After all, there was no point in telling it, and she didn't even know whether what he said was true.
After that, Frank talked with Ash for a while and selectively revealed his plans, "For now, you don't need to worry about the Demon King. Instead, you just need to keep getting stronger. If you want the support of the demons, you'll need to be stronger than all of them."
"You mean you can defeat the Demon King?"
"The Demon King is very strong, but there's no such thing as one hundred percent, and no such thing as zero percent. When the future is already clearly visible, what difference is there between one percent and one hundred percent?"
Frank laughed boldly and patted Ash's shoulder hard. Then he turned and walked toward the cliff, not looking back as he said, "The next time we meet will be a year from now. But believe me, my friend. The road ahead of you will surely be opened."
"Surely be opened?"
At first glance it didn't sound like much, but the more Ash thought about it, the more it felt like something was missing. For example, who would open it? Frank? Schlacht? Or did they have other companions?
But he didn't get the chance to ask. Frank had already jumped off the cliff with a laugh, disappearing without a trace.
Only after Frank left did Frieren come over to Ash's side. Looking in the direction Frank had vanished, she said with some emotion, "He really is your friend. He's even stranger than you."
"I don't think I'm strange. But Frieren, I should probably say goodbye to you too."
"Goodbye?"
"I'm glad to see you're safe, but there's someone I'm worried about. It's about time I went to see her."
"I see," Frieren didn't ask more or say anything else, only nodded slightly, a trace of regret hard to hide.
"Hmm! You really are kind of cold."
"Being too warm to you would be troublesome, wouldn't it?"
"That's true."
He laughed lightly and nodded, making Frieren laugh as well.
"From start to finish, you really are a strange one."
"That's not how I see it. But, well, let's talk again after a while. Once I've taken care of my business, I'll definitely come find you to hang out," As he spoke, he habitually ruffled Frieren's head, messing up her silver hair. Under the girl's dissatisfied gaze, he smiled and headed off in a different direction from Frank.
The girl who remained standing there watched his figure gradually fade away, unconsciously murmuring with loneliness, "Really… will there be a next time?"
That soft murmur received no reply, only dissipating into the sky with the mountain breeze.
———
Three months later, the Northern Lands—
Deep within a vast forest stood an ancient castle in silence, the dry seasonal winds unique to the north howled past, making Ash sigh at the harsh environment, but he still strode quickly to the castle gates.
This was already demon territory, yet he brazenly displayed his power and his demonic identity.
It was precisely that powerful aura that allowed him to reach the castle gates almost unimpeded.
However, before the gates, large numbers of demons and headless soldiers had entered a battle-ready state.
There was nothing strange about it. Demons killing demons was perfectly normal, so facing an unfamiliar Great Demon, they naturally had to be on guard.
But at that moment, the castle gates opened on their own.
A petite, shorty-type girl with two horns on her head, a delicate face, and twin ponytails, Aura, slowly walked out surrounded by her subordinates.
Seeing the familiar figure in the distance, Aura's mouth curved upward uncontrollably, breaking into an exaggeratedly brilliant smile, "Well, if it isn't my cute bastard brother, Ash?"
"H-haah!"
'This brat is so rude. I really want to hit her. But didn't I teach her this? What do I do?'
He had never expected a touching reunion with Aura, but just her opening line made him stumble, almost falling flat on the ground.
———
Aura's casual words almost sent Ash sprawling, and even her subordinates behind her began doubting their ears.
After all, the words "cute," "bastard," and "brother" were each understandable on their own, but put together, even a human would probably have trouble understanding them.
Aura, however, didn't care about her subordinates' feelings at all, just smiling as she sized him up.
"I really didn't expect it, Ash. You're actually still alive."
"I didn't expect you to still be alive either, Aura," He thought for a moment, not sure what to say, then simply spread his arms.
"Anyway, how about a touching reunion hug?"
"That's fine."
"Uh… really?"
"Haha! What's wrong? That look of disbelief is really funny."
While Ash stood there dumbfounded, Aura laughed heartily and actually stepped out from the group, walking toward him at an unhurried pace.
Five centuries had passed. A full five hundred years. Yet Aura hadn't changed in the slightest.
She still had that short height, an older-sister-level bust, and a girlish face. Only her smile carried a strange, clearly ill-intentioned flavor.
The one person he thought least likely to agree had actually agreed, leaving Ash completely at a loss.
Aura, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy his shock. She naturally wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her chest against his abdomen, bringing him an unusual softness, then looked up teasingly, "What's wrong, Ash? Wasn't the touching hug your idea? Why aren't you hugging me?"
"True. But Aura," Prompted, he lowered his head to look at the girl in his arms, wearing a puzzled expression, "What exactly are you thinking right now?"
"Your expression is really interesting."
"What about being moved? This is a touching reunion hug, right?"
"Indeed. I'm so moved my body is trembling."
"Based on my understanding of you, you're definitely not thinking anything good, are you?"
"That's really harsh to say," Aura's lips curled upward, deepening her smile, "I satisfied your wish. Shouldn't you satisfy mine too?"
"That sounds very reasonable. However, I refuse."
Alarm bells rang in his head, Ash didn't hesitate. He slapped a hand against her face and pushed the ill-intentioned girl away.
Aura didn't get angry, only covered her mouth and giggled.
"Even after all these years, you still don't know how to cherish a girl. Or is this playing hard to get?"
"I thought after all these years you might have changed. Turns out…"
Facing the child he had practically raised himself and her childish remarks, Ash's feelings were truly complicated. He let out a heartfelt sigh.
"Haa! What kind of weird things have you been learning all these years?"
"What are you talking about? Weren't you my enlightener?", Aura smiled and shook her head, "And I clearly remember that time. On a deep winter night, after I washed my feet with cold water, the look in your eyes when you wanted to warm my toes in your mouth and lick my feet clean."
"No… don't casually create memories that don't exist, okay? I'm not some masochistic pervert. That was something you wanted me to do, right?"
"Is that so? Was that all a lie?", Aura narrowed her eyes slightly.
"I'm at least a decent person. There's no way I'd do something like that."
"No, I remember you once told me."
"What?"
"That nothing is impossible. And memories don't need to exist. As long as we create them, it's fine."
At the end of this exchange, Aura, who had already retreated unnoticed to a safe distance, suddenly flipped her palm. Purple energy instantly gathered and formed golden scales.
"Submit to the de—"
"Preemptive strike."
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
[email protected]/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining P@treon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through P@treon.