—The Past, Aurelion Vireth, Some unknown Village in Japan
Step Step Step
"Are you sure this is the place?" Frieren said as she looked toward the small village ahead.
"I'm sure"
"How do you know?"
"The request said there was a demon living near the forest."
"Oh."
Nod Nod
"it should be the one up ahead no?" She said as she pointed towards the village up ahead.
"Yep" I said, trying my best to hide my excitement, I mean, how couldn't I? She's Frieren. The Frieren, Frieren the slayer and yes—I am a Frieren Glazer. Got any problems with that? no? thats what I thought.
Step Step Step
Rustle Rustle
"And we're hereee"
"Alright—Where's this 'demon' at?" Frieren asked, her voice calm without a single change in tone, she's so cool…
—Frieren
This. Aurelion kid was quite… excited to see me, though he tries to hide it. It was rather obvious how much he seems to.. know me
Step Step Step
No matter how big of a mark you make in human history, no matter how grand it'll soon also fade away. Humans are short lived creatures after all…
…
Step Step Step
Yet they make the best of foods.
—
"Anddd we should be here" Aurelion said full of enthusiasm and excitement. I couldn't help but wonder did we mistook the path.
"Are you sure this is the place?"
"I'm sure"
"How do you know?"
"The request said there was a demon living near the forest."
"Oh."
Step Step Step
It didn't take long for us to meet the so called owner of the village, an old man, his face wrinkled, his hair already white as he had this look of an innocent Old man
"Oh adventurers… Please help us kill the demon that's been killing our people and livestocks…"
"Can you show how the demon looks like?"
"Oh…"
"I'm sorry… I don't think we have any pictures of the demon… Everyone who met it was already dead."
"Oh it's alrighttt, we can just try to find it right Frieren?"
"Mmm."
"Then let's go!!!"
—Aurelion Vireth
Step Step Step
The forest wasn't particularly impressive. At least, that's what I thought.
Tall trees surrounded us from every direction, their leaves blocking most of the sunlight from reaching the ground. The occasional ray of light slipped through the gaps between the branches, illuminating patches of grass before disappearing again as we continued deeper.
Rustle Rustle
"Do you sense anything?" I asked.
"No."
"Nothing?"
"Nothing."
"Not even a little?"
Frieren looked at me.
"No."
"Ah."
Step Step Step
Unconsciously I scratched my cheek.
"That's... not very reassuring."
"Why?"
"Well, we're looking for a demon."
"I know."
"And you can't sense it."
"I can't sense it."
"..."
Frieren continued walking.
I followed.
Step Step Step
"Are you sure we're going the right way?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"The forest gets darker the deeper we go."
"That doesn't exactly prove anything."
"No."
"Then how do you know?"
She pointed toward the ground. I looked down. There were footprints. Large ones. Three toes. Deep enough to leave clear impressions in the soil.
"Oh."
"Something large passed through here recently."
I crouched down and inspected them.
"Could be the demon."
"Yes."
"Could also be an animal."
"Yes."
"...You're really good at making conversations short."
Frieren simply continued walking.
Step Step Step
I sighed and followed her.
—One Hour Later
"Nothing."
I looked around.
Trees. More trees.
And somehow—Even more trees.
"Are we sure this isn't just a normal forest?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"The footprints."
"Those could've belonged to an animal."
"They could."
"Then why are we following them?"
"Because they're the only lead we have."
…
"...Fair."
Step Step Step
We continued as another thirty minutes passed in the blink of an eye and—Nothing.
No demon.
No monster.
No suspicious noises.
Not even a particularly interesting mushroom. And at some point I eventually stopped walking.
"Frieren."
"Hm?"
"I'm tired."
"You're human."
"That's not a reason."
"It is."
"That's speciesism."
Frieren stared at me.
"What's speciesism?"
"...Never mind." I forgot she probably doesn't understand jokes like these. I thought to myself as I
I dropped onto a nearby tree stump.
Thud.
"Let's rest for five minutes."
"We've only been walking for an hour and a half."
"Exactly."
"That's not very long."
"It's very long when you're walking through a forest looking for something that doesn't want to be found."
Frieren thought about it.
Then nodded.
"Fine."
She sat down beside the tree.
I smiled.
"See? Even the legendary Frieren knows when to take a break."
"I don't need the break."
"Then why are you sitting?"
"Because you're sitting."
"..."
I stared at her.
She stared back.
"That's surprisingly considerate."
"I'm not being considerate."
"Sure."
—
Rustle.
My eyes immediately opened.
Something moved in the bushes as I slowly reached for my staff.
"Frieren."
"Hm?"
"Something's there." And as soon as I said those words
Frieren's eyes shifted toward the bushes.
She didn't move.
Neither did I.
Rustle Rustle.
The sound became louder. Something was approaching as I tightened my grip.
CRACK.
A branch snapped.
"Get ready."
"…"
WHOOSH!
"HMPH" I swung my staff.
BONK!
The creature flew backward.
Thud.
Silence.
I stared.
Frieren stared.
The creature stared back.
It was a rabbit.
A very angry rabbit.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Frieren tilted her head.
"You attacked a rabbit."
"I thought it was the demon!"
"It doesn't look like a demon."
"It came out of nowhere!"
"It was a rabbit."
"It could've been a shapeshifting demon!"
Frieren looked at the rabbit.
The rabbit looked at Frieren.
Frieren looked back at me.
"No."
"...Right."
Hop Hop Hop
I slowly lowered my staff as the rabbit hopped away, then I looked at Frieren.
"Please don't tell anyone about this."
"I won't."
"Thank you."
"I'll remember it." She said with that signature smug smile
"That's worse."
—Several Hours Later
The sun was beginning to disappear. The forest had become darker. And after several more hours of searching, we had found absolutely nothing. Not even another rabbit. I was exhausted. My legs felt like they were about to collapse.
GROOOOWL.
Glance
Frieren looked at me.
"Hungry?"
"Very."
"Do you have food?"
I checked my bag and found—A single piece of dried bread.
"This is all I have." I said as I showed her
Frieren looked at the bread.
"That's not much."
"No."
She reached into her own bag. I watched as she pulled out something. A small wrapped package.
"What's that?"
"Food."
"What kind?"
"bread."
She opened it and I stared. doesn't that look like one of those really dry military crackers…
"That's it?"
"Yes."
"..."
"Do you want some?"
"Absolutely."
She handed me a piece.
Crunch Crunch Crunch
It was dry. Very dry.
Gulp
"..." Frieren was staring at me.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You don't like it?"
"No."
"You clearly don't like it."
"I've eaten worse."
"When?"
"Earlier today."
"What did you eat?"
"Your bread."
"..."
I laughed.
She didn't.
"Sorry."
—
The sun had almost completely disappeared. We were standing at the edge of the forest, overlooking the village. The lights from the houses could be seen in the distance.
"We should head back," Frieren said.
"Agreed."
"Tomorrow we'll search again."
"Tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"Can't we search tonight?"
"No."
"Why?"
"It's getting dark."
"So?"
"No"
"Why?"
"Because we don't know what we're looking for."
"..."
"And we're tired."
…
Sigh
"Fair."
Step Step Step
We began walking back toward the village.
After a few minutes, I spoke again.
"Frieren."
"Hm?"
"Do you think the old man was telling the truth?"
Stop
I almost walked into her.
"Why?"
"Something about him felt... weird."
Frieren looked toward the village.
"What felt weird?"
"I don't know."
"Then?"
"It's just a feeling."
She remained silent for a moment.
"You noticed it too."
I blinked.
"You did?"
"Yes."
"Then why didn't you say anything?"
"You didn't ask."
"..."
I rubbed the back of my head.
"So you think he's suspicious?"
"I think we should be careful."
"Right."
I looked back at the village. The old man's face appeared in my mind. He seemed kind.
Old.
Tired.
Just a villager who had lost people to a demon.
"Maybe I'm just imagining things."
"Maybe."
Frieren began walking again.
"But we'll stay alert."
"Got it."
Step Step Step
—
"Oh! You're back!" Said the Old man with a smile.
"Did you find the demon?"
"Not yet,"
"I see..." His smile seemed to weaken for a moment.
Only for a moment.
Then it returned.
"Well, you must be exhausted." He said with a smile
"Yeah."
"Please, stay at my home tonight. It isn't much, but it's better than sleeping outside." I looked toward Frieren.
She was silent.
"Are you sure?" I looked back at the old man.
"Of course."
"You've already lost so many people because of that demon. I don't want to trouble you." The old man smiled.
"You're helping us. The least I can do is provide you with a roof."
I smiled.
"Thank you."
Frieren's eyes remained on the old man.
"You're welcome to stay," he said with a big smile
"...Fine."
The old man's smile seemed to widened.
"Wonderful."
—Later That Night
Crackle Crackle
Sigh
For the first time that entire day, I could finally relax as I dropped myself onto the futon.
FWUMP.
"Ohhhhhh..." My entire body felt like it had melted and turned into an ice cream puddle
"I'm never walking again."
Frieren sat across the room.
"You said that yesterday."
"I wasn't serious yesterday."
"You're serious now?"
"Very."
I closed my eyes.
"Wake me up tomorrow." I said as I close my eyes, ready to return to sweet slumber yet.
"I'm staying awake." My eyes opened slightly.
"Why?"
"Just in case." She said calmly.
I looked around the room. Everything seemed normal.
The old man's house was clean.
The fireplace was warm.
The windows were locked.
There was nothing strange.
"Frieren."
"Hm?"
"I think we're safe."
She looked toward the window.
"Maybe."
"That's not very reassuring."
Silence..
Crackle.
Frieren didn't move.
Neither did I.
"…Frieren?"
"Hm."
"You're really not sleeping?"
"No."
…
Sigh
"Let's take shifts then"
"…"
"Alright"
I turned over on the futon.
"I'm sleeping first then"
"Alright"
"…"
"…Goodnight." I said with a softer tone
"Goodnight."
Silence
Crackle Crackle
My breathing slowed.
The warmth of the room slowly comforted me and eventually—
Zzz…
Frieren opened her eyes.
She looked at the sleeping boy Then toward the window. Something wasn't right. She couldn't explain it yet. But after more than a thousand years of traveling, she had learned something. When something felt wrong—
It usually was.
Rustle
Frieren's eyes narrowed.
Outside the window—
Something moved.
—The Present, Aurelion Vireth,
"Left"
Whoosh
Swish
SHIIINGGGGGGGGG
KIEEKKKKKKKKK
Thud
As the lifeless body of the hostile remnant fell to the ground with a large thud.
"That was done quite nicely" Frieren said with a satisfied tone, her staff twirled slightly as if expressing joy.
"We've come a long way after all" I said in a happy tone.
Step Step
Squelch Squelch
SLASH
"Whoops missed one~"
"That was a joke no?"
"If someone else said that I would've believed them but you?" Gaby said as she pointed right at Nicole.
"hehe :P" To which she only replied with a funny face
Step Step
Thunk
I walked as I willed my staff to return to me, at the same time I asked a question.
"Where should we go this time?"
"Oh? the portals here let's go"
Step Step Step
To set off in our Journey once more