Frieren: Demon of Domination

That was a bedtime conversation from long ago.

"Flamme."

Agusheed's voice was particularly clear in the dim bedroom.

His slender fingers unconsciously twirled a strand of his wife's scattered red hair beside him.

"Mm? What is it?"

His wife, who was leaning against her husband's embrace, had just pulled up the covers and was about to hug his waist and slowly fall asleep—

But she lifted her head at her husband's call, resting her chin on the arm that held her.

Her gaze carried confusion and drowsiness.

"Flamme, do you know how much magic Serie knows?"

"Mm... I don't know..."

Reaching up to rub her eyes, her silk pajamas making soft friction sounds,

Flamme pressed her body tightly against her husband's embrace, seeking warmth.

"After all, Teacher masters far too many magics. Even I can't remember them all."

"Then in your impression—"

Agusheed paused for a moment, his fingertip gently tracing his wife's shoulder line.

"Among the magic she masters, is there magic that can bring the dead back to life?"

Magic that can bring the dead back to life...

Seeing the hesitation that flashed across her husband's face when he spoke these words,

Flamme gently moved her head forward, her lips just touching his cheek.

"At least from what I know..."

Her breathing became imperceptibly lighter.

"No."

Feeling her husband's grip gradually tighten, holding her firmly in his embrace—

Flamme placed her hand on his chest, her lips resting against his neck.

"But I also can't be certain whether Teacher actually has this kind of magic..."

"After all, she is a Grand Mage who has survived since the mythical age."

Agusheed was silent for a moment, the moonlight outside the window quietly shifting slightly.

"Then according to your feeling, do you lean toward her having this kind of magic or not?"

Hearing the seriousness and hesitation in her husband's words,

Flamme gave her own answer after thinking for a long time.

—

"No..."

"Such magic that defies common sense, I think even Teacher wouldn't have it..."

In the castle's master bedroom this morning,

With his long hair loose, rubbing the silver-white ancient ring on his ring finger,

Agusheed, leaning against the bed, murmured softly his wife's response from back then.

"Magic that can bring the dead back to life..."

"Could it really be as you said, that this magic is just my delusion?"

—Back when he was still in the imperial capital:

Due to a certain conversation with Ophelia Alde,

He first developed some delusions about magic that can bring the dead back to life.

Unfortunately, those brief delusions quickly disappeared due to certain events.

Until Flamme died.

Only then did he truly develop an irrepressible desire for magic that can bring the dead back to life.

But by that time, Agusheed no longer had the opportunity to verify the answer.

"On this journey, let's verify whether Flamme's guess was accurate."

"It's just the blink of an eye anyway."

Agusheed tilted his head to look sideways, but the bright scenery outside the window didn't create the slightest ripple in his eyes.

Because...

That figure who used to lean here;

The most beautiful scenery that would appear in this direction every morning—

Had already existed only in his dreams

Since a thousand years ago.

"Delusion..."

"Hehe..."

"How pitiful..."

The strongest Grand Demon, who should be cold-blooded and heartless, reached out to catch the water drop sliding from the corner of his eye.

After another soft murmur,

He fell silent—

Fifty-ninth year before the Sinseki Era, the first year of the hero party's departure.

Agusheed embarked on his journey to seek Serie.

—

In the bitter morning wind, the Heaven Vein Dragon's silver-white scales gleamed faintly in the morning sun.

Agusheed stood on the dragon's spine, his black robe fluttering.

His slender fingers gently caressed the dragon scales.

The Heaven Vein Dragon skillfully let out a low hum in response.

After confirming the destination, Agusheed slowly walked down from the Heaven Vein Dragon's head.

Rising early, he began contemplating the route they would take next.

According to that silly disciple's account—

Serie was currently stationed in the empire's Falbe Region,

And wouldn't leave for several years.

So both the starting point and destination of the journey were already clear.

From Vol Basin to the Falbe Region—

A considerable distance.

However, with the Heaven Vein Dragon available, this journey was nothing.

At full speed, they could arrive in less than ten days.

—But Agusheed didn't have the Heaven Vein Dragon enter full speed.

Instead, he chose to have it go only slightly faster than usual, arriving at the destination in about a month.

In fact, his attitude toward seeking Serie was surprisingly calm.

This wasn't just because Agusheed had roughly guessed the reason Serie would stay in that place,

So he wasn't anxious after confirming she wouldn't leave.

More importantly—

When determining the route, he saw that the Heaven Vein Dragon would pass through Count Granat's Territory.

That was where Frieren was currently staying...

"It would be good to see her."

This was Agusheed's self-deceptive statement.

Stepping slowly into the flower garden courtyard with the morning breeze,

The first figure to appear before Agusheed was his silly disciple—

The Hero of the South.

He was doing his usual morning training.

'Teacher, have you ever seen the sun rise at four in the morning on the Heaven Vein Dragon's back?'

This was a boast he had made when he was still young—

And it was these boasts that forged today's strongest human.

Appearing in Agusheed's sight, he was bare-chested, his bronze skin covered with scars.

Sweat slid along the lines of his muscles, glistening in the morning sun.

Having also spotted Agusheed in his field of vision,

The Hero of the South, who had just finished running a hundred laps around the Heaven Vein Dragon's body, slowed his pace.

Finally stopping in the garden clearing not far from Agusheed.

"Teacher, have you decided on the route?"

"Mm."

Agusheed responded coldly,

His gaze sweeping over the scars on his disciple's body that he had never seen before.

For that moment—

He once again felt hesitation about the decision made a few days ago.

But the Hero of the South's words quickly broke Agusheed's distraction.

He picked up the shirt that had been placed on the clearing,

Then after arranging his upper garment, he put on his coat, skillfully fastening his belt.

"Teacher, since you've already decided on the destination..."

"Then why do I feel the Heaven Vein Dragon's speed hasn't increased much?"

"Your imagination."

Agusheed turned his head to gaze at the distant mountains, his lies and black hair both fluttering gently in the morning wind.

"Hehe..."

The Hero of the South chuckled softly, unable to suppress his amusement as he shook his head,

His gaze resting on Agusheed's brow and eyes, which had relaxed somewhat compared to yesterday.

"You still want to visit Frieren along the way, don't you?"

"Talkative."

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