Starting the Strategy from Frieren

"Filial piety? We're not even close."

Ivan blinked in confusion. Was this some language mix-up because she was new to the country? But judging by her flawless accent, her Chinese didn't seem to need improvement.

"When did you even join our class?" Ivan asked, still baffled.

"While you were napping," she replied nonchalantly, her eyes returning to her book. "If you've got more questions, save them for later. Right now, I just want to read and study."

Ivan stared at her, speechless. Finally, he gave up and turned to leave, but not before stealing a glance at the book she was reading.

"Building a Nuclear Bomb from Scratch."

What the... Are girls nowadays all this hardcore?

Although Ivan had borrowed the same book from the library once, wasn't it more typical for girls to read romance novels? This blonde girl was truly an oddball.

◇

This week marked the school's semiannual Fishing Week, where each class took turns heading to the nearby lake. Today was Ivan's class's turn, with the entire afternoon devoted to fishing.

The fishing class was a unique feature of the local schools, an initiative from their principal, a self-proclaimed fishing enthusiast. According to him, fishing cultivated patience and inner peace. Initially, parents were skeptical, deeming it frivolous, but after seeing improved test scores, they quickly became supporters.

Students used special hooks that didn't harm the fish, and all catches were released back into the water. Even animal welfare groups couldn't find fault with it.

The homeroom teacher addressed the class sternly before they began:

"Under no circumstances are you to cross the lakeside fence or enter the water. Dispose of trash properly and avoid conflicts. Violators will be sent back to the classroom for self-study."

The warning worked. The students, eager to enjoy a rare afternoon outdoors, behaved themselves. Even those uninterested in fishing lounged on the grass, enjoying the gentle breeze and the serene atmosphere.

Ivan slung his fishing rod over his shoulder and joined the procession to the artificial lake. As he scanned the crowd, his gaze quickly landed on the blonde girl.

Unlike the others, she carried no fishing rod, her nose buried in a book as she walked. It was as if she existed in a different realm. Her small frame made Ivan worry someone might bump into her.

Thud.

His thoughts became reality. A lively classmate, laughing and playing, bumped into the blonde girl. Her book tumbled to the ground.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!" the girl exclaimed, frantically picking up the book and handing it back.

"It's fine. It wasn't your fault," the blonde replied coolly, taking her book and walking over to Ivan's side. In her languid tone, she added, "Don't overthink things."

"Huh?" Ivan was baffled. What did she mean by that? Did she have some ability to read his thoughts? But seeing her dive back into her book, he decided not to ask.

At the lake, the eager students quickly claimed the best fishing spots. Ivan, not one to be left out, used his quick reflexes to secure one of the top platforms.

Bait the hook. Cast the line. Wait.

Time ticked by. And ticked by.

By the time the teacher called everyone to pack up, Ivan hadn't caught a single fish.

Carrying his empty bucket, Ivan squinted at the water, his expression puzzled. "This doesn't make sense. How could I not catch a single fish?"

"What's weird about it?" teased one of his friends. "You've gone home empty-handed plenty of times before. Besides, these hooks make it hard to catch anything. It's perfectly normal."

"No, it's not normal!" Ivan insisted, staring at his bucket like it had betrayed him. "Something's definitely wrong... something's off..."

"Bro, it's just fishing," his friend said nervously, taking half a step back. Then, as if remembering something, he lifted his bucket. "Look, I only caught two fish myself. If it bothers you that much, I'll share one with you. But seriously, you're acting weird..."

"It's not about being 'fishless,'" Ivan muttered, his brows furrowing as he gestured in the air.

And then, like a mental dam breaking, clarity struck him.

"Ha! I remember now! I finally remember! I am the Fishing Sage—how could I not catch a fish? This world is fake!"

Ivan dropped his bucket and marched over to the blonde girl.

"Serie, I've seen through your illusion. It seems I've won."

Though the realization came at the cost of humiliation, Ivan didn't care. What mattered was that he'd finally uncovered the truth.

Serie closed her book and stood up, her golden eyes glinting with amusement. "How surprising," she said. "I didn't expect you to see through the illusion so quickly. Truly impressive. After all, this move was designed to deceive even gods. Every detail—from the setting to the logic, even the NPCs—is flawless."

Ivan crossed his arms, triumphant. "None of that matters. Now that I've seen through it, there's no point in continuing. End it."

Serie tilted her head with a faint smile. "You assume I can end the illusion at will?"