Frieren: Reincarnated As a Demon

Chapter 106.5: ·I Think You Can't Cut It

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Ash's protective magic nullified each strike effortlessly, turning the attacks into harmless particles of light that dissipated in the air—just as before

Undeterred, Ubel summoned a trident-shaped magic wand and lunged at him, aiming directly for his face. But Ash, still seated casually on the fence, merely flicked his finger.

Bang!

The sound of metal colliding rang out as the wand was sent flying, spinning into the air with a force that exceeded Ubel's imagination. Disarmed and outmatched, she finally lowered her hands in surrender, a resigned expression on her face.

"You... you're truly a terrifying monster," she muttered.

"Thank you," Ash replied, his tone light.

"What?" Ubel narrowed her eyes.

Ash shrugged, his expression indifferent. "In many ways."

"...Kill you?" she repeated, her frustration evident.

"You can't," Ash said simply.

"To be honest... this is the first time I've been this angry," Ubel admitted, though her tone had lost its edge. With no way to retaliate, she sat down beside him again, a dark smile creeping back onto her face.

"You suggested it yourself," Ash reminded her. "You can't blame me for this."

"Is it normal to lift someone else's skirt?" she asked, her voice tight with exasperation.

"Well, it was your suggestion," Ash said, refusing to take any responsibility.

Ubel's mouth twitched in frustration. "...Where's your gentlemanly demeanor? Or the reserve of a strong man?"

"I'm a feminist," Ash said smoothly. "It's just a normal exchange between equals."

"An exchange? Are you saying a name is as important as a girl's purity?"

"That's your question, not mine," Ash replied with a shrug. "You should ask yourself that."

His casual response left Ubel momentarily speechless.

In the end, she suffered a complete defeat—outmatched in magic, physical combat, and even verbal sparring.

For the first time in her life, she regretted her actions—regretted ever speaking to him in the first place.

...

...

When Sein returned after gathering information and piecing together some clues, he saw a strange girl standing next to Ash from a distance.

The girl, her back to him, appeared to be talking animatedly with Ash. Her skirt swayed slightly, and from Sein's perspective, it almost looked like Ash had lifted her skirt.

Yes, almost.

The angle made it impossible to be sure. The girl had her back turned, and Ash's calm, unperturbed expression didn't exactly scream guilt. Yet, no matter how he analyzed the scene, the girl's exaggerated behavior made it seem like Ash had indeed lifted her skirt.

Sein stood frozen in place, bewildered. After a long pause, he finally strode forward, his expression serious as he confronted Ash, who turned to him with a questioning look.

"I really... misjudged you!" Sein declared with a tone of betrayal.

"What are you talking about all of a sudden?" Ash asked, visibly puzzled.

"I thought you were like me! I thought you only liked big sisters!"

Sein's words carried the weight of disappointment, as if his trust had been shattered. He glared at Ash, denouncing him for what he assumed was an attack on the girl.

Ash, however, simply covered his face, looking as though he was trying to stave off a headache.

Even Ubel, who was strange in her own right, was caught off guard. She stared at Sein, momentarily stunned. Despite encountering all sorts of eccentric people during her travels, this was her first time meeting a priest with such... peculiar tastes.

"Your friends are really interesting," Ubel said, her voice laced with amusement. Then, turning to Ash, she added with a teasing smile, "So, you like older sisters? No wonder you've been so cold to me."

"...Are you still not planning to leave?" Ash ignored her remark, his voice tinged with exasperation.

"Actually, I quite enjoy chatting," Ubel replied cheerfully, unfazed by his indifference. She continued speaking as if carrying on a conversation with herself, her smile unwavering.

"You see, the magic a person excels at often reflects their life and personality. As for me, if I can 'resonate' with someone's life, I can basically replicate their unique magic. You must have some incredible magic, right? Don't be stingy—tell me what you think and what kind of life you've lived!"

"...So, you're the type who controls magic based on intuition?" Ash asked, finally piecing together why she couldn't defeat him yet continued to pester him. His tone betrayed a hint of surprise.

Her abilities were extraordinary. Not only did they require immense talent, but also a solid theoretical foundation and a deep reserve of magical power. By relying on her exceptional sensory perception and vivid imagination, she could resonate with someone's essence—their character and life experiences—and use that connection to replicate their magic, even without fully understanding its principles.

Such individuals were exceedingly rare.

Linie, on the other hand, was a similar type but an upgraded version in a different direction. Linie didn't need such elaborate processes; she could replicate someone's martial arts simply by observing them.

However, this kind of replication came with a significant flaw: if the original source wasn't particularly powerful, the replicated magic or technique would be of limited use.

Still, Ubel was clearly exceptional by human standards. She could likely replicate and restore most forms of magic with remarkable accuracy.

Of course, none of this mattered to Ash.

With magic as overwhelming as that of a great demon, there was no way Ubel could resonate with him, let alone comprehend or replicate his abilities. Even if he patiently explained his techniques to her step by step, it would make no difference.

After all, even if humans could understand it, they would never be able to wield the magic of a great demon.

"Don't be so stingy~ There's nothing wrong with chatting. I can even tell you about my life~" Ubel seemed completely oblivious to Ash's indifference. Instead, she acted as if she'd stumbled upon an unprecedented treasure, her persistence unwavering.

"Not interested," Ash replied flatly.

"My sister is a tailor. When I was little, I used to watch her work..."

Although Ash had no intention of engaging, Ubel, true to her word, continued to chatter without pause.

Sein, observing from the side, was at a loss for words. "…She's actually talking to herself now."

"Don't make a fuss. I'm somewhat curious about her cutting techniques," Ash said, his tone calm as ever. "Why not take the free knowledge? I might even try to resonate with her a little. If it doesn't work, I can always chase her away later."

"…I've always thought you had a really bad personality," Sein muttered, utterly speechless.

Ubel swayed slightly, flashing a disarmingly bright smile. "That's too much~ You've been planning to throw me away from the start? And you're not even trying to hide it?"

"Of course. We're not acquainted, and you came here on your own. Why wouldn't I discard you after using what I need? Should I support you, too?"

"I know you don't mean it like that, but why does this conversation sound so strange?"

Listening to their exchange, Sein felt that if he hadn't been paying attention, he might have misunderstood Ash as some heartless man.

Lowering his voice, Sein leaned closer to Ash and whispered, "This person seems like trouble. She's the type who'll cling to you endlessly. It's better not to get too involved, don't you think?"

"What a coincidence. I thought the same at first, but..."

"——It's too late~" Ubel interrupted, leaning between the two with a mischievous smile. "I'm not someone who can be abandoned so easily~"

Her sudden intrusion startled Sein, making him take a few steps back. Ash, however, remained completely unfazed, his expression unchanged.

Ubel, now seemingly accelerating her chatter in an attempt to "deepen their connection," continued speaking enthusiastically. Meanwhile, Ash silently gazed into the distance, his thoughts elsewhere. He began to wonder why he was always surrounded by such strange people—and why normal ones were so scarce.

...

When Fern and Frieren returned to the group after helping out in the village and gathering supplies, they were greeted by an unusual sight.

Sein stood off to the side, looking at Ash with a pained expression. Next to Ash was an unfamiliar girl, who appeared far too comfortable in her proximity to him.

"Master Ash, who is this person...?" Fern asked, frowning as her gaze landed on Ubel.

"Someone I don't know," Ash replied bluntly.

"Ah~ That's too cruel," Ubel said with a teasing smile. "We've been chatting for so long and gotten so 'close,' yet you claim not to know me?" She leaned in closer, her shoulder nearly brushing his.

"Hey~ Are you two close?" Frieren asked, amused by the scene. Her curiosity got the better of her as she turned to Ubel. "Who are you?"

"Ubel. Hello~" Yubel smiled brightly and extended her hand.

But, just as Ash had done earlier, Frieren didn't take it. Instead, she scrutinized Ubel with a sharp gaze. "You're the one who killed those bandits, aren't you?"

"It was just self-defense," Ubel replied nonchalantly.

"…As I thought," Frieren murmured.

"What's wrong?" Fern asked, sensing the tension.

"Nothing," Frieren said curtly, brushing off the matter. She shifted her focus back to Ubel. "What are you doing here?"

"This person is fascinating," Ubel said cheerfully, gesturing toward Ash. "But after chatting with him for a while, I realized he's even more interesting than I initially thought!"

"Really?"

Ubel nodded slightly, her tone indifferent. "Are you traveling too? Where are you headed?"

"The magic city of Auberst. The first-level magician exam is about to start there, and I wanted to see if any interesting people showed up. I didn't expect to meet someone so fascinating before even getting there~"

"...We were planning to go there too," Frieren replied.

"Oh my~ What a coincidence! Can I go with you? I'm a little scared to travel alone~"

"It doesn't matter." Frieren stared at Ubel for a long moment, clearly seeing through her, but she was too tired to bother exposing anything. Instead, she casually agreed.

After all, there was no real reason to refuse. Having someone along the way to watch out for her wasn't necessarily a bad thing. However, Fern's expression turned slightly awkward. She seemed hesitant to speak but ultimately chose to remain silent.

Sein, on the other hand, couldn't bear the situation any longer and covered his face. "I don't care what happens next…"

"Master Sein, have you ever been responsible for anything?"

"...I haven't, but why are you angry with me?"

Fern glanced sheepishly at Sein, then cast a pleading look at Ash, clearly hoping he would deal with the "weirdo" and resolve the issue. But Ash, as usual, ignored him.

"Let's get moving and try to reach the next village before nightfall," Ash said calmly. "Although, at this point, I don't mind sleeping in the wilderness."

With that, he stood up from the fence, brushed off his clothes, and started walking ahead without waiting for anyone else.

Frieren, like Ash, didn't argue. She had thought it over and decided there was no harm in letting Ubel tag along. Besides, it wasn't as if they had anything better to do, and having someone unusual around might even make the journey more interesting.

Ash, however, had his own reason for allowing Ubel to come along. He was genuinely looking forward to the moment when she realized she couldn't replicate his magic and that all her effort had been for nothing.