Frieren: Reincarnated As a Demon

Chapter 108: Frieren's understanding·The source of all evil, Ash?

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Sein, his expression more serious than usual, took a few puffs from his cigarette before hesitantly addressing the boy sitting across from him.

"Ash, what do you think I am...?"

Before he could finish, Ash interrupted him, sounding both exasperated and dismissive.

"There's nothing to worry about. Didn't you make it clear when you first joined us that you were just tagging along to catch up with that gorilla? Or are you planning to regret it for another ten years?"

"...True," Sein admitted, though his tone carried a hint of frustration. "But you're so blunt about these things. You don't even try to be tactful."

"What's wrong with that? Being indecisive isn't exactly a virtue, is it?"

"Sure, that's true, but..." Sein trailed off, exhaling a long puff of smoke as he gave a bitter smile. "No matter how you look at it, you're a bit too cold. If I didn't know you as well as I do, I'd think you were some heartless, bloodless guy."

Ash waved his hand to disperse the smoke, speaking casually. "I've said it before—if you don't make a decision when you should, you'll just end up regretting it. Life's a journey of repeated encounters and reunions. As long as you're alive, there's always a chance to meet again. So why be sad? When that time comes, just tell me your story again."

"My story?" Sein looked momentarily stunned before recalling their first meeting. A smile crept onto his face. "Oh, that's right... Seriously, though, next time, can you not just stand there watching the show? Save me sooner!"

"That depends on how interesting your story is," Ash replied with a grin, raising his glass.

Sein clinked his glass against Ash's, laughing boldly. "Do I even need to say it? That gorilla and I are going to become heroes remembered throughout history! The gorilla can just stay 'the gorilla,' but I'll make sure my name is carved at the base of the statue so you can bow before it!"

"Really? Then I'll be looking forward to that day. When it happens, you'd better introduce me to a mature and sexy older sister."

"...A mature and sexy older sister?"

"What? Something wrong with that?"

"Uh, no, it's just... Oh, never mind."

Sein hesitated, his mouth opening and closing as he struggled to form a response. In the end, he chose silence, though his expression betrayed a mix of confusion and frustration.

Ash, meanwhile, looked at him with a face full of question marks, which only made Sein feel even more inexplicably anxious and irritated. Yet, he couldn't find a way to vent this strange feeling.

---

Sein couldn't stand Ash's attitude, nor could he ignore the dynamic between Ash and fern.

Though he was technically an outsider, he couldn't help but feel restless and agitated, as if their unresolved tension was his own burden to bear. Watching from the sidelines was unbearable.

So, when Frieren was alone in the bookstore, enjoying her last night surrounded by the comforting sea of books, Sein suddenly burst in, shouting, "Frieren—!!"

"Huh? What? What's going on?" Frieren, deeply engrossed in her reading, was startled by the sudden outburst and turned toward him in surprise.

"You saw it earlier, didn't you?" Sein took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, though his excitement bled into his words. "Ash and fern—they were holding hands! And Fern even put her other hand in Ash's pocket!"

"Yes, I saw it. So what?" Frieren tilted her head, utterly baffled by the priest's sudden frenzy. "Are you drunk? Or is it illegal to put your hand in someone else's pocket in this country? Or maybe holding hands is against the law now?"

Her calm and genuinely confused response left Sein momentarily speechless.

"No—!" Sein waved his hand dramatically, his excitement causing him to slap the desk. "I'm leaving soon, and I really can't stand this anymore!"

"You've decided to leave?" Frieren tilted her head slightly before smiling. "But… what about it? Sein, do you regret this journey?"

"Not at all. It's been a blast."

"Then why don't you just come with us?" Frieren leaned forward, her expression curious. "But… you seem a little upset. Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Because—this isn't something I can say right now!" Sein's frustration boiled over, and he slammed his hands on the table, his voice rising in despair. "After everything I just said, you don't have any other thoughts?!"

"…What did you just say?"

"It's not about breaking the law!"

"If it's not illegal, then…" Frieren paused, her brows furrowing as she appeared deep in thought. Her expression shifted to one of seriousness. "I understand. I'll save up some money."

"…Huh?"

"When I've saved enough, I'll buy Fern a dress with pockets in the skirt."

Frieren sighed deeply, as though she had reached a profound conclusion. Her determination to save some private funds was clear in her voice.

Sein was dumbfounded. He stared at her in disbelief, utterly speechless. After a long pause, he finally managed to ask, "…What are you even talking about?"

"Aren't you upset because it's uncomfortable not to have pockets? And you're also subtly criticizing me for not working hard and choosing the wrong clothes for Fern, right?" Frieren shook her head, her tone carrying an odd mix of regret and pride. "Actually, I'm not as slow as you think. I can pick up on things like this now."

"…You picked up on that?"

"Of course. I've improved a lot over the years."

Frieren puffed out her chest with pride, clearly pleased with herself. She genuinely believed her ability to pick up on subtle hints had grown significantly.

After all, in the past, she would have completely missed such details. At least now, she could identify differences in others and recognize key points to address.

But Sein's expression was a mix of disbelief and pain. He looked as though he'd swallowed a fly—or worse, as if he were battling severe constipation. Words seemed to catch in his throat, leaving him unable to articulate his frustration.

His pained expression was so exaggerated that even Frieren began to feel a bit of sympathy for him. Smiling, she stood on tiptoe and gently patted his head.

"You're such a drunkard," she said warmly. "Even though you look like this, you're happier about my growth than I am. It's really rare."

"Is this a happy expression?" Sein muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"You're crying with joy, aren't you?" Frieren continued, completely missing his tone. "Ash said that sometimes, when people are overwhelmed with happiness, they cry. And when they're too happy, they might even show a pained expression. This is called… right, 'things turning into their opposites when they reach their extremes,' isn't it?"

She nodded to herself, clearly proud of her ability to recall and apply Ash's teachings.

Sein, however, couldn't summon a single word of praise. Instead, he tilted his head back, gazing up at the sky at a 45-degree angle. Taking a long drag from his cigarette, he exhaled slowly and muttered in a voice filled with despair:

"…It would be better to destroy this world."

Why was she like this? Was it because she was an elf? No, that wasn't it. It had to be Ash's bad influence. But if that were true, why was Fern so normal while the oldest elf had turned out like this?

Sein's thoughts spiraled into chaos. For the first time, he found himself genuinely worried about the future of their team.

Except for the youngest, Fern, none of the other three could be considered normal. This left Sein completely at a loss. Even if he wanted to say something or give instructions, he didn't know how to phrase it or who to direct it to.

On the eve of their departure, Sein clearly wanted to tell Frieren something. Yet, in the end, the words didn't come. Instead, he found himself worrying that if Frieren stayed with the group any longer, Ash would teach her even more bizarre things.

Although he couldn't be entirely certain that Ash was the source of all this chaos, nine times out of ten, it seemed likely—didn't it?

---

The next day, the heavy snow finally stopped.

Sein, looking somewhat troubled, said a brief farewell to everyone before setting off on a different path.

His strange expression as he departed left Fern feeling uneasy. Watching his figure grow smaller in the distance, she unconsciously tugged on Ash's sleeve.

"Master Sein looked so strange, but he said there's nothing wrong with his body… Is he really okay?"

"He's a priest," Ash replied, his tone casual. "If anyone's good at curing illnesses and saving lives, it's him. It's odd for you to worry about his health. I think he's just preoccupied with something. But as far as I remember, he was fine when he left the tavern last night."

"Ah~ I saw that uncle head to the bookstore," Ubel chimed in, turning her head thoughtfully. "He must've chatted with Frieren for a while. When he came back, his expression was super weird."

Suddenly thrust into the spotlight, Frieren crossed her arms and touched her chin, mumbling to herself. "Yesterday… he seemed to think it was pitiful that Fern didn't have pockets. He kept hinting that I should buy her a skirt with pockets."

"What's this? That uncle's so attentive?" Ubel's eyes widened in surprise, and her tone carried newfound respect for Sein's apparent concern.

Frieren, however, appeared even more distressed. "I didn't think he'd care about something like that to this extent. Maybe I should've been more certain last night… Should I have just promised him?"

"...Is it pitiful not to have pockets?" Fern looked down at her skirt, blinking in confusion. After a moment, she shook her head vigorously. "I don't mind… No, actually, I think it's better this way."

"This is… some kind of stubborn aesthetic or a strange sense of direction, isn't it?" Frieren pondered this for a long time before suddenly exclaiming, "Come to think of it, Sein's obsession with finding a 'big sister' is so odd that even someone like me can't approve of it. Maybe now he's fixated on the idea that all girls must have skirts with pockets?"

"That uncle is way too nosy," Ubel grumbled, clearly annoyed by this theory.

The three of them continued their discussion, their voices growing animated, while Ash stood to the side, unable to get a single word in.

Meanwhile, Sein, who hadn't yet walked far, overheard every word of their unconcealed conversation. He almost stumbled into the snow, his steps faltering.

He could never have imagined that last night's conversation would lead to such a ridiculous conclusion. His reputation, he felt, had been thoroughly ruined by Frieren—worse even than anything Ash could have done.

But as strange as it all seemed, he didn't dare look back. Instead, he quickened his pace, his face tinged with both frustration and resignation. In his heart, he blamed Ash for corrupting Frieren, firmly believing him to be the source of her eccentricities.

Determined to escape this chaotic group, Sein resolved to revisit them only when Frieren had matured and gained a clearer understanding of things. Surely, by then, it would be easier to explain everything.

Back at the group, Ash, who had been inexplicably glared at before Sein left, stood there feeling completely innocent. He scratched his head, bewildered.

"I didn't even say anything this time," he muttered to himself. "So why am I the one getting hated?"

"It's already hard enough to guess a girl's thoughts, so why is it that even an uncle's thoughts have become incomprehensible now? Or… does Sein have a delicate mind like a girl?"

Ash, who had been left staring blankly after Sein's earlier glare, felt utterly bewildered.

Still, he was managing. The one who felt the most confused in the team, however, was Ubel.

---

After spending an entire winter with the group, Ubel had tried her best to understand the three of them. But for some reason… despite their obvious strength, their resonance couldn't produce any powerful magic.

Ash offered no explanation, and Frieren admitted outright that while she knew many spells, she wasn't particularly skilled or specialized in any of them. Fern, for her part, confessed that she didn't have any unique magic either; her specialty was ordinary attack magic.

This left Ubel utterly baffled. Were they lying to her? It didn't seem like it—but how could such strong individuals lack anything truly exceptional?

That said, it wasn't as though her efforts had yielded no results. During their attempts at resonance over the past months, Ubel had discovered something peculiar: while her progress in other areas was stagnant, her ability to converge magic power was improving significantly.

Sure, Ash teased her constantly, but in exchange, she'd gained… stronger and more effective magic power convergence. Was it worth it?

"...There's no visible fluctuation in my magic power," Ubel muttered to herself one day as the group prepared to set off again. "Why am I even trying to suppress my magic power if nothing's wrong with it?"

Walking at the back of the group, she began to doubt her own talent.

Still, after investing so much time, she couldn't bring herself to give up. With a heavy sigh, she picked up her pace and caught up with the others.

---

The cold wave had passed, and the blizzards were no more.

Following Sein's departure, the remaining four resumed their journey.

The northern land was harsh, its winds icy and unrelenting. Even the sheep bred here were accustomed to the cold.

One night, as the group took shelter in a cave, they enjoyed the warmth of a fire and a much-needed rest. After a hot bath, Fern, like Frieren, overslept the next morning.

"No… something seems off," Ash muttered as he returned from gathering firewood.

Looking at Fern, who was bundled tightly in her blankets, her face unusually flushed and her breathing labored, he quickly realized something was wrong.

Without thinking, he reached out to touch her face.

"~~!!"

Fern's body jolted as if struck by lightning. Her eyes fluttered open, and she gazed at him with a mixture of resentment and confusion. In a weak voice, she murmured, "Master Ash… what are you doing?"

"I was checking your temperature…"

"…With such cold hands?"

"My mistake. I'm sorry."

Ash apologized awkwardly, then turned to place his hands on Ubel and Frieren's faces in turn.

"——?!"

Ubel, startled by the cold, snapped her eyes open and glared at him. "What are you doing?"

"Don't… don't do that~~ mm…"

Compared to Ubel's fiery reaction, Frieren was surprisingly docile. She mumbled a soft complaint, shook her head like a sleepy caterpillar, and burrowed deeper into her quilt.

The two completely different responses left Ash looking sheepish. He glanced at Ubel, who was now fully awake.

"I'm sorry," he said again. "I just wanted to see who I could wake up first."

"Are you really apologizing?" Ubel asked, her voice dripping with skepticism. She'd never heard such an insincere apology in her life.

"Um… sorry."

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Note: This is Erovia a friend of ANelite, I am here to notice you that from now on I will be taking over ANelite's work's and I will also change the name from ANelite to Erovia In all platforms.