Frieren: Reincarnated As a Demon

Chapter 164: Rebellious Linie

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While Ash was chatting with the two older men, Kanne and Lawine noticed the heavy and serious atmosphere surrounding their discussion. Finding it too depressing, they decided to pack up their leftover food and leave the scene quietly.

Back at the table, Lernen remained immersed in his gloomy thoughts about Serie's ruthlessness, while Denken seemed slightly relieved as he watched Ash walk away.

After all, their mission involved the Golden Land and Macht—a formidable foe. Even with a top magician like Lernen and Denken himself, it would be nearly impossible to guarantee their survival on the journey to his wife's grave.

Denken's only hope now lay in the magic Serie had granted him, which might be able to stop the golden transformation. And, of course, there was Ash—perhaps he could stand against Macht if it came to that.

Although Ash had said he'd only take a look "if they passed by," Denken suspected they'd have to wait and see the actual circumstances before Ash decided whether to accept the commission.

After leaving the tavern, Ash would normally have headed straight home. But…

As he stepped out onto the quiet street, a group of people emerged from the alley at the other end.

There were eight royal knights, each wearing uniform magical gear and armed to the teeth. Their enchanted masks added an air of intimidation, and their presence radiated the sharpness and composure of seasoned warriors who had survived the test of life and death.

Without a word, they fell into a practiced formation, forming an impenetrable protective circle around a small hooded figure at the center.

At first glance, the figure looked like a child from a fairy tale—innocent and mysterious, with an oversized hood that added an air of childishness. Yet, the closer Ash looked, the more striking the figure became.

She had beautiful purple eyes, a delicate, youthful face, and a slender, soft frame. Her Gothic Lolita dress, blending pure white and earthy brown, enhanced her air of innocence while adding a layer of mystique. It was hard not to feel a mix of admiration and pity for her.

"Linie… why are you here?" Ash muttered, already feeling a stomachache forming as he recognized the girl in the ornate outfit.

Linie's still-childish face twisted into an expression of obvious dissatisfaction. "Because Master Ash and Master Aura's birthdays are coming up soon, aren't they?"

"...You still remember that?"

"Of course. But you haven't shown up, and Aura-sama is starting to become more troublesome because of it. So I came here myself."

"...This is the part where you lie and say you missed me," Ash muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Really? Then… I miss Master Ash," Linie replied flatly, nodding as if she'd just learned a new lesson.

Before Ash could respond, Linie reached into the knight's basket, grabbed an apple, wiped it on the lining of his shirt, and took a big bite.

The casual familiarity of her actions left Ash dumbfounded. He grabbed the small horn on her head, suppressing a sigh as he asked:

"Why, of all things, would you wipe the apple on my shirt before eating it?"

"I already wiped it," Linie replied matter-of-factly, looking up at him with a blank expression. Tilting her head thoughtfully, she added, "It shouldn't be dirty now, right?"

"My question isn't whether it's dirty or not," Ash said, exasperated. "Why are you using me as your napkin in the first place?"

"Sorry," Linie said, biting the apple again, her tone completely devoid of remorse.

"...I haven't even scolded you yet," Ash muttered, his patience wearing thin.

"Anyway, it's always better to apologize first. That's what Solitar told me," Linie explained as she continued to munch on the apple.

Ash's face darkened. "I've told you countless times not to hang around Solitar, haven't I? And now you're corrupted by her again. Sigh… I tried so hard to make you a good child…"

"Even though you say that, isn't master Ash always so casual? You tell me to behave myself, but you act like a fool, and sometimes you're even more troublesome than Aura-sama."

Although Aura and Ash could both be considered Linie's guardians, Linie's respect for them was often nothing more than verbal politeness—an obligation rather than genuine regard.

Now, she was merciless. When Ash tried to push the long-standing issue of her behavior onto Solitar, she immediately exposed his intentions and even pinpointed the real problem with precision.

Are all kids these days this sharp? Faced with her cutting words, Ash was left speechless. His thoughts briefly wandered to Fern, his adopted daughter, who bore a striking resemblance.

Though he wanted to give Linie a thorough lecture, the environment wasn't suitable for such a confrontation. Reluctantly, he led his group to the local lord's mansion instead.

It's worth mentioning that Linie wore a hood to conceal the small horns on her head. However, Ash had long ago found an ancient cognitive impairment spell in Serie's library. This spell caused people to subconsciously ignore the horns, even if Linie wasn't wearing the hood.

The hood itself was just an extra precaution. If a powerful magician were nearby, they might detect the spell and uncover her secret. Worse, if someone used counter-magic to dispel the spell, her horns would be visible, potentially putting her in danger.

For this reason, Linie was accompanied by the Royal Guards. In the kingdom, no magician would dare provoke someone under their protection.

That said, the Royal Guards hadn't served the royal family in their traditional role for nearly a century. Instead, they were tasked with secretive and morally ambiguous duties. One of their primary responsibilities now was ensuring the safety of Linie and Aura, as well as guarding the royal city.

Over the years, the Royal Guards had become a much stronger force. However, they were no longer ordinary knights. Instead, they were undead soldiers handpicked by Aura from the battlefield. These knights, though technically alive, had willingly bound themselves to a shared ideal and were further controlled through magical obedience spells to prevent rebellion.

When Ash arrived at the lord's mansion, the original guards had already been replaced by the Royal Guards, who now controlled the area.

Ash didn't bother meeting with the lord. Instead, he headed straight to the guest room with Linie, determined to have a serious talk with her.

As he sat at the desk, resting his chin on one hand and trying to gather his thoughts, he noticed Linie.

The "child" he had raised from infancy—who still looked like a young girl despite being nearly 100 years old—was casually wiping her hands on his clothes.

Ash sighed, deciding not to comment on her strange behavior for now. Instead, he turned his attention to scolding her.

"It's bad enough that you showed up here unannounced, but why are you being so reckless? What if someone finds out your identity?"

"It's fine, Master Ash," Linie replied calmly, as though his concerns were trivial. "I've always been careful. Besides, I didn't come here for no reason—I actually have serious matters to attend to this time."

"...Serious matters?" Ash raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't it said that a war is about to start?" Linie replied without hesitation. "I brought some of Lady Aura's monsters with me. My primary responsibility will be to coordinate them during the battle."

Ash stared at her for a moment, his mind processing her words. Though he sighed in frustration, he decided to hear her out.