Journey to Godhood Begins in Frieren

In front of the three little stone huts, as always, a petite white‑clad figure sat cross‑legged on the ground, eyes closed in quiet meditation.

"Frieren — did you miss me?"

The moment he saw Frieren, Shichen couldn't stop himself from smiling.

He walked up behind her and lifted her into his arms.

Frieren cracked her eyes open, glanced at him once, and then—acting as though nothing had happened—closed them again.

"Are you angry?" Shichen's smile never faded.

He sat down where Frieren had just been meditating and set her on his lap.

"No." Frieren answered softly, still with her eyes shut.

"Then why didn't you reply?"

"Didn't I just reply?"

"My, my—since when did my Frieren-chan get so good with words?"

Shichen reached out and rubbed her head.

"…my?"

"You're my kouhai, so of course you're mine."

"And Master?"

"She went out a few days ago."

"Master really never rests, huh." Shichen shook his head with a sigh.

Flamme hadn't left for anything particularly important—though if she ran into something she'd handle it.

That "something" meant wiping out demons.

When Flamme traveled, it was either to see if she'd bump into any demons or simply to wander the world.

Life is short; there are always beautiful sights worth seeing.

Unlike Frieren, Flamme was an ordinary human with no long lifespan, so whenever she wanted to do something she acted right away.

Of course, Shichen had no intention of just letting her grow old and die like an ordinary person.

"So, what brings you here?" Frieren opened her eyes and looked back at him.

"Take a guess ~" Shichen asked, grinning.

"…Not guessing."

"Alright then… I missed you." Shichen hugged Frieren tightly.

She was so small—just like a doll.

If this were today and someone saw them, Shichen would probably be reported to the police: ignore Frieren's pointed ears and that sundress made her look exactly like a child; Shichen's hugging would surely seem perverted.

"Is that so." Frieren's expression stayed calm and unmoved.

"Can't you at least act touched?" Shichen sighed helplessly.

"It hasn't been that long. What's there to miss?"

"It's been months, hasn't it?"

"I'm not sure."

"Really?" Shichen looked at her, amused.

"Hmph… only three months." Frieren turned her head away.

"Oho—remembering so clearly but still claiming you don't miss me?"

Shichen pinched her cheeks teasingly.

"You're flattering yourself. Why should I miss you?" Frieren shot back.

"I'm your senpai. I treated you so well, cooked for you every day. Shouldn't you miss me a little?"

"…Don't make me remember rabbit meat." Frieren curled her lip in distaste.

"Couldn't find any other ingredients."

"That doesn't mean we had to eat roast rabbit and rabbit stew every single day."

"And yet you still ate it."

"I just didn't want to waste food."

"More like you couldn't part with food I made."

"Narcissist…"

"Who taught you to say one thing but mean another?"

Shichen tugged her cheeks sideways.

"Mmph!"

"Come on—confess and you'll be treated lightly; resist and it'll be worse."

"Let go of me," Frieren said flatly, the threat level zero.

"I'll let go if you break free yourself."

"Bullying me… How can I break free?"

Frieren puffed her cheeks, trying to flick Shichen's hands away.

"With your hands, of course." Shichen kept stretching her cheeks.

"You said so—don't hit me later."

"Why would I hit you… ah, thinking of a spanking, are you?"

Shichen suddenly got it.

"I am not!"

"Really? Then why did that cross your mind?"

"Because you like spanking people… I'm afraid you'll try something on me."

Frieren eyed him warily.

"Hmm?"

Shichen's mouth twitched. He pulled her cheeks a little harder.

"Sounds like someone's butt is itching."

"I knew it… I'd better stop resisting," Frieren muttered, cheeks puffed.

"Doesn't matter; I'll spank you anyway."

"Why?!"

"Didn't you say I love spanking? I have to oblige."

Shichen laughed.

"No way—go spank Serie instead."

"She's too far."

"Don't you have spatial magic? Can't you just pop over?"

"You know too much." Shichen tugged her cheeks again.

"Mmph… why do you keep bullying me?"

"Because you're easy to bully."

"Meanie…"

"Relax. If I bully you, I'll make it up to you."

Shichen released her springy cheeks and gently rubbed them.

"Make up how? What kind of compensation?" Frieren asked curiously.

"I came this time intending to teach you a spell."

"Teach me magic? Really?" Frieren looked at him in disbelief.

"What? Don't believe me?"

"You mean you created a spell?"

"Is that so strange?" Shichen shrugged.

"…Not really."

"Are you jealous?"

Shichen chuckled and petted her soft white hair indulgently.

"What's there to be jealous of?" Frieren looked away.

"Heh ~ no need to be jealous. I believe you'll create amazing magic too."

"You believe in me that much?"

Frieren couldn't help glancing at him again.

"No one believes in you more than I do."

Shichen gazed warmly into her emerald eyes—clear as jade, extraordinarily beautiful.

"Is that so…" Frieren turned away without expression, leaving Shichen the back of her head.

Embarrassed, huh?

Shichen was certain.

He couldn't help hugging her tighter—so little he never tired of holding her.

Resting his chin on her shoulder, he could feel her cool, delicate, translucent skin. He almost kissed her but managed to restrain himself.

"Do you want to learn the spell now?" Shichen asked.

"Yes."

"Then I'll teach you now."

"Okay… What kind of spell?" Frieren asked.

"Take a guess ~"

"Spatial teleportation?"

"So smart! Amazing." Shichen praised.

"Stop treating me like a child!"

"But you really are tiny—I can only hold you like one."

"I don't see what's so great about hugging me," Frieren grumbled.

"Maybe you don't know, but I do. And listen—nobody else is allowed to hug you but me, got it?"

Shichen reminded her, uneasy.

"…Besides you, no one would hug me anyway."

"You never know."

"Hmph—by then I'll have grown up, maybe even taller than you."

"That's impossible." Shichen laughed.

"How do you know?" Frieren frowned.

"Mm… think about Serie."

…Frieren fell silent; there was no stronger proof.

"Haha ~ don't mind it. I like you just the way you are."

"Doesn't make me happy," Frieren pouted.

"Enough of that. Let's start the lesson. With this spell you'll be able to go anywhere you like."

"I don't really have anywhere I want to go…"

"Do you actually want to learn or not?"

"Yes."

"Then let's begin."

"All right."

Teaching the spell was simple, but truly mastering it was a bit hard.

Maybe spatial concepts were tough for Frieren; her talent seemed a notch below Kasumigaoka Utaha and the others.

That first day she couldn't grasp it at all.

On the second day, she finally got the basics.

By the fifth day she had fully mastered spatial teleportation.

The moment she did, she started flashing about excitedly, just like Utaha.

Clearly she loved magic.

"Okay, okay—are you really that happy?" Shichen stopped her zipping around.

"…It's not that I like it so much; I'm just practicing," Frieren denied expressionlessly.

"I almost believed that…" Shichen shook his head in amusement.

"Since you've learned it, time to pay tuition."

"Huh? What tuition?" Frieren froze.

"I worked so hard teaching you—shouldn't you compensate me a little?"

"…What do you want?"

Frieren instantly covered her little butt.

"I'm not interested in your butt."

"Really?" Frieren eyed him suspiciously.

"Really."

"Whew—then it's fine. Ask for anything."

"You're too trusting… good thing it's me."

"…What's that supposed to mean?"

"Never mind. Since you said anything, I'd like a bit of your blood."

"My blood? Why?"

"So I can take you with me later."

"You can do that?" Frieren was astonished.

"I can." Shichen nodded.

"Then go ahead."

"Let me hold you a little longer first."

"Why?" Frieren tilted her head in confusion.

"A necessary condition."

"Oh ~"

Frieren stepped willingly into Shichen's embrace.

~~~

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