Shane found himself surrounded by a group of ladies.
The enthusiastic innkeeper and her friends were extrely reluctant to see him go, stuffing bread and fruit into his arms one after another until he could barely keep up.
He turned his head and looked toward Frieren, who seed isolated from all this warmth.
The elf girl stood in front of the statue of Himl's party, tilting her head up as she stared at it in silence, lost in thought.
The party that once defeated the Demon King—now the hero had passed away, the priest had grown old, the dwarf had withdrawn into seclusion. Only Frieren remained, wandering the world alone, traveling in solitude.
Shane sighed. He forcibly stuffed the bread in his arms into Frieren's hands, then pulled her along to say their goodbyes.
She seed unaccustod to such a scene, her expression a little stiff.
But when a child happily offered her a piece of candy, a gentle smile still appeared on her face.
Carrying a pile of food, Shane and Frieren waved farewell to the townspeople who had co to see them off, setting out on their journey toward the nearest trade city—Gostan City.
"Frieren, you should say your goodbyes properly when you leave," Shane said as he walked, constantly waving behind him.
Frieren's expression remained indifferent.
"If you do that, won't it be awkward when you et again next ti?"
Shane paused at her words.
That sounded like sothing Himl once said.
Although Frieren had changed a lot under Himl's influence, deep down she was still a "cold" elf.
Rather than change, it was more like she was a child who had lost her family, awkwardly imitating the adults she rembered.
This slow, unperceptive elf had lost her people at a young age, and over the long years, she had lost her teacher and her companions as well.
Her long lifespan hadn't brought her comfort—only prolonged loneliness.
A trace of sympathy surfaced in Shane's heart.
That guy Himl… really cunning. He had buried his feelings along with himself.
For soone like Frieren, who continued living on, once ti had passed and she finally realized those feelings from the past, how could she resolve the indescribable guilt of rembering how indifferent she had once been?
Shane didn't agree with that way of doing things.
"Who says people will definitely et again after parting? For humans, ti is cruel—that's why you should say your goodbyes properly."
"Even if you never et again, your feelings at that mont will have already been conveyed. And the one who receives them will, soday in the future, be glad… that they responded properly back then."
After saying that, Shane raised his hand as if to pat Frieren's head, but stopped halfway and lowered it again.
He didn't want to lecture her about life.
He just hoped that this lonely elf would have fewer regrets in the long life ahead.
Frieren silently pondered his words without giving any clear response. After walking quite a distance, she suddenly stopped and glanced back at the town.
But in the end, she said nothing, turned around, and continued forward.
...
Along the way, Shane happily humd a tune.
Unfortunately, it sounded so terrible that it kept earning him dirty looks from Frieren.
He didn't mind.
Being able to convince Frieren to travel with him made him genuinely happy.
(Flashback to last night)
"I do need a vanguard."
Frieren took a bite of pudding and spoke slowly. "You're strong, but your body is too frail. I'm afraid you wouldn't be suitable for the role of a vanguard."
"True, I'm not a pure warrior. But I can give you these two bottles of fine wine, and also cover our travel expenses."
Frieren fell into thought.
"My journey is very long, and my route is rather arbitrary."
"That works for —I want to see other places too. How about adding a dessert to every al?"
Frieren gave up thinking.
Party ford.
It had to be said—Shane had a way with words.
...
As they walked, they chatted.
Shane asked many questions about adventurers, and Frieren patiently explained each one.
When he asked how to improve ntal strength, Frieren frowned.
"As a warrior, shouldn't you be concerned with increasing your strength? Why are you interested in ntal strength?"
"Because I have a dream."
Shane casually pulled out an apple, wiped it on his sleeve, and took a big bite. "I want to beco a magic swordsman soday."
"I see."
Frieren thought for a mont, then explained:
"For mages, the amount of mana determines the upper limit of their magic. ntal strength represents how precisely they can operate within that limit. Only those born with strong ntal strength can display true magical talent."
With a soft motion, Frieren summoned her staff and lightly waved it at a pile of stones by the roadside.
Instantly, the stones fused together, forming a wobbly humanoid puppet that began dancing under her control.
"This is the magic that manipulates stones like puppets. It's an interesting trick. It doesn't look very offensive, but—"
As she spoke, Frieren slightly raised her staff. With a crisp sound, the stone puppet visibly compressed, becoming denser and more solid than before.
Then, the controlled stone puppet suddenly sprang forward and kicked Shane.
"Ow—!"
Everything he was holding scattered across the ground. He clutched his leg, hopping around in pain.
Frieren calmly added, "Like this. A mage with higher ntal strength can control magic more precisely, increasing the power of otherwise ordinary spells."
Shane nodded quickly. Got it, got it.
Seriously, this was supposed to be a lesson—no need to turn it into a hands-on demonstration.
"Then how do you increase ntal strength?" Shane pressed on.
"It's like mana training; you increase it through ditation and sitting, requiring the accumulation of ti. However, compared to increasing mana, the growth of ntal energy is extrely slow. Also, there is one difference: if training is improper, ntal energy can increase 'inversely'."
"Inversely?"
"Yes. Whether it grows in a positive or negative direction, both can maintain high-level magical control. But a mage whose ntal strength grows in reverse will eventually lose their sanity and fall into madness."
Fall into madness…
Shane was reminded once again of those crimson eyes.
By Frieren's explanation, ntal strength was sowhat like a morality system in a ga—it could grow positively or negatively. He'd better be careful when training. One mistake, and he might end up becoming a lunatic.
"Warriors who wish to learn magic like you are rare, but not unheard of. Eisen once ntioned that he had a friend who was a magic warrior," Frieren said after thinking for a mont. "Perhaps I can introduce you to Eisen. He knows more about this than I do."
The dwarf Eisen…
Shane knew he was called the "strongest warrior," with explosive stats, incredible durability, and absurd resistance. He could dive straight off a mountain and walk it off. Frieren had once invited him to serve as the vanguard during her travels, but he declined, saying he was too old.
If there was a chance in the future, Shane would like to learn so combat techniques from him.
Just as he was thinking about it, a voice called out from the road ahead:
"Hey—! Want a ride?"
Shane looked toward the source of the voice, and his eyes lit up.
It was a rchant caravan!
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