"This place has changed a lot."
The mont they entered the town, Frieren recognized it at once.
"Have you and Shichen-sama been here before?" Fern turned to Shichen and asked.
"Yeah—long, long ago."
"It was when you guys were on the Demon King subjugation journey, right?" Stark asked.
"That's right, but back then this place was really barren." Shichen nodded.
"Well, it's been decades."
"True… Alright, let's find an inn—and then cough cough—see what good food this town has."
"Huh? Aren't we cooking ourselves?" Stark blurted out.
"Like I'd cook—what a pain. Fern works hard enough already. And we finally made it to a town, so of course we're trying the local food. That's what traveling is!"
"You could cook too, bro."
"In your dreams. Move!" Shichen slapped Stark's shoulder hard, telling him to go find a place.
"Gah—!" Stark winced. That slap actually hurt, so he hurried ahead to get away from him.
"Let's go."
Shichen took Frieren's hand on one side and Fern's on the other, strolling after Stark at an easy pace.
He also put up a barrier around the three of them so they wouldn't draw attention.
That way they could freely look around.
The changes were huge. There were guards in town now; the streets were spotless; people wore bright smiles.
Shops and stalls lined the roads—this was a fully developed town.
"Shichen-sama… it looks like you're searching for sothing," Fern noted on the way.
He kept scanning left and right, but not like he was sightseeing—more like he was looking for soone.
"It's nothing. I'm just admiring how amazing I am." Shichen couldn't resist praising himself.
"Shichen-sama is always amazing," Fern played along imdiately.
"Tch." Frieren clicked her tongue, clearly fed up—though not with Shichen, but with Fern.
This girl was getting way too good at sweet talk.
"What are you clicking your tongue for? Am I not amazing?" Shichen shot back.
"Sure, sure. You're amazing." Frieren waved it off.
"What kind of attitude is that? Don't you rember who's always crying and begging?"
"You—!"
"Begging for what?" Fern asked.
"Just gas." Shichen replied smoothly. "Frieren's just bad at them."
"Frieren-sama really is pretty bad." Fern nodded seriously.
"Fern. Even I can get angry," Frieren said in a low, ominous voice.
"Really? You don't look it. And even if you are angry, you won't do anything."
"You sure about that?"
"Yep—unless you want to go hungry later." Fern's tone was calm, fearless.
"So I'm being threatened now…" Frieren puffed out her cheeks, sulking. But she couldn't do anything about it.
Her authority had been completely crushed—Fern had her wrapped around her finger.
"Frieren-sama is basically a kid~" Fern chuckled.
"You dare say that? Fine—I'll tell you sothing, and you won't be smiling anymore."
"What?"
"Shichen is actually looking for soone. A woman."
"What? Is that true?" Fern's expression instantly turned cold as she stared at Shichen.
"Of course not!" Shichen denied imdiately.
"I don't think Frieren-sama would lie about that," Fern said flatly, unmoved.
"I'm telling you it's not true!"
Shichen's denial was loud and confident—then he grabbed Frieren and started kneading her soft, springy cheeks.
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
"I'm not spouting nonsense!"
"Then let ask you—where am I looking for won? Are there won here? Who would I even know?" Shichen demanded, completely righteous.
"You forgot? There's a woman you spared here. She should still be around."
"…I don't rember that." Shichen frowned, thinking.
"Then I'll help you rember. The one you made hold a blade to her own throat and play the violin."
"…You an Aura?" Shichen finally recalled.
"Who else would it be?"
"There's really a woman?!" Fern clung tightly to Shichen's arm.
"Wait, Fern, don't get the wrong idea. Aura is a demon—I have nothing to do with her."
"A demon woman? Shichen-sama, you're starving!" Fern deadpanned.
"Fern! Are you listening? I said there's nothing!"
"I don't believe it! If there was nothing, why would Frieren-sama bring it up? And you spared her? She's a demon—was she cute or sothing?"
"I spared her for a reason. It wasn't about whether she's cute."
"Aura is pretty cute, though," Frieren casually added.
"…Frieren, shut up!" Shichen snapped, slapping a hand over her mouth.
"Mmph—!"
"Shichen-sama, explain! Now!" Fern pressed.
"It's simple. I left Aura alive because I didn't want demons to go extinct," Shichen explained patiently.
"You didn't want demons to go extinct? Why? Demons are horrible," Fern said. Even without eting many demons herself, she knew how hated they were.
They were humanity's enemy—absolute enemies.
"Simple. If humanity loses the demons as an external enemy, what happens next?" Shichen asked.
"If humans have no enemy… then we can finally have true peace. A carefree life."
"And after that?"
"After that… rapid developnt, progress, a better society."
"And after that?"
"After that… what would happen?" Fern couldn't picture it.
"War. People fight each other, carve out kingdoms, seize land, endless conflict."
"How could—" Fern started to deny it, then stopped. She thought harder—and realized he might be right.
"See? Humans need an external enemy. This world needs demons."
"…I see."
"And if demons are gone, what do you think happens to mages?"
"Mages…" Fern frowned, thinking.
"Here's a hint: are there more ordinary people, or more mages?"
"Ordinary people… Ah!" Fern's eyes widened.
"Then mages will beco the new 'demons'! Ordinary people won't tolerate them!"
"Exactly. Smart girl." Shichen removed his hand from Frieren and ruffled Fern's hair in praise.
"…So Shichen-sama thought that far ahead." Fern looked a little ashad.
"It's fine. You're still young—thinking that far isn't easy. And honestly, I had selfish reasons too."
"Selfish?"
"Yeah. If demons disappear, mages will be in danger. My master would also be feared—soone who's lived that long is bound to terrify people."
"So that's it…"
"But there were so many demons. Why did you specifically spare Aura, the female demon?" Frieren cut in again.
"…!" Shichen glared at Frieren, furious.
"You like talking so much? Fine. Tonight I'll make you 'talk' all you want—I'll suck you dry!"
"Eek—so it is embarrassnt rage? Fern, look at him."
"…Shichen-sama, is it really like that?" With Frieren's reminder, Fern snapped back to her senses.
Right—if the reason was "keeping demons around," why Aura in particular?
"It was just a coincidence…"
"So Shichen-sama really does have sothing with her…"
"I don't—"
"Bro! What are you guys even doing? Why are you walking so slow?!" Stark's voice rang out from ahead.
Shichen was saved.
"Stark, you're right! Let's hurry up and find an inn!"
~~~
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