Chương 60: Chapter 59
Chapter 59: Farewell and... Thousand Years Later, See You Again, Serie
______
As the celebration was coming to an end, the group quietly looked up at the sky, now filled with shooting stars.
In that peaceful silence, Ash's whispered wish reached Frieren and Heiter, who were seated beside him. The two exchanged a glance, feeling an inexplicable warmth, and gently placed their hands on his shoulders.
"Instead of worrying, let's just watch the shooting stars," Heiter murmured, his voice warm and softened by alcohol. Frieren, sounding unusually gentle, added, "Yes, don't dwell on strange thoughts. After all, you still have me as your big sister, don't you?"
"You two are just... weirdos," he muttered, visibly annoyed by their pity. "Oh, forget it. I'm too lazy to talk to you," he sighed, feeling that arguing with them was a waste of time with such eccentric friends.
He turned around as if to say something, hesitated, and finally let out a resigned sigh.
"What is it? If you're troubled, you can tell me. I am a priest, after all," Heiter offered, taking another sip of his drink.
"...If I were looking for someone to confide in, it'd be a real priest—not an uncle like you."
"How rude," Heiter replied, his smile freezing for a moment. Frieren followed up coolly, "But it's true, uncle."
"So, you're both being rude? Speaking of which, I can't help but feel envious of Ash's magic. He hasn't aged at all in all this time—it's like a cheat."
By now, the members of the Brave Team understood why Ash hadn't aged, and Heiter, while feeling envious, couldn't help but chuckle about it. Frieren, on the other hand, shrugged. "It's only been ten years. Humans age much too quickly."
"Only ten years…?" Himmel repeated, sadness briefly crossing his face. But he shook it off, looked up at the sky, and smiled.
"A meteor shower that appears only once every fifty years—it's the perfect way to begin a peaceful era."
"To be honest, it's hard to really see it in the city," Frieren remarked bluntly. Ash shrugged and said, "Make do. Don't be so particular. When I'm with all of you, if it were too beautiful, I'd just feel more melancholic."
"You two really don't care about the atmosphere at all," Himmel sighed, looking exasperated. "What kind of twisted understanding is this?"
"...Not that I want it; it just makes me look strange."
"I've been meaning to say—you have no right to call us weird, you know," he replied, prompting Frieren to narrow her eyes in mild irritation.
Everyone else felt an urge to say: You two are both strange! But this was the end of their journey, so it might be best to avoid any cutting remarks.
Ash, sensing the mood, reached out and placed his hand on Frieren's head, pressing gently so she lowered her voice:
"This is probably our last gathering. I'm just a passer-by, so it's fine for me. But you're a proper member, so do try to be mindful of the atmosphere... Although, this meteor shower as a parting ceremony is a bit disappointing."
"Disappointing?" Frieren paused and then, hesitantly, said:
"I know a place where the night sky is breathtaking. If… if there's still a chance, fifty years from now, I'll take you there. How about that?"
"Fifty years from now…"
"What's wrong?"
"...Is there a chance?" Ash looked around, a trace of loneliness in his eyes.
Aside from the dwarves and the elves, no one could say for certain if the remaining two would even live to see fifty years pass.
But Frieren lowered her head sadly. Her worries differed from Ash's—she truly doubted he would live to see that time.
The atmosphere that followed gradually became more somber without anyone noticing—not to mention Frieren's overly lengthy agreement—but now, they were truly about to part ways.
The adventure was over, and everyone needed to go their separate ways.
Because they no longer had a reason to stay together, and each of them had their own lives to live.
This world is extremely stingy toward heroes. Even if they save the world, countries won't grant them noble status or anything of the sort. Don't even dream of a huge bounty. The best they can expect is a statue as a sign of respect, and the thought of marrying a princess is a mere fantasy.
When Himmel returned, he was already worrying about what kind of job he might find in the capital, while Heiter's goal was simple—he wanted a job that allowed him to drink freely. Only Eisen said nothing.
Amid this slightly sad atmosphere of each going their separate ways, the celebratory banquet gradually came to an end.
...
The next day, in the forest outside the royal capital, near the stone arch bridge.
The forest in the early morning was lightly veiled by a layer of mist. Sunlight filtered through the treetops, casting soft, dappled light over the group gathered there.
As the moment of separation finally arrived, Frieren looked at Ash, the only one who hadn't mentioned his destination.
"I plan to continue collecting magic as before and travel around the Central Kingdoms for the next hundred years... what about you?" Frieren asked.
"Me? As for me, why don't I go and have a look at the southern countries?"
"Really? Then... I'll leave first?" Frieren nodded slightly and stepped onto the arch bridge.
But she took only a couple of steps before turning back and saying, "I'll come back occasionally... Himmel, Heiter, Eisen, will you all be around later?"
No one said anything; they just smiled, nodded, and waved to see her off.
But before crossing the stone bridge completely, she turned back again to look at Ash, saying, "Fifty years from now... will you still be here?"
"Life is always full of surprises... who can be certain of the future that hasn't yet arrived?" He smiled helplessly, walking in the opposite direction ahead of Frieren, waving without looking back:
"Anyway, I'll go first. If fate allows, we'll meet again."
A faint sense of reluctance and anticipation filled the air, while the winding path before him was lined with flowers and green grass on both sides, as if nature had created its own tapestry.
The breeze blew gently, carrying a barely noticeable hint of coolness. This was perfect weather to set out on a journey again.
Frieren stood there, watching him for a while, then nodded to her remaining teammates, turned, and left... this time, without looking back.
"Really... I still can't understand those two, even now," Himmel said with a slight smile, waving his hand, his voice filled with a trace of regret.
Heiter smiled helplessly, slowly steadying his trembling hands:
"Yeah, I don't know how long Frieren has lived, or where Ash is from, but if he doesn't drink too much... maybe we'll see each other again in fifty years. Frieren and Ash even said they'd come back occasionally."
"...Ash, maybe. But don't expect too much from Frieren. Elves' 'occasionally' and even dwarves' sense of time... don't exactly align with ours."
Eisen's rough voice held an indiscernible tone at the end, hinting at his mood but never fully revealing it.
As the two figures disappeared into the distance, a faint sadness seemed to settle in the air, surrounding the remaining three.
Perhaps, they might never meet again. Such thoughts couldn't help but arise in each of their minds.
But in this era, it was a reality that was all too common. Though it brought a sense of regret... there was nothing to be done about it.
...
...
After saying his goodbyes, Ash soared into the clouds with the cool morning breeze. The direction he chose was entirely opposite to what he'd told everyone; he flew resolutely north.
He threw himself into the future he envisioned, studying magic with the corrupt sage of the manipulated kingdom and gathering demons in preparation for what lay ahead.
The years of seclusion and practice went by as quickly as the snap of a finger.
About twenty years passed like a blink, when he suddenly took note of an unusual organization emerging in the world—the Continental Magic Association.
The headquarters was in the Holy City, and a branch had been set up in the second-largest city in the kingdom—the magic city of Auberst.
Recently, as the organization sought more land to expand, the local lord under his influence was left undecided and had brought him the application form, which now sat on his desk.
"...I heard it was founded by an elf? Or could it be Serie? No... it must be an imposter."
Looking at the application form, he couldn't help but wonder, recalling rumors that the founder was Serie. He pondered if it was his friend Millie from the elven village, or perhaps some other elf using Serie's name.
He remembered that Millie, though skilled in plant magic primarily for brewing wine, had possessed formidable abilities even thousands of years ago. Yet, Millie had always shown a lack of interest in humans or the outside world, so it seemed unlikely.
And as for Serie—that was even more improbable.
According to Frieren, Flamme had once requested Serie step forward to teach humans. But Serie, back then, had instantly torn up the request in disdain, scattering her disciple's wish into pieces a thousand years ago. Why would she suddenly emerge now?
It couldn't be Frieren either. She and Serie were not on friendly terms, so it was unlikely she would use Serie's name. And, knowing Frieren's nature, she wasn't the type to establish a school in her name.
With curiosity brewing—and a slight eagerness to confront any impersonators—he decided to make a visit to the Magic City himself. He wanted to see firsthand who exactly was behind the founding of the Continental Magic Association. However...
Bearing the title of a nominal earl, he strode into the Magic Association's reception hall as if he owned the place and kicked the door open without hesitation.
Bang! The heavy double doors, already crooked, burst open further.
"Let's see who's behind all this—eh? Is it actually... the real Serie?" Before he could finish his words, his expression froze in an instant.
Tình trạng nguồn điện hàng tuần
-- Xếp hạng
Quyền lực 
-- Đá
Quyền lực