On the third day of the campaign to subjugate the Imperial Hell Dragon, with only one day left before it breaks free—
On the main road in the Farbe region, a rapidly speeding carriage jolted over the gravel.
Frieren curled up in the corner of the carriage, burying her face deep into her knees.
Her elven ears peeked faintly through her silver hair, drooping with dejection.
Her slender fingers twisted the hem of her clothes, practically spelling out "unhappy" across her face.
"Can I get my holiday back after this is over?"
Her voice ca muffled from between her knees.
Agusheed's long fingers traced over the map, tapping a rhythmic beat against the parchnt.
"Ask Flam when she returns if she agrees—"
"And if Flam says no?"
"Then class resus."
…Canceling vacation…
Continuing… classes?
Agusheed's emotionless response made Frieren's centuries of suppressed mana surge out of her in a fit of frustration—
But the mont her mana stirred, Agusheed turned his gaze from the map.
"Frieren..."
His voice was steady as ever, but with a trace of exasperation at the end.
"Are you seriously trying to outmatch in magic?"
The mont he spoke, an overwhelming surge of mana erupted from Agusheed—
Though it vanished in an instant, Frieren's mana was imdiately crushed.
And being so close, she was blown away by the force.
Thud—
The dull thump of her hitting the wood wall rang sharply in the quiet.
Frieren sat dazed, a few stray strands of hair stuck to her forehead, and her sharpness completely knocked out of her.
Her eyes grew clear again—her "little genius" intellect back in control.
She quietly curled back into the corner, burying her burning face in her skirt, voice like a whisper:
"I really do hate you, Agusheed—"
"If Flam says no, shouldn't you hate her instead?"
Reopening the map, Agusheed's fingers slid across the red X marking the valley.
"Flam is different. Anyway… it's all your fault."
The elf peeked out from her skirt and muttered sullenly.
"How unreasonable."
"If you think it's unreasonable, then you shouldn't have dragged along…"
Still sulking, Frieren suddenly thought of sothing—
"Co to think of it, you didn't have to get involved in this."
"If you hadn't called the court mages back then, you could have completely stayed out of this."
"It's not like the Imperial Hell Dragon breaking loose had anything to do with you, right?"
She stared curiously, questioning why Agusheed ddled.
Agusheed paused.
Morning light carved shadows across his sharply chiseled face.
After a mont, he answered:
"If I didn't go, a lot of people in that town would die."
A plain answer—but one that left Frieren more confused.
"You're saying you ca to save people? As a demon… you care how many humans might die?"
Agusheed rolled up the map and replied with total clarity.
"It has nothing to do with what you said."
"Whether they live or die ans nothing to . Why they die, or how many die—I don't care."
Frieren stared at him in confusion.
"Then why save them?"
"Because if I don't, Flam will be sad."
Flam… sad?
"So you an… if you didn't go, Flam would get mad at you?"
Agusheed shook his head.
"No, she wouldn't say anything. She wouldn't impose human morals on a demon like ."
"But if people died because she left, she'd bla herself."
"Even if she ca back and killed the Imperial Hell Dragon—"
"Seeing the town in ruins, the corpses of people… she would feel responsible."
He recalled a burned village in the Rufen region, where they had arrived too late—
Flam had held a dead child in her arms, eyes filled with sorrow as she gazed at the scorched earth.
"I don't like seeing Flam sad. So I ca."
"That's all there is to it."
Only when they reached the valley hidden deep within the forest did Frieren co out of her daze.
"You're…"
She kicked a rock, startling a few owls.
"You've completely turned into a Flam-shaped person…"
The little elf muttered from behind.
"By the way, Agusheed, isn't the Imperial Hell Dragon the strongest among the northern plateau dragons?"
"Now that the mythic dragons are extinct—yes."
"It's really strong, right? I rember Flam saying it's as dangerous as a high-class demon."
"Yes."
"So how are you planning to deal with it?"
"If I'm serious, Severance Magic can slice its head off instantly."
Frieren froze.
"What do you an 'if you're serious'?"
Agusheed glanced back at her.
"Like I said, the vacation is now extracurricular training—"
"So you're the main attacker. I'll assist."
(^_^)?
Frieren blinked, then pointed at herself.
"I'm fighting the Imperial Hell Dragon?"
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