This was a world where heroes and demon kings once existed.
However, both the hero and the demon king had long since passed away. To the people of this era, heroes and demon kings were figures that belonged to the pages of storybooks.
The hero, Himmel, had defeated the demon king. Though some remnants of monsters still roamed the land, peace had undoubtedly been restored.
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28 years after Himmel's death, somewhere in a forest in the northern kingdoms…
This forest was a place seldom visited. Even merchants traveling by horse-drawn carriage rarely ventured through it. Yet, on this particular day, the forest welcomed a trio of visitors.
The group consisted of one man and two women. Leading them was a female elf with long silver hair tied into twin tails that fell down to her chest. The second was a purple-haired woman with a graceful figure but an expression devoid of emotion. The man, with hair streaked red and black, carried a double-edged battle axe slung across his back—clearly a warrior.
"Lady Frieren, where exactly are we headed?"
The purple-haired woman asked the silver-haired elf walking at the front. Her voice was calm, without any noticeable fluctuation.
"This path is terrible," the red-haired warrior grumbled under his breath. "If I'm remembering correctly, the nearest village isn't even in this direction…"
The silver-haired elf—Frieren—didn't stop walking, nor did she even turn her head. Her reply was simple and steady.
"We're not heading to the village just yet. It's still about two days' journey away. There's somewhere else I'd like to visit first."
"Somewhere you want to go?"
The purple-haired woman, Fern, repeated Frieren's words with mild surprise. "That's unusual, Lady Frieren. For you to take such an interest in a place… is there some rare magical tome or artifact there?"
At this, Frieren tilted her head slightly, falling silent for a moment.
"Hmm… you could say that."
"That's not much of an answer," the warrior, Stark, muttered, scratching his head in exasperation.
If it was something involving rare magical tomes or artifacts, Stark's first thought was of ancient ruins—specifically, unexplored ruins of extreme difficulty, often guarded by powerful monsters.
"Can I back out now? I feel like running away…"
"What nonsense are you spouting all of a sudden, Stark?"
Fern shot Stark a cutting glare, as if to say, Has something finally snapped in your brain? The sharpness of her gaze was enough to make Stark feel a little like crying.
But before the conversation could continue, Frieren's calm voice drew their attention.
"We're here. This is the place."
Frieren had stopped a few steps ahead, her gaze fixed on something. Following her line of sight, both Stark and Fern looked forward… and saw nothing.
"Lady Frieren, there's nothing here," Fern said, voicing her confusion directly.
Frieren didn't respond immediately. Instead, she rubbed her chin thoughtfully, scrutinizing the tree before her.
Was there something unusual about this tree?
But to Fern and Stark, it looked completely ordinary—indistinguishable from any other tree in the forest. It had no unique shape, nor did it exude any magical energy.
"I see. So to you, Fern, it appears as though there's nothing here…"
Frieren suddenly chuckled, glancing back at Fern.
Her words made one thing clear: there was something here.
"Don't worry—it's not your fault. Even I wouldn't have been able to find this place without prior knowledge of its exact location."
Frieren extended her hand toward the two of them.
"Now, take my hand. If you don't, and you're rejected by the barrier, don't blame me."
Exchanging puzzled looks, Stark and Fern eventually reached out to grasp Frieren's hand, trusting her implicitly despite not understanding what she meant.
With Frieren leading the way, the trio advanced. Stark and Fern followed closely, holding her hands like children being led by their parent—a sight that was strangely humorous, considering that the "parent" appeared so youthful.
As they approached the tree, Frieren showed no signs of stopping, even as she seemed poised to walk straight into it.
Then, something miraculous occurred.
The moment Frieren touched the tree, the space before them rippled like the surface of a lake. Frieren passed through effortlessly, the shimmering ripples radiating outward in gentle waves.
Before Stark and Fern could even process her sudden disappearance, they were pulled forward by Frieren's lead, passing through the undulating "lake" themselves.
What greeted them on the other side was a small wooden cabin nestled within a dense forest.
The cabin's surroundings were impeccably clean and tranquil. Not a single monster could be seen, nor were there any signs of birds or squirrels—creatures typically abundant in such environments.
In one corner of the area, various types of flowers were cultivated, their vibrant colors a feast for the eyes. The scent in the air wasn't overpowering but carried a subtle sweetness that eased the heart.
Both Stark and Fern were struck speechless by the scene that unfolded before them.
"A barrier? But… why can't I detect any magical energy from it?"
Fern, a mage adept at sensing magic, was puzzled by the absence of the telltale energy fluctuations that usually accompanied barriers.
Stark, being a warrior, lacked the ability to sense magic and was instead awestruck by the sudden appearance of the cabin. The best he could manage was a muttered, "Magic really is something else, huh?"
"Stop standing there like statues and come along," Frieren called over her shoulder, walking away.
Snapping back to their senses, the two hurried to catch up.
"Wait for us, Lady Frieren!"
Walking along a path paved with smooth, polished stones, the group slowly approached the cabin's front door.
"Does someone live here? Is it someone you know, Lady Frieren?" Fern asked as Frieren stepped onto the small porch and prepared to knock on the door.
"Yes, I know them," Frieren replied, turning her head slightly to look at Fern. "Not just me. Himmel, Heiter, Eisen—we all knew them. Back then, we traveled together for a time."
Fern and Stark exchanged shocked glances.
"You traveled with this person…? But that was at least seventy years ago!"
Stark's expression grew complicated.
Seventy years was a long time. If this person was human, there was a good chance they were no longer alive.
After all, of the original four who had defeated the demon king, only Eisen, a dwarf, and Frieren, an elf, still lived. Both Himmel and Heiter had been ordinary humans, passing away long ago from natural causes.
While dwarves could live up to three hundred years, elves had lifespans that bordered on eternity, easily reaching several thousand years.
Stark wondered if the person Frieren was speaking of was still alive, but the question felt impolite, so he refrained from asking.
"Coming," a soft voice called from behind the door.
The tone was unmistakably feminine—gentle, melodious, and sweet. Every word seemed carefully woven, carrying an almost musical quality that stirred the soul.
Then, under the watchful gaze of the trio, the wooden door slowly opened.
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T/N: FRIEREN??? ALSO IT ENDED JUST LIKE THAT AHHHHH AUTHOR U SONUVABI
(ALSO important, im not proud of my translation for the frieren arc! i dont really know frieren that well so I will be checking in from time to time to see if you guys leave any corrections for me!!!!)
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feel free to check out my discord also -> [discord.gg/wisetl] filled with the ramblings of a girl whos madly down bad for kronii