Chapter 70: Blame Me for Being Terrifyingly Strong
"Curiosity is fine and all," Elias said lightly.
"But Frieren, I'm here at this estate on Serie's commission—this is work."
"As for you…"
A sly grin crept onto Elias's face as he eagerly announced the good news:
"Once the ball is over, you'll head back to the village with Flamme~"
"Plant a few crops, do some odd jobs, clean the rooms—sounds like a pretty wholesome life, don't you think?"
Frieren: Σ(ŎдŎ|||)ﾉﾉ
"—Huh?!"
"So that's it, Elias—this whole time you were planning to dump me using this opportunity?!"
"No wonder you were pretending to nap along the way, sneaking smiles like a creep…"
"So this was what you were scheming!"
Ignoring the elf's outrage, Elias leaned back lazily, hands cradling the back of his head.
"Ahhh~~~"
"Even if I'm serving as a noble lady's bodyguard, compared to dealing with a noisy elf…"
"This job is way more relaxing~"
"Hard-earned leisure like this—I have to savor it properly."
Under the demon's deliberate provocation, Frieren forgot all about her hunger.
She puffed out her cheeks, clenched her fists, and huffed angrily.
"You scheming demon—mage—you think you can just shake me off like this?!"
"—Then what else do you suggest?"
Elias replied with a grin that begged to be punched.
"Do you have a better plan?"
"—Hmph! None of your business!"
"I, Frieren, am the embodiment of miracles! There's nothing in this world I can't do!"
With arms crossed, lips pursed, and head turned sharply aside, Frieren decisively cut off any further conversation.
Caught between the two, Flamme watched the bickering pair with amused eyes.
If those two were really separated…
Life might become unbearably dull.
At last, the carriage passed through the towering black-iron gates and rolled to a stop inside the estate grounds.
Frieren jumped down immediately, and the towering castle rose into view before her eyes.
In the next instant, Frieren stood utterly stunned, able only to sketch the scene in her mind and let out a silent sigh of wonder.
Towering white walls.
Windows gleaming like scattered stars.
Red-tiled roofs stretching so far into the distance that their outlines blurred.
And beyond them—two soaring spires, one tall and one shorter, framing the perfectly full moon between them.
Guests dressed in elegant, colorful formalwear ascended the marble steps in an unbroken stream, moving steadily toward the entrance.
Even from below, the golden doors shimmered with a radiant afterimage, as if light itself bowed before them.
What a grand spectacle…
It wasn't until Flamme gently took her hand that Frieren snapped back to her senses.
"It's hard to imagine," Flamme said softly, "that starting tonight, Elias will be serving here as a guard."
Seeing Frieren's dazed expression, Elias couldn't help the laughter creeping into his voice.
"Frieren, it's just an estate. How long are you planning to gape?"
"Tch."
Frieren shot back without mercy.
"Says the lazy man who used to live in a storehouse—and needed villagers to help expand his house. What right do you have to mock me?"
"Have you ever lived somewhere like this?"
"Heh."
Elias flicked his hair back dramatically, smugness written all over his face.
"Frieren, do you really think I spent the past three thousand years sleeping rough?"
"Sorry to disappoint—but I have."
"To be precise, I've owned so many estates like this that I've lost count."
"Let's see… a seaside manor along the eastern golden sands, a giant-tree villa deep in the southwestern rainforest, a hot-spring lodge on the northern plateau—oh, and even a private sunlit island in the central sea."
"And of course…"
"There are plenty I don't even remember anymore."
Frieren: «(≖_≖'')»
Whether it was true or not no longer mattered.
For the sake of maintaining her dignity, she calmly categorized everything Elias had just said under 'Demonic Lies'—and chose to ignore it completely.
Just then, a thin, elderly man at the reception finished greeting the previous guest.
The next moment, his gaze swept casually downward—and landed on the three figures at the foot of the stairs.
"…Hmm?"
"That hair color…"
Before they could take a single step upward, the old man moved with surprising speed, hurrying down the stairs with a trace of panic.
Elias gave him a quick glance out of habit. Tailcoat, bow tie—clearly a butler.
But the magical aura on him…
"I am Pierre, butler of Silverlake Manor. Please forgive our lack of welcome!"
Pierre's eyes flicked swiftly over Elias and Frieren before settling precisely on Flamme's deep teal gown.
"I never imagined that the great mage Flamme herself would attend our Full Moon Ball!"
"We have extended invitations many times before, all declined—so today is…?"
Flamme smiled calmly.
"Please don't mind it, Butler Pierre. I'm only here to dance once."
"Then… Lady Serie—?"
"Ah, you know how she is."
Flamme's gaze shifted as she leaned closer, lowering her voice.
"My teacher has never cared for crowds—nor for her disciples drawing too much attention."
"So this time…"
"I came secretly."
"Please keep this from General Theodore."
"O-oh! Of course, of course!"
Pierre nodded rapidly, then looked toward the other two.
"And these two…?"
Flamme introduced them smoothly.
"This elf is my beloved disciple."
"And as for this one—Butler Pierre, you should know him better than I do."
"I… do?"
Pierre stared at Elias's face, then suddenly sucked in a sharp breath.
"You're the one who crippled Erwin—!"
He clamped his mouth shut at once, forcing a stiff smile under Elias's indifferent gaze.
"So it's Elias—ah, no. As of today, you are Lady Leiya's personal guard."
"I look forward to working with you."
When he said "working with you," Pierre conspicuously did not extend his hand.
He feared that in the next second, his arm might end up like Erwin's—
Severed without a trace.
"P-please… follow me."
As Flamme ascended the stairs behind Pierre, a telepathic voice echoed in her mind.
"Flamme, why does this butler seem to welcome you—yet show faint resistance toward Serie?"
"Perhaps because, in the military's eyes, I belong to the human camp."
"Interesting. So to them, Serie isn't human?"
"Anyone who's lived for over a thousand years is rarely treated as 'normal.' You should understand that better than anyone."
"So they're trying to win you over?"
"More like wariness. Not just toward me—you'll feel it soon enough."
"Heh. I already do. That butler looked friendly, but just now he showed defensive killing intent toward me."
"Then restrain yourself, Elias. There are many in this manor who feel the same way about you."
"Sigh. Can't help it—being terrifyingly strong is a burden."
Flamme immediately cut the telepathic link—
And quietly rolled her eyes.