Frieren: Reincarnated As a Demon

Chapter 151: It's all Serie's fault?

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After everyone had left, only Lawine remained, standing and watching as Ash used gravity magic to pin the Sense's clone to the ground.

Although she was impressed by the effectiveness of gravity magic against this melee-focused magician, she couldn't help but feel somewhat speechless. Her worry slipped out in her words:

"Didn't you say that if you pass the test too easily, your life might be in danger during the third test?"

"The situation has changed. I don't need to worry about that anymore," Ash replied casually. He reached out and stroked the head of the Sense's clone, which was pinned to the ground, unable to move. Without turning his head, he added, "That's Serie's problem now."

"Why?" Lawine asked, confused.

"I know Serie. Even though she's tough, mean, and occasionally hurtful, she's not the kind of person who'd sit back and let so many magicians with potential just die."

Ash shared his thoughts nonchalantly, pausing briefly before adding, "...If Serie had just given me the first-class magician certification directly, I wouldn't have to worry about this at all. So, this is all her fault."

"...Isn't she supposed to be your master? Are you really okay with blaming her like that?" Lawine asked, slightly taken aback.

"What's wrong with that? Serie's going to say it's all my fault anyway and push all the blame onto me. That's just how she is," he said confidently, as if it were a universal truth.

Lawine was at a loss for words. "…She must be a weird person, too, right?"

"In the upper echelons of the Magic Association, she's known as one of the most willful people around," Ash replied, smirking.

"...Like master, like disciple. You two are a perfect match," Lawine muttered.

"Actually, I'm a lot better than she is," Ash argued.

"Not by much..."

Though she teased him, Lawine couldn't help but feel her perception of the legendary great magician from the mythological era shifting. She'd once imagined a stern, dignified figure, but now she saw someone entirely different in her mind. The realization made her sigh.

"…Why are you sighing while looking at me?" Ash asked, slightly annoyed.

"Because I always thought a strong person should act like a strong person, but... alas."

"Don't sigh at me; that's rude. Even I can get hurt, you know. Besides, isn't the whole point of being strong to do what you want? If I had to live by someone else's expectations, why even bother becoming strong? How would I look like a strong person then?"

"That… actually makes some sense," Lawine admitted reluctantly.

Still feeling a little conflicted, she handed him the magic book she'd been recording and studying. "This is just the result of my own work, combining what I learned at the academy. If you don't mind, I'll give it to you."

"...Unexpectedly generous of you," Ash remarked, slightly surprised.

"Because I want to go there too," Lawine replied with determination.

"Actually, since we're so familiar with each other, is it okay if I touch your belly again," Ash teased.

"—Go die, pervert!" Lawine shouted, her face flushing red as she remembered what had happened earlier. She glared at him fiercely before lifting her skirt slightly and fleeing the scene in a fluster, leaving Ash alone with the replica.

The sight of the usually arrogant silver-haired girl running away in embarrassment, clutching her skirt, was almost comical. But...

"It was just a joke," Ash muttered, watching her retreating figure. "Why does she act like I'm really going to lift her skirt...?"

Feeling slightly down about the misunderstanding, Ash turned his attention back to the Sense's clone. With no one else around, he focused on venting his frustration by messing with the replica.

Although the replica wasn't particularly satisfying to deal with—it was stiff and unyielding—it would have to suffice as a poor substitute for venting his annoyance.

---

Ash, standing guard at the deepest entrance, resembled a ticket seller—offering convenience to others while securing his own benefits. Yet, despite his willingness to grant opportunities for challenges, the unfortunate truth was that no one seemed eager to accept them.

When Sense, Frieren, and Fern arrived at the deepest part of the dungeon, they were stunned by the scene before them. They simply stared in silence at the familiar figure not far away, tilting their heads as if trying to process what they were seeing.

Frieren, however, broke the silence by rushing forward and shouting, "Why do you lie to me every single time? And now you're even...!"

"—Wait a moment." Ash raised his hand to stop her tirade, his expression serious.

"I still believe in you. But you don't believe in me yet. Do you still trust me?"

"—Don't lie! You're obviously just trying to add insult to injury!" Frieren snapped.

"Then where's your proof? Do you have any evidence, or did you see something with your own eyes? If you think this is all deception, are you absolutely sure you were bitten by the treasure chest monster?"

His stern and logical response left Frieren speechless, unable to find a suitable rebuttal.

She pursed her lips in frustration, her mind racing for a retort. But when she finally picked up her wand, clearly intending to resolve the matter through force, Ash calmly reached out and pressed her hand down.

"Frieren, have you forgotten what Flamme taught you? Force is necessary when facing demons, but when it comes to humans, we resolve things not with magic—but with dialogue!"

"...Lately, I've been wondering whether you're actually human," Frieren muttered under her breath.

"If we always try to solve everything through force, the era of peace will never come! Don't forget, these are the teachings of Flamme."

"But even now, the Demon King has been defeated, and true peace still hasn't arrived, has it? That means Master deceived me again—just like you, you bastard!"

Though Ash's words were difficult to argue against, Frieren remained calm as dhe glared at him with a mixture of unhappiness and resentment.

"Believe me, there are still many good people in the world," he said confidently.

"But you're definitely not one of them," she countered with a sharp glare.

"Well, speaking of which..." Ash shifted the topic as smoothly as ever, turning his attention to Sense, who remained in a daze. "What should we expect for the third round of exams?"

Sense pursed her lips, clearly distressed, and replied, "…Before we get to that, shouldn't you first tell me how many people you've let through?"

"Just a little bit more than usual."

"Is it really just 'a little bit'? Are you sure?" Sense asked skeptically, stepping closer as if her smaller stature could somehow intimidate Ash.

Ash, unfazed, turned his head away and deflected again. "Compared to that, I think letting a few more people through will improve your reputation. In the past, you were always known for annihilating challengers. Isn't this a positive change?"

"…This is only positive if your 'little bit' truly means 'a little bit,'" Sense muttered, sighing heavily as if releasing all his pent-up frustration. She glanced toward the deepest part of the dungeon and murmured helplessly, "…Lady Serie is definitely going to be angry."

"It's fine. I trust Serie."

"…And she's definitely going to be angry with you," Sense added pointedly.

"What a coincidence—I thought the same thing," Ash said with a calm smile, nodding without the slightest trace of panic. His composed demeanor made it clear he had already prepared himself for the inevitable confrontation.