Once the trio had departed, Frieren wasted no time.
"Before, you displayed Freezing and Fire Dragon powers. Do you have anything else? I feel like there's something deeply alluring in your body."
"Alluring?" Rei Ao raised an eyebrow, already suspecting what she meant.
"Are you talking about this?"
Without further delay, his entire body shimmered in pure silver, and his Elven King form emerged without warning.
The moment Frieren's golden eyes met his, she froze, her hand involuntarily reaching toward him.
It was as if his presence exuded a natural magnetism, an irresistible aura meant to draw elves closer.
Rei Ao quickly withdrew his power.
"Frieren, are you okay?" he asked, snapping her out of her trance.
"I... I'm not sure..."
Frieren looked at her outstretched hand and frowned in contemplation.
She couldn't explain it. There had been an inexplicable compulsion urging her closer.
Rei Ao was equally taken aback.
Sui had never reacted this way to his Elven King form. Was this a difference between elves of different worlds?
In Sui's world, elves had a connection to nature but no such reaction.
But the elves of Frieren's world seemed colder, their demeanor often tinged with aloofness and lethargy.
Perhaps these differences influenced their reactions.
After a moment of reflection, Frieren suppressed her earlier confusion. Her delicate face curved into a rare, almost self-deprecating smile.
"Well then, let's begin experimenting with magic!"
...
"This really is another world"
Under Sui's watchful eye, Utaha Kasumigaoka wandered the forest, still amazed.
Every plant, every tree, every detail felt so real.
Even the small creatures occasionally appearing had distinct characteristics different from animals she knew.
It wasn't the existence of another world that shocked her but the idea that she was personally experiencing something so extraordinary.
Beside her, Mugumi Kato remained remarkably calm.
Utaha, aware of Megumi's relationship with Rei Ao, decided to probe her thoughts.
"Mugumi Kato, aren't you at least a bit surprised?"
Megumi glanced at her and responded in her usual flat tone, "Oh, I'm always surprised every time I travel to another world."
"...Huh?"
Utaha felt baffled. Megumi's emotionless face and monotone voice betrayed no hint of surprise.
Assuming Megumi was just being polite, Utaha didn't press further.
As for Sui, Utaha didn't know how to start a conversation with her either.
For a moment, silence hung in the air.
Utaha turned her attention back to the scenery, appreciating the beauty of this strange new world.
Until
"Help someone help me"
A weak female voice echoed from nearby.
"Did you hear that? It sounds like someone's calling for help."
Utaha stopped in her tracks, looking to the others.
Megumi pointed in a direction. "Over there."
Sui frowned. "Let's check it out."
The three of them moved toward the voice, eventually finding a girl in tattered burlap clothing leaning against a tree. She was clutching her arm, which was covered in blood.
"Blood!"
Utaha's eyes widened in alarm.
Bright red blood dripped from between the girl's fingers.
Utaha rushed to examine her injury, but Sui drew her sword, her expression cautious.
Just as Sui prepared to speak, Megumi raised her hand, silently stopping her.
"...?"
Sui looked puzzled, but Megumi merely shook her head.
Deciding to trust Megumi's judgment, Sui held her position, though she stayed alert.
"How are you? Let me see your wound," Utaha said anxiously as she knelt beside the girl.
"Mommy"
The girl's voice trembled as she looked at Utaha, calling her "Mommy."
The single word struck a chord in Utaha's heart.
Her sympathy surged, imagining the plight of a child injured and alone in the forest.
Her eyes fell to the gaping wound, and she quickly tore a strip from her own skirt to use as a bandage.
But as she bent her head down
A crimson glint flickered in the girl's eyes.
Her mouth opened, revealing rows of shark-like teeth as she moved toward Utaha's neck.
'Whoosh!'
A sharp whistling sound tore through the air.
The girl froze.
A moment later
'Bang!'
Utaha felt something warm and wet splatter over her body.
Looking up in a daze, she was greeted by the sight of a headless body.
The girl's head had exploded, leaving her neck a bloody stump.
An ice shard was embedded in the tree behind her.
"Ah"
Utaha froze, her mouth agape, unable to scream.
Even her instinct to gag or retch seemed paralyzed by shock.
"I killed her."
Rei Ao's voice cut through the silence.
Turning her head slowly, Utaha met his gaze, her wide, terrified eyes glistening with confusion.
He had killed that child.
"Why"
Her trembling voice barely escaped her lips.
Before Rei Ao could answer, Frieren stepped forward, her staff raised.
"That wasn't a child. It was a man-eating demon," Frieren said firmly.
She lowered her staff, pointing it at the creature's twitching hand.
A ray of light pierced through its chest, shattering its heart.
The creature froze, then its body dissolved into glimmering particles, disappearing completely.
The bizarre scene helped restore some of Utaha's sanity.
It became clear this wasn't the death of a normal human. There was no body left behind.
Rei Ao extended his hand to Utaha.
"..."
Still trembling, she hesitated before placing her hand in his.
Rei Ao pulled her to her feet, steadying her as her legs threatened to give out.
Once she was upright, he placed a steadying hand on her shoulder and explained, "As Frieren said, that wasn't a human childit was a man-eating demon."
"A man-eating demon?"
Utaha whispered, struggling to process the information.
"Not just that."
Rei Ao continued, "The wound and weakness it showed you? It was all an act to lure you closer, to lower your guard."
Frieren elaborated, "Demonic beings like this one mimic human appearances and behaviors to hunt. They cry for help, pretend to be vulnerable, and say words like 'Mommy' to manipulate emotions. But it's all an act, designed solely to kill."
She went on to explain that demons lacked human traits like family bonds or genuine emotions. Everything they did was a mimicry aimed at capturing prey.
Even their language was just another tool of deception. Negotiating with them was utterly pointless.
Demons didn't need to consume humans to survivebut they preferred to, reveling in the hunt.
Frieren's knowledge came from countless encounters and battles with demons.
And concluded that she will eradicate them all.
~~~
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Chapter 123: Hero's Party
"I see..."
After listening to Frieren's explanation of the demons, Utaha Kasumigaoka's lips turned pale, her body trembling uncontrollably with fear.
The child she had sympathized with and wanted to help was actually a monster wearing human skin, intending to devour her!
Realizing this, the chill of near-death washed over her, her back cold with dread.
Rei Ao, noticing her reaction, chuckled and teased, "Earlier, the way you looked at me was full of fear and distrust. Has that changed now?"
Utaha froze, her body stiffening before she hurriedly turned to Rei Ao and bowed deeply.
"I'm sorry."
"We didn't know anything earlier and wrongfully judged you."
"And thank you for saving me."
Utaha was fully aware of her behavior. Being saved warranted both an apology and gratitude.
"As long as you're okay, that's what matters," Rei Ao said with a wave of his hand.
"Since I brought you all here, protecting you is my responsibility."
He surveyed the area, ensuring there were no further threats.
"I don't see any other demons around for now. Utaha, you should rest here for a while and don't wander off."
"Okay," Utaha agreed softly, nodding.
Her nerves were frayed. The bloody scene she had just witnessed wouldn't leave her mind, and she needed time to calm herself.
Shizue Izawa took over to watch over her as she rested, while Sui and Frieren began exchanging knowledge about magic.
Meanwhile, Rei Ao pulled Megumi Kato aside.
He wrapped an arm around her and asked curiously, "Megumi, you and Sui noticed the anomaly earlier. Why didn't you let Sui deal with it right away?"
He was referring to how they had identified the demon's behavior but hadn't acted immediately.
Megumi blinked her clear eyes and responded calmly, "I had a feeling that you would step in to save the day, Rei Ao. It felt like it would be a quicker way to connect with Utaha's heart."
"Huh?"
Rei Ao was momentarily dumbfounded.
Wasn't that just the classic 'hero saves the beauty' trope mixed with the suspension bridge effect?
It was an effective and straightforward approach.
But coming from Megumi, it caught him off guard.
"Megumi, are you trying to create competition for yourself?"
"No," Megumi replied, shaking her head gently. "I'm just trying to make more sisters for myself."
She turned to meet his eyes, her expression unusually serious as she continued.
"To be honest, the ability to travel between worlds scares me a little."
"Don't worry. I won't carelessly get myself killed in another world," Rei Ao reassured her, thinking she was afraid he might die.
But that wasn't what Megumi meant.
She shook her head again.
"What scares me more is the thought that one day, Rei Ao, you might leave and never come back."
She elaborated on her concerns.
"Right now, the world-traveling feature has time limits."
"But if someday those limits disappear, what if you decide to stay in another world and don't want to return?"
Her grip on him tightened unconsciously, as if afraid he might vanish before her eyes.
"So, I hope that in our world, you'll find more things to hold on tomore bonds that make you want to stay here just a little bit more than anywhere else."
Pressing closer to his chest, she listened to his heartbeat.
"I just want to stay by your side forever."
"..."
Rei Ao was deeply moved by her heartfelt words.
Rather than being excited that she didn't mind him having other women, what made him happiest was Megumi's sincere and profound feelings.
"Megumi, I can promise you this: even if I leave this world someday, I will take all of you with me. I won't leave anyone behind."
For such a tender and loving girl, Rei Ao didn't mind making the highest promise.
"I trust you," Megumi whispered, standing on her tiptoes.
And with that, they sealed their vow with a kiss.
In the time that followed, after Frieren had finished observing Sui and Shizue Izawa's magic, Rei Ao assigned them to train with Megumi Kato in the forest by hunting some magical creatures.
Frieren's strength alone was enough to let her roam this world virtually unchecked. With Sui and Izawa accompanying Megumi, there wasn't much to worry about.
Meanwhile, Frieren eagerly resumed her observations of Rei Ao's various powers, hoping to find inspiration for her magical research.
Utaha Kasumigaoka sat quietly nearby, staring blankly at the pair, lost in her thoughts. The earlier incident had taken a toll on her.
"Rei Ao, your powers are truly unique."
After another round of observations, Frieren looked slightly dejected.
"I don't understand any of it," she admitted, for the first time feeling utterly baffled.
Her vast knowledge of magic seemed completely irrelevant. Every one of Rei Ao's powers seemed to stem directly from him as a source, with no discernible energy flow. It was entirely different from constructing magic using magical particles.
"I can't make sense of it at all," Frieren sighed.
Even so, the trade between them was completed.
[Ding! Trade complete!]
[Ding! You have obtained "Elven Bloodline" and "Elven Magic."]
[Ding! Your body is too noble to be tainted. Detecting compatibility with existing ability "Elf King"fusing abilities!]
[Ding! You have gained the ability "Elf King."]
The name of the ability remained unchanged, but it now included some peculiar knowledge of elven magicsuch as magic for brewing hot tea, creating shaved ice, or removing stubborn grease stains.
Rei Ao's comment on this was: "As expected of Frieren."
"Sigh, it's a shame I couldn't learn anything from you," Frieren lamented.
In contrast, her interactions with Sui and Izawa had sparked numerous new ideas for her magic.
"By the way, the time limit is about to expire. Rei Ao, could you call them back?"
"Sure," Rei Ao replied but suddenly turned his gaze toward a direction in the woods.
"But before that, we need to greet some visitors who seem to be passing by."
"Oh? I sense them too," Frieren said, gripping her staff as she began charging a spell.
Noticing this, Utaha Kasumigaoka sensed that something was wrong and shuffled behind the two of them for protection.
In the distance, bushes rustled.
"Are they demons or monsters?" Frieren narrowed her eyes.
"Neither," Rei Ao replied. "They're human."
"Don't attack! We mean no harm," came a clear voice.
Three figures emerged from the bushes: a blue-haired boy with a sword and a cape, a green-haired man in priest attire with a weathered look, and a dwarf with brown hair and a steel battle axe.
Rei Ao recognized them instantly.
It was the Hero's Party, led by none other than the hero Himmel himself. His childhood friend, Priest Heiter, and the dwarven warrior Eisen were also with him.
These were the companions destined to defeat the Demon King alongside Frieren.
"Humans, then," Frieren muttered, lowering her brewing spell.
Upon seeing Frieren, Himmel's eyes flashed with recognition.
Heiter whispered to him, "Himmel, she's an elven grand mage."
This information was crucial because their party lacked a powerful mage.
"Understood," Himmel replied, stepping forward to introduce himself.
"Hello, my name is Himmel, and these are my companions, Heiter and Eisen."
"Himmel?" Frieren repeated, narrowing her eyes.
The name sounded familiar.
"Are you the current Hero?"
Himmel gave a helpless smile. "Many people seem to think so."
"Oh. If you're just passing by, don't mind us," Frieren said, losing interest.
However, Himmel stepped closer, bowing slightly toward Rei Ao before addressing Frieren directly.
"I'd like to invite you to join our party to help us defeat the Demon King. We're in need of a powerful mage like you."
