The atmosphere at the dinner table grew increasingly subtle, even somewhat heavy, all thanks to Frieren's story.
Though she seemed to be telling the story earnestly, there was a mischievous, playful quality to it, because these things were hardly suitable as side dishes for a meal. They were practically brimming with eerie, low-pressure elements:
Full of segments about blood healing, the beast scourge, communing with Great Ones, and succumbing to madness.
The entire narrative focused on a hidden city called Yharnam, where a bewildered hunter found themselves, constantly hunting monsters while gradually uncovering the truth, learning the terrifying origins and development behind the city.
Terrifying enough.
Little Flamme was both frightened and deeply engrossed, completely forgetting to eat.
As for Mirialdele, she drank more wine, looking teasingly at her friend. The child had asked her to share some curious tales, and it had turned into a childhood nightmare.
Still, this is good. These past few times Frieren had returned from her slumber, she had exuded an air of exhaustion. Her joking now was a good sign.
Even with the vast experiences of an elf's long life, Mirialdele had to admit that the story of Yharnam was captivating. Myriad threads of information pieced together a chronicle of a Great One's defilement. This city held no salvation; everything was the antithesis of truth, goodness, and beauty.
Where did she hear this stuff?
She didn't know her childhood friend had such creative talent. It must have been hearsay, meant to warn children not to rashly pursue forbidden knowledge.
"Well, let's just say your story has educational value."
"...In short, during the Night of the Hunt, people grew increasingly mad. Even battle-hardened hunters felt immense pressure. The city was wailing, gradually sinking into deeper darkness. For now, that's where it pauses."
Frieren's abrupt halt to the story only made Flamme more curious.
Being gifted and intelligent, she thought more deeply. This story seemed to have some cryptic connection to her teacher's magical theories.
Especially for the field of divination, it held symbolic meaning, but for now, it was fine to just listen to it as a story.
"You really know how to teach children."
Mirialdele couldn't help but roll her eyes and retort.
"It's fine. Flamme isn't little anymore. Treat her as a big kid; she's almost an adult," the silver-haired girl said nonchalantly. "And it's also a reminder to you both not to dabble in overly dangerous magic."
"Clearly, you're the most dangerous one! Who knows how much strange stuff you've stuffed into your own body? The demons would probably take a detour if they saw you."
"Good eyesight."
"Eyesight, my foot! How long do you think we've known each other? Besides, this isn't eyesight, Frieren. I've gotten stronger. I can already see your magical power fluctuating..."
In the next moment, the silver-haired girl's energy signature expanded slightly before stabilizing.
Due to the feedback from the Astrologer account's additional strengthening, her main body's power had received a boost. The minimum standard of concealable magic power had also risen, inevitably causing fluctuations. She had to release it further. This was a training method, and there was no need to ostentatiously display her magical power all the time.
Mirialdele, who had been smug just a moment ago, sighed. Even though she had gotten stronger, she still couldn't perceive the entirety of Frieren's power.
Originally, the two were considered peers, not separated by more than a few decades. But Frieren had shown her magical talent early on and progressed by leaps and bounds. However, this meant she had a strong backer, so it wasn't a loss either way.
"Master, when can I start training like that?"
"Concealing magical power? How much do you have worth concealing? First, build a solid foundation. Consider hiding it once you reach the level of an Archmage."
"Then again, Master, didn't you say before that one should display an open and upright spirit?"
"The best treatment for demons is to suppress them with overwhelming power and then slaughter them all. Use everything for combat. Enemies without honor don't deserve our kindness."
"Understood."
Flamme nodded seriously.
As expected of Master, her summary is perfect. Dealing with demons requires thunderous methods. They are just monsters in human form, devoid of civilization, fundamentally aligned with savagery. All means of combat must be employed.
Next, Frieren began to clear the table. While washing the dishes, she asked the two about their battle situation during this period:
To compensate for the consequences of the defeat at Northwind Keep, the demons had dispatched Sages to hold the front lines on the main battlefield. There were even signs of activity from the Seven Sages of Destruction.
Their battlefield dominance was too strong. For example, the Sage who controlled the undead sacrilegiously used the undead to block human counterattacks, making them very difficult to deal with. So, the collapse of the front line that some had anticipated didn't happen. After all, the foundation of a powerful race was not to be underestimated.
However, on the human side, a Hero's party was also advancing towards the front lines.
The greatest significance of Frieren's last battle was that it created a vacuum, a buffer zone extending from the Elf Forest, allowing both sides to deploy a large number of reinforcements.
In other words, larger-scale campaigns could be launched.
Exactly when they would begin was unknown. It was normal for large campaigns to be planned for a year or even half a year.
Considering that one of an sides was a long-lived species with a poor sense of time, it might drag on even longer. Therefore, even if the storm was gathering, there was still some time before the real cataclysm. People in the buffer zone had a moment to catch their breath.
Flamme said, "Many people have visited the city. Some mages said they came because they admire Master and even asked me for an introduction."
"And how did you answer?"
"The minimum requirement to see Master should be to be stronger than me, right? So I proposed a duel and defeated them all," the red-haired girl said proudly, rolling up her sleeves.
"Well done. You protected my peace and also displayed the dominance of a strong person."
Even Frieren couldn't help her eyes lighting up. Truly exaggerated. It seemed she had still underestimated her disciple's talent. To be so formidable at just over ten years old. Presumably, more skilled mages wouldn't bully someone so young, which meant she was invincible among her peers for a decade.
Flamme immediately began to recount the battles enthusiastically...
It was indeed very impressive. According to her, she even actively challenged some stronger mages, but unfortunately, she was rejected.
They probably felt that no matter how a fight with such a young apprentice turned out, it would be awkward. Won? People would laugh at you for bullying a child. Lost? Even more embarrassing. The hardest part was controlling the force; what if she seriously injured the child and invited recriminations?
Regardless, Flamme was already the strongest in her age group, her reputation as a genius spreading far and wide.
Frieren looked troubled.
The low-level combat magic she had originally envisioned was overturned because it was useless; her direct disciple was already very powerful. So, choose higher-level magic?
That wouldn't work either; her physical foundation was too weak.
Although she had reached a level where she could fight magical beasts in close combat, it wasn't enough to use those powerful spells. Glintstone sorceries were the first to be excluded.
It had to conform to the basic rules of magic in reality, ensure strength, and also complement most other auxiliary magic... The conditions alone were demanding enough. How should she choose? Or perhaps, change her approach?
Could it be that Flamme had already shown a talent for exclusive magic?
This child's affinity for soul magic was beyond imagination!
"In that case, Flamme can continue to delve deeper into soul magic. That also requires a strong physique. I'll give you a blessing later to strengthen you."
Frieren, who wielded the power of a Great Rune, was very familiar with this.
The red-haired girl nodded.
Nearby, Mirialdele rubbed her hands and asked, "Respected Teacher Frieren, do you think I can be strengthened?"
"It won't work. The target must be as proficient in soul magic as I am to accept the power. Besides, she has talent but lacks time, and she's still growing with unlimited potential. You're pretty much set."
The elf girl, angered, immediately tilted her head back and chugged her wine.
"By the way, Master, my life-creating sorcery can now coordinate with soul changes."
This research result from Flamme invigorated Frieren. It meant that soul strength could alter the body; as long as there was an interaction between the two, it was very suitable for Melina's situation. Indeed, the direction of attack was correct.
Similarly, if one actively performed mimetic changes to the soul, perhaps another level of transformation could be achieved. Knowledge is interconnected.
She immediately thought of some Dragon Communionists transforming into dragons. Moreover, it was rumored that a very small number of Ancient Dragons could also transform into humans, even abandoning their dragon identity to shift into a dragon-person form.
There were clues for all of this!
In the world of Dark Souls, Seath the Scaleless had conducted numerous experiments. In fact, he and Frieren shared common ground, which was a pity. Such deranged enemies had to be eliminated to prevent them from causing chaos.
As she was pondering, Flamme proudly raised her hand. The nail on her right index finger rapidly elongated, sharp and menacing like a beast's claw.
"This principle of soul change reflecting on the body is reversible."
"Thinking from another angle, one could briefly change their physical form to make it unpredictable for the enemy. Or perhaps, could one transform into a dragon and soar through the sky?"
"Master, I think we should use soul changes to guide the body to form a transformation effect. In that state, magic output could be amplified in all aspects, even surpassing a Greater Demon."
The red-haired girl said with great anticipation.
"Wait a minute, don't you guys think this is very strange?" Mirialdele asked, puzzled.
Frieren replied nonchalantly, "It's fine. Magic is a product that responds to imagination. Especially in a child's mind, everything has strong plasticity. What seems like a change is actually a steady-state change. Just let Flamme continue her research."
In reality, magic possessed a singular conceptual designation. Perhaps her disciple was creating magic that could transform one into a dragon.
There was no need to be nervous; on the contrary, she herself couldn't achieve this.
Because her mind was filled with various rigorous magical theories and logic, and she couldn't help but associate it with the possibility of failure, of turning into some kind of monster. After all, in her view, that belonged to the logical system of the Dark Souls world.
On the surface, master and disciple both belonged to soul magic, but subtle differences had already emerged.
She was very happy.
Frieren had no interest in creating a second version of the same school. Her disciple should walk a unique path; only that could be called talent.
Mirialdele looked at her childhood friend's unconcerned expression and sighed, advising, "Your research on this kind of morphological change should be done under her supervision to avoid accidents. But the most important thing is imagination. You might be creating unique magic..."
It was rare for the alcoholic to be clear-headed and show concern.
Hearing this, Flamme nodded obediently. In her view, her magic-obsessed master wanted to meddle in every research topic, rushing along without regard for anything else. In comparison, Sister Mirialdele was much calmer; leisure was also an attitude towards life.
The three of them cleared the table together and then entered a leisurely afternoon.
The afternoons in the Elf Village were as quiet as night. Many people would even sleep until dusk, as it was one of the few ways to pass the time; otherwise, life would be too boring.
However, there was a bit more life now because magical training was gradually emerging in the village, along with the processing of magical beast materials.
Strong magical auras occasionally emanated from the processing warehouse, suggesting good quality, so merchants visited more frequently than before. They would also exchange for some novelties from the outside world to adorn the village.
This is how it should be.
Frieren, reading a book on a lounge chair in the garden, enjoyed it immensely.
"The Elf Village used to be inclined towards isolation, like the Albinauric Village. Now it's normalized."
Ultimately, they couldn't exist in isolation from the world, not to mention that the Demon Lord had always been wary of another long-lived race with magical talent.
Talent, what talent?
Clearly, the vast majority of elves weren't good at fighting. It was probably that legendary All-Knowing One instigating the Demon Lord, thinking that threats should be nipped in the bud. This led to the previous threat of the demon general's attack. They were just afraid of being targeted.
Fortunately, the main demon army was blocked in the central battlefield area, so there was no need to worry for now. Besides, there was also a strong barrier protecting them. If they dared to invade again, they'd be asking for a taste of her flower field magic.
Frieren sighed as she flipped through the research notes in her hand. "It's a pity. Research on Scarlet Rot in reality isn't going smoothly either. At the very least, there needs to be a clear case of suppression or elimination."
So far, her Aeonian Blooms had been used in a deploy-and-retrieve manner. It could suppress the spread of rot in a single use, but it wasn't truly a cure.
The next major operations would be concentrated in the Caelid region, so treating the rot was very important.
She removed the Aeonian headdress and examined it.
"Master, there are new research results on this thing too." Flamme, who was watering flowers nearby, turned her head. "You asked me to try to reverse the rot erosion. I hadn't made any progress, but adding the guidance of life-creating sorcery worked. At least it won't easily make the lab mice go mad."
"Specifically?"
"Scarlet Rot is more inclined to be an alternative life form, regardless of good or bad. The real problem lies at the source. I can feel it; the inventor of the magic is rejecting this power. This conflicting mentality has led to the magic's mutation. So the key point is its self-destructive tendency, which also causes the magic to exhibit strong destructiveness. It should have been a life-type magic that reshapes an ecosystem..."
"I see. So we should find a way to eliminate that obsession."
Inspired by her disciple, Frieren suddenly sat up, patted her head in realization, almost forgetting this point: Malenia, Blade of Miquella, detested the Scarlet Rot.
But the Outer God of Rot clearly existed. Even the Two Fingers acknowledged its status as a divine being carrying a law. How could its essence be purely for destruction's sake?
She had been thinking about it from the perspective of the magic itself, which was actually the wrong direction, completely off track. She should strive to eliminate the madness at its source, or at least weaken its aggression a little.
"To the laboratory."
Since Frieren had spoken, Flamme immediately put down the watering can.
Master and disciple set off at once, leaving the soundly sleeping Mirialdele behind.
Although she was also one of the laboratory researchers, her current state of intoxication would make her participation in experiments dangerous. It was better to leave her at home.
During the time Frieren had been immersed in the Lands Between, the laboratory had unknowingly expanded by a circle.
Originally, it was located underground, with only a small cabin above. Now, two more floors had been added, built of stone, snow-white throughout, giving a solid and robust impression. Just looking at its exterior made one feel it was very sturdy.
The towering stone pillars and steps had a certain aesthetic appeal.
"You designed this?"
"It was a draft given by a senior elf in the village who is good at drawing. I just moved it over with magic," Flamme replied modestly.
Admittedly, using magic for construction would be much easier, but it tested the caster's control and stamina. Otherwise, such a large-scale expansion would be practically a fantasy. It couldn't look like a small temple as it did now.
So Flamme's strength wasn't just reflected in her magical power far exceeding her peers; her utilization rate and sustainability were equally exaggerated. It was estimated that she could recover a portion of her energy even while expending it.
It had only been a few years. Indeed, the growth potential of a human genius was quite astounding.
Stepping inside, Frieren saw numerous reagent bottles, jars, and herbs, as well as some magical beast materials, all categorized, labeled, and displaying records of their properties at different times... It was becoming more and more professional, consistent with her initial setup underground.
"There are many basic things here. This place is almost becoming everyone's magic training ground, right? It's a good place."
"Yes, Sister Mirialdele usually teaches some apprentices on the upper floor."
"Still in the basic stage?"
"Actually, they're progressing very quickly."
"I know. Many elves actually waste their talent. A little awakening can lead to significant growth; reaching the level of an adult mage isn't difficult. But they lack theory. It's good to have Mirialdele help; she can handle it when it matters."
The apprentices in the Elf Village were fine in the alcoholic lady's hands. At least through osmosis, their basic knowledge was up to par; they could even be called great mages.
It was harder to expect her to train their combat willpower, but simple teaching tasks were familiar territory. If it really came down to actual combat, Mirialdele might not be a match for Flamme, who underwent demonic training every day.
This child not only fought magical beasts but also frequently went to the city to spar with others, gaining a wide reputation.
As the two walked down to the lower level, they looked at the abundant materials lining both sides, mostly from magical beasts. It was estimated that the Elf Forest would be cleared out soon, all turned into materials.
"Later, we'll find some labyrinths or similar places to practice. Staying in this area alone won't do."
"Is it because Master wants to explore and open treasure chests?"
"Indeed."
"Speaking of news about labyrinths, a place called the Tomb of the Fallen King was recently excavated. Because the pressure from the demons has weakened, everyone has the time to explore, right? As a result, it attracted many adventurers, but most of them never returned, and many horrifying rumors have spread. Survivors revealed that the monsters inhabiting the surface layer are just the most basic; inside, there's still..."
"You don't need to say the rest. Remember it. When you get stronger, we'll go visit that Tomb of the Fallen King together."
Frieren's interest was immediately piqued when labyrinths were mentioned, and a pleased expression appeared on her face.
In the Lands Between, she was always considered a labyrinth enthusiast. In reality, there wasn't much room for her to indulge, as most had already been conquered.
Large labyrinth ruins were a once-in-a-century find, and those that remained unconquered for a long time were even rarer. It would be an excellent training ground for her disciple, a way to test the upper limits of Flamme's strength, and with her around, there was a safety net.
Little did she know, the red-haired girl pouted.
"I'm already very strong. I can handle labyrinth exploration missions. If Master doesn't believe me, we can have a training battle."
"I know, but I'm quite busy during this period. Let's finish the research projects first. Besides, you're still growing. It's best to avoid too many injuries. Wait a while until your body is more developed, then we'll set off."
In reality, it was best to make research progress before planning for the lands of Caelid.
The Southern Army's general staff meeting estimated that it would take ten years to restore the Liurnia region. This didn't mean it would actually take that long; five or six years would probably be enough to reach a state where war could be waged.
Would the enemy honestly wait for you to prepare? The so-called ten years was likely the high command's assessment of the war for the entire Lands Between.
Very long.
Because everyone had lain dormant for a thousand years waiting for this war.
And also very short. In a world where long lifespans were the norm, conquering the world was like a flick of a finger.
Therefore, the window of opportunity for Frieren to resolve the hidden dangers in the Caelid rear was actually very short, fleeting. Otherwise, it would be easy to be attacked from both front and rear. There was even intelligence suggesting that something was brewing underground. Regardless of who it was, even if they couldn't be eliminated, they had to be severely crippled.
In short, research concerning Scarlet Rot could not be neglected. As the only research group currently making progress, she and Flamme had to give it their all.
They passed through layers of barriers to reach the underground part of the laboratory.
The concentration point for dangerous goods.
Even before the expansion, Frieren had placed some technological products or derivatives from the Dark Souls world in there, and even some Great One's blood from Yharnam. If an accident were to happen, it would be no joke.
The most core part was so heavily defended by her that no one was allowed to enter. The Scarlet Rot research, however, was somewhat open, not because it wasn't dangerous enough, but because she dared to study it only after mastering control over its spread.
"These are the new rot creatures."
Flamme pointed from a distance at several bright red lab mice. However, they didn't exhibit features like tumors, decay, or madness. Besides being stronger, they were like a new kind of creature.
She didn't know the specific principle, or even why they were experimenting.
She just considered it completing the tasks assigned by her master. It was probably an attempt to domesticate this dangerous magic. After all, the consequences of the Aeonian Bloom were evident to all: it was both an excellent anti-legion killing magic and an easily polluting plague.
"I used Soul Healing Arts, but with little effect. Therefore, I switched to dispelling. It seems that suppressing the destructive desire from the source is enough."
"Unfortunately, it's still unstable and has a time limit. Afterward, they will still turn into thorough monsters."
Flamme showed a rot creature that fit the stereotype.
Frieren nodded. "Unless the will at the source of the magic eliminates its self-destructive desire, anything derived from it will still torment the infected... Pinning my hopes on others is not my style. However, the recovery of these creatures has indeed reached a bottleneck; it's difficult to make progress."
"Why?"
"After all, the Aeonian Bloom primarily acts on living organisms, then gives rise to another form. In principle, it's difficult to reverse."
It seems that treating rot creatures won't work. No, it can't even be called treatment, because they've already become new creatures. Therefore, the contaminated couldn't be saved. Those hit by the polluting strike could only gradually transform into monsters, heading towards madness and destruction.
Signs indicated there was even some strengthening involved. In the future, they would have to face a Starscourge General like this.
Fortunately, curing Scarlet Rot creatures wasn't the main research topic.
"The next key point is, can we reverse the land overgrown with rot? This is most crucial."
_____
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