On the third day of the campaign to subjugate the Imperial Hell Dragon, with only one day left before it breaks free—
On the main road in the Farbe region, a rapidly speeding carriage jolted over the gravel.
Frieren curled up in the corner of the carriage, burying her face deep into her knees.
Her elven ears peeked faintly through her silver hair, drooping with dejection.
Her slender fingers twisted the hem of her clothes, practically spelling out "unhappy" across her face.
"Can I get my holiday back after this is over?"
Her voice came muffled from between her knees.
Agusheed's long fingers traced over the map, tapping a rhythmic beat against the parchment.
"Ask Flamme when she returns if she agrees—"
"Then class resumes."
Agusheed's emotionless response made Frieren's centuries of suppressed mana surge out of her in a fit of frustration—
But the moment her mana stirred, Agusheed turned his gaze from the map.
His voice was steady as ever, but with a trace of exasperation at the end.
"Are you seriously trying to outmatch me in magic?"
The moment he spoke, an overwhelming surge of mana erupted from Agusheed—
Though it vanished in an instant, Frieren's mana was immediately crushed.
And being so close, she was blown away by the force.
The dull thump of her hitting the wood wall rang sharply in the quiet.
Frieren sat dazed, a few stray strands of hair stuck to her forehead, and her sharpness completely knocked out of her.
Her eyes grew clear again—her "little genius" intellect back in control.
She quietly curled back into the corner, burying her burning face in her skirt, voice like a whisper:
"I really do hate you, Agusheed—"
"If Flamme says no, shouldn't you hate her instead?"
Reopening the map, Agusheed's fingers slid across the red X marking the valley.
"Flamme is different. Anyway… it's all your fault."
The elf peeked out from her skirt and muttered sullenly.
"If you think it's unreasonable, then you shouldn't have dragged me along…"
Still sulking, Frieren suddenly thought of something—
"Come to think of it, you didn't have to get involved in this."
"If you hadn't called the court mages back then, you could have completely stayed out of this."
"It's not like the Imperial Hell Dragon breaking loose had anything to do with you, right?"
She stared curiously, questioning why Agusheed meddled.
Morning light carved shadows across his sharply chiseled face.
After a moment, he answered:
"If I didn't go, a lot of people in that town would die."
A plain answer—but one that left Frieren more confused.
"You're saying you came to save people? As a demon… you care how many humans might die?"
Agusheed rolled up the map and replied with total clarity.
"It has nothing to do with what you said."
"Whether they live or die means nothing to me. Why they die, or how many die—I don't care."
Frieren stared at him in confusion.
"Then why save them?"
"Because if I don't, Flamme will be sad."
"So you mean… if you didn't go, Flamme would get mad at you?"
Agusheed shook his head.
"No, she wouldn't say anything. She wouldn't impose human morals on a demon like me."
"But if people died because she left, she'd blame herself."
"Even if she came back and killed the Imperial Hell Dragon—"
"Seeing the town in ruins, the corpses of people… she would feel responsible."
He recalled a burned village in the Rufen region, where they had arrived too late—
Flamme had held a dead child in her arms, eyes filled with sorrow as she gazed at the scorched earth.
"I don't like seeing Flamme sad. So I came."
"That's all there is to it."
Only when they reached the valley hidden deep within the forest did Frieren come out of her daze.
She kicked a rock, startling a few owls.
"You've completely turned into a Flamme-shaped person…"
The little elf muttered from behind.
"By the way, Agusheed, isn't the Imperial Hell Dragon the strongest among the northern plateau dragons?"
"Now that the mythic dragons are extinct—yes."
"It's really strong, right? I remember Flamme saying it's as dangerous as a high-class demon."
"So how are you planning to deal with it?"
"If I'm serious, Severance Magic can slice its head off instantly."
"What do you mean 'if you're serious'?"
Agusheed glanced back at her.
"Like I said, the vacation is now extracurricular training—"
"So you're the main attacker. I'll assist."
Frieren blinked, then pointed at herself.
"I'm fighting the Imperial Hell Dragon?"