"Aesc?"
Stark and Fern froze, staring blankly.
It wasn't until Aesc's silhouette had completely disappeared from sight that they snapped back to reality… Wait, was she not joking?
"Lady Frieren, didn't you say the Gem Beetle Queen was invincible?"
"That's correct," Frieren replied with a nod. "Physical attacks are ineffective, and magical attacks are quickly adapted to. The only way to defeat the queen would be to bombard it with a wide array of powerful spells in rapid succession, defeating it before it can adapt."
"But human stamina and lifespans are limited. Most human mages focus on mastering a single type of magic to its peak potential. While this specialization gives them immense power against typical enemies, it leaves them completely countered by the queen's adaptive abilities. That's why I said it's nearly impossible to defeat the Gem Beetle Queen in this era."
Frieren glanced at the two of them before continuing.
"Demons, on the other hand, live far longer than humans but are even more extreme. Their obsession with power leads them to focus solely on amplifying their raw magical strength. Unlike humans, who sometimes learn practical spells for daily life, demons care only about combat magic, and as such, they too struggle against the queen."
"While it's theoretically possible to rely on sheer numbers, the Gem Beetle Queen's nest is a confined space. It's impossible to bring enough mages into such a tight area to overwhelm her defenses."
Frieren's tone carried no trace of exaggeration—it was as though she truly believed the queen to be an unbeatable foe. However, Fern caught onto something in her words.
"Humans have short lives, and demons prioritize power…"
Fern hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Lady Frieren, are you saying that if an elf mage were to face the queen, they might stand a chance?"
Stark, a beat slower to catch on, chimed in, "So, if it's Aesc and you, then we might actually win?"
Hope lit up their eyes, but Frieren shook her head. "Well… that's hard to say. I've never fought the Gem Beetle Queen myself, so any odds I give would be purely theoretical."
"Then… what about Aesc?"
"You don't need to worry about her," Frieren said with a small smile. "Although she seems reckless when she fights, she's actually meticulous. She'd never take on a challenge unless she was absolutely sure of her chances. If she says she's going to destroy the queen, it means she knows she can win."
She paused, glancing between the two of them.
"Didn't I mention this before? Aesc's talent far exceeds mine. Despite only being a century or so old, her magical reserves already surpass mine. She's mastered a variety of incredibly powerful spells. I honestly can't imagine anyone defeating her… perhaps only Serie could rival her as a mage."
Frieren's smile grew a little wry.
"Anyway… let's follow her. As much as I trust Aesc, sitting around and waiting isn't my style."
As Frieren turned toward the open doorway, Fern murmured, "That's rare. Lady Frieren admitting to being impatient."
"I do enjoy wasting time," Frieren replied evenly, "but I'd prefer to waste it on things I like. Waiting like this serves no purpose. It's like when Himmel spent thirteen hours deciding on a pose for his bronze statue… I never want to go through that again."
"Her eyes just went blank…" Fern shuddered slightly. "That's oddly terrifying."
Stark couldn't resist adding, "I'm more curious what kind of passion drives someone to waste thirteen hours posing."
---
Although Aesc had already gone ahead, tracking her wasn't difficult.
Wherever she passed, the air was left thick with an aura of magic—frigid and sharp, like the bitter winds of midwinter. All Frieren and her group had to do was follow this icy trail.
As they ventured deeper into the ruins, Fern and Stark found themselves increasingly uneasy.
This was an unexplored dungeon, filled with traps and monsters that had claimed it as their territory.
Normally, adventurers would avoid traps if possible, dealing with monsters only when necessary. But something was clearly off this time. Almost every trap had been triggered.
When the group reached these traps, they found them destroyed.
Walls of reinforced metal had holes melted through them.
Magical guardians lay impaled by countless iron swords.
Giant boulders, once formidable rolling traps, had been shattered into countless fragments.
And as for the monsters that should have been roaming the ruins? Not a single one remained.
What did all this mean?
It was obvious—all the traps and monsters had been dealt with by the person ahead of them.
At first, Fern and Stark felt nervous. Then shocked. And eventually, numb.
Walking behind Frieren, the two of them felt as though they were dreaming. None of this seemed real.
Eventually, they entered another grand hall. It looked much like the one from the previous floor.
But the shattered remains littering the floor immediately caught Fern's attention.
"Are those… gargoyles?!"
"What?! Gargoyles?!"
Their shock was understandable.
Gargoyles were high-level magical constructs. For even a top-tier mage, defeating one was manageable, but facing two at once would be a struggle. Three or more, and most would immediately retreat.
Judging from the fragments, Fern estimated that at least twelve gargoyles had been stationed in this hall.
Yet neither Aesc's figure nor the traces of magical combat could be found.
Given that all the traps and monsters along the way had been destroyed, Frieren's group should've reached this hall faster than Aesc. And yet, they found no sign of her fight.
This could only mean one thing:
The gargoyles had been wiped out in an instant.
Frieren often said that Aesc was strong, but Stark and Fern had never grasped the full extent of that strength.
Today, they'd finally glimpsed a fragment of it.
"You two, stop staring at those useless piles of rubble," Frieren said, her voice cutting through their daze. "If we waste too much time here, Aesc might already have finished off the Gem Beetle Queen by the time we catch up."