"Master, with my current strength, I should be able to explore the labyrinth, right? Besides, you said you'd come with me," Flamme challenged, panting.
"Let's rest for two days, then we'll set off."
"You're not the only one looking forward to exploring the labyrinth; I plan to test the waters myself."
"Yay!"
Having made their decision, the two began to carefully repair the training ground.
Of course, Frieren was the main force; the red-haired girl was so exhausted she leaned against a tree, motionless, looking as if she could fall asleep at any moment.
Other elves joined in, helping to restore the central arena.
They never imagined that such a rock-based structure could shatter at a touch.
To what extent had the intensity of their attack and defense reached?
For the monster-and-apprentice duo, what they called a spar was, in reality, not much different from a true battlefield.
However, everyone felt more at ease, looking at the young Flamme with new respect.
To reach such a level at such a young age meant the village now had a resident powerhouse who could also train with everyone.
She had brought vitality to this secluded land.
"Quite a commotion, wasn't it?"
Milliarde, who had come upon hearing the news, shielded her eyes with her hand and looked around.
The area was a mess of pits and craters.
The vegetation had turned to ash, and the clouds in the sky above struggled to reform.
She clicked her tongue in amazement.
It was normal for her childhood friend to be capable of this, but for the opponent to withstand it was extraordinary.
She saw Flamme, head bowed, fast asleep.
"Could you please take the child back? We don't want her catching a cold tonight. I need to stay and repair the training ground, and reinforce it while I'm at it."
"I'm not her nanny."
"The day after tomorrow, we'll head to the city for supplies and to ask about the Ruins of the King's Tomb. We might buy some good wine on the way. Are you interested?"
"Alright!"
Milliarde cheerfully lifted the red-haired girl onto her back.
She didn't feel frail at all; it was like carrying a boulder, her muscles still tense with the reflexes from the battle, solid as a fortress.
You think Flamme will catch a cold? She's becoming as absurd as you are.
Despite her grumbling, she waved and left.
After all, the child did indeed need rest.
Frieren nodded and continued her repairs.
With a mage's levitation, clearing the ruins was quick.
As for the bedrock foundation, it only required relevant elemental magic, with some added reinforcement – ideally, enough to withstand a city-destroying attack.
"Interesting. Could I create magical architecture?" She mused, her thoughts drifting to the various magnificent wonders of the Lands Between.
The elves watched as the silver-haired girl began to ponder a new experiment.
Geniuses always had countless inspirations, and what was more astonishing was that she always managed to realize them.
It was nothing new.
Two days later.
The traces of the training battle gradually faded, and the elf village returned to its tranquility.
It remained as deserted as ever, maintaining a leisurely, almost retired atmosphere, aside from the occasional active elves who trained.
Frieren woke up early in the morning to pack her luggage and trim some of the flowers and plants.
"How rare," a neighboring elf said with surprise. "You're actually up early?"
"I've slept long enough."
"Or perhaps you're trying to set an example for your apprentice? Though you probably wouldn't admit it, people naturally develop a sense of responsibility when they have juniors, even us lazy elves."
The neighbor then went back for a second sleep.
The silver-haired girl tilted her head.
Thinking about it carefully, it was probably because being dragged out of bed by Flamme yanking her blanket wasn't a pleasant experience.
It was better to just get up.
"Good morning!" A voice full of energy came from behind her.
As expected, it was the lively Flamme.
Whether it was her recovery rate or her abundant stamina, she was no less than a warrior.
After breakfast, they each packed their bags, mainly taking some money and intending to purchase supplies.
It was also possible they might be traveling for an extended period.
They set off.
The outskirts of the elven forest had not been impacted by the various magical storms, large or small.
It was lush and green, with birdsong and fragrant flowers, evergreen throughout the seasons.
Unlike the cold north or the mountainous regions, the land beneath their feet was always vibrant, the air filled with a sweet aroma.
Especially in recent years, with the reduced scourge of demons, there were no more forest fires caused by wars, and the ecosystem had recovered well.
Thus, they reached the fortress city unimpeded.
"It's changed so much."
Frieren could no longer see the temporarily reinforced barbed wire, trenches, and watchtowers outside the city.
Instead, there were many more merchants catering to travelers from afar.
The entry inspection was also more relaxed.
Using the family emblem given by Commander Vearn back then as a pass made things even more convenient.
The former battlefield now hosted travelers from all directions.
"Master, there are many more changes. You'll see in a bit," Flamme said with a mysterious smile.
"Why do I feel like I've become more famous after not being here for a while?"
Ever since stepping through the city gates, she had drawn frequent glances, the faces of passersby often showing admiration.
However, it was well known that elves were naturally aloof, so no one came to greet them.
But Frieren heard their discussions.
"It's the great hero of Northwind Fortress! I haven't seen her in about four years, right?"
"Why do I feel it's been longer? But it's true, if not for that interception back then, the cities leading to the central regions would have been wide open. I still feel a lingering fear just thinking about it..."
"That must be Flamme, right? Is she going to challenge some unlucky mage again today?"
According to their discussion, it was actually the apprentice who took the initiative to seek guidance, most likely beating up the opponent to gain experience.
Frieren glanced meaningfully at the person in question.
This is different from what you said.
The red-haired girl scratched her head, pretending not to know, and quickly changed the subject, "Right, there are also some people who want to ask Master for guidance."
Indeed, some were even more eager to ask for a lesson or two but were stopped.
It was obvious they sensed the silver-haired girl's aura of indifference, keeping them at a distance.
Of course, there was another reason:
During the war, there were many discerning mages who could see that even when suppressed several times, her magical power was boundless, a miracle in itself.
It surpassed any known human mage, making one wonder if this mana could ever be depleted.
Moreover, her past achievements were still being recounted, genuine and substantial.
There was no need to foolishly challenge a legendary figure; she might be an old monster from the Mythic Age.
I'm not old at all; among elves, I'm considered young.
She had grown accustomed to these speculative discussions.
So be it.
A sense of mystery could reduce some trouble.
Thus, master and apprentice walked down the main road under everyone's gaze.
Even when buying things in shops, they were given discounts.
Just then, as they entered the city's central plaza, Frieren suddenly stopped.
Only then did she understand what Flamme meant by "even bigger changes."
A bronze statue of herself had actually been erected.
It was sculpted with considerable artistic skill, especially capturing her cold, stern temperament.
Her simple posture, holding a staff, exuded an air of majesty.
"Master, what do you think? Any comments?"
"Metal is less corrosion-resistant than I am."
"What kind of answer is that!" Halfway through her retort, the red-haired girl's eyes darted around as she mumbled, "That's actually quite philosophical."
"Enough philosophy. Let's focus on important matters. We'll go shopping first, then inquire about information."
"But this is a statue! It's a great honor, especially since only a handful of people have left their mark on Northwind Fortress. Don't you care at all, Master?"
"You're still young..."
As Frieren started to speak, Flamme pouted, her hands behind her back, looking annoyed.
She hated hearing that opening line the most.
"Seriously though, from a negative perspective, statues are erected only to be torn down one day. As history progresses, humans will have all sorts of ideologies, and then some past symbol will unfortunately become a target."
"Positively speaking, on a much longer timescale, it's meaningless. The war with the demons will continue, and more heroes will emerge. My achievements won't amount to much."
"However, I encourage you to pursue strength, prestige, and merit. The young need goals."
As a race acknowledged for its long lifespan, elves even surpassed demons, with the most outstanding among them living as long as the heavens.
Therefore, Frieren would definitely experience major evolutions in human history, most likely more than once.
So, she didn't care about leaving a name.
It would be truly infuriating if she lived to witness certain individuals distorting facts, slandering heroes, and reversing black and white.
It would be even harder to bear if she were one of the parties involved.
Humans, however, didn't care.
Once their eyes closed and their legs stiffened, who cared what happened after they were gone?
The Goddess's teachings claimed the existence of a celestial kingdom.
Would those in that kingdom know of these vexing matters?
Or would all priests have attained a saintly mindset?
That was why in the Lands Between, Frieren could be somewhat passively proactive about becoming a lord.
After all, it was under an eternal dynasty, which aligned with the elven concept of time.
The achievements left behind would make her feel like she had truly accomplished something.
In reality, it didn't matter.
In the grand wash of human history, it was all insignificant.
Regardless of their strength, humans were the most numerous and directly determined the underlying narrative of history.
She didn't care.
This was her undisguised attitude, so Frieren had little interest in the statue before her.
"Apprentice, believe it or not, even if my statue still stands after a long time, it might not look like me, but rather how people think I should look."
"I won't let that happen!"
Hearing Flamme's youthful and spirited declaration, she didn't negate it further, just smiled and continued forward.
The sentiment was appreciated, but the ways of the world were unpredictable.
After this little interlude, the master and apprentice continued their shopping.
Although it was called "procurement," their usual slow pace meant they bought some trinkets from shops, such as some vessels claimed to be excavated from the Ruins of the King's Tomb.
In front of the display case, the silver-haired girl carefully examined a textured ceramic jar.
It would be good for soil infected by the Flower of Aeonia.
It would be a perfect supplement for the experimental samples lost earlier.
She was a bit tempted, but buying impulsively might be stopped by her apprentice, while the shopkeeper was giving a flowery, exaggerated sales pitch...
As she was pondering, Flamme proudly announced, "Master, although I didn't find any magic to authenticate relics, I found magic to compare their ages!"
"The world is full of wonders. Let's try it now then."
She waved her staff lightly, causing her mana to resonate with the mana of the earthenware pot.
It was simple and crude enough.
That was why Frieren liked this aspect of the real world's magic system.
It was full of little life hacks, single-effect yet conceptually absolute, and wonderfully strange.
It was a pity the circulation rate was low; otherwise, perhaps combining two spells might lead to a groundbreaking result.
Most originated in small villages and other relatively closed societies where transportation was underdeveloped; otherwise, human civilization could have advanced much further.
"It's older than you. It's most likely genuine."
"Then I'll buy it."
"Your Excellency, I told you this was a genuine artifact excavated from the Ruins of the King's Tomb," the owner said with a proud smile. "And I'll give you a twenty percent discount, guaranteed to be economical and affordable."
"Actually, we'd like to understand the situation over there better. Is it convenient to pass through?"
"That's unfortunate. I heard a small contingent of demons is fighting there, and the battlefield has affected the excavation work. It's currently under lockdown for protection, and many roads leading there are barricaded. Although with Lady Frieren's reputation, getting in wouldn't be a problem, it's quite dangerous."
The owner continued to urge, "The main body of the tomb has not yet been fully excavated. I suggest you wait a while longer; this kind of thing takes a lot of time."
"Or perhaps you could stay for an extended period and wait for the excavation?"
Master and apprentice looked at each other.
The danger was a small issue; the key was the excavation progress.
They couldn't just wait, could they?
They couldn't afford to wait.
They couldn't help either; buildings could be made with magic, but archaeology required professionalism and preservation.
She herself didn't want to break any pots and pans.
They had been raring to go and explore thoroughly, but the labyrinth turned out to be more difficult to explore than imagined.
Presumably, the frontline personnel had hit a wall.
What a pity.
A super-large labyrinth couldn't be conquered in a day or two; it would take years.
Frieren stated frankly, "I need to hibernate frequently, so I can only make occasional long trips. It's best if I can reach the labyrinth's core in a single expedition. So, I need to wait for more intelligence; otherwise, it's a waste of time."
"It's rare for Master to call something a waste of time. Anyway, it's just one training session, there's no hurry. I also have many ideas for getting stronger that I need to verify first," Flamme also felt it wasn't worth it.
Although it was a fruitless trip in that regard, the owner still presented them with some relevant information: a survey map showing the excavation situation around the tomb.
It looked like it would take quite a while; slow work yields fine results.
As expected of a labyrinth said to possess features from the Mythic Age, it was a tough nut to crack, hence its widespread fame.
Since that was the case, the two, driven only by the desire for training and exploration, could completely afford to wait; there was no rush.
Especially since Frieren currently had no long-term plans for any excursions in the real world.
The management of the Lands Between had reached a critical stage; after all, the corrupted creatures in the Caelid region were showing signs of increased activity.
What a hassle.
It was impossible to expect everyone to behave for ten years; there must be some hidden force scheming.
To be safe, she had better pay more attention to the situation.
If there was new progress in Scarlet Rot research, then there was no time to dawdle.
Thinking it over, she concluded that the demons were amassing troops, Flamme was growing, and Caelid was brewing a disaster.
It happened to be a lull period, so staying in the elf village was the most prudent choice.
Her perceptive and obedient apprentice spoke first, "I need to train a bit more. Thank you, boss, see you around."
"Mm, I look forward to your next visit."
They had always cooperated pleasantly.
For a small shop, having stable customers was too rare, let alone the renowned Mage of the Mythic Age and her direct disciple.
Previously, everyone thought Flamme was just lucky, but now they had to admit this child was a genius.
The number of mages, monsters, and even demons defeated by her was not small; she was definitely one of the future pillars of human combat strength.
Just as the two were leaving the shop, a carriage escorted by soldiers and an attendant approached them.
"Respected Lady Frieren, my master, City Lord Vearn, sincerely invites you to a banquet."
"I don't like lively places."
"Then how about a private meeting? I'm sure you'll be interested in the topic."
_____
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