Y/n's POV

"Thank you, sir," Frieren smiled at the man riding horseback. He was towing a passenger carriage that we had joined. After leaving the Raad village, we had encountered this man and his carriage, and I decided to pay him to allow us to travel along with him to save time and exhaustion. "This area has a real shortage of passenger carriages,"

"We must all help our fellow man in times of need," he replied.

"Isn't that the truth," I added with a nod.

"I'm a merchant, selling my wares in the town ahead. I supply the people there with fine accessories. Feel free to browse my stock if you'd like," he offered.

"You're quite the salesman," Frieren replied kindly, a smile playing on her lips. "But the finer things are lost on me," She then turned to Fern, her eyes catching the glint of a new bracelet on Fern's wrist. "Did you buy a new bracelet?" she asked.

"Eh?? Well, uh, kind of," Fern replied, glancing at Stark, who was fast asleep across from Frieren.

"That's a pretty design. I have a ring with the same symbol on it. It was a gift from Himmel for a job well done," Frieren said, setting her trunk down and sifting through it. It took several minutes before, "Ah, found it!" She picked up the ring and showed it to everyone. The ring, a simple yet elegant piece, held a special meaning that Frieren hadn't fully understood when she received it.

"Oh? Say, Mistress Frieren. Did you purchase a new hair piece?" Fern asked, noting the new accessory on Frieren's head. "I hadn't noticed it until now. It looks like a Phoenix's feather,"

"Oh, this? It was a gift from Y/n," she replied, touching the hair clip. "It's a token of appreciation for allowing him to join us on our journey. Plus," she added, her fingers gently tracing the phoenix feather, "It's motivation to continue learning how to connect with people and understand emotions better,"

"Well, that's a very sweet gift. It's very pretty," Fern smiled kindly. "It must have cost a lot,"

"If I'm not mistaken, a phoenix symbolizes rejuvenation or renewal, and a long-lasting life, which sounds perfect for you," Sein added, putting his fingers to his chin.

"I thought it would be nic—,"

CRAAASHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Suddenly, a massive bird crashed into the carriage, its talons gripping the canvas and lifting it high into the air. The sudden attack took everyone by surprise, even Frieren, Fern, and I, as we hadn't sensed the bird's mana approaching. Stark was easily shaken awake.

The merchant, along with everyone inside the carriage, was thrown into the chaos as we were carried skyward. Luckily, it wasn't a very bumpy ride. It was surprisingly smooth. Frieren and I exchanged a defeated look.

"Sorry...I let my guard down. Avian monsters are cunning beasts and very skilled at concealing their mana. What to do...?" Frieren asked herself, her tone more curious than panicked.

"Let's defeat the monster, and then figure something out," Stark suggested.

"I hate to break it to you, Stark, but we're quite high off the ground, and not all of us can take falls from this height," I countered.

"You mages use magic to fly around all the time. You can make a carriage float for a little while, right?" Stark asked Frieren.

"Flight magic expends a lot of mana. I know how to fly, but I just can't, given my lack of sufficient mana. Also, flight magic is still relatively new," I explained.

"He's right. It's been a short forty years since humans learned how to fly. Before then, the skies were the exclusive domain of demons and monsters. The flying magic you see us use today, is actually a demon spell mankind was able to repurpose," Frieren added.

"You can spare the lecture. Can you make the carriage levitate or not?" Stark pressed.

"We can't adapt their spell because we merely copied the how without understanding the why. Things larger than humans can only fly for short spurts." Frieren replied calmly.

"You should have just led with that," Stark scoffed.

"We'll have to abandon ship. I'll fly out with our merchant. Fern, you can fly Sein down. Y/n, can you jump from this height without issue?" the elf turned to me.

"Should be no problem," I assured her.

"Then you can grab Stark,"

"Actually, I think I have a better plan," I offered, getting up.

"Oh?" she asked, curious.

"I'll catch it. Frieren, just kill the bird,"

"What?! Are you crazy?! We'll fall!" Stark cried out.

"Trust me!" I shouted, running, and jumping out of the carriage. The wind roared past my ears as I plummeted through the air, a hearty laugh escaping my lips. I looked back to see Frieren flying out of the carriage, swiftly killing the bird with a precise strike. I grinned knowing she trusted my plan.

I turned my focus back to the ground rushing up to meet me. The thrill of the fall coursed through my veins, as I haven't fallen from a height like this in forever. As I neared the ground, I braced myself, my muscles tensing in preparation.

With a thunderous impact, I landed on my feet, creating a small crater. I lifted my hands into the air, ready to catch the descending carriage. I could easily hear Starks loud screaming coming closer and closer.

BAM! THUD!!

The carriage slammed into my hands with immense force, the impact reverberating through my bones and enlarging the crater threefold. Parts of the carriage popped off, wood splintering and breaking.

"GRRRRAAAAAH! I roared, straining against the pressure. Summoning my strength, I tossed the carriage a few meters away, where it landed with a heavy thud. "I'm not doing that again. Phew. That hurt a lot more than I had anticipated. We must be somewhere in the Bande Woods," I sighed, expelling a breath. Fern, Stark, the merchant, and Sein were all thrown about on the ground, disoriented. Frieren was stuck, hanging over the carriage's opening, her expression bearing mild amusement.

Fern was first to pick her head up quickly. "Eh? We're alive??"

"Indeed, indicating Y/n's plan was a success,"

"You call that a success?" Stark whined, straining his voice from the pain as he was faceplanted in a bush.

"What's worse is that he called it a plan. He didn't even explain it to us beforehand," Sein added.

...

Night had fallen, and we huddled around the broken carriage, while the horse was tied to a nearby tree. "Your horse was only slightly injured, but I fixed it up for you," Sein said to the merchant. "The greater concern is your carriage. It needs major repairs,"

I scratched the back of my head, feeling guilty. "I'm sorry," I apologized to the man.

"Please, don't apologize. I'm thankful. If it had just been me, I would surely have died," he replied, his tone sincere.

"It's going to take some time to fix the carriage," Stark sighed, looking at the damage.

...

We started a fire and decided to get some rest so we would have ample energy to start fixing the carriage first thing in the morning. The warmth of the fire provided some comfort as we settled down for the night, reflecting on the situation we were in earlier that day.

...

Frieren's POV

"Frieren...Frieren..." I slowly woke to the sound of my name being called.

"Mmmmmmmm...." I groaned, opening my eyes to find Y/n sitting next to me with a gentle smile. "Mmmmm.... Just twelve more hours, Y/n..." I turned back over and closed my eyes.

"I would let you sleep longer, Frieren, but we have a wagon to fix, and you left your things from your trunk strewn about in the carriage when you landed," Y/n said, his voice calm but insistent.

I sighed and sat up, rubbing my eyes. "Alright," I looked around. "Where is everyone?" I asked, feeling a bit disoriented having just woke up.

"Stark and Sein are cutting wood, Fern took them some bread after finding the wheels to the carriage, and I'm tending to the canvas with the merchant," he explained.

"I see. Well, I'm going to reorganize my trunk, then I will help with fixing the wagon," I stated, getting up slowly, dusting myself off.

"Good," Y/n nodded. He went back over to the merchant, leaving me to sort through the scattered contents of my trunk inside the carriage.

As I began gathering my things and placing them back into my trunk, my hand brushed against the ring Himmel had given me. It sparked a bittersweet memory, a reminder of his generosity and the weight of his expectations at the time.

Lost in thought, I absentmindedly reached up to adjust my hair and realized something was missing. The hair clip Y/n had gifted me was nowhere to be found.

"It must have fallen off during the fall..." I murmured to myself, a frown creasing my brow. "I wonder where it went..."

I searched the entire carriage, turning over every item and checking nooks and crannies, but the hair clip remained elusive. A sense of unease started to build inside me. The hair clip wasn't just a piece of jewelry—it symbolized something deeper. Y/n had given it to me as a gesture of appreciation, a symbol of my efforts to connect with people and understand their emotions better. Losing it felt like losing a piece of that progress, a sort of tangible reminder of the bond we were forming.

"Is something wrong, Frieren?" Y/n's voice brought me out of my thoughts. He had noticed my agitation.

"I seem to have lost the hair clip you gifted me during the fall. I apologize," I said with a bit of disappointment. It surprisingly and genuinely upset me that I had lost it.

"Oh? Well, that's unfortunate. Hey, don't worry about it. We'll find it after we finish with the man's cart, alright?"

...

For the next two days, we diligently worked on repairing the carriage. Though not particularly challenging, the task was time-consuming.

Each night, while most were either sleeping or wrapping up work, I found myself sneaking away from the group to search for the lost hair clip, but my efforts were fruitless. Tonight marked my last opportunity. Sighing, I continued my search through the forest surrounding our small camp, lantern in hand. When I spotted something shiny on the ground, I bent down, only to find it was a shard of glass, which I discarded with a calming sense of frustration.

"Mistress Frieren!" I heard Fern call out from behind me as she approached.

I turned my head towards her. "Hm?"

"We finished repairing the carriage. We'll depart early tomorrow morning," Fern stated.

"Understood," I acknowledged.

"You've been sneaking away from us at night. What is it you're looking for?"

"The hair clip Y/n gave me," I replied.

Fern instantly gasped, seemingly shocked. "Let me help!" she exclaimed, rushing to my side with determination. "We'll wait to leave for town until we've found it," she declared.

"That's alright," I sighed. "If we don't have any luck tonight...then I'll give up..." I said rather somberly. "I've grown used to losing things, both simple things and important things," In normal circumstances, losing simple items didn't bother me, but this was different to me. However, we had to reach Äußerst in time for the mage exams, and delaying too much further simply wasn't an option.

We soon stood up and made our way back to the campsite, our search having yielded no results. Y/n was already asleep on the ground next to the fire, while Sein, Stark, and the merchant sat conversing calmly.

"Ah, you're back. Where have you been going at night, Frieren?" Stark asked.

"She lost the hair clip Y/n gifted her," Fern explained to the boy. Suddenly, the merchant perked up, as if he had realized something. He went over to the newly repaired carriage and retrieved something. He came back holding a sealed piece of paper.

He handed the paper to me. "I wish you would have told me sooner. Given my line of work, I often help folks in my village find lost valuable jewelry. This is a spell for locating lost accessories. I was intending to give it to you as a reward for all your assistance with my carriage and horse,"

I opened the seal and read the spell, a small, soft smile forming on my face. "Thank you," I nodded before giving it a try.

Closing my eyes, I rose high into the air. As I hovered, I waved my staff, activating the spell. Sure enough, a shiny, metallic item flew from the ground not too far from me. I flew over and saw that it was the hair clip. Grabbing it, I felt a warm sense of relief. As I descended back to the ground, I looked at Y/n, who was sleeping peacefully.

"Did you find it?" Fern asked me.

"I did," I replied, fixing the clip back into my hair.

"I'm glad," she responded.

"We should get some shut-eye. We need to depart early tomorrow," Sein suggested. We all then settled down to sleep, knowing we had an early start ahead of us.

...

We all sat in the carriage as the horse trotted with us along in tow, heading to the next village. I held the hair clip in my hand, smiling at the fact I had found it.

"You were close to giving up your search. Glad you didn't?" Fern asked, looking over at me.

I grinned. "I am," I said, holding the clip close to my heart.

"Yeah, I'm glad you found it," Y/n added. "I would have been upset if we couldn't,"

"I would have been too," I admitted, feeling a warmth spread through me as I held onto the precious gift.

...

Y/n's POV

We had been in the carriage for a good hour now, and the ride was smooth. We had to stop a few times to fend off some monsters, but it was no trouble.

"Hey, do you think I could take part in the mage exams?" I asked, my tone light and humorous.

"You probably could. Back then, they practically allowed anyone to enter," Frieren replied thoughtfully. "You may not have a lot of mana, but you can use spells like a mage would. I even think showing them your swordsman pendant could help,"

Fern furrowed her brows and pressed her lips together in a mix of annoyance, giving me a slight pout. "You are not a mage," she glared at me.

"I know, I know, but I thought it could be fun," I shrugged. "Even if I won't classify or get recognized as a mage,"

"You are something, aren't you," Sein laughed.

"How will you be able to use offensive spells?" Fern asked, her curiosity piqued. "You don't have a staff,"

"I could use my greatsword as a staff," I noted.

"How?" she was in a bit of disbelief.

"As a casting sword? Hm... It's rare to see a casting sword. I've only seen a small handful in my life," Frieren put her fingers to her chin, pondering.

"Casting sword?" Fern, Stark, and Sein repeated simultaneously, puzzled.

"Casting swords are blades that can also be used as catalysts for spell casting, similar to a staff. They're primarily longswords, short swords, or even daggers. Never seen one as a greatsword though, especially one of Y/n's caliber," Frieren looked my way.

"I've never personally tried it, myself. Although, it's probably possible. If worse comes to worst, then I'll just buy a cheap staff, or even find a good stick," I shrugged once more with a laugh, looking ahead.

"That feels insulting," Fern groaned, rolling her eyes, causing Stark, Sein, and I to laugh.

"So, merchant, you have a name?" I called out to the man.

"You may call me Tische," he responded.

"How long have you been selling accessories, Tische?" I inquired.

"As long as my family had taught me. It's a family business, actually. Started with my great, great, great grandparents, and it was passed down through generations. My parents are retired now, so I've taken the mantle, so to speak. I've been travelling and selling for several years now," he explained.

"Must be a successful business then," Fern smiled warmly.

"It can be. It depends on which town I travel to. I've had plentiful days, and days without a single coin. It's worse when I have to deal with monsters. Thanks for taking care of them back there, by the way,"

"No worries," I replied with a nod.

...

We continued our journey in the carriage, the path ahead lined with dense forest and rougher terrain. After some time, we approached a set of towering wooden palisades, their pointed tops stretching into the tree line. The large gate further up on the left, conjoined with the palisades, slowly creaked open.

A man emerged from the gate, greeting us with a friendly wave. "Welcome, travelers! Would you like to stop by our little settlement?"

Tische looked ahead. "We seek shelter and trade; do you have room for us?"

"Of course! We always welcome travelers and merchants. Come in, make yourselves at home," the man replied warmly, gesturing for us to enter.

Something didn't seem right. Something felt... oddly familiar to me.

"Give us one moment!" I called out to the man, taking Tische and the others by surprise.

"That's perfectly fine! Take your time!"

"What seems to be the issue?" Tische asked, concerned.

"Something doesn't feel right," I said, scanning my surroundings until I noticed something that confirmed my suspicions. "Frieren, does that banner look familiar to you?" I pointed to the banner above us. The banner above us was yellow and red, and had a wild dog insignia stitched in.

"Can't say that it does," she replied, her lack of recognition surprising me.

"I'm surprised you haven't seen it before. To give you all some context, this isn't some small, welcoming settlement," I began, my tone becoming more serious.

"It's not?" Fern asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

"No. It's a bandit camp,"

"A bandit camp?" Stark's questioned, alarmed.

"Indeed. This belongs to the Hund Clan, as indicated by the banner,"

"Ah, I've heard of them," Frieren stated.

"So, you've heard the name but haven't seen the insignia?"

"I have,"

"The Hund Clan has been around for thousands of years. They specialize in deception, luring merchants and travelers with open arms and a façade of hospitality. Then, they butcher the men and children, keeping the women captive to do with as they please,"

"That's horrible," Fern said, her expression troubled.

"That's why we're going to eliminate this camp. For all we know, there could be captives," I explained. "Even if it delays us a bit,"

"Alright, so what's the plan, then?" Sein asked.

"We play into their false generosity. Do your best to show no hostility until they do. Then, we wipe them out," I explained succinctly.

Everyone nodded in agreement. As we approached the entrance, a nagging sense of familiarity continued to bother me. I had delt with the Hund Clan in the past, multiple times even, but for some reason, this place felt so significant, and I couldn't figure out why.

As we passed through the gate, the man who had greeted us led the way, motioning for us to follow.  The camp within the palisades was bustling with activity—people moving about, tending to various tasks, and others seated around campfires. It all looked deceptively welcoming. The camp wasn't too large, but it had enough to securely house thirty bandits.

"Make yourselves comfortable. We have food and drink for sale if you need any," our guide offered.

"We appreciate the hospitality," Tische responded, maintaining a polite demeanor.

We settled the carriage in a designated area, and as we disembarked, I subtly signaled to the others to remain alert. We were led to a large communal area, where a few makeshift stalls were set up, ostensibly for trading.

I glanced around, noting the layout and the positioning of the guards. We split up, each of us moving through the camp in different directions, trying to blend in. I approached one of the stalls, pretending to be interested in the wares. They sold artifacts from ruins, although all fake and forged.

"Do you often have visitors stay overnight?"

"Sometimes," the vendor said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "We're always happy to provide shelter to weary travelers,"

I could feel a presence from behind me, slowly approaching, a threatening feeling. I quickly spun around and swung, hitting a bandit right in the jaw. The axe he was holding fell right out of his hands and onto the grass. Everyone in the camp got quiet.

Quicker than I had expected.

"EVERYONE! GET'EM!" the vender yelled out.

After my strike connected with the bandit's jaw, the camp erupted into the chaos. Bandits rushed forward, weapons gleaming in the sun. I summoned my greatsword, parrying an incoming strike with a resounding clang. With a powerful swing, I cleaved through the air, my blade connecting with the side of a bandit, splitting him in two.

A group of archers atop wooden platforms started hailing arrows at me. I twisted my greatsword deflecting and cutting each arrow with precision, the metal points clanging harmlessly off my blade. As the archers paused to draw more arrows, I charged forward, cutting down another pair of bandits who tried to block my path.

Frieren and Fern stood side by side, their staffs glowing with spells ready. Frieren sent a barrage of ice shards from her staff, skewering the bandits who dared approach her. Fern used her ordinary offensive magic and blasted other ones that came her way. Despite their simple spells, their combined power was devastating.

Stark swung his massive axe in wide arcs. A volley of arrows targeted him, but he moved with surprising agility, slicing through the arrows with his axe. He jumped to the platforms and cut them down, causing the archers to fall. He barreled into a group of them, his axe cleaving through their ranks with brutal efficiency. One bandit tried to flank him, but Stark pivoted, bringing his axe down in a crushing overhead strike that split the attacker's skull.

I pressed forward, weaving through the melee, cutting down whoever got in my way. Suddenly, I heard roaring from above as I saw dark clouds forming. Then, lightning struck down on every bandit left. I looked over and saw that Frieren was the one casting this spell.

As the last of the bandits fell, the adrenaline that had fueled my movements began to ebb. I looked around, taking in the scene of carnage. Bodies lay strewn across the camp, the blood-soaked ground a stark reminder of the violence that had unfolded. The crackling of fires were the only sounds breaking the eerie silence. Luckily, the fight was quick, and there weren't too many bandits, and there weren't any prisoners. The merchant made sure that his cart was secure and nothing was stolen.

I felt a strange sensation wash over me, a sense of déjà vu that gnawed at the edges of my consciousness. My gaze drifted across the camp, and heavy striking memories began to surface. The wooden palisades, the crude structures, the prisoner cells in the back, even the layout of the camp felt hauntingly familiar.

My companions were busy ensuring everyone was alright and confirming that the bandits were dead, but my mind was elsewhere, lost in a sea of memories. Thousands of years ago...I had been here. The realization hit me like a physical blow. I clutched my greatsword tight and stabbed it into the ground as hard as I could.

"Y/n?" Stark's voice broke through my reverie. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, are you alright? You seem troubled," Fern added in concern.

I turned to them, my eyes wide with a mixture of shock, and sorrow. "I've been here before. Thousands of years ago. This very camp,"

"I see. It must have been a very important event for it to cause you react this way," Sein said, scratching his head.

"It was. It's where I met Liebe," I stated. My eyes softened a bit.

"Oh, you mentioned her after our duel. She was the one who helped you with learning how to connect with people," Frieren recalled.

"Liebe... Was that someone before Engel?" Fern asked.

"Yes. She was probably the single most important person in my life, as she was my first love, and the one that made me into the person I am today." I confessed. Everyone was taken aback from the sudden revelation, besides Frieren. "I saved her life here in this camp. From then on, we stayed together and she taught me how to be a better person," I walked over and picked up a nearby shovel, beginning to dig graves.

"What are you doing?" Stark asked.

"I'm giving them proper burials," I responded, shoving the shovel into the ground.

"But they're just disgusting bandits," Fern looked at the corpses with disdain.

"They're people, Fern. If they were monsters, it would be a different story. And besides...Liebe would have wanted this,"

"What even happened here back then?" Stark asked, picking up another shovel to help.

"I'd rather not talk about it. Maybe another time," I said, focusing on the task at hand. Everyone else joined in, Sein using a shovel as well, while Fern and Frieren used their magic. As we worked, the memories of that day played vividly in my mind.

...

Thousands of years ago, although I looked like an innocent thirteen-year-old, I was a completely different person than I am now. I didn't have much emotion nor cared for others' emotions. I was fearsome, and savage, yet calm and contained. Most everything I did was for money rather than the goodness of my heart. I had found myself at this exact camp. It was a bandit stronghold of roughly thirty men. The air was thick with the stench of blood and fear. I was there on a contract from the nearby town—a simple job: save Liebe, kill the bandits, and return safely back to the village. The contract was given by Liebe's sister, Hasse.

It was dark.

As I approached the camp, the wooden palisades loomed above, just as they did now. As the large gates of the wooden palisades opened, a man emerged with a friendly wave. "Welcome, young traveler!" he called out with a disarming smile. I approached him, my greatsword gripped tightly in hand. Without a word, I slashed across his throat, the blade biting deep into flesh and spraying blood across the ground, and myself. His body spasmed, eyes wide with shock, before I brought the sword to his side, splitting his torso from his legs. The halves of his body collapsed to the ground, a pool of blood spreading beneath him.

The camp fell immediately silent, shocked into disbelief. Then, chaos erupted, battle cries polluting the air. I walked in, ready for the onslaught. A bandit charged me with a rusty axe. I sidestepped and drove my sword through his chest, the blade emerging with his punctured heart at the end and its edge coated in blood. Another lunged with a dagger from behind me. I pulled the sword out of the first bandit and smacked the daggered one in the head with the pommel of my greatsword, stunning him. I then stomped on his kneecap, shattering it, causing him to fall in great pain. I plunged my sword into his stomach, ending him.

Arrows rained down from the wooden ramparts, a barrage of deadly fire seeking flesh. With a swift parry of my sword, I deflected the incoming storm, the steel ringing with each impact. Gritting my teeth, I hurled the blade towards the nearest archer, the point finding its mark with a sickening thud against the palisades. A wail echoed.

Bounding forward, I leapt onto the hilt of my embedded sword. The blade pivoted beneath my weight, its keen edge lifting to split the crying bandit's head in a grim arc. Without hesitation, I caught the returning sword and bolted down the rampart. Each swing became a blur of motion, the blade singing through the air as it found flesh and bone. Screams and clashes filled the air as I carved a path through the ranks, relentless and unstoppable. For every man I killed, I grew stronger.

As another arrow streaked towards me from a tower, I seized the nearest bandit and thrust him in front of me. The arrow struck with a thud, finding its mark in the man's head. With a grim resolve, I cast the lifeless body aside and surged forward, blade slicing through the chaos.

With a swift, decisive stroke, I cleaved through the platform. The archer's scream was cut short as he plummeted, meeting a grisly fate against the palisades below, impaled. Without pausing, I leaped from the ramparts, plunging my sword into the ground as I landed. The ground shuddered violently, jagged rocks erupting in a deadly display. Bandits were skewered as the impromptu spikes rose.

I stopped, pulling my sword out of the ground as the rock skewers crumbled into dust. A massive figure appeared before me, wielding a hammer that rivaled my greatsword in both size and weight. He swung at me with brute force, and I leaped back just in time to avoid the crushing blow. He was heavily armored, with only a narrow slit in his helmet to see through. Their last line of defense.

Wasting no time, I charged at him, swinging my sword in a relentless barrage. He blocked each attack with practiced precision, his armor clanging with each strike. He retaliated with a powerful swing of his own, but I ducked beneath it, causing him to overshoot.

Seizing the opportunity, I struck his helmet, the impact resonating with a loud clang. The blow dazed him, leaving him vulnerable. I leaped onto him, driving my sword through the slit in his helmet repeatedly until he finally slumped to the ground, lifeless.

I stood back up and exhaled. Surveying the aftermath, I saw the bodies strewn about, the ground littered with the remnants of the battle. Among the carnage, a bandit crawled feebly, his legs shattered, his abdomen pierced. He emitted unintelligible murmurs and whimpers, a pitiful sight.

I approached him and squatted down, meeting his pained gaze. I grabbed him by the hair, lifting his head slightly. "What makes you kill people; take and imprison women?" I asked coldly with no inflection to my voice as it was devoid of sympathy.

"M..M.May... The Goddess....of Creation... c-curse you...!" he spat, gritting his blood-splattered teeth in defiance. With a sigh, I stood up, letting go of his head. He would bleed out soon enough, and I had no desire to hasten his end. Turning away, I walked toward the back of the camp, where the prisons awaited. I sheathed my sword behind my back, using a miniscule amount of mana to keep it afloat.

"H-Hello?! Is anyone there?! What's going on?! Help!" I easily heard the cries for help coming from a single voice. As I entered, I noticed a young woman, about fifteen years old or so, trapped in what was practically a metal crate, though large enough for her to stand in. She was bruised, cut, half-naked, and had signs of recent crying. She must have been taken here recently. She had short, blonde hair and stunningly green eyes, and a pure face.

"Are you alright?" I asked her. She was shaking and staring at me, unable to answer, likely gauging if I was good or bad. "I asked you if you were alright," I repeated.

"I'm...I'm alright...Just... scared...and cold...but.. I can manage..," she smiled feebly. I kicked the lock off the cage door and swung it open.

"Good. Your sister is worried. She sent me to find you and bring you home safe,"

"Hasse was looking for me?" Liebe's eyes widened in surprise as she stepped out of the cell.

"Correct," I said, taking off my cape and handing it to her. "Here, take this, you're half naked and cold. You should look decent before going back home," I averted my eyes.

"Thanks." She gave me a half-smile and wrapped herself up.

"Let's go before more bandits arrive," I said, leading her out of the prison area and back into the open camp, where bodies lay strewn about. She followed behind me, her eyes widening in shock at the carnage: bodies and body parts, blood everywhere.

"Did... you do all this by yourself?"

"I did what I had to," my neutral expression remained unchanged. "It would have been too risky to save you with them all still alive,"

She frowned before furrowing her brows with determination. She walked over, grabbed a shovel, and began digging.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm burying them. At least the best I can," she said, her voice resolute. I was confused as to why it mattered.

"Why? They're bandits. They kidnapped you and beat you. They don't deserve that,"

"They're people. It's the least they deserve, regardless of what they've done. Leaving them like this leaves a sick taste in my mouth. Can you help me?" She asked. She seemed to care for people, regardless of their morality...

I sighed. "Sure," I said, and we got to work.

...

I blinked, pulling myself back to the present as we finished burying the bandits of the camp.

"Well, I'm glad that's over. Now nobody should fear coming through this route," I stated, tossing the shovel aside.

"Right. We may have wasted some time, but we did good by it," Sein nodded.

"Hey! Everyone!" Tische called from the gate. "My cart is all ready for us to continue to the next village!"

"Alright!" Stark shouted, tossing his shovel away and walking down with Sein and Fern to the merchant's wagon. Frieren stayed behind.

"Hey, are you alright, Y/n?" Frieren asked, genuinely concerned. She seemed gentle, and caring.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I relieved a bittersweet memory is all.,"

"I see. I guess it's not easy to face the past, especially when it's filled with pain and loss,"

"No, it's not," I agreed, looking at the freshly dug graves. "But it's something I've learned to cope with over time. Liebe was someone who taught me a lot about that,"

Frieren nodded slowly. "After Himmel died, I realized that it's hard to lose someone who meant so much. But today, you've honored her memory,"

"I hope so. I'm also passing on the torch to you, so to speak, Frieren," I gave her a gentle smile.

"Hm?" she looked into my eyes.

"I'm helping you just as she helped me,"

Frieren's lips curled into a smile. "Thank you,"

"Don't mention it," I replied, patting her head gently. She leaned into the touch slightly

We all hopped in the cart and we continued our journey to the next town. Along the way, I pulled out my journal and flipped to the page where Liebe was drawn. More memories surfaced, though happy ones. I smiled as a reminisced.

...

"So, what's your name?" Liebe asked me as we walked. The forest brimmed with life; birds chirped, animals scurried around, and the trees shuffled in the wind.

"Y/n," I replied.

"My name's Liebe. It's nice to meet you," she introduced herself kindly.

"Likewise. I'm impressed. You seem to fair well when it comes to human corpses," I noted.

"Well, that wasn't the first time I've had to bury people in that kind of state," she kept her head down and kicking a rock.

"I see...." I paused. "My condolences,"

"Don't worry about it. Anyways, you seem about my age, if not a little younger. To take out that entire camp of bandits by yourself is quite something,"

"I get that a lot. I just have a lot of experience,"

"And you can carry that massive sword?"

"I've gotten used to it,"

"How should I repay you for saving me?" she asked, tilting her head curiously.

"Your sister is paying me for bringing you home. I believe a payment from you isn't necessary, Liebe," I waved it off.

"Well, that's too bad," she giggled a little. "I'll think of something,"

...

Liebe and I arrived at the village after more simple small talk.

"LIEBE!" Hasse came running towards us, quickly hugging her younger sister close, practically crying. "Are you okay?! Did they hurt you!?" she asked frantically.

"Not too bad, just a couple cuts and bruises, but nothing more, Hasse," Liebe answered, holding her older sister close as well.

In a way, it warmed my heart to see them reunite. It caused me to smile slightly, something that was rare for me.

"Thank you so much, sir," Hasse spoke to me with gratitude. "Why don't you stay a while? I'll treat you to some food and perhaps a place to sleep. We have a spare bedroom in my house,"

"I could go for a meal," I admitted, holding my stomach.

"Then please, follow me," Hasse and Liebe led me to their house. It was a small, gentle building, normal with bits of décor. I wondered if they had parents taking care of them, or if they were by themselves. I sat at a table as Hasse brought me vegetables and bread, and an already cooked piece of meat, likely boar.

"Did you hunt this yourself?" I asked the older sister.

"Yes, I did. How did you know?"

"The cut of meat is amateur. You wouldn't find this from a butcher," I said, inspecting the cut. I took a bite. "It's delicious, regardless. I thank you,"

We all sat at the table and conversed as I ate. It wasn't anything to meaningful or deep. I had learned that they lost their parents due to a raid by the same bandit camp years prior. They had to bury the mangled corpses on their own. Hasse had been taking care of Liebe ever since.

"I've come to a decision," Liebe announced.

"A decision?" Hasse asked, puzzled.

"I've decided how I'm going to repay Y/n for saving my life,"

"Honey, I'm already paying him a lot for him saving you,"

"I don't care!" she objected. "I want to join him on his adventure," she declared. The house grew quiet.

"What? After I just had you saved, you wish to go out and get hurt again?" her older sister asked her. "I won't allow it,"

"And why not?"

"Because, I don't know what I'd do if I were to lose you,"

"But I've been talking about going out and adventuring all the time! Besides, I'd be with Y/n, and he can protect me,"

"Can you use a weapon?" I spoke up, interjecting their argument.

"I can! I'm a mage!" She grinned happily and quickly ran to get her staff. She returned with a homely looking staff. "This was my mother's staff,"

"Are you serious about traveling with me? You understand it'll be dangerous?" I looked towards the girl, glaring into her eyes, testing her honesty.

"I understand completely," she replied sincerely, nodding quickly.

I looked over to Hasse. "I think you should let her go with me. She clearly wants to,"

"But what if she gets hurt, or worse?"

"I won't let that happen," I stared into Hasse's eyes, equally sincerely. "She'll be a fine mage. I'll keep her protected and teach her until she can fend for herself,"

"I'll... have to think about it," Hasse averted her eyes. "It's all too much right now,"

"No worries," I said, finishing my meal. "Now, if you don't mind, may I find somewhere to rest?"

"Oh, please, follow me," she got up from the table and led me to a spare bedroom.

"Thank you," I nodded.

That night, I heard their voices, either bickering and arguing or engaging in heartfelt communication.

The next morning, I woke up and stretched before walking into the main living area, seeing both Hasse and Liebe sitting at the table. Liebe had a sack and her staff in hand.

"Seems I'm coming with you, after all," Liebe cheered.

Hasse stood up and walked to me. "After a lot of time talking with her, and a lot of time thinking, I've decided to let her go with you. If you were able to save her from a camp full of bandits, I believe you can keep her safe. She wanted to go out and adventure, and so she shall," she smiled.

"I will make sure to keep her safe," I nodded.

"You better, or I will have your head,"

"If that comes to pass, then my head is yours," I said sincerely.

She then held up a sack of coin to me. "Here, this is for saving my sister," she averted her eyes, almost embarrassed. I looked down at Liebe, then back to the bag. My brain started processing something that it normally wouldn't.

"Keep it," I stated plainly.

"What?"

"I said keep it. You'll be by yourself for a while, you'll need it more than I will,"

"Thank you, Y/n,"

"Right, anyway, I'll be taking my leave. Thank you for your hospitality, Hasse," I nodded to her.

Hasse quickly gave her younger sister a hug once more. "I love you, Liebe, remember that. Be sure to be safe,"

"I love you too, big sis," Liebe hugged her back before letting go.

As we left the home, Liebe trotted next to me. "That was so sweet what you did for her,"

"It was merely for her benefit," I stated.

"Is someone trying to hide their kind side?"

"Never really had one,"

"Oh, please," she scoffed teasingly. "Anyway, where are we headed?"

...

The memories ended and I couldn't help myself tearing up a little with a smile. I shook my head and took a deep breath, closing the journal, and putting it back in my pouch.

I closed my eyes and leaned back, thinking how far I've come since then. I soon fell asleep as we continued our journey to the next village.

To Be Continued...