The Willie Region greeted them with noise, colors, and the smell of freshly baked bread drifting from open shop windows. Market stalls lined the cobblestone streets, hawking everything from glimmering trinkets to steaming bowls of stew. Naru's blue eyes darted everywhere, lingering on every sweet vendor they passed. She tugged Frieren's sleeve at least five times, each time met with a flat, unamused look from the elf.
But as lively as the region was, one thing stood out—no one ventured near the wall of trees to the east. The forest loomed there, dark and heavy, its canopy so thick that sunlight barely pierced through. Locals kept their distance, walking quickly when their path took them anywhere near its shadow. Instead of taking the forest shortcut to the Riegel Region, they all trudged the long mountain path, an extra week of travel.
Frieren knew why. The forest was home to Einsam the Phantom Demon—a cunning predator that fed on the mind, casting illusions so vivid they could strip a person's will to resist. It preyed on nostalgia, grief, and longing. Most victims never even realized they were dying until the demon had already drained the last of their life.
Frieren had crossed paths with Einsam once before, long ago. Back then, it had chosen to tempt her with the most obvious bait—her master, Flamme. The phantom's copy of Flamme had looked at her with those same calm, sharp eyes, the same smirk tugging at her lips… and then begged her not to destroy her. It was almost insulting—Flamme was many things, but begging? No, that wasn't her style. Frieren hadn't hesitated. One well-aimed spell and the illusion vanished like smoke in the wind.
Now, years later, as Frieren and Naru stood before that same forest, the elf glanced at the horned girl beside her. Naru tilted her head, her orange ribbons swaying slightly in the breeze.
"...We going in?" she asked, voice even as always.
Frieren simply nodded and started walking. She hadn't told Naru what lurked here. There was a very good reason for that. Naru was absurdly strong, yes—physically stronger than most humans and even some demons—but she also had a very specific weakness. Ghosts. Or, more accurately, anything she even suspected of being ghost-related. For someone who technically was a demon, her fear of the supernatural was so intense that Frieren had no doubt she'd refuse to step within ten meters of this forest if she knew the truth.
And Frieren was not getting hauled over the mountains like a sack of grain again. Her pelvis still hadn't quite forgiven her from the last time.
The elf glanced sideways at her companion. She wasn't sure if Einsam's illusions would even work on Naru. Her being a demon might give her some resistance… or it might not. But if it did affect her, Frieren decided it would be a useful lesson. Naru might be strong, but brute force wouldn't protect her from everything.
The forest swallowed them quickly, the lively chatter of Willie fading behind them. Here, the air felt cooler, damper, and the scent of moss clung to every breath. Shafts of weak sunlight spilled through the dense canopy in slivers, dancing over the roots that curled across the ground like sleeping snakes.
Naru, for her part, seemed entirely unbothered. Her eyes flicked around, ears twitching faintly at distant sounds—a rustle here, a bird call there. Her grip on her staff was casual, and she hummed softly under her breath.
Frieren walked a step ahead, her mana flowing just enough to feel the subtle pull of magic in the air. Einsam was here. She could sense it. The magic was faint, almost delicate, the kind of thread one might overlook unless they knew to search for it.
For now, she said nothing.
A soft wind drifted through the branches, carrying with it a sound—a whisper. Naru's steps slowed, her head tilting ever so slightly, but she kept walking.
Then came the scent. Sweet, warm… almost familiar.
Frieren's fingers twitched, her senses sharp. She knew the signs. The forest was already shifting.
But she didn't turn to warn Naru. If Einsam wanted to try, let it.
Whether the demon's illusions would succeed or fail—Frieren was curious to see.
—oOVOo—
The forest of Einsam was cloaked in a damp, silver haze, every step muffled by moss and fallen leaves. The air had that eerie weight to it—the kind that made sound feel thinner, like the world itself was holding its breath. Frieren's boots crunched lightly over the roots as she glanced sideways at the horned blonde walking beside her.
"If you see anything unreal," Frieren said, voice soft but carrying enough weight to make Naru's pointed ears twitch, "shoot it."
Naru tilted her head, her ribbons bobbing with the motion. "Unreal?" She blinked slowly, processing the word as if it had been served to her with a side of riddles. "Like… a fake deer?"
"Something like that." Frieren's gaze flicked forward again, not offering further clarification. If she explained, Naru would probably turn around and march them both to the mountains without hesitation, and Frieren was not enduring another week-long detour and a bruised pelvis from being carried like a sack of rice.
Naru eventually nodded. "…Got it, 'ttebayo." She adjusted the staff she carried over her shoulder, utterly oblivious to the way the mist seemed to curl unnaturally around them.
They moved in silence for a while, the only sound the occasional snap of twigs underfoot. Then, out of nowhere, Frieren froze mid-step. Her pupils tightened.
Standing several meters ahead of her was Himmel.
Not just some vague, hazy figment of memory—Himmel as he had been in his prime. That boyish, self-assured smile, the faint glint in his eyes that was part mischief and part kindness. Even the way his cape swayed gently behind him matched her memory perfectly.
Frieren's lips curved slightly in surprise. "…So. I've changed that much." She murmured to herself, realizing the Phantom Demon had chosen to show her Himmel instead of her master Flamme this time.
Himmel took a step forward, that same earnest tone rolling out of his mouth. "Frieren, shoot."
A small puff of amusement escaped her. "How accurate. That's exactly what Himmel would've said." She raised her hand without hesitation, magic condensing into a searing bolt of Zoltaraak that lanced through the figure. The blast tore through the mist, the sound booming like a struck bell. The phantom vanished instantly, leaving only smoke curling in the air.
Frieren exhaled and turned, ready to check on her apprentice—only to see Naru rooted to the spot.
The stoic, flat-faced demon girl was trembling. Her blue eyes were wide, glassy with forming tears, and her lips were parted in a shaky gasp.
"Who are you?!" Naru's voice cracked, loud and raw in the otherwise quiet forest.
Frieren's brows knit, following the girl's line of sight. She didn't see anything—no phantom standing there now. But she didn't need to. She could feel the prickling of magical energy nearby, the scent of the Phantom Demon in the mist.
In the blink of an eye, Frieren's hand was up again, her magic circle flaring. A second Zoltaraak tore through the trees, striking true. There was a high-pitched screech, wet and alien, before the sound cut off abruptly.
The mist peeled away like someone had pulled a veil from the world, revealing plain, sun-dappled forest again.
Frieren was already at Naru's side, gripping her shoulders. "Calm down. It's gone." Her tone was firmer than usual, grounding.
Naru blinked rapidly, her breathing uneven. She swallowed hard, the ribbons in her hair trembling along with her.
"What—or who—did you see?" Frieren asked, watching her closely.
"…Naru… d-doesn't know," she stammered, the words coming in broken fits. "He was with Heiter-sama… but Heiter-sama is gone and…" Her gaze fell, teeth catching her lower lip. "Nar-Naru felt like she knew the other man…"
Frieren studied her for a long, silent moment. The way her apprentice's voice wavered told her enough—it wasn't just the Phantom Demon's trick. It had dredged up something buried deep, something even Naru herself didn't understand yet.
"…It was an illusion," Frieren said gently, though her eyes softened. "It's meant to confuse you."
Naru's fingers clenched at her staff, but she gave a small nod, looking down at the forest floor. "Naru… doesn't like this forest, 'ttebayo…"
Frieren let out the faintest breath of amusement despite herself. "Then let's get out of it quickly."
Without another word, she started walking again, this time keeping Naru within arm's reach. The mist might have cleared, but Frieren's senses stayed sharp. Einsam was gone, yes—but the look on Naru's face lingered in her mind far more than the fight itself.
She'd have to keep an eye on that.