Chapter 140 – Stones
Flamme looked up at the mound before her—a hill made entirely of piled stones.
They were so dark that even the moonlight seemed unable to illuminate them.
"…You gathered all of these by yourself?"
"How many are there?"
---
The old man scratched his head, trying to recall a memory long lost to time.
When he realized he couldn't, he simply laughed at himself.
"Heh… I'm sorry. I used to count them… but I can't remember anymore."
"I have to admit—both my body and mind have grown old."
"You can see it clearly."
"The large stones at the bottom were carried when I was young and strong."
"And the smaller ones on top… those are what I've managed to collect in recent years."
---
"I see…"
Flamme murmured softly.
Just as he said—the stones grew smaller from bottom to top.
The difference between the largest and smallest was dozens of times over.
It was as if, from this unexpected angle, she could see the entire course of an ordinary person's life—from youth to old age.
---
But after a quick visual estimate, she sighed and spoke frankly:
"I'll be honest."
"Even after a lifetime of effort… this still isn't enough."
"Against a swamp of that size, this amount of stone can't form a proper road."
"At best… it might complete half of it."
---
"…Yes. I know."
The old man gazed at his life's work and let out a long sigh.
"I'm not a mage. Nor am I some gifted warrior."
"All these years, I could only rely on my own hands… carrying stones bit by bit."
"When I was young, I could move several large rocks a day."
"Now that I'm old… I'm lucky if I can gather a sack of pebbles."
"But over the decades, I occasionally met kind mages and warriors."
"Travelers passing through… who would lend me a hand."
---
"I see…"
Flamme smiled thoughtfully.
"No wonder your eyes lit up when you saw Elias's levitation magic… and Robin's strength."
---
"Heh… how embarrassing."
The old man lowered his head.
"I won't have another lifetime."
"So I have to seize what little time I have left…"
"…and do whatever it takes to fulfill that bet with my old friend."
---
Elias listened without much emotion.
He had never liked being manipulated.
But Flamme's next words made him reconsider.
"Whatever it takes… huh?"
"If I'm not mistaken… that dinner you prepared for us last night…"
"…was everything you had left, wasn't it?"
---
The old man narrowed his eyes and smiled silently.
Whether it was shame… or quiet satisfaction… was impossible to tell.
---
Elias clicked his tongue.
"Honestly… after going this far, do we even have a reason to refuse?"
"…We'll give you three days."
---
The old man's eyes widened in shock—
But instead of joy, hesitation filled them.
"Three days? Even if all five of you work together… that won't be enough…"
---
"Heh. Are you underestimating us?"
Elias let out a faint chuckle.
"Don't worry."
"Tomorrow morning, take us to where you've been gathering stones."
---
The Next Morning
"Moving stones… to build a road?"
Frieren stumbled out half-asleep, chewing on a piece of toast as Flamme dragged her along.
---
"Frieren," Flamme said calmly, "haven't you always wanted to become a mage remembered through history?"
"When the road is finished, you can erect a monument by the swamp."
"Carve your name into it—so every traveler who passes will remember your achievement."
---
"…You can do that?!"
Frieren's eyes lit up instantly.
"That's actually a great idea~!"
---
Watching her sudden burst of motivation, Elias couldn't help but admire Flamme's ability to manipulate people.
---
The old man leaned on his cane and faced the group.
"…Then let's set off."
---
Along the way, Frieren walked at the very front, scanning the ground intently.
"…Huh? That's strange."
"We've walked this far, and there isn't even a single small stone!"
---
The old man chuckled kindly behind her.
"Heh… that's because I've already picked up every stone in this area."
---
"…That figures."
Elias replied calmly.
"But we're not here for small stones."
"The bigger, the better."
---
The old man nodded.
"Yes. Where we're headed… there's a massive rock."
"It's extremely sturdy—perfect for construction."
"But it's simply too heavy."
"Over the years, many passing warriors and mages have tried…"
"Not a single one has managed to move it even an inch."
---
Frieren grinned, puffing up with confidence.
"How is that possible? No matter how big it is, I, Frieren, can definitely—"
"…Hm?!"
Before Frieren could finish speaking, her eyes suddenly caught something in the far distance.
On the peak of a distant mountain stood a massive black rock.
Even from where they were, it was clearly visible to the naked eye—enough to reveal its overwhelming size.
"…That… something that big actually exists in this world?!"
---
"…Yes."
The old man followed her gaze, looking toward the enormous rock atop the mountain.
"If we could move that boulder, it would greatly help with building the road."
"But that's asking the impossible."
"At least… no one has ever managed to do it."
"So today, you should just carry stones from the base of the mountain. Make a few more trips—that will be enough."
---
Elias and Flamme silently stared at the giant rock.
Then they exchanged a glance.
---
Not long after, ignoring the old man's attempts to stop them, the two of them stood directly beneath the boulder.
"Ah… why won't you listen?"
"That stone cannot be moved by anyone—let alone carried all the way to the swamp!"
---
Flamme said nothing.
She simply placed her hand on the surface of the rock, as if sensing something.
"The texture… the structure…"
"Though the composition is somewhat complex, it really is a perfect material for road construction."
---
Then she turned back with a faint smile.
"What do you think, Elias?"
---
Elias met her expectant gaze.
It was obvious—she wanted him to handle it.
"…Fair enough."
"Among all of you, I'm the only one with enough magic to pull this off."
---
He looked up at the towering boulder.
"However… levitation magic requires a full analysis of the object beforehand."
"The reason it seems simple in most cases is because the objects are small."
"They can be analyzed almost instantly."
---
"But this…"
His eyes traced the immense structure of the rock.
"It's enormous."
"The internal structure is complex."
"And it even contains unknown components…"
---
He paused, thinking for a few seconds.
"…Three days should be enough."
---
With that, Elias sat down on the spot.
Closing his eyes, he entered a state of deep concentration.
---
The old man, however, was completely stunned.
He stared at Elias in disbelief.
"…Such a ridiculous thing…"
"…How could it possibly be done?"