[Note: Please support this story by giving PS. This will motivate me to keep updating.]
Chapter 141 – Striking While the Iron Is Hot
The old man's eyes widened in panic, while Elias sat on the ground completely motionless.
"You… you can't seriously be thinking of…?!"
---
"At least let him try."
Flamme remained just as calm, even smiling gently as she reassured the old man.
"Magic—what people call miracles—can sometimes be absurd and unreasonable like this."
"All we need to do… is focus on what each of us can accomplish."
"Isn't that enough?"
---
As she spoke, her gaze shifted away from the old man and toward the three behind her.
"Frieren, Robin, Theresa—let's head down to the base of the mountain and gather stones."
---
Back at the foot of the mountain, the four of them began loading stones into their storage bags.
Before long, the old man grew puzzled.
Those bags kept swallowing stone after stone without ever filling up.
Just how much could they hold?
Could it be… some kind of spatial magic that expanded their capacity without limit?
---
At the same time, he couldn't help glancing up toward the mountaintop.
Again and again, he checked on Elias—
But there was no movement.
---
By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, the massive boulder still stood exactly where it had always been.
Just like the passing years before—
It hadn't moved even an inch.
---
A sense of unease crept into the old man's heart.
He couldn't shake the feeling that after giving everything… what awaited him might only be failure.
---
Then—
Flamme gently patted his shoulder, snapping him back to reality.
"The sun's already set."
"We've gathered quite a lot today. Let's head back."
---
"…Ah… right. Yes…"
The old man glanced at the seemingly bottomless storage bags, then looked up once more at Elias on the mountain peak.
His unease only deepened.
---
"Then… what about that mage, Elias?"
"He's not coming back with us…?"
---
"He doesn't need to."
--
Flamme replied calmly, as if it were nothing unusual:
"Magical analysis is best done in one continuous flow."
"So for the next three days… he'll remain right there."
---
"…I see."
The old man tried to force a smile, but the worry in his heart only deepened the lines on his face.
He knew magic itself was a miracle.
And yet… he couldn't help but doubt.
---
"Don't worry, Grandpa."
A pair of soft little hands suddenly held his.
The old man lowered his head—and met Frieren's steady gaze.
"Even though Elias looks cold and unfriendly… when it comes to magic, he's truly amazing!"
"And the rest of us will work hard these three days too, to help make your wish come true!"
"Before we head back, we'll even gather some food—I'll cook dinner myself tonight!"
---
Late Night
Elias remained seated in front of the massive boulder, unmoving.
The clouds drifted away, revealing a bright full moon.
A shadow silently appeared behind him.
And yet… Elias didn't open his eyes.
---
"…A werewolf, huh."
"How carefully planned."
Brutus had chosen well.
A full moon night—when a werewolf's power peaked beyond its limits.
Even more precise…
He had calculated that Elias would be fully absorbed in analyzing the stone—
The perfect moment to strike.
---
But… had he miscalculated?
---
—Slash!
A third shadow descended from above the boulder—
Splitting the werewolf clean in two before it could act.
---
Elias still didn't open his eyes.
Through his clone's vision, he observed the corpse and the spreading pool of blood…
…and let out a faint chuckle.
Brutus really thought a mere werewolf could trouble him?
Still too naive.
---
The Next Morning
Flamme climbed to the mountaintop, carrying breakfast.
The moment she saw the bisected corpse and dried blood on the ground, her brows furrowed.
"…A werewolf?"
"That's strange… they rarely appear in this season."
---
"This makes three times now, Flamme."
Elias replied calmly.
"Brutus calculated that we would accept the old man's request."
"He also assumed I'd target this boulder."
"He even anticipated last night's full moon… and used a werewolf to ambush me while I was fully focused."
---
He paused slightly.
"The only thing he didn't account for… was that I prepared a clone in advance."
---
Flamme couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Brutus's persistence was almost admirable.
At the same time, she couldn't help but wonder—
What exactly was he preparing, by going to such lengths to delay Elias?
---
"Oh, right. Flamme."
"I underestimated myself yesterday."
---
"…Hm? What do you mean?"
---
Elias looked up at the massive boulder.
"Analysis won't take three days."
"In fact… it'll be finished by tomorrow morning."
---
"…What?!"
"But the four of us will still need three days just to gather stones!"
---
Elias turned back with a teasing smile.
"Then you'd better work harder."
"Because tomorrow morning, I'll finish the road."
"And then… we're leaving."
---
"…Fine."
Flamme returned to the base of the mountain and relayed his words.
Theresa clenched her teeth and got to work.
Robin immediately sprang into action.
Frieren, grumbling about Elias the entire time, began using levitation magic.
---
The old man, however, said nothing.
He simply looked up at Elias on the mountaintop.
Three days… reduced to two.
Could someone really be that powerful?
---
No matter what—
By tomorrow morning, the truth would be revealed.
All he could do… was pray.
---
Time passed slowly under labor.
But sleep, once exhaustion set in, came in an instant.
---
The Next Day
Before dawn, the old man was already awake.
He hurriedly prepared breakfast, unable to contain his anticipation.
Soon, the group rushed out under his urging.
Just as he was about to head toward the mountain—
Flamme stopped him.
"There's no need."
"We've gathered all the stones we need."
"What remains… is for Elias to bring that entire boulder here."
---
"…Bring it here?"
The old man grew even more uneasy.
At this point, no reassurance would matter—
Not unless he saw a miracle with his own eyes.
"I'm sorry… but I simply can't believe such a thing—"
---
"…Hm?"
Suddenly, his vision darkened.
The surroundings were swallowed by shadow.
---
"What… what's happening?"
"The sun just rose… so why is it dark again?"
---
Confused, the old man slowly looked up.
And the moment he saw it—
The sky itself was covered.
---
A colossal boulder.
Blotting out the light.
---
His confusion shattered into overwhelming shock.
"…A miracle…"
"This… this is truly a miracle!!"
---
The three young ones were equally stunned.
Especially Frieren—
Who stood there, staring blankly at the sky, utterly speechless.
"…Calling this 'impressive'… would still be an understatement for Elias…"