— Northern Plateau, Ernst Region —
Inside the hotel lobby...
Diego led Silver Bullet to the stables, then swaggered inside.
Seeing Diego appear in public, Mabel looked somewhat surprised and asked, "Dio, is it really okay for you to walk out so openly like this?"
"No problem. The hotels operating here on the Northern Plateau and the adventurers who manage to survive this long have quite the discerning eye." As Diego spoke, he called out to a waiter, "Could you bring a menu over, please?"
"Sure, please wait a moment."
Before long, the waiter returned with a wooden menu.
Because the North had long suffered invasions from the demon race, hotels and restaurants were almost always combined into one establishment—let alone a small inn in a village or town.
Diego pushed the menu toward everyone, crossed his arms, and raised the corners of his mouth. "Mabel, after discovering a wanted criminal who's been at large for years and is nearly impossible to oppose, do you think rushing to the nearest lord for help would get reinforcements here faster, or would the wanted criminal kill everyone present first?"
"Pretending you don't know anything is the better way to stay alive."
"Uh…"
Mabel broke into a cold sweat, her mouth twitching.
Alicia grabbed Diego's hand and stepped in to mediate. "Dio, stop scaring Mabel."
"If you're hungry, eat." Diego shrugged and raised a hand toward the waiter. "Hey, bring a few of your signature dishes. For the main course, bread."
"Yes, sir."
Diego rested his elbow on the back of his chair and leaned back. "Drinks… Do you have coffee?"
"Sorry, merchant caravans haven't come through in a long time because of the demons. Right now we only have plain water." The waiter shook his head and gave a small apologetic bow.
"Well, that's fine then."
Diego closed the menu.
While waiting for the food, Diego pulled a handful of sugar from his pocket and held it out to Frieren with a smile. "Want some candy?"
His other hand restlessly patted her head.
"No thanks." Frieren waved a hand, but didn't swat him away.
"I see…"
That only made the suspicion in Diego's heart grow stronger.
"The hamburger steak we had a few days ago was pretty good. Want to add another dish?"
Frieren didn't think too deeply about it—her mind was still mostly occupied with finding a way back—so she simply went along with him. "Yeah, it really was delicious. Let's add one."
"Frieren, we didn't eat hamburger steak a few days ago at all…" Alicia's eyes slowly widened.
!!
Dio is trying to trick me?!
Frieren instantly realized something was wrong.
Snap!
"Set up a soundproofing spell, Alicia."
In that instant, a dinosaur tail wrapped around Frieren's neck. Diego's smile vanished. His eyes half-lidded, his voice ice-cold. "Hey. Stop pretending. You've got something you want to say to me, don't you? But before that—mind explaining where the Frieren I know went?"
"..." Frieren didn't answer.
As expected, I hate Dio's sharp intuition the most…
But I can't say it…
Once I reveal anything about the future, the butterfly effect will twist that familiar future beyond recognition.
"Don't underestimate me, Dio!"
Seeing that Frieren had no intention of explaining, Diego rubbed his cheek and sighed. "Even if you won't say it, I can probably guess it soon enough. Still, I'd rather hear the future Frieren explain it herself."
"If I'm not wrong, I should've died in the final battle against the Demon King, right?"
"Pfft~~!"
Frieren couldn't hold back a laugh.
"Ah, wrong guess," Mabel said with a deadpan stare.
"Wrong guess," Alicia agreed with a nod.
Diego's throat tightened. His ears flushed red in an instant. He clenched his fist and muttered, "Shut up! I'm the one asking Frieren right now!"
"Actually… I came back from eighty years in the future." At that moment, Frieren spoke up.
Mabel and Alicia exclaimed in unison, "What?!"
Diego watched Frieren's profile with keen interest. The dinosaur tail loosened, setting her back down on the chair. "Oh? Not planning to keep hiding it anymore?"
"Anyway, I can't hide it anymore, right?" Frieren gave a light chuckle. "In that case, I might as well admit it openly and ask you all to help me find a way back."
Hearing that, Alicia asked, "Frieren, how did you return to this era?"
"..."
Frieren's expression instantly turned deadpan as she stared straight at the very person who had sent her back to the past.
Alicia squirmed under the gaze, her cheeks quickly turning red.
Even though she didn't know what she had done wrong, she still hurriedly waved her hands. "Sorry, I really don't know."
Only then did Frieren withdraw her stare. Hugging her knees, she complained, "I was half-forced by someone to come back. Before I crossed over, I touched the Goddess's Monument. When I came to, I was already here."
"Then just touch the Goddess's Monument one more time, right?" Mabel blinked.
Frieren lowered her eyelids. Her long lashes cast faint shadows beneath her eyes as her twin tails slid down her shoulders. "Unfortunately, that method doesn't work. Right after I confirmed I'd returned to the past, I already tried it—but I couldn't even discern the magical structure on the stele."
"After all, it's the Goddess's magic. There are still many unsolved mysteries even now." Alicia nodded in agreement. Her next words rekindled hope in Frieren. "However, I think I can analyze the time-travel magic on the stele."
"Then we shouldn't delay. Let's head back to the Goddess's Monument right away."
Mabel immediately stood up—only for her stomach to growl loudly. She sat back down and laughed without a care. "Of course, after we finish eating."
"…Hey, aren't you going to ask the captain's opinion?"
Diego, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke against the idea.
"Hmm?" ×3
All three turned to look at him in unison.
Diego left the table and walked step by step toward Frieren. He leaned down, a barely perceptible playful smile on his face.
"Why don't you just stay in this era?"
"?! !"
A flicker of madness flashed through those azure eyes. The scars and bandages on his face only heightened his dangerous aura as he pressed closer step by step.
Diego grabbed Frieren's hand, his face drawing nearer.
"You understand future magic. You'll only be stronger than the Frieren I know—better at working with me, and far more aware of the enemy's intelligence.
With you here, my journey to seek the Land of Soul's Rest will become much easier. Compared to that failure in the future, I can do it even more perfectly. That's exactly why I teamed up with you!
Your consciousness traveled upstream from eighty years in the future and returned to my time. This is my chance. I, Dio, am the final winner!!!"
Diego paused, released her hand, and instead lifted her chin with a tempting tone. "Why not just give up on that useless future… and choose me instead?"
Frieren froze for a moment, then resolutely shook off his hand, her voice firm. "I want to return to the time that belongs to me."
"…What?" Diego's pupils shrank. He gritted his teeth in confusion. "Just because I'm weaker than my future self?!"
"It's not something that heavy."
"Then why…"
Yeah… why?
Frieren couldn't help but wonder.
She could clearly spend more time with Dio—might even have a chance to change the outcome of his disappearance.
But looking at this identical face… she only missed that regrettable future even more.
Diego, Fern, Stark… Faces flashed through her mind.
I…
I don't want to lose them…
"Because the Dio who belongs to me is still waiting for me. That's all."
Frieren's gaze was indescribably gentle, carrying a hint of affection even she hadn't noticed.
But Diego noticed.
He saw an emotion in her eyes that he himself had never been able to draw out.
He had seen her joy when eating delicious food. He had seen her obsession with grimoires. He had seen her calm rationality when facing enemies. He had seen so many sides of her…
But he had never seen this affection directed at himself.
Only now did Diego realize he had lost.
"…You win. But I don't care."
Diego's lips trembled twice, as if he wanted to say something but stopped himself. In the end he said nothing. That "you win" in his heart—he didn't know whether it was meant for Frieren or for his future self.
The silence lasted until the waiter brought their food to the table.
The group finished their meal in an awkward atmosphere.
After eating their fill, Diego tossed a few silver coins onto the table and stood up without a word.
Seeing this, Alicia quickly asked, "Dio, where are you going?"
"…I'm going to bring Silver Bullet over." Diego stopped and glanced back at Frieren. "Weren't we heading to the Goddess's Monument in Kino Canyon? Walking there would be tiring."
"Ah!!!"
Mabel grabbed Alicia and Frieren's hands, stood up in surprise, and eagerly jogged after Diego.
The group set off once more toward the Goddess's Monument.
...
Stars dotted the night sky. The cold wind howled.
By the time the four of them reached the mountainside where the Goddess's Monument stood, it was already the following evening.
"We're almost at the Goddess's Monument, yo!"
Mabel, true to her nocturnal schedule, led the way at the front with boundless energy.
Diego walked with a cold expression, leading the horse by the reins while Alicia and Frieren rested on its back.
Perhaps because she was about to return to the future, Frieren recalled what Alicia had said before they left and asked her past self, "Alicia, do you have any regrets?"
"Hmm… No, I don't." Alicia shook her head and smiled softly while brushing her sleeve. "Ever since I met all of you, every single day has been very fulfilling."
"Why ask so suddenly?"
"I see…" Frieren fell into thought.
What exactly is that regret…
!!
"…Wait. In the distance—there's a very powerful magical reaction. The exact location is…"
Hearing that, Diego began carefully sniffing the air around them.
"Sniff… sniff sniff…"
His eyes sharpened. In an instant his expression turned ferocious, revealing a mouthful of razor-sharp teeth. "I see. There's the stench of demons! Mabel!!"
"WSAAAAAAAA!!!"
Before Frieren could finish speaking, the already irritable Diego completed his dinosaur transformation. Claws flashing, he shot forward in a blur, leaving behind a series of sonic booms.
The other three only caught a glimpse of a black shadow streaking past.
In the distance, Rivale had also sensed their presence. Just as he prepared to launch a surprise attack, years of battlefield instinct made him choose to defend instead.
Faster than the wind came Diego's claw!
Bang——!!!
"You hesitated, didn't you!!!"
Diego grinned savagely and slammed a punch into Rivale's defending elbow, sending him flying hard.
Rubble and blood mist exploded in the wind pressure. Before Rivale could land, the Freeze God Sword swept through with a blast of cold wind, slicing away a large chunk of flesh and flash-freezing him into an ice sculpture midair.
Bang!
The ice sculpture hit the ground and shattered. Rivale slowly walked out of the icy mist, wounds already regenerating.
"A greater demon, huh? Rare to see someone who can actually take one of my claws." Diego bared his teeth. "Any other time, I might've enjoyed playing with you for a while—but right now I'm in a really bad mood!"
"I see. So this is humanity's strongest warrior." Rivale was inwardly shocked. With a flick of his hand, the wounds on his arm healed completely under the flow of magic. "Diego Brando… you're more like a demon than I am."
"Let me introduce myself. I am General Rivale."
Diego had no interest in listening. He kicked off the ground and charged again, dinosaur claws aiming straight for Rivale's head.
At that moment, a fireball forced Rivale back first.
Frieren shouted, "Everyone be careful!! There's another one hiding in the dark!!!"
Diego's movement stalled in midair. He forcibly aborted his attack and flew backward several steps.
At the same time, several flying swords rained down on the exact spot he had just occupied!
If not for Frieren's warning, he would have been pierced through in multiple places.
More and more flying swords appeared in the air. Rivale casually grabbed one and pointed the tip straight at Diego.
The sight of those swords stirred long-buried memories in Diego. Rage flooded his mind.
This magic…
The demon hiding in the dark is…
"Solitär!!!"
"You bastard—you're hiding nearby, aren't you!!!"
"Mabel, Rivale is yours!"
Solitär's appearance made Diego lose all interest in dealing with Rivale.
Mabel froze, her grip on the Freeze God Sword going slack as she pointed at herself. "Eh?! Me?!"
"Yeah!"
"O-Okay…" Completely confused, Mabel still moved to engage Rivale, keeping him from interfering.
Diego continued issuing orders. "Alicia, take Frieren to the Goddess's Monument!"
"Okay, then what about you, Dio?"
"I'm going to slice that bastard hiding in the dark into a thousand pieces!"
The three weaved through the rain of swords, heading in separate directions—toward the Goddess's Monument and toward Solitär's hiding place.
Frieren followed behind Alicia, eyes tracking the flying swords as she thought rapidly.
The demon lurking in the shadows controlling those swords… Is her name Solitär? Dio seems to have a grudge against her, but why has he never mentioned her before…
To think two greater demons were hiding in a place like this. It looks like my return from the future has already been exposed…
Even Dio facing a situation like this…
…Only two?
Why does that feel so off…
The magic detection didn't pick up anything wrong, yet only two greater demons dared to snipe at Dio…
Whoosh!
Right where the three had just been standing, Miracle Grausam suddenly appeared. Hands clasped behind his back, eyes lowered, as if everything around him had nothing to do with him.
The three whipped around.
"When did he…"
"No… that's not it."
"He's been standing there from the very beginning. We just didn't notice his mental magic!"
Cold sweat beaded on Frieren's cheeks. Shock coursed through her.
This is bad… Grausam's magic is…
Watching Frieren's magic begin to activate, Alicia gripping her World-Saving Staff, and Diego's claws already close at hand—
Grausam's expression didn't change in the slightest. He simply said in a flat voice, "It's too late. Everything is over."
『Paradise Transfer Magic』!
Thud…
In an instant, except for Alicia who still stood tall, both Diego and Frieren lost consciousness.
Frieren's staff fell from her hand. She dropped straight down, landing in a duck-sitting posture.
Diego's eyes went vacant. His claws reverted to human hands and hung limply at his sides. He stood motionless before Grausam.
"You shall be imprisoned… in an endless illusion."
...
Slap!
Diego clutched his slapped cheek and looked up at the figure before him. His pupils shrank.
"Mom…"
...
"My magic can help the other party achieve the dreams they once believed were impossible and had given up on."
As Grausam spoke, he pulled a flying sword from the ground and held it before him—the very sword Solitär had stabbed into the earth after her missed attack.
"You shall sleep eternally within that illusion… beautiful as if it were reality."