"And then what?"
As the old warrior Fedewar seemed to be lost in his memories, Stark couldn't help but prod him for more. In response, Aesc calmly closed the book she had been writing in, slipped her quill between the pages, and used her now free hand to tap Stark on the head with her staff. Stark clutched his head with a pitiful expression, looking like he was on the verge of tears.
Despite the interruption, Fedewar wasn't annoyed. He continued his story.
"And then... a few monsters attacked our village. Even now, I'm incredibly thankful—thankful that those monsters showed up at the exact time when Himmel was escorting a caravan through our village."
"It's laughable... I always thought I was strong. But when those monsters came charging in, I couldn't even move. My legs gave out from fear."
"And then Himmel stepped in front of me and defeated those terrifying monsters as if it were nothing. That moment... left an indelible impression on me."
Fedewar shook his head with a bitter smile. This time, thanks to Aesc's earlier reminder, Stark and the others didn't interrupt him. They waited patiently for him to continue while Aesc resumed jotting down notes in her book.
"I remember him turning to me and saying, 'See? If I hadn't chosen to escort this caravan and had instead gone off to fight the Demon King, I wouldn't have been here today to save this village from these monsters.'"
"It turns out he'd overheard what I said about him earlier that day. Yet, he never argued, never defended himself. The fame and honor that everyone else fought so desperately for... he didn't care about any of that."
"And in that moment... the me who was so lost about my future suddenly thought, I want to be like him. That thought sparked a change in me. Later, I too set out on a journey, learning the ways of a warrior, slaying monsters, and helping those in need."
"When I heard during my travels that Himmel had truly defeated the Demon King—achieving what generations of heroes before him couldn't—I wasn't even surprised."
"Before I realized it, so many years had passed... Lord Himmel had passed away, and I've become an old man who can't help but reminisce about the past. But even now, I can vividly recall what he said to me that day."
"During my journey, I defeated countless monsters and helped countless people in need. The thought, If it were Himmel, he would've done the same, has always been what guided me."
Fedewar paused, his expression softening with emotion as he turned to Frieren. "I never imagined I'd meet one of Himmel's companions here..."
Aesc wrote the last stroke in her book and smiled brightly.
"Thank you for sharing your story with us, Mr. Fedewar."
"And thank you for listening to an old man's memories. Once you reach my age, reminiscing is all you want to do."
"Well then, if you don't mind, may I ask one last question?"
Closing her book, Aesc looked Fedewar straight in the eye and smiled.
"From what I know of Himmel, he would never want his influence to lead others down a path they'd regret. So, my final question is..."
"Have you enjoyed this journey?"
Fedewar's mind went blank for a moment, his thoughts drifting through the many experiences of his life—some thrilling, some mundane, some fulfilling, and some tedious.
But when it came down to it, there was only one answer.
"Of course I have."
His voice was soft, yet full of conviction.
"Because on this journey... I've always been chasing Himmel's shadow."
---
The old warrior Fedewar had more of his own journey ahead, so he didn't plan to stay in the nearby village. Thus, Aesc and the group parted ways with him and returned to the village.
As expected, they didn't claim Fedewar's accomplishment as their own. Instead, they told the village chief the truth.
"I see... So a passing warrior had already defeated the monster before you arrived."
After a moment of silence, Frieren, holding the magic book, walked over to the chief.
"We didn't complete your commission, so... we should return this book to you."
"Well..."
The chief scratched his head, clearly at a loss. "Even if we kept that magic book, it's useless to us. You might as well take it."
"But..."
Frieren frowned, deep in thought, before finally coming to a decision.
Later, Aesc and her companions found themselves in the fields.
With three skilled magic users and the physically capable Stark, they helped the villagers tend to their crops.
Now that the monster had been dealt with, the village could finally resume trade with the outside world. The crops, which were ready for sale, needed to be prepared quickly. With Aesc and her team assisting, the villagers saved both time and effort.
"This brings back memories..."
Using magic to load crops onto a cart, Aesc smiled and said, "I remember doing farm work like this with Himmel and the others back in the day..."
Frieren nodded. "It's just the kind of thing Himmel would do."
Fern chimed in, "Mm-hmm."
Stark, however, frowned. "Am I the only one who thinks there's something strange about a hero who defeated the Demon King doing farm work?"
"That's what made Himmel special," Aesc replied with a laugh. "While everyone else was preoccupied with the Demon King, Himmel did his best to make the world a better place."
"The people worrying about the Demon King were mostly nobles and wealthy merchants. But for villagers like these, monsters attacking their homes or natural disasters were far more pressing concerns than the Demon King. Himmel didn't just want to help the rich and powerful; he wanted to help those who truly needed it—people struggling just to get by."
"That was Himmel's charm."
Listening to Aesc, Frieren couldn't help but think of Fedewar, the old warrior whose life had been changed by Himmel.
On his own journey, chasing after Himmel's shadow, perhaps Fedewar had also changed the lives of countless others.
And the people touched by Fedewar would, in turn, go on to change even more lives in the future...
Frieren looked up at the sky. A vast expanse of clouds rolled and stretched, partially obscuring the glaring sun. The sky was so clean it seemed freshly washed, and the scent of soil and plants filled the air. A gentle breeze from afar lifted her hair, bringing with it a sense of renewal, as if cleansing the soul.
Compared to the past, something truly had changed. Frieren could feel it clearly in that moment.
"This world... really is getting better, little by little."