Several more days passed. During this time, Fíliya continued living with Frieren's party, spending what could be considered a quite fulfilling and interesting time.
However, the day of parting evidently arrived a bit sooner than imagined.
Today, when Frieren walked out of her room and saw the large pile of luggage already stacked at the door, she already knew the answer in her heart.
"Is it time to leave?"
"Mmh, it is time to hit the road. It isn't good to keep troubling you here forever... Um, actually, Fíliya, if you are willing, you could come with us..."
Fern looked at Fíliya, her expression appearing slightly shy.
"Umu... thank you for the invitation, Fern, but I cannot leave here just yet... Rest assured, fate will guide us to meet again."
Fíliya spoke in an exceptionally dashing tone.
"Mmh, I understand... Also, Lady Frieren said she wants to make breakfast for you."
What??!!
The moment Fern finished that sentence, Fíliya immediately rushed toward the kitchen, pale with fright.
"Frieren, stop right there!"
Fíliya looked at Frieren, who had just put on an apron, and instantly heaved a sigh of relief because this fellow hadn't had time to start yet.
"Hmm? What are you doing?"
Frieren looked at Fíliya with some unhappiness.
"I already witnessed your skills a few days ago. Although you may have hundreds of years of cooking experience, pardon my bluntness, but you are not cut out for this! Get out of my kitchen! Let Fern do it!"
As Fíliya spoke, her tone had already become somewhat severe. In any case, she never wanted to eat anything made by Frieren again, and she had even long since started to feel pity for Miss Fern's childhood.
"Tsk, what about you? The things you make don't even touch the concept of [Food]; they look exactly like sacrifices offered to an Evil God... At most, mine just doesn't taste good..."
Frieren immediately retorted, though for some reason, her tone became somewhat unconfident toward the second half.
"That is why I have self-awareness! Look, even though I have a kitchen in my house, I never cook. This is where I am better than you!"
Miss Fíliya continued speaking in an arrogant tone, and it was a mystery where exactly she got that confidence from.
"A lazy dog actually has a point?! And here I was, kind enough to want to make you food one last time before leaving!"
Frieren puffed out her cheeks and rolled up her sleeves, then charged forward, looking as if she was ready to fight three hundred rounds with Fíliya.
"Come on then, who's afraid of whom? Let's not use magic today; let's settle this with fists and feet!"
Fíliya showed no sign of weakness either, rolling up her sleeves and walking slowly toward Frieren.
"Both of you, shut up!"
A charming shout rang out, scaring Fíliya and Frieren into instantly shrinking their necks.
"Lady Frieren, and Lady Fíliya, can we not quarrel? It is clearly a day of temporary parting; why can't you leave a slightly beautiful final impression on each other?"
Fern had a gloomy face, her gaze constantly sweeping back and forth between Fíliya and Frieren.
"Yes!" x2
Both Fíliya and Frieren answered very cooperatively. You must be joking; Fern had turned on [Honorifics Mode]. Listening to her was the only way to end this.
And so, this morning dispute ended under Miss Fern's mediation.
Finally, after enjoying a breakfast meticulously prepared by Miss Fern, Miss Fíliya walked out of the house with Frieren's party. After walking together for a short distance, she saw them off to the city gates of the Magic City.
"Well then, I will see you off here."
"Mmh."
..."Don't you want to say a bit more?"
"No way. Farewells should be simple. If it's too solemn, won't it be very awkward when we meet again?"
"Tch... Fern, Stark, let's go."
Seeing Frieren's party start moving into the distance, the corners of Fíliya's mouth lifted in a slight smile. She slowly turned around and walked in the direction of her own home.
Upon returning home and looking at the empty rooms, Miss Fíliya completely failed to feel a single shred of loneliness, nor did she have any feeling of emptiness in her heart. In short, she immediately threw herself into work mode.
The following days could be described as quite fulfilling.
Aside from daily small gatherings with some old friends (mainly Miss Ehre and Miss Edel), she spent most of her time doing three things.
First, studying the [Transfer Magic] obtained from Serie.
Second, repeatedly savoring and reenacting in her mind the battle that had brought her to the brink of death yet allowed her to benefit greatly.
Third, busying herself with developing a magic she had always wanted to complete.
Fortunately, she had already become a First-Class Mage, and her relationship with the core of the Association, the God of Magic, Serie, had become much closer. Now, her words finally carried [Weight] within the Association.
Thus, the first proposal she drafted was to recruit and train some clerical talents proficient in the [Ancient Elven Language].
Of course, Fíliya herself had absolutely no desire to be a [Teacher], so she merely spent half a month drawing up a curriculum. Then, she handed the teaching materials to those few newly recruited Third-Class Mages who had mastered the [Ancient Elven Language], leaving them responsible for establishing the classroom.
"This First-Class Mage thing seems even more relaxed than I imagined. Now that I've recruited newcomers, I don't even have to go to the library often. Is this the privilege brought by status? It feels great."
At this moment, Miss Fíliya was sitting in her office, legs casually crossed on the desk, her expression looking incredibly comfortable.
She had thought that once she became a First-Class Mage, countless dangerous jobs would immediately be waiting for her. Unexpectedly, it was actually much more relaxed than when she was a Second-Class Mage.
But thinking about it, it made sense.
The current world was a [Peaceful Era] after the [Demon King] had been subjugated. There actually weren't that many crises requiring the mobilization of a First-Class Mage. Even Frieren and Fern, the two newly promoted First-Classes, could leisurely continue embarking on their journey.
However, if a genuine emergency were to occur, the Magic Association had its own means to notify all the [First-Class Mages] scattered across the continent.
"Why don't I go harass Sense?"
Feeling that sitting in the office was slightly boring, Fíliya suddenly had the urge to pull a prank, so she walked to the door of Sense's office again.
"Eh?"
But there was no need to open the door at all. Fíliya had already discovered it: there was no reaction from Sense's mana inside.
"Sense isn't here? ...That's truly rare. Where could she have gone?"
Fíliya muttered.
Deep within the imperial palace of the Magic Association, before Serie's stone throne.
Serie looked at the human woman who was as cute as a doll, her expression slightly puzzled.
After all, it was indeed the first time Sense had come alone to request an audience at such a time.
"Is something the matter, Sense?"
Serie asked casually.
"Please let me become a personal disciple of Lady Serie."
"..."
Hearing these words, Serie's eyes immediately widened considerably.
Although theoretically speaking, any First-Class Mage could be counted as a registered disciple of Serie and could receive some guidance when she felt interested, the term [Becoming a Personal Disciple] obviously carried a weight of a much higher level.
"Stand up first."
As Serie spoke, she slowly lowered her head, as if composing her expression.
"Sense... do you know how long I have waited for those words from you?"
Serie raised her head again, her eyes twinkling with the light of pleasant surprise.
"..."
Sense was slightly stunned. She had thought her words would be very offensive, but she hadn't expected Serie to have such a joyful attitude.
I am truly curious. After [Possessing Ambition], just to what extent can you grow... I agree to it.
"...Thank you, Lady Serie."
Hearing Serie agree, Sense also heaved a long sigh of relief.
"Now then, can you tell me who changed your mind? ...No, don't tell me. Let me guess myself."
Reaching this point, Serie began to close her eyes in contemplation.
"Hmm... It was indeed that lass Fíliya, wasn't it? Is it that seeing your own little sister being so outstanding, you, as the older sister, also felt the pressure?"
Serie guessed. To be honest, if she wanted to, she could pierce through anyone's thoughts at any time, but she did not like using mental magic to directly read the thoughts of humans. This was her [Respect] for mortals.
Who asked the [God of Magic] to love humanity so much?
"...I just feel that Fíliya might cause a massive catastrophe."
"Oh? Why do you say that?"
Serie revealed a curious expression.
"...A vague feeling. Whether to help her, to save her... or perhaps to stop her in the future... my current strength is far from enough. Therefore, Lady Serie, please make me stronger."
____
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