Chapter 31 – Magic Even a Great Demon Can't Use
—Bang, bang, bang, bang!
The moment he heard someone pounding on the door, Elias used a blink spell and reappeared in front of it instantly.
"It's late. What happened?"
The man outside wiped sweat from his forehead, panting hard.
"I'm Phil—the new village physician. Something terrible happened at the clinic. Please, Elias-sama, we need your help!"
"Help? At this hour?"
Elias scratched at his hair, annoyed—only for a sharp silhouette to flash past him.
Flamme strode out like a gust of wind.
"Someone's injured? Take me there. Now!"
"…Heh."
Left alone at the doorway, Elias exhaled a long, lifeless sigh.
So this is where Frieren learned her hyperactive savior-complex.
Great. Just great.
"Troublesome woman…"
He shut the door behind him and reluctantly followed in the direction of the clinic.
---
Inside the clinic—
"Captain Julie! What do we do?! Alexander's losing control of his mana—he'll explode any second!
And Emma's leg—if we can't stop the bleeding, she's done for!"
Lucas, a mercenary from the Giant Axe Mercenary Corps, was on the verge of tears as he shouted at the tall, imposing woman standing in the center.
Captain Julie's breathing was uneven, her broad chest rising and falling.
"Damn it…!"
"The doctor still isn't back?!"
"It's my fault. I underestimated the strength of that Crystal Turtle… and now everyone's wounded!"
—BANG!
The door slammed open.
Julie's eyes widened the moment she saw the long, flowing orange hair entering the room.
"That hair color…!"
"Th-the Great Mage Flamme?!"
Flamme ignored the shock and gasps around her. In an instant, she scanned the room—and locked onto the writhing mage on the floor.
"What is going on with this one? He can't even control the mana inside his own body!"
Julie rushed forward to explain.
"It's because the Crystal Turtle was far stronger than we expected. Alexander was cornered—he had no choice but to use Mana Outburst!"
"Reckless idiots!" Flamme barked.
"For the sake of some oversized beast, you used a spell that risks blowing yourself to pieces?! Do mercenaries have no brains?!"
Without waiting for anyone to argue, her gaze shifted sharply toward the second patient.
"And her?"
Julie grimaced.
"Emma was hit by flying debris during the explosion. Normal healing magic can't stop the bleeding anymore!"
After hearing the situation, Flamme's mind spun rapidly.
"Between the two, the mana outburst is far more dangerous.
If we don't stabilize it in time, it could trigger a mana detonation."
"If that happens, not only will he die—this entire clinic will be blown to dust!"
"From this moment on, I'll need to cast Mana Stabilization on him continuously. All night if necessary."
"As for the girl named Emma…"
Flamme lifted her head—and at that very moment, Elias pushed the door open.
"Elias! Perfect timing. Think of a way to stop that girl's bleeding!"
Elias surveyed the room slowly:
Flamme, as stern as ever.
Captain Julie—fierce, broad-shouldered, and impossible to miss.
And the girl on the floor, face pale, clutching her leg as blood seeped through her fingers.
"Stop the bleeding, huh…"
He tapped his chin, utterly unhurried.
"Sorry."
"I don't know that kind of magic."
Flamme: (≖_≖'')
"Elias… are you seriously joking at a time like this?"
"It's just the truth."
Elias raised both hands helplessly.
"I've barely ever been injured. Why waste memory on useless spells like Hemostasis?"
"Come to think of it… I can't even use Self-Healing."
Flamme stared at him, speechless, then sat down and began casting on Alexander without another word.
Julie, standing nearby, narrowed her eyes in recognition at Elias's mocking smile.
"Wait… you're that Elias—who took the Saint's Staff Selection Exam eight years ago?"
Elias glanced at her coldly.
"And you are?"
"I'm Julie, captain of the Giant Axe Mercenary Corps. I took the exam eight years ago as well—passed all three stages—only to be rejected by Lady Serie because my breasts were too small…"
Julie suddenly straightened her back, proudly showcasing her now-"enhanced" physique.
"But after eight years of hard work, I've been reborn! At the next exam in five years, I'll definitely make Lady Serie look at me differently!"
Elias: (≖_≖'')
"You devoted eight years of training… for that reason?"
"And side note—your teammate is still bleeding out."
Julie stomped toward him, eyes twitching with fury.
"I don't need your sarcasm!"
"Weren't you also rejected by Lady Serie in the final exam?"
"But I guess it makes sense…"
Julie crossed her arms, smirking with disdain.
"A man who can't even use basic healing magic could never earn the Saint's Staff."
Elias lowered his gaze with a wry smile.
A girl barely in her twenties… actually daring to lecture him.
But she wasn't wrong.
Back when he first reincarnated into this world, he'd been injured a few times—self-healing magic did the job well enough.
And during his years of traveling with Serie and Aivis… Aivis's ridiculous goddess-type healing magic made "treatment" irrelevant.
At some point, he stopped needing healing spells at all.
And eventually, he forgot them entirely.
Still—stopping bleeding…
Didn't that little brat have something for that?
Without a word, Elias turned and walked out.
Julie stomped her foot in rage.
"Unbelievable!"
"He comes here just to sneer at us—and walks away?!"
"No healing magic, and he still tries to act strong?!"
"Who does he even think he is?!"
---
Back home, Elias stood before the three treasure rooms sealed under the Unbreakable Oath.
"I think… it's this one."
He laid his palm on the glowing runes of the seal.
—AAAAAHHH!!!
A shriek behind him nearly made him jump.
"Frieren. You're awake."
The elf girl stood on the stairs in rabbit pajamas, gripping the bannister with trembling hands as she staggered downward.
"E-Elias… what are you doing?! You're trying to break the seals on my treasures?!"
"Correct," Elias replied calmly. "I recall one of your trinkets being a music box or something."
"WAIT—STOP!!!"
Frieren lunged toward him in panic.
"Elias, that seal was forged with the Unbreakable Oath!
You told me—if the seal is broken before I master mana suppression, I'll drop dead instantly!"
Elias grinned.
(¬‿¬)✧
"I lied."
…
Frieren: (≖_≖'')
"…Old bastard."
"You'd better sleep with one eye open tonight."