Frieren, who had been spat out and landed sitting hard on the ground, rubbed her backside while looking around left and right, trying to find the person who had kicked her while she was down.
Sense, who had simply been standing there blankly because she'd been spacing out and failed to leave with Ash, raised her hand and pointed toward the intersection they had come from when Frieren looked at her.
But now, let alone a person, even the sound of footsteps could no longer be heard.
"Damn it! He ran away first after all. I knew that guy had been this sly from the very start!"
Frieren rubbed her sore rear, grinding her teeth in frustration. Unfortunately, there really wasn't anything she could do about him right now.
Fern sighed softly like she was dealing with a mischievous child, shaking her head as she took out a handkerchief. While wiping Frieren's hair, she asked, "Come to think of it, Lady Frieren, earlier you said that after ten centuries someone finally believed you. Does that mean there were others a thousand years ago?"
"Ash, and my master," Frieren sat on the ground with her arms crossed, turning her face away in a huff as she named the two people she was most familiar with.
But that answer only left Fern even more confused.
"?", If she had already been tricked by the exact same method before, why would she still fall for it again? Fern truly couldn't understand.
"That look on your face… what rude thought just crossed your mind?"
"Did Lady Frieren's master really believe Lady Frieren?"
"No… Master was just as much of a jerk as Ash."
This actually wasn't the first time she'd been tricked like this. She even knew the reason perfectly well. Because a thousand years ago, both her master and Ash had taken turns using this exact line.
Whenever the two of them got caught by her, the excuse they used while begging for forgiveness was surprisingly consistent. They simply thought it was too troublesome to wait while she silently examined a mimic, it was faster to just let it swallow her.
After explaining what she knew, Frieren muttered unhappily under her breath, "Master's already gone, so I can't get revenge on her anymore but Ash definitely won't get away this time. This time I'll settle both the old score and the new one together. Yeah, I'll add Master's share to his bill too!"
Even though she fell for it every time, Frieren still seemed to grind her teeth in anger at the two of them each time. Watching this, Sense tilted her head sharply to the side, her wide eyes blinking twice, then three times, still unable to figure it out.
'Since she understands the reason why people can trick her so clearly, why is she still falling for the same trap?'
'Maybe it has simply been too long. After all, a thousand years has passed, so perhaps she just forgets by accident?'
Other than that, Sense really couldn't think of any other explanation.
———
After spanking Frieren's butt again for the first time in ages, Ash felt refreshed and began searching through the dungeon for the others like Kanne and Lawine.
Although he also felt that playing with Frieren's trust after a thousand years and letting her get excited for nothing wasn't very nice, if it could teach her a lesson so she'd stop getting swallowed by mimics in the future, maybe it wasn't such a bad thing.
"But if that were enough to change her, she would've changed a thousand years ago, right?"
As for why she didn't take even the slightest precaution, it was probably because every single time she sincerely believed it was a real treasure chest.
And if that was the case, why would she guard against treasure chests?
But when it came to learning lessons, when had gamblers ever learned their lessons?
How many gamblers really learned? Even after losing everything, plenty of them still rushed back to gamble again without hesitation.
Even ordinary gamblers were like that, let alone someone like Frieren, a thousand-year veteran gambling addict.
You could say she fell for it every single time, and every time in exactly the same way.
Because of that, after worrying about it for only a moment, Ash simply tossed aside that tiny bit of guilt and gave up on the idea of helping Frieren grow.
However… while searching for the other examinees, before he found anyone else, he instead saw Sense again in another open area.
Unfortunately, it was a clone.
Her already excessively long hair had become even longer than usual, and her entire body was floating in midair.
If someone tried to describe that scene in words, it would inevitably carry a hint of absurdity and ominousness.
Yet the clone's petrified expression and rigid posture, under the dim interplay of light and shadow, strangely matched the image of a deep-sea octopus. Especially those seemingly endless "tentacles," which added a chilling undertone.
From afar, if one couldn't clearly see the small body at the center, the sight alone would be enough to send a shiver down one's spine.
But while Ash only felt a faint impression like that, the three-person team confronting Sense's clone on the opposite side were genuinely trembling with fear.
Their nerves were stretched to the limit. Even the slightest movement felt like it could trigger a deadly crisis. Cold sweat kept sliding down their faces like fine rain.
Until Ash's figure appeared in their sight.
The girl leading them, wearing thigh-high black stockings and a pink mushroom-cut hairstyle, couldn't help shouting,
"Please! Save this old one!"
"That won't work, will it? If I deal with Sense's clone like this, the exam will become far too easy. Sense would get angry too, right?"
Facing the girl whose manner of speaking sounded oddly old-fashioned, Ash simply spread his hands, looking completely helpless.
Sense's clone had originally planned to eliminate the three of them, but after Ash appeared, she became wary of him instead. As if remembering how they had teamed up against him earlier.
That immediately prompted the girl, Second-Class Mage, Edel, to propose, "If this old one remembers correctly, you've been collecting magic, right? During the last exam you also obtained spells from the examinees!"
"I think I understand what you're trying to say, but please don't underestimate me," Ash frowned slightly and shook his head sternly, "If your lives were in danger, I would step in. But I won't break my principles just for magic. After all, Sense is technically my junior. If I accidentally mess up the exam, I—"
"Give this old one ten gold coins, help deal with that thing, and this old one will teach you my clan's inherited magic!"
Edel came from a family that specialized in mental magic, yet lived in extreme poverty. Because of that, she had an intense desire for money and for becoming a First-Class Mage.
Although she was reluctant to hand over her family's magic, under the temptation of a First-Class Mage's "privileges," she steeled herself to avoid elimination and offered the limit of what she could give, while also requesting ten gold coins as payment.
Ash really wanted to say she was insulting him and try to stick to his principles, but although she was only a Second-Class Mage and lacked combat ability, her mastery of mental magic surpassed every First-Class Mage in the Continental Magic Association.
So after opening his mouth, Ash ultimately failed to say anything harsh or stand firmly by his principles.
Instead, he silently nodded.
"Alright. I'll give you ten gold coins after we get out. Now hurry and leave. I'll hold her off."
"Good! Then we'll retreat first. We'll leave it to you here!"
The unexpected deal left Edel feeling somewhat complicated, but she didn't hesitate. She immediately grabbed her two companions and ran away, leaving Ash standing there facing the clone.
The two stared at each other for quite a while, sensing that the other side didn't seem very intent on attacking, Ash quietly stepped backward.
The entire process went unexpectedly smoothly. There wasn't even a conflict, yet the transaction was completed. It was so simple that Ash even wondered if he should give Edel a bit of extra money.
———
After parting ways with Edel, Ash wandered leisurely through the dungeon again.
This time he tried hard to stick to his earlier stance of interfering with the exam as little as possible, to avoid Sense questioning him afterward and to reduce casualties in the final round.
However, it wasn't long before he saw the silver-haired girl who had been separated from Frieren and the others by a trap.
Lawine was running while covered in wounds, and chasing her from behind was none other than Ubel's clone.
Although both were Third-Class Mages, Ubel's strength was clearly greater.
Moreover, Lawine, who specialized in manipulating matter, was obviously countered by Ubel's cutting magic.
After resisting briefly and fleeing all the way, Lawine, already exhausted, was driven into desperation. She suddenly turned around, raising the tip of her staff, and more than a dozen ice spikes appeared. The temperature in the narrow corridor dropped rapidly.
At her command, the floating spikes shot forward in crisscrossing patterns toward the approaching clone.
Their sharp tips could easily pierce through a human body.
But the clone twisted her body lightly, dodging the already chaotic ice spikes.
Gritting her teeth, Lawine decided to make one final desperate attempt. With a shout, the tip of her staff instantly unleashed a white storm.
Dense ice spikes poured out like a barrage, stirring up white mist and leaving the clone with nowhere to dodge in the narrow passage.
But… Faced with an unavoidable attack, the clone merely swung her staff calmly.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Dense invisible slashes burst forth like a sword dance. The barrage of ice spikes was cut apart at the same moment, turning into countless ice fragments that scattered through the air.
The scene looked magnificent.
Unfortunately, Lawine had no mood to admire it.
The incoming slashes were easily blocked by the defensive magic she instinctively raised.
But the statues on both sides were cut apart as well, toppling down toward her.
Her eyes widened instinctively. She turned to run again, but failed to notice the gouge carved into the ground by the slashes. With a stumble, she instantly lost her balance.
'Damn it, am I really finished this time?'
As her body fell and her cheek scraped against the cold, hard floor, the sudden pain made her clearly realize, unwillingly, that she had fallen helplessly to the ground.
Behind her, the approaching clone continued forward unhurriedly.
The fear of death felt like invisible shackles binding her entire body. Even the smallest movement became incredibly difficult. Her fingers lost their usual sensitivity and failed to find the escape bottle hanging at her waist.
All that remained were the blade-like wounds covering her body and the pain from the scrape on her face, invading her senses.
Her azure eyes trembled with grief. A shadow of despair spread across her elegant profile.
"Damn it!"
At the final moment she cursed through clenched teeth, almost closing her eyes to await death. But suddenly another set of footsteps echoed behind her.
Before she could turn around, a blade flashed through her field of vision like lightning, leaving behind a dazzling silver arc. It split Ubel's body cleanly in two, from left shoulder to right flank.
The movement was so crisp it resembled a perfect line drawn by an artist across a canvas.
The extraordinary sword technique was so sharp that the severed "body" instantly lost all sensation.
Time itself seemed to freeze within that single strike.
Only several seconds later… When reality finally caught up to that astonishing speed, black "blood" burst from the wound as if suddenly awakened to its pain.
The clone's body tilted apart, collapsed, and crumbled into countless black fragments in midair before disappearing.
The threat vanished in that fleeting yet beautiful slash.
Lawine lay on the floor, staring blankly at the place where the clone had disappeared.
After a long moment, she finally looked at the strangely familiar figure beside her.
"Wh-why are you of all people here?"
Compared to her shock, Ash looked at the girl who had changed back into her blue gothic-lolita outfit. He sighed softly, sheathed his sword, crouched beside her, and said helplessly, "Lawine… is that really how you talk to the person who just saved your life?"
"I didn't ask you to save me," Lawine turned her face away instinctively. But she still felt that wasn't quite right, and muttered in a voice almost too quiet to hear, "But thank you…"
"No need to thank me. To be honest, I didn't really want to help you either."
"H-huh?", The blunt attitude instantly made the silver-haired girl explode as she lunged forward, "What kind of attitude is that? You saved me just to humiliate me afterward?"
"Weren't you just saying you didn't ask me to save you? And I didn't want to save you either. In a way, doesn't that make it mutual? Why get angry?"
"I don't want any kind of 'mutual' with you! And if you didn't want to save me, then don't!"
"You do make a good point, but actually you misunderstood me," With an expressionless face, he pressed his hand against the girl grabbing his collar and pushed her away, "When I said I didn't want to help you, I meant because the exam is still ongoing. But if someone's life is truly in danger, I can't just stand by and watch. So I had no choice but to step in."
"Mm…"
The sudden shift in tone made Lawine's anger stop abruptly. She simply stared at him blankly.
Finding her emotional change amusing, Ash couldn't resist teasing her again.
"But when someone asked me to help earlier, they offered their family's inherited magic in exchange. Shouldn't you also show some gratitude?"
"My family doesn't have any inherited magic. Just very ordinary spells."
"You misunderstood. What I meant was… shouldn't you at least show some appreciation? I'm not asking for repayment or anything, but it'd be nice if you could at least be like Kanne."
Compared to cold words, he would rather this kid show him a slightly better attitude when she visited his house. Be a little kinder, a little gentler.
That way the atmosphere at home would be nicer, and reading books would be more comfortable.
But…
"Like Kanne?", Lawine's expression froze instantly.
"That's not a high bar, right?"
"How is that not high? How could I possibly be the same as that girl who's always wearing that belly-baring outfit?"
In Ash's mind, he had proposed something completely ordinary, almost generous even. Something most people should accept happily.
Yet Lawine reacted like a lioness that had been provoked. Her chest rose and fell sharply with anger, every deep breath making her full chest tremble. Combined with her flushed cheeks and furious glare, no matter how you looked at it, she seemed to be desperately restraining herself, as if rage and reason were fighting a silent battle inside her.
Ash watched in complete confusion.
"Wait… what's wrong with Kanne? I think she's a good kid. Why are you so angry?"
"Pervert," Lawine spat out the word through clenched teeth.
"Kanne isn't a pervert."
"I'm talking about you!", Lawine's voice suddenly rose, pointing directly at Ash.
He lowered his gaze unconsciously, rubbing his chin in thought.
"Did I just save an ungrateful brat?"
"F-fine!"
Faced with this behavior, repaying kindness with demands and even acting morally superior, Lawine shot him a cold glare, looking at him as if he were some kind of insect. Disgust and embarrassment mixed in her eyes, almost overflowing.
Then she clenched the hem of her skirt tightly with both hands. Her fingertips turned pale from the force.
Gritting her teeth and forcing herself to endure the humiliation, she slowly lifted it, revealing a breathtaking sight.
"You're the worst kind of person! I will never forgive you!"
"..."
Lawine's words were filled with determination, each one squeezed out through her teeth.
But Ash simply stared at the girl in front of him in stunned silence.
Because he genuinely had no idea what he had done wrong to make Lawine so furious that she would even expose such a private side of herself in anger.
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