"You're still trying to say it's my fault?"
"I'm just telling the truth," He sat there very casually on the edge of the flower bed's stone bricks, "It's all because of you that I was forced to take that kind of exam."
"You've got some nerve saying that. Are you ready to empty your wallet? Or have you finally entered your rebellious phase?"
"I've always felt like you're the one… cough! forget it."
He really wanted to say, "You're the one acting like a rebellious kid," but thinking about his wallet, he chose at this crucial moment to keep his mouth shut, avoiding getting demolished again.
That attitude made Serie turn her head to look at him, narrowing her eyes slightly, "Caring so much about your wallet doesn't sound like you."
"You don't earn money, of course you don't understand how expensive daily life is."
"Don't talk down to me," Serie snapped, then, while continuing to look at him with scrutiny, said, "Ash, you're planning to start a war, aren't you? That's why you're trying to save money now."
"Whether I plan to start a war or not, saving money is important… though you're not wrong," Halfway through, he casually admitted the truth.
"Heh~ What if I want to stop you?"
"You wouldn't want to."
"I said what if."
"If that 'what if' really happens, then please forgive me."
Even when facing Serie, Ash showed not the slightest hint of backing down on a matter like this.
That made Serie, who had just looked serious, suddenly break into a wide grin.
"Haha! Not bad, you're really not bad. As expected of my disciple, you can graduate now."
"No, I still want privileges."
"I hate overly ambitious people. I already said that a thousand years ago when Flamme brought Frieren to meet me, didn't I?"
"A thousand years is too long. I already forgot."
"In the end, you're not even a first-class mage yet."
"I'll pass," He said with absolute confidence, but Serie responded with a malicious smile, "No, I don't think you will."
"Is that so? If you insist, then I've got my own countermeasures."
"Bring it on. Let your master see just how rebellious my most troublesome disciple can get!"
Serie, whose personality was already a bit eccentric, immediately revealed a huge grin that looked like it might split her face apart.
However… he simply raised a hand and stopped her, "Wait a second… would a proper teacher call their disciple a bastard?"
"I'm not proper. And you think you're a proper disciple?"
"That just means if the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam will be crooked too, right?"
"I'm telling you, I'm in a good mood right now. Don't make me unhappy, or I'll make you unhappy too."
Her smile didn't change, but her eyes turned cold. Serie casually snapped off the flower in front of her, as if one more word from him and she'd snap the top of the tower itself.
Ash stopped provoking her, silently stood up, and walked toward the library inside the tower without looking back.
"Alright… my bad. Since I rarely come back, I'll help you sort your books."
"Shouldn't you look at someone when you apologize? Or did I never teach you manners, you brat?"
"You don't seriously think you have manners, do you? If you don't have it yourself, how could you teach it to someone else?"
"Learn it yourself. If everything were worse than me, why would I need disciples?"
"You can really say something that shameless out loud…"
Their exchange finally settled down peacefully. Ash quietly went to the library, fulfilling his biggest goal in coming here.
———
The next day, the third round of the exam began.
Everyone who had passed the second test received notice the night before, and by evening, they all gathered at the entrance of the Magic Association's tower.
But everyone had arrived early and eagerly. Except for one person who had shined the brightest in the previous exam: Ash.
"Lord Ash wouldn't have run into trouble, would he?", After looking around and still not finding him, Fern couldn't help but look worried.
Frieren, however, simply stared calmly at the gate and answered without hesitation, "Instead of worrying about whether he's in trouble, it's more realistic to worry about whether he's causing trouble… and you know how strong he is."
"What if he runs into something on the level of the Demon King?"
"You worry too much," Frieren sighed and shook her head, feeling like Fern was an overprotective mother, "This is Serie's territory. Even if it really were the Demon King, there's nothing to be afraid of."
"Is Lady Serie really that strong?"
"Master said she's the one closest to the goddess. She was already around during the previous Demon King, and as for the one before that… only she would know."
"If there's no problem, then where did Lord Ash go?"
"Who knows? That guy runs around everywhere anyway. Maybe he'll show up soon?", Frieren shrugged, completely unconcerned, though Kanne and Lawine were starting to worry too, whether Ash had gone out to play and forgotten he still had an exam.
At that moment, Falsch, the newly promoted first-class mage stationed at the gate and responsible for assisting this exam, announced the start of this round.
The great mage Serie would personally conduct interviews, and everyone would go in one by one.
The first name called was Frieren.
She walked in expressionlessly, but the moment she saw two familiar figures, even her face started to crack a little.
Fern had been worried, but Frieren herself truly wasn't worried at all. After all, she was now in the safest place in the world.
Serie was crouching by the flower bed, staring blankly at a flower bud that shouldn't exist in this northern land.
Meanwhile, Ash was lying on a rocking chair nearby, leisurely reading a book like nothing was happening.
Even Frieren could tell that the rocking chair, completely out of place in this beautiful aerial garden, had obviously been moved here casually… and judging by the situation, it was clearly Ash who brought it.
Seeing how relaxed he looked, her expression turned as if she had swallowed a fly, "Fern was worried you'd be late. Why are you here? You even look pretty comfortable."
"Reading? Isn't that obvious?"
"You know that's not what I'm asking. Are you also an examiner this time?"
"Don't mind me. Didn't they say outside just now? Serie is the examiner. Just treat me as a guide. For now, look at this one," Despite Frieren's piercing gaze, Ash didn't even raise his head, just lifted his foot and pointed toward Serie, who was still crouching by the flower bed.
The moment he pointed, a strange black light shot out.
At the same time, multiple layers of defensive magic appeared at the tip of his foot.
There was no loud explosion, no dazzling display. Just the sound of defensive spells shattering, and the clash was already over.
Ash's leg remained unharmed, but the stone bricks beneath his foot had already turned to dust when the light faded.
Seeing this, the expression on Frieren's face gradually shifted from strange to emotional, and she couldn't help but sigh, "It's been a thousand years, and you two are still this close."
"Where do you see that? Also, isn't this an exam?", Serie glanced at her coldly, "But… why are you here now? Back then, I offered you 'privileges,' and you refused."
"Because magic is more fun when you explore it yourself," Frieren gave the same answer as a thousand years ago without hesitation.
Facing such a disciple, Serie showed no mercy and snorted coldly, issuing a dismissal, "People like you aren't qualified to become a first-class mage. You've been boring from start to finish. Failed. Leave."
"Is that so?"
Frieren wasn't angry. She simply nodded, then took one last look at Ash, who was still reading in place, and turned to leave.
But Ash couldn't sit still. He put down his book, raised his head, and called out to her.
"Wait, Frieren."
"What? Are you going to plead for me? Forget it," Frieren stopped.
"Of course not. Pleading wouldn't work anyway. You might as well adjust your attitude a bit. If you give me the privilege later, I'll… right, I'll treat you to a big meal when we get back. Even in dangerous situations, if Fern lectures you, I'll stand on your side. I can even tie Fern up so she only gets mad at me."
He directly brought out extremely attractive conditions tailored specifically for Frieren.
Serie immediately scoffed, about to mock him for thinking such conditions could compare to her privileges.
However…
"You said it? I've already recorded it!", Frieren suddenly turned around, pulling out a recording magic tool from who knows where, and said seriously, "If you don't follow through, I'll tell everyone about how you touched Kanne's stomach."
"This time I definitely won't. Even if you say weird things again, I won't pretend not to know you anymore."
"What are you talking about? When did I ever say weird things?"
Frieren's genuinely confused expression made Ash cover his face and shake his head repeatedly.
Because… at this point, he didn't even want to point out that she had zero self-awareness. After all, she hadn't changed in all these years. Saying it would be meaningless and rude.
The deal the two made on the spot was heard clearly by Serie beside them.
The privilege that every mage on the continent dreamed of, even willing to risk their lives for, couldn't even compare to such… strange conditions.
This made Serie's face turn livid on the spot.
"What is wrong with you two? Are you messing with me?"
Frieren saw her hand tremble slightly, accidentally plucking off a petal, but still didn't understand what was wrong and asked blankly, "Why are you angry?"
"No idea, menopau—cough! probably just hates you," Ash started to say something and immediately corrected himself when she glared at him.
Frieren frowned for a moment but quickly stopped caring. After all, they had never gotten along for years. She turned back to Serie and, expressionless like reciting from memory, said without emotion, "Thinking about it carefully, I regretted it back then. So now I want that kind of privilege."
"Are you treating me like an idiot? Or do I look like an easy mark to you?"
"I just want to pass the exam and obtain what I deserve."
"I already said, you failed."
"Is that so?", Frieren nodded calmly, then turned to Ash again, "What should I do?"
"Don't look at me at a time like this. You should be getting angry."
"Serie, give me a proper reason. Otherwise I'll get angry."
Since Ash said so, she actually did it, forcing herself to make an angry face and glare at Serie.
"I should be the one getting angry!", Serie was so exasperated she laughed, but still took a deep breath to calm herself, "Fine, I'll give you a chance. Frieren, tell me your favorite magic."
"I think it's—", Ash had just opened his mouth when Serie suddenly waved her hand, "You shut up."
The stone floor instantly shattered as golden light shot out.
Ash stomped his foot, summoning lightning to collide with it and cancel it out, then looked gloomily at the overturned bricks.
"So rough. These materials are actually quite expensive…"
"I don't care," Serie snorted, then turned back to Frieren, silently urging her to hurry.
Frieren simply said directly, "The magic to create a field of flowers."
"Magic you learned from Flamme… and it's this kind of completely useless, utterly boring magic. Failed."
"..."
Even though the magic her master loved most, the one taught to her at the end of her life, was insulted so harshly, Frieren didn't get angry.
She just silently gave Ash a helpless look, then turned and prepared to leave.
After all, Serie was her elder, and she had long been used to this attitude. If anything, when she delivered the will, Serie had been the same. Dismissing her master's favorite magic and ideals as worthless, even calling them a bit disgusting.
Even Ash felt that Serie was always harsh with people. Even toward Flamme, whom she had raised from childhood, she rarely said anything nice.
But she was still an elder… and the one who raised Flamme.
Frieren felt she had no place to say anything and simply intended to leave.
However, that very attitude made Serie even more displeased.
"You're being mocked and don't even argue? It's hard to believe a mage like you defeated the Demon King."
"That wasn't by my strength alone," Frieren finally stopped and turned back, "Himmel, Heiter, Eisen, and me… without any one of us, we couldn't have defeated the Demon King."
"To be honest, I never expected it either. When I first heard, I thought you'd definitely get killed," Ash couldn't help but chime in to ease the tension, "After all, the Demon King is on a completely different level compared to even the Sages of Destruction."
"Honestly, I didn't expect it either. At first, I thought we were doomed. But in the end, we still won. As for how… probably only the goddess knows. It was basically a miracle. But it was definitely a miracle we created together."
"So, you happened to meet a group of good companions, and then luckily received the goddess's blessing to obtain a divine miracle? Your luck really is good," Serie mocked once again with her sharp tongue.
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