"Thank you. This is the promised reward."
Seventy years after Diego disappeared…
—Outskirts of the Holy City Strahl—
On a stretch of coastline, a couple handed Frieren a tattered, yellowed-cover grimoire.
"The magic that conjures hot soup!" Frieren's eyes sparkled as she caressed the book. This was her payment for gathering herbs for the pair.
"Hey, Dio—magic is amazing, right!"
[Roar roar, now we won't have to worry about going without hot soup in winter. A very useful folk magic.]
"Hmph hmph~ I think so too. Let's test it out later."
Frieren stood with hands on hips, speaking proudly to the Dio in her eyes—completely ignoring the strange looks from the couple behind her.
Finally, the black-haired man and purple-haired woman exchanged glances, nodded, and gathered their courage to speak to Frieren: "Um… I'm the physician in the village. You seem to be in rather poor mental condition."
"Hm?" Frieren looked at the purple-haired man in complete confusion.
"I don't know if you've heard of delusional disorder. It's a mental condition characterized by persistent, long-term delusions. How long have you been conversing with… the person next to you like this?" The black-haired man pointed toward the empty space Frieren had been addressing, probing carefully for information.
"What do you mea—"
Hiss—
A violent headache struck. Frieren couldn't help clutching her forehead. Fine sweat appeared on her lovely face as her body swayed unsteadily.
When the sharp pain subsided, Frieren shook her head and looked toward the Dio beside her. Unconsciously, she reached out a hand.
[Frieren, are you okay?]
"It's nothing. Looks like I really haven't been resting enough lately."
The purple-haired woman beside them kindly brewed a cup of wisteria tea and instructed: "This tea has a calming effect. Please take care of yourself."
The black-haired man stroked his chin, watching Frieren thoughtfully. After a moment he spoke slowly: "You do indeed have delusional disorder. I'm not a specialist in mental health, so I can't treat you."
"But there is a powerful cleric living in this forest. My wife and I owe her our lives. Here's the address—please keep it safe."
At this, the black-haired man unconsciously puffed out his chest, a proud smile appearing.
"My daughter Fern is studying under her. If you decide to go see her, please give her my regards."
"I believe if it's that person, she'll surely have a way to help with your symptoms…"
...
In the forest, Frieren crawled out from a thicket of bushes, her clothes covered in leaves.
＜(´⌯ ⩊ ⌯`)＞!
"I always end up getting lost in this forest…" Frieren patted the dust off herself, shook the leaves from her clothes, then looked around to get her bearings, muttering, "Where even am I?"
A purple-haired little girl emerged from the trees, wearing a simple mage-apprentice robe. From a distance she looked like a small eggplant.
"Um… are you looking for something?" Little Fern approached carrying a basket full of vegetables and fruits. Her capable demeanor formed a strong contrast with her young age.
"…"
Frieren snapped out of her daze, gathered her thoughts, took out the small slip of paper the purple-haired couple had given her, and showed it to Fern. Her tone was hesitant: "I'm looking for the cleric who lives at this address. I haven't been feeling quite right mentally lately and wanted her to take a look."
"So you're one of Lady Alicia's patients."
Fern put on her cloak, took Frieren's hand of her own initiative, and led her toward the cabin deep in the woods.
Alicia… same name?
"Great—this really helps. I thought I'd be searching for weeks. We're so lucky…" Frieren's voice overflowed with relief.
"We?" Fern looked up, puzzled, glancing around. She asked quietly, "Is there another guest?"
"Yeah—he's walking right beside me. Looks like I've become a big sister too—even Dio can't get through."
Staring at the empty forest, Fern didn't understand—but respected it.
Weird adult…
...
Under Fern's guidance, the two soon arrived at a small wooden cabin in the woods. Sunlight filtered through gaps in the leaves and scattered across the interior. Occasional birdsong added a touch of life to the place.
Outside the door, Alicia kept blinking expectantly, waiting for Fern's return. Her voice was full of worry.
"I wonder if little Fern will be okay on her own…"
Soon Alicia saw the figures of the two approaching and froze—as though bound by an invisible rope, unable to move.
Miss Frieren…
"Alicia… it really is you…" At that moment Frieren was utterly shocked. A person who should have died long ago stood before her once more. Her eyes widened roundly. Her smile froze. She stopped talking to Fern.
"What's wrong?" Fern tilted her head curiously, her gaze flicking back and forth between the two dazed figures.
"…It's really her. Alicia—how old are you now?" The result of mana detection was shocking. Frieren lowered her gaze and carefully examined the face that looked exactly the same as seventy years ago.
Thump… thump… crash…
Alicia snapped back to reality. She hurriedly ran down the stairs—only to trip over her own feet and fall flat on her face with a thud.
"Ah!"
"Lady Alicia!"
"…It really is Alicia."
"Geez—don't ask a girl her age! I still remember you calling me grandma, Frieren." Alicia climbed up from the ground, straightened her hat, then lightly bonked Frieren on the head with a pout. Embarrassed, she said, "This year… it's a secret!"
"Ouch—then… what about the you who was buried in the coffin?"
"Oh, that…" Alicia scratched her head awkwardly, tapped the ground lightly with her toe, thought for a moment, and explained: "Didn't Lady Serie visit me every year? She cast an illusion magic on me strong enough to fool everyone—changing my appearance over time."
"According to Lady Serie, my life is bound to the Salvation Wand. Now that the demons have settled down, foolish humans obsessed with immortality will start fighting among themselves. So the appearance of aging is necessary."
"That's why, when Lady Serie took me back to the capital that year, she personally planned my 'death'."
At this point Alicia gave an embarrassed laugh, took the Salvation Wand—now painted pink—from her waist, and showed it to Frieren.
"What was in the coffin was actually a straw dummy and a broom. Lady Serie told me not to meet with you all so you wouldn't worry."
(Serie-style elf bullying: Among Princess Elga, Mabel, and Frieren—one of them will not receive the letter saying Alicia is still alive. Guess who…)
Hearing this, Frieren's expression softened slightly. A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched her lips. She reached out both arms and hugged Alicia, mumbling: "No matter what… I'm so glad you're okay…"
Alicia gently stroked Frieren's head—still as gentle as ever—and asked with concern: "Frieren, why did you come looking for me?"
"The village physician said I have delusional disorder. But Dio is clearly standing right beside me…" Frieren lightly rubbed her temples. In her eyes there was only that irreverent figure.
Diego Brando still stood in that same spot. He said nothing—only smiled quietly.
Frieren turned her head and met Alicia's gaze.
From Alicia's involuntarily widening eyes, she felt raw, naked shock.
"Frieren… what are you talking about? Dio… disappeared seventy years ago."
"No… he's clearly right…" Frieren turned back. But where Diego had stood there was no one—only a few butterflies fluttering in the air.
After a moment of silence, Frieren exhaled slowly and spoke: "Sorry, Alicia. Looks like I fell into overlapping memories again."
Simply put—seventy years ago, at the last moment Diego appeared, he had the Memory Spirit alter and hide all memories related to Diego Brando. But at the very end, Frieren had used a mind magic called—
Memory duplication magic.
The duplicated memories lay buried deep in Frieren's brain, covered over by the altered ones.
After returning to Flamme's ruins, there had been a spell written on the table for unsealing memories. Using it restored her memories of Diego Brando, fusing them with the altered version.
However, the Memory Spirit's alteration was special and absolute. The only way to recover the memories was to encounter the same triggers again and recall them.
Clearly, Frieren—who now possessed memories of Diego—was no longer satisfied with the precondition of re-encountering the same things after memory loss. The altered memories could no longer be restored.
Therefore, when the version with Diego's memories fused with the version without, under various coincidences, Frieren's mind automatically created a virtual Diego Brando based on her memory template.
As her longing deepened, Frieren found it harder and harder to accept the reality that Diego Brando had disappeared.
After hearing Frieren's explanation, Alicia froze for a moment. Her thoughts were a mess. Her brain automatically translated it as:
Isn't this just—super missing Dio?!!
"Frieren's grown up. That's wonderful." Alicia showed an extremely relieved expression—like a loving elder looking after a naive younger one.
"…What exactly am I in your mind?"
"Ehehe—but I have a way to help you recover your memories, Frieren. Come inside first." Alicia tapped her head, stuck out her tongue, and said playfully.
She opened the door and welcomed Frieren and Fern inside.
Then Frieren and Alicia sat facing each other at the table. Fern ran to the kitchen, brewed two cups of black tea, and brought them over.
"Thank you, Fern."
Fern nodded without speaking, but her mood was clearly cheerful. Her steps became noticeably lighter as she went back to the kitchen alone to prepare dinner for the two.
"Who's that child?" Frieren rested her chin on her hand, quietly watching the busy little figure.
"Her name is Fern. I saved her parents during the wars in the southern countries. They entrusted her to me to look after." Alicia's expression turned nostalgic. Then she gave a light laugh. "But now it's completely reversed—she's the one taking care of me."
"Not very like you—to take on a disciple when your identity can't be exposed."
"Because that's exactly how Dio took me away back then." When speaking of Diego, happiness practically overflowed from Alicia's face. She curved her lips and added: "So if it were Dio, he'd definitely say…"
[It'd be too much of a waste to abandon her now. She still has use. Bring her along.]
"Fern has the aptitude to become a mage. Her mana control is exceptional—and even I can't easily detect her presence. But I'm a cleric. There's very little magic I can teach her."
"So there's one thing I'd like to ask of you, Frieren. Do you have any intention of taking a disciple?"
"…I suppose so. Dio would have kept Fern. Since the captain has spoken, I'll do the same." Frieren gave a helpless smile, as though sensing the burning gaze from Alicia.
"Lady Alicia, Lady Frieren—dinner is ready."
"Okay." ×2
...
After a warm dinner together, Frieren lay on the bed and quietly accepted Alicia's treatment.
Crack…
The Salvation Wand floated into the air. A barrier enveloped the small cabin in the woods. Sacred light shone down on the two of them.
Alicia spread her arms and chanted the goddess magic incantation with reverence.
"O God, let the waves of the heart of the lost soul before me—merge with mine!"
『Mind Communion Magic』—one of Goddess-sama's spells. It synchronizes the minds of the target and caster. It is especially effective against hypnosis-type magic and curses.
"Through mental synchronization, I can temporarily hide the memories you possess, Frieren—allowing them to be restored again through re-encounter."
A current of energy connected the two.
Drip…
A few drops of blood trickled from Frieren's nose—the side effect of memory restoration. It also signified the spell's success.
Miss Frieren's memories are flooding into my mind…
!!!
This is just super missing Dio, isn't it?!
Alicia—whose mind was synchronized with Frieren's—was stunned by the elf's emotional obtuseness. She could hardly comprehend how such profound longing could be suppressed by such detached feelings.
Alicia hesitated. After several deep breaths, she made up her mind: "…Miss Frieren—let's go find Dio."
"Hm?" Frieren's weak voice rose, carrying a trace of confusion.
"The half-century meteor shower thirty years from now! The journey to the Demon King's castle begins. Miss Elga didn't wait for us—she said she was going to give Dio a piece of her mind. A few years ago, almost the instant her memories returned, she started wiping out demons and headed north."
"My plan is for us to split into four groups and drive every demon out of human territory. If all four of us take the same route, there'll inevitably be places we miss."
"After all—the wand in my hand is the 'Salvation' one…"
Demons: I've got a really bad feeling about this—like we're screwed!
Frieren buried her head, quietly digesting Alicia's words. After a moment, her muffled voice came: "Why bring this up all of a sudden?"
"Um… sorry! I peeked at part of your memories. I just think you're so pitiful, Frieren. You clearly still have so much you want to say to Dio, but—" Alicia floundered, her cute face full of panic.
"Yeah… I miss him too. Let's go together then…" The illusion before Frieren's eyes faded. She simply smiled and fell silent.
Miss…
"That's wonderful—Frieren's grown up!" Alicia's pupils dilated. With a wail she burst into tears—overjoyed beyond measure that Frieren was finally beginning to understand her own feelings.
"So I'm asking again—what exactly am I in your mind…"
Silly Alicia. Through the side effect of the overly strengthened mental synchronization magic via the wand, you peeked into memories and understood the other's feelings… but you're not the only one…
So this is what longing feels like…
"…But it's seriously freezing around the Demon King's castle. I really don't want to go…"