From behind a large tree emerged three humanoid figures with horns on their heads, their immense mana clearly surpassing that of the slain demon general in the village. They flaunted their power openly, both as a display of confidence and intimidation.
"Human mage over there, put down the elf. The Demon King's orders are to wipe out the elves in this village. Hand her over, and we'll spare your life."
One of the demons addressed Flamme and Frieren coldly, completely ignoring Ivan, dismissing him as irrelevant.
"What an amusing bunch," Flamme chuckled, looking at the three demons.
"Up until now, they'd suppressed their mana, trying to ambush us… But as soon as they realized there was a mage here, they revealed themselves. Demons may be despicable and cunning, but they're all ridiculously arrogant about their boring magic."
Without even loosening her hold on Frieren, Flamme lightly tapped the ground with her heel.
"In that case, stay proud and arrogant, and drown in your own carelessness."
Boom!
A massive explosion of mana erupted beneath the three demons before they could even raise basic magic shields. In an instant, they were obliterated into dust.
Living creatures instinctively focus their vigilance on visible movements, but unless specifically trained, they often neglect their blind spots—like beneath their feet. Even under the direct gaze of the three demons, Flamme was confident she could annihilate them in a single strike while they underestimated her.
If it had been a direct confrontation, Flamme would never have won so easily. But in the world of mages, there are no "ifs." Victory is everything.
After unleashing such a powerful attack spell, the fluctuations of Flamme's mana naturally could no longer be concealed, openly presenting themselves to Frieren's eyes.
"So that's how it is. You've been suppressing your mana to mislead your enemies?"
"Exactly," Flamme confirmed.
She cast a glance at Ivan, who had been idly spacing out behind her, not even looking at the three demons she had just obliterated. It was hard to say whether she felt exasperated or amused.
"In Ivan's hometown terms, this is called 'playing the pig to eat the tiger.' It's a tactic that works wonders, even in the human world. So, against demons, it's doubly effective."
"Is Ivan suppressing his mana too? Is he planning to play the pig and eat the tiger?" Frieren curiously glanced at the dark-haired young man behind her. By elven standards, he was somewhat handsome, but his mana was so weak it rivaled that of a farmer—and not even a particularly strong farmer.
Still, there was no way he was as ordinary as he appeared. After all, no regular person would think of eating demons, even if demons were merely humanoid monsters.
"Amazing. To suppress it to such an extent without a single ripple in the mana flow…"
Ivan: "…"
It was fine for her to admire his restraint, but why did she have to make that dramatic hand gesture like she was holding a universe between her fingers? Even though he wasn't from her culture, anyone would feel irritated having such a gesture aimed at them.
Still, admitting that his mana was as weak as a commoner's felt humiliating. So, he deflected the conversation toward the dependable mage beside him.
"Flamme, it seems your version of 'playing the pig to eat the tiger' is still at the beginner level. True masters don't flaunt their power just because they've taken down a few demons."
"What does it matter? Frieren is on our side now. I've already decided to take her as my disciple."
"Disciple? When did that happen?!"
"Just now," Flamme replied with a mischievous smile. "Oh my, Ivan, are you jealous? After all, you're no longer my only disciple. No more exclusive, personal lessons from me. Feeling lonely already, are you?"
"Uh, not at all," Ivan replied, waving his hand as if to brush off the thought.
Typical narcissist. Really off-putting.
"Um…" Frieren timidly raised her hand at this moment.
"About this whole 'disciple' thing… shouldn't you at least ask for my opinion first?"
"Does that kind of thing require consent from the person involved?" Flamme countered matter-of-factly.
Frieren and Ivan: (´-ι_-｀)
And thus, Frieren's position as Flamme's second disciple was joyfully settled.
This new development was reflected in Ivan's system interface, which now displayed Frieren's personal data:
[Frieren, Female Elf, Physical Age: 500 Years]
[Class: Mage]
[Talent: Longevity]
[Equipment: Ordinary Clothes, Ordinary Staff]
[Combat Rating: Elite]
[Relationship with Host: Neutral; a stranger you can coexist with peacefully]
Five hundred years old?!
Ivan was astonished as he looked at the silver-haired elf girl, so delicate and slender, riding on Flamme's back. He had known elves were a near-immortal race, but to think she had lived for five centuries was beyond his expectations.
Compared to her, Flamme's age made her seem like a mere child.
Of course, that wasn't the whole picture. Elves had a different perception of time, and Frieren, with her naturally slow disposition and limited experience, was far less mature than the twenty-six-year-old Flamme, who had already become a great mage and frequently traveled across nations.
Beyond personality, there was another stark difference—one too obvious to mention.
"Ivan, you're not thinking something indecent, are you?" Flamme's suspicious gaze landed on him.
"Huh? That's a baseless accusation!" Ivan retorted. "And an utterly unfounded one at that."
"Then what's with the way your eyes were darting between me and Frieren just now?"
"This is an admiring gaze, pure admiration. Appreciating beauty is the pursuit of higher artistry," Ivan said with a straight face. "Frieren, did you sense any improper undertones in my gaze just now?"
"???"
Frieren tilted her head, shaking it slightly. "I'm not sure."
A faint smile appeared at the corners of Ivan's mouth. As expected, she was an innocent, unworldly girl.
"Ah, see? Flamme, you're the one with the unhealthy thoughts. You're like those people who see an arm and think of a full body—exactly what Lu Xun meant by his observations. Truly enlightening!"
"You little…" Flamme's brow furrowed. If she weren't carrying Frieren on her back and thus unable to free her hands, she'd have given Ivan a proper lesson.
Being repeatedly countered and mocked by her disciple—especially in front of a new apprentice—was quite frustrating. What if Frieren decided to follow suit and start defying her authority too?
The dignity of a master would be utterly destroyed! This had to be resolved. Ivan needed a good, firm lesson to understand the respect owed to his teacher.
"The sun's coming up," Frieren quietly interjected.