Chapter 3

Aura (32 years old)

About six months had passed since I managed to survive by completely ingratiating myself with Frieren and selling my soul as a demon.

I woke up in my room as usual, and the first thing I did was push away the pointlessly beautiful feet that were resting on my face.

Then, I picked up the baby I had laid in the cradle beside me. The baby started crying as soon as it woke up, but since it was the kind of crying that indicated hunger, I decided to address that.

"Waaah! Waaah!"

"Ugh… stop it…"

"You too, get up already…"

In my room was the elf—Frieren—who, with a scrunched-up face due to the baby's cries, was clinging to the futon in a ridiculous position.

Is this the elf who tried to kill me...? Is this really her…?

This 500-year-old elf named Freiren had, for some reason, been living in my house for about six months already.

It was partly my fault, as I casually suggested that she could use this house while she was staying in the village, saying that it would save her lodging costs. After living together, I realized that to someone like her, half a year is not even considered "a little" time.

Well, it's probably also to keep an eye on me as a demon. The fact that she deliberately chose to stay in the same room, despite there being spare rooms, must be for observing me or looking for any flaws to exploit.

"Just half a day longer…"

"It'll be night soon."

"Then I'll sleep again…"

…Is she really planning on doing that? Maybe she's just found a suitable host to parasitize and is pestering me -- no, that's not the case. She's planning to lure me into letting my guard down, and then kill me when I reveal my true nature. That must be it...what a cunning elf she is. Even though she hates onions.

"Burp."

Now that I had finished feeding the baby, I needed to deal with this twin-tailed cocoon, as usual.

"Come on, get up. I'll do your hair."

"Curse you, demon…"

By the way, I discovered while caring for her that Frieren's right arm, especially around the hand, has a strange golden hue, and the texture isn't like normal skin. Because of that, it seems she isn't very good at using her fingers, which might mean she genuinely needs some care. Not that it really matters, though.

As I continued to care for Frieren, which was becoming somewhat daily routine, I found myself pondering how we ended up in this bizarre relationship in the first place.

My village is near the Voll Basin in the Bredt Region, located northeast of the Holy City of Strahl in the Central Lands. Apparently, this location was the issue.

It turns out this area was once where Frieren lived with her master, the great mage Flamme. When Frieren returned after a long time, she came across my village, which didn't exist when she was last here, and that's how we met.

In other words, it was terrible timing for me. How could I have known? Damn it. The goddess of this world must be a sadistic one.

Anyway, after waking Frieren and doing her hair in her usual twin tails, I decided to make breakfast. Naturally, I'd prepare it for the two children and Frieren as well. I don't really need anything for myself other than as a decoration, so I'll just have a drink to give the impression that I'm participating in breakfast. No need to make more dishes to wash.

By the way, my husband is on a business trip to the nearest town from here for work as a member of the village chief's family, so he won't be back for another two weeks, even including the travel time. He used to be a lazy and troublesome child, but when he grew up, he became very diligent about his work.

Or was it after we got married? Well, it doesn't really matter. Anyway, let's get it done quickly. It's a waste of time if we don't get it done.

"Whoa? What…?"

"Auuu."

As a bit of payback, I handed the baby over to Frieren and headed straight to the kitchen.

———————

About six months had passed since the fateful encounter with the strange demon.

As Frieren observed Aura, the demon who had inexplicably been living in a human village since birth, she was struck by an indescribable feeling. It was not fear or revulsion, but a profound sense of curiosity mixed with unease.

Aura stood in the kitchen, clad in an apron, her hands deftly wielding a knife while various cooking utensils floated around her, assisting in the meal preparation. This casual use of magic was anything but human, yet the scene was strangely domestic, almost normal—except for the fact that it was a demon performing these tasks. Frieren couldn't help but marvel at the sheer oddity of it all. It was as though Aura existed in a space between worlds, neither fully demon nor fully integrated into human society, yet somehow managing to blend elements of both.

The idea that a demon, a creature inherently lacking social skills and driven by primal instincts, could not only coexist with humans but also establish a family, was deeply unsettling. Aura's ability to navigate human society with such apparent ease made her seem more socially adept than Frieren herself, despite the elf's centuries of experience, though that wasn't something she particularly cared about.

This demon, named Aura, had surrendered unconditionally the moment she recognized the vast gulf in power between herself and Frieren. Aura had chosen survival at any cost, relinquishing her pride and autonomy in the process. This act of total submission had placed her life entirely in Frieren's hands, leaving the elf with an unexpected responsibility. Despite her initial reluctance, Frieren found herself compelled to engage with Aura, if only to understand the enigma that this demon represented.

In the end, there was no denying that Aura was still a demon at her core.

Like a demon, she was missing certain emotions and maintained a relationship of coexistence with humans purely out of self-interest. Even having a family was just another part of that arrangement.

However, the most surprising thing was that until about six months ago, Aura hadn't even known she was a demon. She had lived by her instincts, almost entirely in line with demon behavior, despite lacking social skills. On top of that, the villagers had gone so far as to feed her something disguised as human flesh to suppress her cannibalistic urges, which Frieren found beyond foolish.

Yet, Aura's knowledge of humans was both profound and unsettling. She understood them on a level that was almost frightening, and it was this understanding that kept her from opposing them. Her obsession with maintaining a socially acceptable life bordered on fanaticism; she adhered strictly to societal norms, never straying from the path that would allow her to blend in. Her behavior, governed by these two principles—understanding and conformity—was the foundation of her existence.

"I'm a social demon girl."

When Frieren questioned Aura about her peculiar behavior, this was the cryptic response she received. Aura's words were baffling, yet there was no deception in them. The spell of obedience that bound her ensured that she could not lie, so her strange statements reflected her true thoughts. This, more than anything, highlighted the bizarre duality of Aura's nature.

Aura also claimed to have known Frieren long before they met, making absurd declarations such as, "I knew I was going to be killed by you even before I was born." At first, Frieren suspected some form of prophetic ability, akin to the foresight possessed by powerful seers like Schlacht. However, it seems that this is not the case, as she says even more meaningless things like, "It's all being X fault," and "I'm the victim here."

Even with her odd personality, Frieren had to admit that Aura's magical talent was extraordinarily high, even compared to other demons.

After all, her mastery of the Spell of Obedience: Auserlese was so refined that it could potentially rival the magic of the "Seven Sages of Destruction," the great demons who served directly under the Demon King. If Aura had not deviated from the path of a typical demon—if she had not succumbed to her current erratic state—and had instead continued to hone her skills over several centuries, it would not be surprising if she were to join their ranks in the future.

Aura's mind, capable of crafting such formidable magic, was far beyond that of a human. Most demons relied on instinct, their magical knowledge growing naturally without formal study or mentorship.

Yet Aura had developed a profound understanding of magical theory and application in just thirty years, a period that was but a blink of an eye compared to Frieren's five hundred years of life. Despite her vast experience and extensive studies, Frieren found herself learning from Aura, a fact that both intrigued and unsettled her.

Furthermore, Aura's methodical nature set her apart from other demons. She meticulously recorded her magical knowledge, compiling it into thick tomes that lined the shelves of her room. These grimoires were filled with spells, some mundane, others bizarre, and a few that bordered on the absurd:

Magic to turn sugar into salt

Magic to turn vertical stripes into horizontal stripes

Magic to make female chicks glow

Magic to turn roof snow into cotton candy

Magic to find underground water

Magic to turn horizontal stripes into vertical stripes

Magic to dream about eggplants

Magic to round the tips of horns

Magic to allow demons to give birth to human children

Magic to improve a roommate's sleeping posture

Magic to turn onions into seeds

Magic to speed up onion growth

Magic to make onions spicier

Magic to turn shallots into onions

The list went on, each spell more curious than the last.

Many of these spells seemed reminiscent of folk magic, created with practical use in the village in mind, but their peculiarities could not be ignored. Some were clearly designed to address everyday concerns, while others appeared to serve no discernible purpose. Despite the seemingly trivial nature of these spells, Frieren couldn't help but be fascinated. As someone with a penchant for collecting obscure and seemingly useless magic, Frieren found Aura to be an endless source of novel spells, like a goose that laid golden eggs.

Yet, a strange pattern emerged as Frieren perused Aura's grimoires: the number of spells related to onions had been steadily increasing. Whether it was spells to enhance, transform, or otherwise interact with onions, Aura seemed to have developed a peculiar obsession with this vegetable. This growing collection of onion-related magic only reinforced Frieren's belief that she was still fundamentally incompatible with demons.

From Frieren's perspective, demons were akin to wild beasts—intelligent and cunning, yet driven by instincts that set them apart from humans. They used human language to deceive but could never fully understand or share in human emotions.

Aura, however, was different. She had transcended the typical demon behavior, becoming a beast that not only used human words and actions to deceive but had also learned to live among them. She had integrated herself into human society to such an extent that she could almost pass as one of them.

"Breakfast is ready."

Aura's voice was calm as she approached the table, her movements fluid as she balanced an omelet rice in each hand, with a third one trailing behind her in mid-air, floating effortlessly through her magic. The aroma of freshly cooked rice and eggs filled the room, warm and comforting.

Aura placed the omelet rice on the table with practiced ease, her movements fluid and natural, though her actions were anything but typical for a demon. The sight of her juggling multiple tasks simultaneously—levitating utensils, serving food, and managing the baby—had become so routine that it no longer surprised Frieren, yet it still struck her as peculiar. It was the kind of domestic scene that, despite its normalcy, felt fundamentally wrong when performed by a demon.

It was a bit heavy for breakfast, but contrary to appearances, Frieren was a good eater, so it wasn't a problem. The two children, already seated and eagerly awaiting their food, watched with bright eyes as Aura placed the steaming plates before them.

Aura took the baby from Frieren's arms with the same gentle care she used in her cooking, cradling the child against her chest as she sat down at the table. Her own seat remained bare of food, with only a cup of tea in front of her. Aura maintained the charade of a normal morning routine, going so far as to lead a prayer before the meal and followed by her two children.

"Before we eat, let's say grace—"

Frieren, who didn't participate in the prayer, knew that Aura didn't care about the goddess and even cursed her. Watching Aura go through the motions felt absurd, but Frieren couldn't help but cast a peculiar gaze at Aura, who was completely unwavering in her practice.

"Frieren's omelet is bigger!" one of the children declared, their voice tinged with the indignation of perceived injustice.

"That's not fair!" the other chimed in, their small hands gripping their utensils as they eyed Frieren's plate with a mix of jealousy and curiosity.

"They're both the same," Aura responded with a calmness that suggested this was a well-rehearsed routine.

Though, clearly, Frieren's omelet was about twice as big.