Losing Another Favorite Disciple

As Aura fled, her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, questions, and a gnawing uncertainty that refused to leave her.

'Where do I want to escape to?'

She didn't know. All she knew was that she needed to get as far away from Frieren as possible. The memory of Frieren's tearful face, was still fresh in her mind. But it wasn't just that face she was running from; it was the possibility that Frieren might change her mind, might realize that she had made a mistake and issue another command, another order that would bind her again.

'Why did I choose this direction?'

Again, Aura had no answer. Her body had simply chosen a path, and her mind had followed, driven by the primal instinct to flee, to survive. The forest ahead was vast, dark, and unknown, but it was better than the suffocating closeness of Frieren's presence, better than the lingering possibility of being enslaved again.

'What awaits me in this direction?'

Aura had no idea, and the uncertainty gnawed at her. But it didn't matter. Anything was better than going back. She couldn't allow herself to be trapped again, to have her will bent and broken by another's commands.

Aura could feel it.

The moment the command for [freedom] was given, the restrictions that had bound her soul for over twenty years began to dissolve. Something that had accumulated in her soul over those two decades was now slowly and steadily fading away.

Just wait a little longer, give her a few more years, and Aura will be able to turn back into a demon! Turn back into the perfect demon Aura who has not been tortured by [understanding humans] and whose soul has not been torn apart.

By then, she believed, all the pain that had been inflicted on her soul would disappear. The fractures in her spirit that had shortened her lifespan.

"If I can just... if I can just... if I can just escape from the hands of that elf..." 

But as she ran, her steps began to falter. The adrenaline that had fueled her flight was wearing off, and the pain from her injuries was becoming impossible to ignore. Her body was screaming for rest, for respite, but she couldn't stop. She wouldn't stop, not until she was free.

Then, as if the universe itself was mocking her desperate attempt at freedom, Aura's path was blocked.

Standing in her way was a figure she had hoped to never encounter again, a figure she had almost forgotten in her panic-stricken flight. The golden-haired elf, Serie, stood calmly in the middle of the path, her expression unreadable.

Aura's heart sank, and a bitter smile tugged at her lips.

'Right. Besides Frieren, there is another elf in this world. How could I have forgotten this old undead elf?'

Even if she left Frieren, Aura wouldn't truly be free.

"What do you want, Serie?" Aura demanded, her voice harsher than she intended.

"What do I want? Shouldn't I be the one to ask you this? You disappeared without any reason, and left without saying goodbye, and you got yourself injured... If Zanze asks me about it, how should I explain it? She's going to blame me for not taking good care of you." Serie tilted her head, looking at Aura's injuries with a helpless yet gentle smile.

Aura bristled at Serie's words, her eyes narrowing.

"What does this have to do with Zanze? Don't treat me like some random little animal you picked up and brought home! I, Aura, am a demon. From now on, I will no longer be restricted by the command not to harm humans. The first time I see that woman Zanze, I will tear her into pieces and eat her!"

Serie, however, seemed unfazed by Aura's threat. She shook her head, a confident smile playing on her lips.

"You won't." 

"....." 

Aura opened her mouth to retort, to argue, but the words died on her lips. A heavy silence settled between them, broken only by the sound of Aura's labored breathing.

After a tense silence, Aura finally spoke, her voice tinged with bitterness. "Since Frieren wasn't accepted as a disciple by Flamme, you haven't taken Flamme as a disciple either, have you?"

"In the history you experienced, was that how things were supposed to go?" Serie tilted her head slightly, as if pondering Aura's words.

"Flamme, she is the hope of human magic. Go and take her as your disciple."

"You are also my disciple."

"How arrogant, Serie. I never thought of becoming your disciple."

Aura curled her lips and said disdainfully.

To Aura, the idea was absurd. Serie, supposedly the most powerful mage in the world, wanting to take a demon as a disciple—what a lunatic.

"..." Serie, however, merely smiled faintly, unfazed by Aura's retort. She didn't argue or press the matter. Instead, she turned her attention to Aura's earlier suggestion:

"Should you really be the one to say this?"

—Referring to the suggestion to take Flamme as a disciple.

"This is not the only thing I've done wrong, but it will definitely be the last one."

"What do you intend to do next?"

"I will find a way to revive the demon race and kill all the humans and elves in the world!" Aura declared loudly, looking Serie in the eye for the first time in her life, without fear. She had resolved to die and sneered at Serie.

Serie ignored Aura's feigned bravado. She saw that Aura was strong on the outside but weak on the inside. Although she seemed resolute and brave on the surface, her body had actually begun to tremble quietly. She was extremely afraid of death.

Did Serie not know this timid and soft demon well enough?

"So, what now, Serie? Do you want to kill me here?"

Serie shook her head, her expression unreadable. "Do as you please. I never interfere with my disciples' actions. Whatever you choose to do is your freedom."

With those words, Serie reached into her pocket and pulled out a few small vials of healing potions. She held them out to Aura, her gesture calm, almost gentle, as if she were offering a gift rather than a lifeline.

"Take these—consider them a parting gift from me."

Aura stared at the potions for a moment, her pride warring with the pain in her body. Her injuries were severe, and she knew that without help, she might not survive long enough to carry out her plans. But the thought of accepting help from an elf, especially Serie, made her blood boil.

With a sharp motion, she slapped the potions out of Serie's hand, sending them scattering across the ground.

"Don't give me any potions. Elves and demons are mortal enemies. The next time we meet, I will try to kill you, Serie!" Aura spat, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and fear.

Without waiting for a response, Aura brushed past Serie, and limped away, her movements stiff and pained. She didn't look back, even as her body screamed for rest, for healing. 

Serie stood still, watching Aura's limping past her with a mixture of sadness and resignation. She could see through Aura's tough exterior, could sense the deep fear and loneliness that drove her actions. Aura's words might have been full of hatred, but Serie knew that they were born of pain, not true malice.

"Sigh..." Serie exhaled softly, her gaze lingering on the spot where Aura had disappeared into the distance. The sunlight filtering through the trees cast a warm glow on her face, highlighting the soft, rounded features.

Today, Serie realized with a heavy heart, she had lost another beloved disciple.

Aura might never have accepted the title, but to Serie, she was no less cherished.

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Okay, this is the final draft I have, and it also wraps up this arc. What do you all think of the 'Demon Invasion' arc?

Some of you might be wondering, 'Why was the elf village still destroyed even though this Frieren is far far stronger compared to the Frieren in the original timeline?' One of the reasons is because of that Seer. He changed his original plan and recruited stronger demons for the invasion. One of them is the trio of demon generals that Aura fought. Even the Canon Flamme from the same era would have had difficulty facing them.

Some of you smart readers have probably noticed that Aura is actually a Tsundere. In this book, I tried to create a Tsundere character, but without making the Tsundere traits too obvious. So only those who understand the story in detail can spot Aura's Tsundere side. What do you think of this Tsundere behavior?

See you next week~~