[1]
[top left] Chapter 2: The Priest's Lie

[2]
Twenty years have elapsed since the Hero Himmel's passing.
Within the central provinces. At the outskirts of the Holy City, Strahl.
I always get lost in this forest...
[ol] Where am I?
Are you looking for something?
Is something the matter?
...No, I'm just looking for the home of someone named "Heiter".

[3]
Well then, you would be a visitor.
So you're still alive, Corrupt Priest.
[note below panel] Note: The initial translator used "Drunkard" instead of "Corrupt". I will be using the latter from now on.
Hahaha.
It's difficult to die handsomely, it seems.

[4]
I bought some alcohol to offer to your grave, but would you like to have a bottle now?
I've stopped drinking already.
I see.
I don't think the goddesses would forgive you even if you act like a good boy now, though.
Hahaha.
So who's the girl?
She's Fern. She was a war orphan from the southern provinces.
She doesn't look like one though. You're not the type of guy to willingly rescue people, right?
You aren't Himmel after all.

[5]
Frieren, why... are you here?
I just thought I'd drop by while I was shopping at the Holy City.
I try to get in contact with everyone I meet along the way to my destination, after all.
Besides, I owe a lot to Heiter,
so I came to repay you before you die.
Then, I have one request.
Won't you adopt my disciple?
Fern has the qualities of a mage.
Won't you take her along on your journey?

[6]
I'm sorry, Heiter. I cannot do that.
She would only be a burden.
You know the death rate of mages apprentices on the battlefield, don't you?
I have no intention of sending a child a friend left in my care to a death trap.
Is that so. In that case, I have another request.

[7]
I dug this out from Sage Ewig's graveyard.
In this grimoire are records of the now-lost resurrection and immortality spells.
I cannot imagine such magic existing, though.
And that I would like you to decipher as well.
Can you do that?
These are ciphers that use images, right? It seems the people of this era like this sort of thing.
Well, if I have five or six years, then maybe.
However, what'll you do after something like this is deciphered?
Didn't you embrace the idea of death?

[8]
I have two reasons.
The first is
The second is that I'm now more afraid of dying than I was before.
Well, I won't ask for immortality, but just a little...
All I want is just a little more time now.
Besides, the scriptures tell us to live healthy.
A long life is the pinnacle of that.
You Corrupt Priest.
-Also, I don't mind you doing it during your free time off from deciphering, so...
Would you be willing to teach Fern some magic?
I'm a priest, so I don't really know how to do that.

[9]
Well, if that's all, then...
Here you are.
It was a pain looking for you.
Are you always training in the forest?

[10]
So I was difficult to find even for Frieren-sama.
Heiter-sama as well often tells me that I'm practically a ghost.
But that's an excellent thing to be, wouldn't you say?
I suppose so.
She truly is practically undetectable to mana sensory.
And she can already handle the basics to being a mage.
Just how hard has she studied
at this young age?

[11]
Heiter-sama told me that I'll be able to handle myself once I can knock down that high rock.
Ehh.
So Heiter knows as well.
About something like that-

[12]
My mana breaks apart and doesn't reach it, as you can see.
So I see.
How should I train for it?

[13]
Say... Could I ask you something first?
Do you like magic?
Somewhat.
We're on the same boat then.
Well,
when it comes to long-range magic, there is a combination of three necessary elements for mages-

[16]
Is Fern's training coming along well?
In just four years, she crossed a path that the average person would need ten years to cross.
That child is too devoted. It's not really a good thing.
That's because she's been constantly secluding herself to the forest lately.
That's how much she likes magic, hm?
Even so, there's still a long way to go before she can handle herself.