Frieren 43

Title: The Strong Sibling Bond

Aura’s sharp glare only heightened the tension.

Despite the already tense atmosphere, which made the surrounding demons feel suffocated, she didn’t give any orders to attack.

It was as if this were merely a family matter to be settled between the two of them.

Of course, demons were orphans with living parents, so they had no concept of family or kin. Thus, they could only watch and wait in confusion.

But even after such a long separation, Ash knew full well that Aura had been showing mercy and playing around from the start.

After all, if Aura truly wanted to control him, she would’ve first used her undead army and followers to weaken him before using her obedience magic… That would’ve been the safest way to deal with a formidable enemy.

And in the past, Aura always weakened her opponents first to ensure victory when using her obedience magic.

So, Ash naturally didn’t let Aura lose face for too long in public. He released her horn, letting her go free. Under her annoyed gaze, he smiled and smoothed her messy hair with his fingers. Only then did he follow her into the ancient castle.

The old castle Aura occupied once belonged to humans but was now hers.

However, whether it was seized or otherwise, the castle’s hall in this forest was dilapidated, with worn walls and a ceiling covered in cobwebs. It was unclear how long it had been abandoned.

Only the throne where Aura sat was spotless, as if brand new, showcasing her authority.

Of course… before Aura sat down, Ash noticed a small demon girl with two tiny horns, wearing a gray cloak, wiping the already clean throne before Aura took her seat.

“…I’m genuinely surprised. You actually adopted a little demon?” Ash sat on the throne’s armrest, looking at the girl now hiding in a corner.

“Oh, Linie? I happened to see her, and she seemed to have potential, so I brought her home.”

Aura, biting an apple, glanced at the little girl and explained indifferently. But when she looked at Ash, she suddenly lost her appetite and tossed the apple, bitten only twice, to the ground.

Linie, seeing this, quickly ran to pick up the apple and ate it on the spot.

Her clearly starving appearance made Ash unable to resist complaining: “…You’re not abusing this kid, are you?”

“I don’t have weird hobbies like that.” Though she didn’t want to care, Aura still said casually: “Linie, don’t eat off the ground.”

“…Yes, Your Majesty Aura.”

Linie was obedient too. She immediately tossed the apple and returned to hiding in a dark corner.

This made Ash want to look at her again. Remembering his purpose, he turned back to Aura: “By the way, Aura, why are you here?”

“You know my magic, right? Originally, I had to find some people to help me defeat enemies, didn’t I?”

“You even became one of the Seven Sages of Destruction. Would you really be loyal to someone else?”

“No way.” Aura couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

For someone without loyalty, whether the Demon King lived or died was irrelevant. The survival of demons was equally unimportant. She only joined because her opponent was strong.

Yes, just joined. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be in this remote forest.

Though the Seven Sages of Destruction were theoretically elite great demons directly under the Demon King, that wasn’t entirely true, especially for her.

Even Macht, one of the strongest Seven Sages of Destruction under the Prime Minister and the Demon King, outwardly claimed to be an elite great demon loyal to the Demon King. In reality, he didn’t listen to the Demon King at all and stayed out of the Demon King’s army’s affairs. He even told Schlacht he wasn’t interested in the Demon King’s forces.

…Unless Schlacht, as Prime Minister, threatened him with death, then he’d temporarily compromise. But Macht often killed the Demon King’s troops too.

Aura was the same—she was too lazy to care about the Demon King’s army or humans. She just wanted to control anyone who came here.

Despite being like that, they were still part of the Seven Sages of Destruction… No need to say more about other demons. Schlacht, loyal to the Demon King, was a bizarre exception.

Of course, Aura wasn’t interested in other demons. Instead, she looked at Ash curiously: “By the way, Ash, you disappeared for over five hundred years, but before that, you became a human general?”

“That’s right.”

“And after that? Where have you been?”

“Why? Were you worried about me?”

Realizing Aura had likely investigated him, Ash couldn’t help but smile and pat her head.

But that only made Aura roll her eyes and swat his hand away.

Then, Aura flashed a wicked smile: “Though I’d like to say no, when I think about it, maybe I was… If you died, who’d lick my feet?”

“Huh… do we have to continue this topic?”

“Didn’t you come here to find me for that?”

“…Don’t say things even you don’t believe, okay?”

Ash didn’t understand why this kid still remembered that after all these years. He couldn’t help but wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.

But Aura asked back, confused: “I’m serious. Besides, I can’t think of any other reason you’d look for me.”

“Are you serious?”

“Of course.”

“Can’t it be because I missed you?”

“Missed me? After not showing up for years?”

“I had all sorts of business to deal with.”

At that last sentence, his stomach started to ache. Because… Ash realized Aura was actually serious.

So he firmly refused to continue this weird topic and said bluntly: “Better to be honest—I want to become the Demon King, so I need your help.”

“So that’s why you came to find me.” Aura nodded slightly, surprised. Then, she rested her elbow on the other armrest of the throne, propped her chin, and looked up at him: “Indeed, my magic is very useful if prepared properly.”

“Your answer?”

“Refuse.”

Though it was a request from her long-lost big brother, Aura didn’t give him any face. She rejected him outright without thinking, without the slightest hesitation. After five hundred years, she demonstrated the strong sibling bond between them.