Statue or Machine

In one year, the hardworking Himmel gave birth to a litter of Himmel. The Himmel had blue hair, just like Himmel, and it was easy to tell that they were Himmel's offspring.

As Priest, Heiter was supposed to worship the Goddess and not marry, but this rule was abolished by Lionheart King. You should know that as the patriarch's adopted son, if Heiter could not marry, his patriarch would probably have made him abdicate the very next day.

When Macht returned from his travels in other territories, he saw Himmel, the former hero, now struggling to care for her child, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

"Where have you been lately, Macht? Don't go doing anything bad behind my back."

Li Yan flipped through the Magic Tomes and asked in confusion. In recent years, Macht had been restless in the Royal Capital, often running outside, as if something was on his mind.

"I just went to see an old friend and helped teach his juniors magic."

As Macht spoke, a hint of emotion appeared on his usually calm face.

Li Yan looked suspicious. Macht was known for his aloofness, and lately his face always carried a mixture of a smile and worry.

Explain in detail!

The gossip-filled atmosphere prompted Li Yan to inquire: according to the plot, Macht should have gone to the fortified Fortress City of Weise in the north.

"I just met a human named Glück. Some of the things he said were very interesting and I benefited a lot from them. He helped me a lot, so in the past few years, he asked me to mentor one of his juniors. That junior was indeed smart and hardworking."

Macht for a moment, Mahat gave a brief explanation according to his own train of thought and description. Looking at Macht, whose face was already showing some lively emotions, Li Yan nodded thoughtfully.

It seems that Duncan did indeed become Macht's apprentice. In fact, Duncan's Mana abilities later reached the level of First-Class Mage, making him quite a talented individual.

Is he having some kind of trouble? I see you sometimes frowning slightly.

Li Yan rubbed his temples. According to the plot development, the daughter of the Lord the Fortress City of Weise had been very weak since childhood, which might be due to this reason.

"My friend's daughter is seriously ill and needs a lot of money for treatment. As the Lord of the Fortress City of Weise, he simply doesn't have the funds to treat such a serious illness because of the remoteness of the north. You know, the Nobles in the north don't have much spare money."

As Macht spoke, Li Yan listened and nodded.

"So, what measures did you take? You know, I've taught you a lot about how to conduct yourself in society."

Li Yan chuckled and took a sip of the wine. It tasted wonderful; the wine paired with the story was a flavor he found utterly captivating.

"To avoid seeing my friend's sorrowful face, I killed his daughter!"

Macht said calmly.

"Huh? Cough cough..."

Li Yan looked surprised, coughed lightly to spit out the wine he had choked on, and denied ever teaching Macht how to handle problems.

"Goldenization, to me, is no different from killing. My friend, on the other hand, is somewhat relieved about this outcome. After all, the suffering his daughter is enduring is very difficult, and there might still be hope for the goldenization to be reversed in the future," Macht explained.

"Cough cough, that startled me. I thought there was something wrong with my parenting style."

Li Yan couldn't help but exhale a breath of stale air. Macht's way of handling things was quite unique. Unable to bear seeing his friend and his friend's daughter suffer, he dealt with his daughter decisively and cleanly, solving the problem at its root.

"Does the young man you're teaching know about this?"

Li Yan asked curiously.

"My friend told him he had died from a serious illness. Ironically, he was the one who married his friend's daughter. Upon learning of his friend's daughter's death, he came back and wept bitterly, I think."

Macht scratched his head. He remembered this kind of thing quite well, after all, he could feel human emotions, a very strong kind of emotion.

"Wow, what a show-off!"

Li Yan swallowed hard. Poor Duncan was deceived by his father-in-law and his own master. It was just a mere golden transformation that couldn't be removed, yet they lied to Duncan and said he was already dead.

Although it may seem no different from being dead, there is still a possibility of recovery in the future. With the removal of the golden form, the future Frieren will be able to do it.

"Your friend might die of old age someday, what are you going to do about it?"

Li Yan curiously inquired about Macht's insights on this matter, after all, human life is always finite, and he was a rare kindred spirit.

Kill him!

"Um?"

"Goldenification!"

"Oh."

Why would you want to kill him before he dies of old age?

Li Yan took a sip of his drink and asked, "Macht's shocking words just now almost made me cough to death."

"Only by killing my closest friend with my own hands can I feel true guilt and malice."

Macht's face was serious, and he stared at the table with his brows slightly lowered.

"Would you rather watch your closest friend die happily?"

Li Yan immediately saw through Macht's thoughts. Macht had personally witnessed Frieren removing the gold from his arm, so Macht knew that his own gold could be removed. He was probably thinking that when the time was right, he would have Frieren remove the gold, so that he would not only have the money to cure his best friend's daughter, but also allow his best friend to grow old happily with his daughter.

"Um."

Macht nodded gently in agreement. He would much rather see his friend's happy smile than his friend's gloomy face.

"That's so pitiful. Your apprentice is truly pitiful; not only did he lose his wife, but he also lost his father-in-law. What are your plans to do about his situation?"

Li Yan asked with a light laugh.

"I originally intended to kill him, but recently Lord Himmel and Lord Heiter have regained their youthful appearances, so I intend to let him live."

Macht stared intently at Li Yan, knowing all too well about Himmel and Heiter regaining their youthful appearances.

"Beg me, Macht, if you beg me, I might consider helping you."

Li Yan squinted and met Macht's gaze. He wasn't some great philanthropist; there was no need for him to do so much for strangers.

"Please, young master."

Macht spoke with his head down, his tone very calm.

Li Yan chuckled, "Interesting. Macht, who never asks for help, is now asking me for the sake of humanity. Macht, you've grown. I grant your request."

Time is a sharp blade. Himmel, who had enjoyed a wonderful life, felt the end of his life. He bid farewell to his wife and went alone to the Castle that would change his destiny.

"Godfather, I'm going to die!!"

Looking at Himmel's pale face, Li Yan asked a question she hadn't asked in a long time, "Statue or machine?"

The simple and clear questions all point to survival. Whether it's a statue or a machine, it's a way to exist in this world. A statue needs a very long time to turn back into a human, while a machine allows one to continue being with their wife and children.