The Phantom
The morning mist had not completely dissipated, and the forest path was damp and quiet.
"Master."
A clear voice broke the silence.
Lowell stopped and looked at the figure that had quietly appeared before him.
His short, white hair was neat and tidy, and he was dressed in travel-appropriate clothes, with the longsword he had given him years ago slung across his back. His golden eyes held a familiar emotion tinged with a faint sense of nostalgia.
"Yes, it really is Freya." Lowell looked at her and replied, his tone as casual as if he had just bumped into her on the street.
"How's life over there, Freya?"
"Not bad, Master. If dying can be considered good," Freya with a soft laugh.
"Yeah?"
"Yes."
"So, did you miss me?"
"Of course, and Frieren too, I want them both." Phantom Freya replied with a smile, her expression completely natural.
If it were her, she would definitely say that.
"Would you like us to come and see you?"
"No, I don't think so," she gently shook her head, "You two should live for a few thousand more years."
"Haha." Lowell chuckled, turning his gaze to Frieren beside him.
She stood there, her emerald eyes calmly gazing at "Flamme" before her. The phantom of the deceased Great Mage was smiling at her and saying something, Frieren would occasionally nod.
"So, Frieren," Lowell called out, "I told you this Phantom Demon was pretty good, wasn't it? He's practically a dream-fulfilling master."
Frieren didn't turn her head, only humming in agreement. "Indeed, if Flamme were here, she would say these things to me, quite convincingly." She paused, then asked, "And then?"
Around them, subtle magical ripples emanated from the Phantom Demon itself, constantly launching weak mental attacks and illusionary assaults in an attempt to disrupt the three's minds. However, these attacks were steadily blocked by a honeycomb-shaped, transparent Defensive Magic before they could reach them.
Fern stood slightly back, her staff glowing softly as she maintained the all-around shield. Her long purple hair was perfectly styled, her face expressionless, and she spoke calmly, "Haven't you two had enough fun yet? Maintaining an all-around Defensive Magic is a bit tiring."
Frieren, still looking at her "Flamme," casually replied, "I don't care. But remember, don't defend like that; it consumes a lot of magic. You should use Defensive Magic of the appropriate size to counter the attack when it comes in front of you. That's the most magic-efficient way, especially when you don't have much magic power."
"Yes. I understand, Frieren."
Lowell chuckled and said to Fern, "Don't rush, just treat it as practice for Defensive Magic, isn't it great?" He then seemed to suddenly remember something and asked curiously, "Speaking of which, what are your illusions?"
Fern's gaze swept across the empty space ahead, and he shook his head, answering crisply, "There is no illusion in front of me."
"Ha," Lowell chuckled, shaking his head, "Goodness, none of the people you cared about died, so you have no regrets, huh?"
Phantom Demon: "Weakness detected!"
Fern: "No weaknesses."
That's great news!
Frieren finally pulled her attention away from her conversation with "Flamme" and looked at Lowell: "So, what are you going to do?"
"Look," Lowell pointed to Freya in front of him, then gestured to Flame over Frieren's side, "Flamme, these kinds of Phantom Demon, while not strong, can make people see the dead or the people they want to see, and they're so realistic. If we kept one in the academy as a VR device... hmm, that should be quite interesting."
Frieren blinked. "I don't understand. So?"
"So..." Lowell drawled, looking again at the quietly waiting "Freya," and smiled, "See you in a while, Freya."
Freya smiled, her tone gentle. "Alright. But your 'some time later' might be quite a while. Anyway, I'm just an illusion, I have no concept of time."
"Haha, you're right." Lowell nodded, then said to Fern, "Fern, do it, but leave them alive."
"Yes."
Fern responded, and magic instantly condensed at the tip of his staff. A precise and swift beam of solidified light— Ordinary Attack Magic— shot out, instantly piercing through "Freya" in front of Lowell and "Flamme" on Frieren's side.
The illusion shattered and vanished like a reflection in water, revealing the true form of the Phantom Demon hidden behind it. It was a blurry, disheveled, and somewhat sinister-looking monster.
Lowell looked you up and down, then clicked his tongue. "Tsk, your skills are interesting, but your appearance is a bit lacking." As he spoke, he pulled out an antique-looking stone ring from somewhere, covered in sealing runes. "I'll put you inside a cute plush toy later; that will look better."
As he spoke, he casually tossed the Dominating Stone Ring, which precisely landed on the head of the Phantom Demon that was trying to struggle and escape.
Frieren looked at the subdued monster and yawned slightly. "Is it over? Let's go then. There seems to be a dessert shop in the town ahead with good reviews."
Fern straightened his clothes, which weren't disheveled, and said, "Yes, according to the map, it's about an hour's walk."
Lowell used a rope to lead the Phantom Demon, which was controlled by the stone ring and followed quietly behind, like leading an unsightly balloon. "Well, let's go, let's go. Maybe we can still make it in time for lunch. On the way to the Adventurers' Guild, we can find someone to send this thing back to the academy."
Sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows on the forest path. Silence returned, broken only by the rustling of leaves in the wind and the steady footsteps of the three people.