Choice

The farm woman's shrill scream shattered the deathly silence in the woods. She clutched her unconscious daughter to her chest as though she wanted to press her into her own flesh and blood. Her bloodshot eyes glared at the restrained Mina, and her voice twisted with fear and anger:

"Hero! Kill her! Kill this monster, now! She almost... she almost killed my child! You heard her too, what she just said... She isn't human at all! She's a demon!"

The tip of Himmel's sword trembled slightly. He looked at Mina's face, no different from a human child's and even especially delicate and innocent, then at the glaring pool of blood on the ground and the despair in the farm woman's eyes. For the first time, clear hesitation and conflict appeared on his handsome face.

His fingers tightened around the hilt, then loosened, then tightened again. Killing a defenseless being who still looked like a young child, even knowing full well what she truly was, clashed violently with the convictions he held in his heart.

Lowell slowly let go, stood up, and brushed the bits of grass from his knees. His movements were unhurried, as though he had just restrained nothing more than a disobedient kitten.

"She's no threat anymore. You decide what to do with her."

With the pressure suddenly gone, the demon girl called Mina slowly clambered to her feet. She didn't even brush the dirt and grass from her robe. She simply turned her vacant purple eyes and surveyed the villagers and adventurers gathered around her, her face expressionless. Torchlight burned in her eyes, but it lit no emotion there.

She made no attempt to escape, nor did she make any further aggressive moves. She simply stood there quietly, as though she had followed some logic to determine that her chances of breaking out were zero, then entered standby mode.

Himmel took a deep breath, seeming to have made up his mind. He tightened his grip on his sword again and walked toward Mina step by step. The blade gleamed coldly in the torchlight, and each step fell upon the scales in his heart, with principle on one side and the cruelty of reality on the other. He could feel Ruby's tense gaze behind him, and he could hear Heiter's heavy breathing.

Just as the tip of his sword was about to point at Mina's throat—

"It hurts, it hurts so much..."

A faint cry slipped from Mina's lips, stirring pity in those who heard it. Her head was bowed, and her expression seemed a little sad.

"Mommy..."

Himmel's arm went rigid, and his sword came to an abrupt halt in midair. That cry was like a needle, piercing the softest part of his heart with perfect accuracy. The struggle on his face grew more pronounced.

Even Ruby, who had been furious moments ago, saw Mina like this and showed a flicker of confusion and uncertainty in her green eyes. She instinctively tightened her grip on her staff and murmured, "She... she looks so scared. She probably knows she was wrong, right...?"

"No, she doesn't." Frieren's flat voice came from nearby. At some point, she had finished watching the moths. Her emerald eyes rested calmly on Mina, as though she were looking at a stone. "She's just carrying out the behavioral pattern of 'begging for mercy after being captured.' Demons are quick learners, especially when it comes to imitating behavior that helps them survive."

Heiter and Eisen said nothing, simply watching Himmel in silence. There was understanding and support in Heiter's eyes, as though he were saying he would follow whatever decision Himmel made. Eisen remained silent as ever, like a mountain, waiting for Himmel to choose.

Lowell stood a little farther away, watching the flickering flames with idle boredom, as though the moral dilemma before him was less interesting than the crackle of the fire.

Just then, an aged but steady voice interjected:

"Wait... Hero, please wait a moment."

Everyone turned to see the old Village Chief parting the crowd with his cane, supported by a young man. He looked at Mina, standing quietly with vacant eyes, then at the two sides facing each other in tension. With a sigh, he said to Himmel:

"Hero, you see... she really is just a demon who looks like a child, and she's no threat now. Although... although what she did was hateful, she didn't cause any irreparable disaster in the end. That girl Misha only suffered flesh wounds, and Mr. Heiter has healed her. If we kill him for this, wouldn't we be just like the demons?"

He paused, a touch of pity and pragmatism in his clouded eyes:

"My old wife passed away last year, leaving just me and a daughter about her age. I could use a hand with the farm work... How about leaving her in my care? We can consider it... finding an old man a companion to help in the fields, and it'll also spare you... from dirtying your sword."

"Village Chief! How could you... She's a demon who almost ate my child!" the farm woman cried in disbelief, but her voice faded under the Village Chief's calm yet unquestionable gaze. In this remote village, the Village Chief's authority was very real. She could only hold her daughter and sob quietly, unable to change anything.

Himmel looked at the Village Chief, then at Mina, who seemed to have "repented." His tense shoulders finally relaxed. He let out a long breath, as though a tremendous weight had been lifted from him, and slowly lowered his sword. With a soft clink, it returned to its sheath.

"It's true, we speak the same language... We should be able to understand each other, right? We're going to be staying in this village for a while anyway."

The disturbance in the woods came to a temporary end. The old Village Chief took the demon girl Mina home, nominally to "keep an eye on her" and have her "help with the farm work." In reality, it was a gentle way to separate her from the villagers, and it gave everyone a way out. After receiving some coins from the Village Chief in private as compensation and confirming that her daughter Misha's injuries were no cause for concern, the farm woman was still shaken, but no longer objected so fiercely.

Himmel's party decided to stay in the peaceful little village for a few days. For one thing, they needed to see whether Mina really was as "well-behaved" as she appeared; for another, after traveling for many days in a row, everyone did need some rest.

The Village Chief insisted on giving them a reward to express his gratitude. He invited the group into his tidy courtyard and brought out a homemade berry drink.

"Heroes," the Village Chief said, rubbing his hands, sincere gratitude on his face, "thank you for coming to our aid and saving that girl Misha's life. Although she's a demon, she's still a child. I believe she'll live well with us, and you've also spared the village a possible disaster. There isn't much of value in our little village, but we can offer some grain, dried meat, and money as thanks. Please, you must accept them."

Himmel returned the gesture with a graceful bow. "You're too kind, Village Chief." He changed the subject, turning his gaze to Lowell, who was looking up at the wind chime under the eaves nearby, and smiled. "Mr. Lowell was the one who subdued the demon. He should be the one to decide on the reward."

Suddenly singled out, Lowell looked away, his face still wearing that same lazy expression of someone who couldn't be bothered. He looked at the Village Chief, then glanced at his companions, seeming to genuinely consider what he wanted.

Ruby murmured, "What will Mr. Lowell ask for? Something tasty? Or money? It would be great if he asked for money... Then Lady Frieren wouldn't always have her eye on my little purse..."

Frieren didn't answer. Her attention seemed to have been drawn to a clump of plants bearing small red berries in the corner by the wall.

Lowell pondered for a moment, then asked, "Do you have any magic books?"

"A magic book?" The Village Chief froze for a moment, then shook his head with a rueful smile. "You must be joking, sir. Out here in the countryside, we don't even have a proper magic apprentice. How would we have anything like..." He frowned, trying hard to remember, then suddenly seemed to recall something. "Ah, I think there actually is one. It's a spell someone in the village came up with on their own many years ago..."

The Village Chief's daughter hurried into the house, rummaged around for a while, and brought out a thin magic book, which she handed over.

"This is it," the Village Chief said, a little embarrassed. "If I remember right, it can... turn sweet grapes sour? I really can't understand what use there is in inventing a spell like that..."

Before he had finished speaking, Frieren, who had been staring at the little red berries, twitched an ear almost imperceptibly. She slowly turned her head, her gaze landing squarely on the worn little booklet. A glimmer of interest flashed through her normally placid green eyes, like a cat spotting a moving point of light.

Almost at the same time, Eisen, who had been silently wiping the handle of his axe on the other side, paused slightly. He raised his head, and when he heard the words "turn sour," his ever-rock-steady eyes lit up too. His throat moved in an involuntary swallow.

Lowell naturally noticed the two gazes fixed on the same thing from different directions. He looked at Frieren, whose face was expressionless but whose body was leaning slightly forward, then glanced at Eisen, whose eyes showed a rare, unmistakable longing. A knowing smile curved his lips.

There was no need to hesitate at all.

"All right, this will do," Lowell said decisively, reaching out to take the seemingly worthless "useless book."

The Village Chief and his family were visibly relieved, though also somewhat puzzled. They seemed not to understand why this adventurer from the hero's party would be interested in such a strange thing, but it was something of little use anyway. They hurriedly prepared plenty of food and fresh water as well, enthusiastically pressing them on the party.

That evening, everyone rested in an old barn the Village Chief had arranged for them. The barn had been swept clean and laid with dry straw, and the mingled scent of sunshine and grain filled the air.

Lowell casually handed the little booklet to Frieren.

Frieren took the book and sat happily on a pile of straw in the corner, eagerly flipping through it by the last light coming through the window. Her fingers brushed gently over the hastily scrawled magic runes on the pages. The seemingly whimsical yet ingenious patterns were reflected in her emerald eyes, and her expression was intent.

Ruby leaned over to look out of curiosity, and Frieren didn't stop her.

On the other side, Eisen hesitated, then walked over to Lowell and silently offered him a small bag of plump, translucent grapes. His movements were somewhat stiff, but there was a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

Lowell smiled, took the bag, and picked out a deep purple grape. Then he walked over to Frieren.

"Want to try it?"

Frieren looked up at the grape in Lowell's hand, then down at a rune in the book. She extended her index finger, an almost imperceptible ripple of magic appearing at its tip, and gently touched the grape, which should have been sweet.

Then she put the grape in her mouth.

The next second, Frieren's brows drew together slightly on her otherwise calm face, and the insides of her cheeks seemed to contract involuntarily. But her green eyes lit up at once, as though she had discovered a whole new world.

"It worked. It's sour," she stated, a hint of satisfaction in her voice.

"Great," Lowell said, giving her a thumbs-up.

"Hehe~" Frieren put her hands on her hips.

Eisen had been watching her reaction closely. Seeing this, he immediately picked up another ordinary grape and held it out to Frieren.

Frieren did the same thing again.

Eisen put the soured grape in his mouth. In an instant, the facial muscles of the normally expressionless, tough dwarf scrunched up, and his eyes squeezed shut, as though he were enduring tremendous pain. But then an immensely satisfied hum, almost a sigh, rose from deep in his throat. He slowly opened his eyes and nodded emphatically at Lowell and Frieren, a rare expression close to a smile appearing on his face.

That expression was happier than if he had dug up the most dazzling gemstone.

Heiter watched the scene and laughed heartily, clinking his bottle against Himmel, who wore a wry smile. Ruby looked at Frieren, absorbed in her study, then at Eisen, his face full of sour delight, and couldn't help laughing too.

Outside the window, the village lights came on one after another, cooking smoke curled into the air, and everything was peaceful. Inside the barn, the smell of old pages mingled with the fresh scent of straw and a faint, peculiar sourness. On this brief, peaceful night, a seemingly useless magic book had unexpectedly brought everyone a little simple happiness.