Investigation

The two stood at the edge of that golden realm, the wind causing the hems of their robes to sway slightly.

Lairen gazed ahead. As far as the eye could see, everything was covered in a thick, even golden hue. Roads, houses, the distant spires of clock towers, and even the trees further out, whether leaning or outstretched, were all frozen in eternal silence.

"The Golden Land is just ahead."

His voice was clear in the wind.

"A moment of carelessness could cost you your life."

Edel stood half a step to his side, also looking at the scene. Her face showed no particular expression, only her pale golden eyes narrowed slightly as she silently assessed the dead zone before her.

Don't you find that strange?

She suddenly spoke.

Lairen didn't turn around.

"There are too many strange things. Which one are you referring to?"

"For endless wealth, the lord is trying to control Macht?" Edel said, her voice steady and each word clear. "That servant just said the same thing... Do you think that's the truth?"

She raised her hand, and somehow produced the golden apple again, her fingertips tracing its smooth, cool surface.

"Gold that cannot be processed is practically useless; that's undeniable. Gold's value largely lies in its processability, but this kind of thing..." She weighed the apple in her palm, then rubbed it against her chin, "... has no value equivalent to gold. Gold that cannot be processed is like sand that looks like salt—completely worthless."

Her gaze shifted from the apple to Lairen's profile.

"A counterfeit is a counterfeit."

After she finished speaking, she put the apple away and turned her gaze back to the distance ahead.

"Furthermore, why did Macht, possessing such strength, not resist and willingly allow himself to be shackled? Indeed, we do not understand the whole story."

Lairen remained silent for a moment.

Then, he strode onto that truly golden road.

Edel followed behind him, and the two walked on the main street of Golden Land.

Beneath my feet were hard, golden flagstones, each step producing a soft, clear clatter that was amplified in the boundless silence. On either side of the street stood frozen houses, their windows remaining open or closed as if they had been left to their last moments.

Several carriages were parked by the roadside, the moment when the horses were about to gallop was frozen in time, the lines of their muscles and the curve of their reins becoming eternal metal.

On the steps of the square fountain, there was even a young couple, frozen in their last moment of laughter and happiness.

Everything was too quiet. There was no wind—although you could feel the airflow outside, once you stepped into this area, even the air seemed to freeze. Only their own footsteps and breathing sounded particularly jarring in this vast, deathly silence.

After walking for a while, the scenery ahead changed.

In the middle of the street stood several "golden sculptures".

Of course, that wasn't a sculpture, but a person, someone who used to be a person.

They were impaled by golden spears, nailed into the air, their human forms frozen in the moment of death. The golden spears pierced through their chests, abdomens, or necks, the tips sinking deep into the golden ground below, fixing them there like some kind of cruel exhibit; there were about a dozen of them.

Edel stopped and glanced at the golden statues.

"They're all corpses."

Her voice was flat, simply stating what she had seen.

Lairen stopped too. He walked to a golden statue, crouched down, and examined it closely. It was a man dressed as an adventurer, looking to be around thirty years old, his face turned upwards, his eyes wide open, his mouth slightly agape, as if he wanted to shout something at the last moment. A golden spear pierced through his left chest and emerged from his back.

"Terrible taste," Lairen said, her voice unreadable, as if she were commenting or something else. "Some of these are mages from the guild, some are helpers I hired, and some are adventurers who intruded."

"It seems it was deliberately made this way. Piercing through their bodies, Goldification in the instant before they died, to warn others—'This is your fate'... Edel."

When he mentioned Edel's name, his voice deepened slightly, carrying a clear reminder.

Edel's lips curled downwards.

"... Of course I noticed it too."

Her gaze remained fixed on the golden corpses, but her body visibly tensed.

An undisguised, heavy wave of magical energy emanated from behind them.

Edel instantly turned to the side, shrinking behind Lairen, revealing only half of her face and one eye.

Lairen turned around, his expression unchanged, but his grip on the staff tightened slightly.

At the other end of the street, a figure appeared out of nowhere.

Macht stood there.

He was dressed in the Gluck Family attire, with a uniquely textured coat draped over his right shoulder, its surface shimmering with a flowing gold sheen.

His face was calm as he stood there, like a statue that was meant to be there.

He looked at the two of them, his face expressionless.

"He could have saved his life if he had just turned and left... Now, there will be two more corpses decorating this place."

Lairen looked at him, a smile appearing on her face.

You seem a bit unmotivated.

Macht looked at Lairen in silence for a moment, then continued speaking after a couple of heartbeats.

"I don't like fighting with people. That's why I try to kill them using the most intimidating methods and turn them into gold to hang here. This way, I can keep the environment peaceful."

As he spoke, his body sank slightly, assuming a posture ready to launch a surprise attack. At the same time, part of the golden coat on his right shoulder suddenly began to writhe and deform, like a living fluid, spreading down his arm, quickly solidifying and shaping, finally becoming a broadsword. The blade was thick and heavy, with a cold, hard metallic sheen at the edge.

Macht gripped the hilt of the knife with his right hand.

"Many people who see these corpses will turn away. That's what I wanted." His voice remained calm. "And in the end, it's all you reckless fools who disturb my peace."

The moment the words left his mouth.

Lairen pointed her staff forward.

Three condensed, jet-black beams of light burst forth from nowhere, tearing through the solidified air and shooting towards Macht in a triangular formation with a sound heavier and sharper than Ordinary Attack Magic.

The magic struck, creating a cloud of gray-black smoke.

As the smoke cleared, Macht stepped out. He held his right hand out, the broadsword held horizontally in front of him, the blade perfectly blocking the three attacks without leaving a scratch or injury.

As Lairen watched this scene, the corners of her mouth curved into a deeper smile.

"Are you courting death?" he repeated the phrase, a hint of amusement in his voice. "What an honor. This is the first time since I was born that someone has praised me like this."

He turned his head and glanced at Edel behind him out of the corner of his eye.

"Edel."

Edel squatted on the ground, one hand pressed against the ground. Upon hearing this, she hummed in response, her voice short and abrupt.

"I know."

Beneath her palm, pale golden magical patterns silently spread out, seeping into the golden ground like water seeping into sand, rapidly spreading towards Macht.

"Even without getting close to him, I can repair this stone ring remotely."

Lairen nodded.

How much time do you need me to get for you?

"That depends on the extent of the damage to the stone ring."

"In other words, it might be a long battle." Lairen turned back to face Macht, a hint of excitement in her voice, "How interesting..."

Before he could finish speaking, without any warning, Macht's tall figure vanished from his spot, and in the next instant, he appeared in front of Lairen.

With his left hand outstretched, he grabbed at Lairen's neck. At the same time, his right hand swung the longsword horizontally, the blade drawing a cold arc as it struck Lairen's waist and abdomen.

Lairen reacted almost simultaneously.

Magic erupted beneath his feet, and his body floated backward and upward without warning, like a leaf blown by the wind. Macht's left hand, reaching for his neck, only managed to grab the collar of his robe.

"Sizzle--"

The soft sound of fabric tearing; the mage's robe's durability decreased by 20.

Using the momentum of her backward drift, Lairen drew a semi-circle in the air with her staff. This time, five jet-black magical beams shot out, aiming straight for Macht's face and chest, among other vital areas.

But Macht was too fast.

Before the attack could reach him, his figure blurred again, vanished from his original spot, and reappeared above and to the side of Lairen. His blade changed from a slash to a chop, and fell towards Lairen's head.

Lairen raised his staff one level. The instant the staff met the blade, a honeycomb-shaped, transparent Defensive Magic unfolded above his head.

"Clang--!"

The clang of metal clashing shook the air, shattering the Defensive Magic, but Lairen used the force to retreat and create distance.

"You didn't use the 'Diagoldze' spell to turn me into Goldification," Lairen's voice came through the impact, steady, with a hint of inquiry. "Are you looking down on me?"

As he spoke, he retreated rapidly, his staff flashing repeatedly. This time, it was six beams of magic.

Macht seemed too lazy to dodge. The long sword in his right hand softened again, turning back into the coat, which then surged up like fluid, unfolding into an arc-shaped golden barrier in front of him.

"Pfft--"

The magical beams struck the barrier repeatedly, producing dull thuds like hitting thick leather. Ripples spread across the barrier's surface before settling back down. The attacks were completely absorbed, leaving not even a crack.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Lairen created distance again, hovering several meters above the ground. He gripped his staff, his eyes remaining calm.

"Its underestimation of me is advantageous to us; it probably intends to pierce my body first, then create a golden statue to warn others. My offensive magic is hardly top-notch, but when it comes to buying time, I've never lost..."

[In reality, Frieren: "This guy's at 'Versailles,' right? Lowell? That move of his almost hurt me."]

Macht blocked the attack, and the fluid barrier retracted, transforming back into a coat on his shoulder. He raised his head, gazing at Lairen in the air, his empty eyes still devoid of emotion.

A formidable opponent... but only a little bit formidable. From his fighting style, I don't sense any intention to kill me.

He pushed off with his feet, creating fine cracks in the hard golden stone slabs of the ground. His figure vanished again, reappearing beside Lairen, his right hand, fingers together, thrusting like a knife towards Lairen's ribs.

"It seems you have some other purpose."

Lairen pressed down with her staff, and Defensive Magic was activated again to block the attack. But this time, the aftershock of Macht's thrust transformed into a sharp blade of air that swept downwards—unfortunately, it hit Edel, who was half-crouched on the ground, maintaining her magic output.

Lairen's pupils contracted slightly. He pressed his left hand down, and another thick layer of Defensive Magic instantly opened above Edel's head.

"Bang!"

The air blade collided with the Defensive Magic, exploding into a shockwave that sent Edel's pink hair flying backward. Her hands, pressed firmly to the ground, remained as steady as a rock; she didn't even lift her eyelids.

Macht, suspended in mid-air, looked down at Edel and at the magical reaction that was silently wrapping around the stone ring on his wrist through the magical patterns on the ground.

"I see," he said softly, as if he understood something. "You want to repair this Dominating Stone Ring."

He looked at Lairen again, his tone indifferent.

Unfortunately, your efforts were in vain.

A bead of sweat appeared on Edel's forehead. Ignoring Macht's words, she quickened the spread of the magical runes beneath her palm. A few seconds later, she suddenly spoke, her voice faster than before:

"... Lairen."

"Um?"

"I have bad news."

"Really? I don't really want to hear it."

Edel ignored whether he wanted to listen or not and continued, "There's no problem Dominating Stone Ring. Even now, Macht's Mental Magic is functioning normally."

"... Really? That's baffling," he said. "In that case, Macht shouldn't be able to harbor any ill will towards Weise. He's already turned the entire Weise into gold; I find it hard to imagine that he did that 'without malice'."

He deflected a heavy blow from Macht, his body drifting backward to create some distance, his gaze fixed on Edel below.

"Why is he still alive? Edel, what do you think?"

Edel raised her head, glanced at him with her pale golden eyes, then quickly lowered them again, continuing to maintain her magic output.

"... Didn't I say it was the same as what I thought before?" Her voice lowered, carrying a hint of "Why are you asking me this?" "Back then, next to that servant, you were silent; weren't you thinking the same thing as me?"

Lairen paused for a moment.

"Huh? Ah... what..." He blinked, looking a little confused. "I just didn't know what to say, so I kept quiet."

Edel's lips curled downwards sharply.

"... You look so calm, collected, and intelligent; it's really hard to believe you're actually a fool. Tsk."

Just then, Macht spoke up himself.

He didn't continue his attack, but stopped in place, watching the two of them. The knife that had been transformed from his coat hung at his side.

"Although the Demons know the word 'malice,' they don't have the concept of 'malice.'" His voice was flat, as if he were talking about something else entirely. "Since we don't understand this emotion called 'malice,' we naturally can't harbor malice towards others."

Edel took over the conversation. She finally stopped channeling her magic, withdrew her hand from the ground, and slowly stood up, brushing the golden dust off her hands.

"... Yes," she said, her gaze falling on the unassuming gray stone ring on Macht's wrist. "The Demons originated from monsters that deceived humans with words. For Demons, deceiving humans and killing them is part of life. It's an innate habit. They don't need any special reason to kill humans."

She paused briefly, as if choosing a more precise word.

"To it, Goldification Weise into gold is probably as basic as eating and sleeping for humans—a mindless act, and therefore cannot be considered 'malicious'..."

Lairen landed gracefully beside Edel. He gripped his staff, looked at Macht, and remained silent for two seconds.

"I see," he said softly, as if he had finally figured something out.

He turned his head to look at Edel.

"Can you add commands through the stone ring?"

Only users can add new commands.

"... That would be difficult."

Macht watched their back-and-forth exchange, his face remaining expressionless. He waited a few seconds, and seeing that the two seemed unwilling to continue the conversation, he spoke again.

"If it's too difficult, then don't do it," he said. "I've been waiting for you for a long time. Haven't you come up with a battle plan yet?"

Upon hearing this, Lairen suddenly smiled. The smile was genuine, even tinged with apology.

"Ah, you're very polite." He Macht. "Well, sorry, thank you for waiting for us so long. We've discussed it and decided to retreat."

"After all, I was only planning to gather intelligence. Although I somewhat fantasized about beating you, it's obviously unrealistic." Lairen shrugged, her expression frank. "After all... I've always been a coward who prefers to stay behind the scenes."

Edel stood beside him, and upon hearing this, turned her head and glanced at him. Her pale golden eyes clearly conveyed the words, "You're kidding me."

"... Old man," she muttered under her breath, in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Saying things like that with that look on his face that looks like he wants to hit someone..."

Lairen ignored her murmurs. He reached into his pocket with his free left hand and pulled something out.

It was a transparent glass bottle, long and slender, inside which sat a delicately crafted wooden Golem, about the size of a thumb. The Golem its arms crossed over its chest, seemingly asleep. The bottle and the Golem inside were almost identical to the one that had appeared in the previous First-Class Mage exam.

"Let my old friend..." Lairen gently stroked the bottle with his thumb, his voice lowered, "To accomplish the feat of defeating you."

He looked up at Macht, his smile softening again, even becoming a little shy.

"I'll just focus on gathering intelligence."

The words had barely left his mouth.

He flicked the cork lightly with his finger.

With a soft "pop," the cork popped open.

The wooden Golem inside the bottle suddenly swelled and grew larger.

A humanoid Golem, over two meters tall, landed on the golden street, blocking the path between Lairen, Edel, and Macht. The Golem crossed its arms in front of its chest, adopting a standard defensive stance. Its face, devoid of features, exuded a calm and imposing aura.

It is exactly the same as the Golem that appears in the First-Class Mage Exam.

Lairen's voice came from behind the Golem, clear and steady. "We both held back in the battle just now. If there's a next time, then let's continue next time. I'll come again soon. I'll come again and again until I master all your abilities."

Macht looked at the suddenly appearing Golem, then at Lairen's smiling yet calm face behind Golem.

He remained silent for a few seconds.

Then, he shook his head very lightly and slowly.

"Really?" he said, his voice still flat. "I don't even know what to say. I've already said I love peace and quiet..."

As he spoke, he gripped the broadsword in his right hand once more.

The moment the last word fell, his figure blurred abruptly, leaving a pale golden afterimage in the air. He instantly traversed several meters and appeared in front of the Golem, slashing at the Golem's crossed arms in defense.

"Snap--!"

A soft sound, like a sharp blade slicing through dry firewood.

The Golem's seemingly incredibly strong arms were severed cleanly at the elbows. The cuts were smooth.

The blade's momentum didn't diminish; it continued forward, slashing heavily diagonally across Lairen's chest.

Lairen was sent flying backward, a long tear opening in her robes at the chest, revealing a deep, bone-revealing slash across her skin. Blood gushed out instantly, splattering in the air in a blinding red.

He crashed heavily onto the golden ground more than ten meters away, sliding backward a short distance before coming to a stop. The staff slipped from his grasp and landed to the side.

Macht sheathed his sword, stood still, looked at the fallen Lairen, and said calmly, "Do you think I'd let you go after saying something like that?"

Lairen coughed, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth. But there was no sign of pain on his face; instead, he smiled gently.

"... Don't misunderstand." He took a breath, his voice a little hoarse, but every word was clear, "You're not fighting alone."

Macht seemed to sense something and turned his neck slightly.

Edel had appeared half a step behind him without him noticing.

She wasn't carrying a staff; her hands were empty. Just as Macht turned around, she raised her right hand, her fingertips lightly touching the bare skin on the back of Macht's neck, as light as a feather.

It can be withdrawn immediately upon contact.

But it wasn't some kind of offensive magic; it was Edel herself who collapsed. It seemed as if she had overloaded her brain due to receiving a large amount of information. A streak of blood flowed from her nose, her body slumped backward, her eyes closed, and she fainted.

At the same time, countless fine wooden tendrils sprouted from the broken part of the wooden Golem, instantly connecting and mending it, restoring it to its original state, and then rushed forward to hug Edel.

Macht swayed slightly. He raised his left hand to support his forehead, his brow furrowing slightly, a rare occurrence, as if he were experiencing a sudden wave of dizziness. But the discomfort lasted for less than a breath before he lowered his hand, his eyes regaining their clarity.

He glanced at Edel, then at Lairen was struggling to sit up in the distance.

"... That's amazing." He said softly, as if commenting on something amusing, "They can actually read my memories?"

Lairen wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. Looking at Macht's rapid recovery, she was not disappointed at all; instead, she smiled even more happily.

"So easy?" he muttered to himself, pushing himself up slowly. "Then it seems we don't need to come back."

He looked at the unconscious Edel with approval in his eyes.

"Well done, Edel. Excellent, that gives us plenty of intelligence."

After saying that, he reached into his robes again and pulled out a second bottle, inside which the sleeping Golem was different from the previous one.

Lairen pressed hard on the cork with his bloodied finger.

"Click."

He threw the bottle forcefully toward Macht.

The glass bottle spun in the air, flew towards Macht, and then exploded on its own with a "bang" at the highest point.

Debris flew everywhere.

A colossal object crashed down from the shattered glass bottle.

It was a colossal Golem over seven meters tall, its joints encased in heavy metal armor, and it wielded a two-handed greatsword almost as tall as itself. The Golem's face was covered by a full-face helmet, with only two narrow slits left for its eyes, which were completely black. The moment it landed, the entire Golden Street seemed to tremble.

Immediately afterwards, the Golem gripped the sword with both hands, raised it high, and slashed down at the tiny Macht below without any fancy moves! The blade tore through the air, emitting a muffled, thunderous whistle.

Macht raised his head, looking at the falling giant sword, his expression unchanged. He raised his left hand, fingers spread, and gently lifted it upwards towards the falling blade.

"Clang--!"

An indescribable roar, like two mountains colliding.

The greatsword struck Macht's palm, unable to advance an inch, and the shockwave generated by the collision Swirl wildly in a ring in all directions.

Smoke and dust filled the air, then slowly settled.

The imposing seven-meter-tall colossus, along with its greatsword and armor, had been completely transformed into a massive, silent golden statue, still in the posture of swinging its sword downwards.

Macht lowered his hand, raised his head, and looked at the spot where Lairen and Edel had been standing.

The place was deserted.

Macht stood quietly for a while.

Then he turned and walked deeper into the Golden Land, his steps unhurried.

The seven-meter-tall statue he had turned to gold stood silently behind him, still in a sword-wielding pose, becoming yet another new and enormous "decoration" on this golden street.

The wind had picked up again, stirring up golden dust that swept across the empty streets, past the golden statues nailed to the ground, and past the cold blades of the colossi, making a soft, mournful sound, as if this eternal golden kingdom were whispering.