You'll Make a Terrible Mistake Sooner or Later

When confronted with a question he couldn't answer or a sudden demand, Dugu Qing habitually responded with silence to save himself the mental effort.

He couldn't be expected to read between the lines and respond to every question, could he?

He wasn't an AI.

"Phew..."

Kraft's many words had run into an iron wall. He sighed and warned Dugu Qing like a prophet.

"Dugu Qing, listen. Sooner or later, you'll make a terrible mistake, and you'll be distraught and full of regret."

"If you still remember me when that day comes, don't forget what I gave you."

With that, Kraft took an old, battered Grimoire from his pocket. It contained magic that could send a person's consciousness into the past, and each person could use it only once in their lifetime.

Kraft had chanced upon this magic on a stele of the Goddess of Creation. He had originally thought he would never need it in his lifetime, but now that he had met Dugu Qing, the timing was perfect for him to give it away.

He might as well take pity on a certain fool.

"Huh? Make a mistake? How could I make a mistake?"

Dugu Qing took the Grimoire and flipped through it casually.

The magic recorded in it was clearly left behind by the Goddess of Creation. It wasn't swordsmanship, combat magic, or food magic.

Dugu Qing read two pages. They were long-winded, full of both history and mythology, and might as well have been written in a heavenly script. He immediately lost interest and closed the book.

"Dugu Qing, you're pretty confident! Do you believe you won't make mistakes?"

"Kraft, everyone makes mistakes, and I'm no exception. The point is to face everything positively and optimistically afterward, as if you hadn't made a mistake. That's the best attitude for your health."

Kraft's tone was rather serious, so Dugu Qing had to explain.

"You... so you aren't an idiot after all. You're too clever for your own good! Honestly..."

Kraft pressed a hand to his forehead, speechless.

The sun traveled from east to west, driving away the bitter cold between heaven and earth.

The snow that stretched for a thousand li gradually melted.

But it would still take days, or perhaps weeks, before they could travel far.

Fern came out of the cellar with a drawing board in her arms and waved to Dugu Qing upstairs.

"Dugu Qing, please be my model again today."

Dugu Qing was a little surprised. Drawing was a hobby Fern had suddenly taken up over the past few months. Now that the wind had stopped and the snow was melting, shouldn't they pack up and wait for it to melt?

"Stark, please play a demon who was defeated by Dugu Qing and lie on the ground."

Fern called Stark out and waved to Dugu Qing again.

"I really can't say no to you."

Dugu Qing braced himself and jumped down from the roof with a helpless look.

Stark looked at Dugu Qing, so envious his soul nearly separated from his body.

"Dugu Qing, you get to play the hero who defeated the Demon King! What are you so sad about?"

Dugu Qing waved a hand. "I was planning to go skiing! It's all your fault. You wouldn't sleep in and insisted on indulging Fern in this nonsense."

"What could I do? Fern's such a good cook, and I really want to eat her food too!"

Stark smiled sheepishly and hurried after Fern, jumping down into the cellar.

"Simp."

Dugu Qing jumped down into the cellar, took out the outfit he had designed and tailored himself, and calmly changed into it.

The flowing white robes had an unworldly air, with a crisp, stylish cut and a sweeping hem that fell in graceful lines. They made Dugu Qing look sacred and majestic, utterly flawless.

Fern sat obediently on the stool with the drawing board in her arms and continued drawing.

She had already made up her mind. If there was no magic in this world that could preserve youth forever,

then one day after her thirtieth birthday, she would leave Dugu Qing forever, so he would never see her grow old.

That way, Dugu Qing would always remember her at her most beautiful.

"Stark, lie down."

Stark obediently lay down and, following Fern's instructions, kept changing poses as Dugu Qing knocked him down again and again.

Half an hour later, Fern put down her drawing tool with satisfaction and declared her masterpiece complete, bringing her months-long drawing endeavor to a perfect close.

Dugu Qing breathed a sigh of relief, grabbed his skis, and raced up the mountain. He skied down from the summit and kept playing until evening without feeling tired in the slightest.

Three days later, the thick snow that had accumulated melted, gathering into babbling streams.

Kraft looked at the earth exposed beside a stream, decided to set out on his journey, and waved goodbye.

Frieren, Dugu Qing, Fern, and Stark packed their bags and set out again as well.

Sword Village, deep in the Schwer Mountains of the Northern Countries.

Eighty years ago, Frieren had promised the forty-seventh village chief of Sword Village that she would return in fifty years to clear out the monsters around the village and protect the Hero's Sword.

Now, eighty years had passed. As Frieren looked at the familiar sights around her, she was filled with emotion.

She wondered whether the old chief she had met eighty years ago was still alive. If not, there would be another entry in her book of unfinished business.

"Frieren!"

Frieren, Dugu Qing, Fern, and Stark had just reached the village entrance.

A cute figure in pink came darting out of the village and looked eagerly at Frieren.

To make sure of Frieren's identity, she had to stand on tiptoe, stretching her small body as far as she could and bringing her eyes as close to Frieren as possible. She looked earnest and adorable.

Frieren blinked.

Looking at Frieren, who was identical to the statue, could move and breathe, and had fair, soft skin, Xuezhi, the forty-ninth chief of Sword Village, finally confirmed her identity and smiled in relief.

Wonderful, I've finally waited long enough to meet the legendary Frieren.

My ancestor can rest in peace now, and the monsters around here that covet the Hero's Holy Sword will surely be driven away too. This is wonderful.

"We've been waiting for you for a long time, Lady Frieren."

The girl's body was rigid and trembling with excitement, as though she were trying to measure her height against Frieren's.

"You're the current village chief? You're so young."

Looking at the childlike village chief, Frieren felt a sudden sadness. Another human who had made a promise to her had died. Humans really were fragile.

"Yes, I'm the forty-ninth village chief. Welcome to Sword Village."

Xuezhi invited the four into the village. When she saw Dugu Qing, she gave him a longer look.

"So this is Sword Village! I heard the legendary Hero's Sword is here!"

Stark was a little surprised. He hadn't expected to stumble upon this legendary place.

He had once heard a passerby say that the hero Himmel had pulled the holy sword from its resting place in this village's sanctuary and used it to defeat the Demon King.

Frieren corrected Stark, telling him that Himmel had not drawn the real Hero's Sword and had only ever used a fake.

Stark nodded, only half understanding.

"The only one who can draw the Hero's Sword is a hero capable of averting a calamity that would destroy the world."

Xuezhi recited the maxim passed down through generations of her ancestors.

Those words had two meanings. First, anyone who could draw the Hero's Sword had to possess the power to quell a calamity that would destroy the world.

Second, a calamity capable of destroying the world had to arise first, whereupon a child of destiny would be born to answer the need and, following heaven's mandate, eliminate it.

In either case, neither Himmel nor the Demon King met the standard.