(ˊ〇ˋ*) On the New Road (2)
"She said..."
After a brief pause, Frieren began imitating her teacher Flamme's tone from memory. Her voice was still calm, but there was a clear note of instruction in it:
"Frieren, look. This is why disguise is so important."
"Demons' social structure is different from ours. Almost all the demons in this world are accustomed to judging strength by fluctuations in mana. They have always regarded this as the truth."
"So we must learn to use that belief to our advantage."
"Keep your blade sheathed, and hide your fangs behind a smile. Suppress your mana fluctuations until it becomes instinctive, as natural as breathing."
"Just as demons like to deceive humans with words and can never be trusted, you must use your mana to deceive those demons, too!"
The memory ended. Frieren let out a soft sigh, her gaze refocusing on the carriage.
"Although it's despicable..."
"I have to admit, that method is very effective against demons. I've killed countless powerful demons with it, and almost never failed."
"From then on, I followed my teacher's teachings."
"Even after she quickly grew old and died, I kept suppressing my mana fluctuations until it was almost instinctive."
"I even kept up the disguise for a thousand years..."
"I lived like an ordinary elven mage with mediocre mana, wandering the continent, studying, collecting magic, and killing demons."
"Before I knew it..."
"The mountain village where I lived had grown from a settlement of fewer than a hundred people into a large city, all because of my presence."
Thinking of the place where she had once lived in seclusion and the remarkable changes it had undergone, she couldn't help but speak with a hint of emotion.
"Until eighty years ago..."
"Himmel, Heiter, and Eisen found me and invited