A Trump Card Against Frieren

Shane had never seen anyone so shameless.

What did he mean by "a very powerful mage"? What kind of normal person introduced himself like that?

And he was trying to steal my teammate right in front of me. This punk clearly needed to be taught a lesson.

"No."

Before Shane could launch into an impassioned tirade, Frieren, standing nearby, gave a concise, direct refusal.

The blond boy froze for a moment. He thought Frieren hadn't understood him. He raised a hand, summoned a staff, and repeated, "I really am a very powerful mage. You wouldn't lose out by teaming up with me. Besides, I don't want gold or silver treasures. Everything in the dungeon can go to you. How about it? That's a pretty good deal, isn't it?"

He was confident.

But Frieren was even more confident. "No."

The blond boy bristled again. For a moment, Shane even thought he was about to swing his staff.

But somehow, he managed to hold back.

"Think about it, Frieren. If we team up, we'll definitely be able to conquer a dungeon like the Inverted Land with ease. It's a famous opportunity to make a name for ourselves. Everyone in Gostan City will be singing our praises! Hey, hey, are you even listening to me, young master..."

Frieren walked right past the chattering blond boy, completely ignoring him.

Shane almost laughed.

A famous opportunity to make a name for herself?

That was probably the last thing Frieren needed.

Sometimes, you just had to admit that not everyone was born with a silver tongue.

Shane walked past the bristling boy and gave him a look full of sympathy.

After finally getting rid of the troublesome pest, Shane couldn't help laughing.

Frieren was puzzled by his sudden laughter.

"I just remembered when I invited you to team up with me. So, do you regret joining forces with a teammate like me, who's 'good for nothing but being handsome'?"

Frieren's expression remained calm as she replied, "You're not good for nothing. You're brave when facing monsters, and you can always come up with a solution quickly when things get difficult. You're a reliable teammate."

Shane had only meant to crack a joke and lighten the mood. He hadn't expected Frieren to praise him so seriously. He froze for two seconds, and warmth suddenly spread through his heart.

She might be an elf with a poor grasp of emotions, but she really did have a good eye.

"Most importantly, you said you'd provide travel funds," Frieren added.

She held out a small hand. "Now, Mr. Travel Fund Sponsor, please give me some silver coins."

"..."

She really could have left that last part out.

He'd gone from being a reliable teammate to a "money pouch." How had his status sunk even lower?

"You'll keep your word, right?" Frieren asked.

"..."

What was this feeling of having his words used against him?

A man couldn't let himself be doubted!

Shane sighed and took something out of his pocket, then slapped it into Frieren's hand.

"Here. Take it."

!!!

The moment Frieren saw what was in her hand, her eyes widened.

Shane gave a smug little "hmph."

I knew you'd like it.

Got you, little elf.

[Gostan City Grand Library Half-Price Coupon (No Purchase Limit)]

It was one of the rewards the city hall had given them earlier.

Frieren gazed at the coupon, her eyes shining.

"Can we use it right now?"

Right now?

Shane glanced at the setting sun. It was almost evening. If they went now, the library would close before long.

But before Shane could object, Frieren had already teleported to the next intersection with the coupon in hand.

"Hey, don't hesitate. Come on!"

"..."

Shane shook his head and followed, helplessly.

Gostan City Grand Library.

It stood just north of the city center, a circular-domed marble building with the feel of ancient Rome.

The library receptionist was a white-haired old man.

After briefly explaining how the books were divided into sections, he returned to his chair and went back to reading.

Frieren made a beeline for the magic book section and happily began browsing. Before long, she had two or three books piled in her arms.

The petite elf carried magic books bigger than her face and wobbled as she walked.

From behind, she looked just like a clumsy penguin.

Judging by how excited she was, Shane figured she wouldn't stop until she'd picked out a dozen or twenty books.

So he went to the history of magic section.

His gaze wandered over row after row of shelves as he searched for clues about that "mad Sage," Charles.

"Unified Empire period..."

"Sage..."

Every so often, he pulled out a book and checked the table of contents. If it didn't have what he was looking for, he moved on to the next one.

Thanks to the Thought Acceleration trait, he was noticeably better at understanding these weighty texts.

But faced with a vast sea of books, he was still searching for a needle in a haystack.

The setting sun streamed through the windows, casting its final rays into the room. Tiny specks of dust drifted in the shafts of light.

Shane pulled out a thick book with a black-and-gold cover titled History of Continental Magic. The section on the Court Sages caught his eye. He quickly turned to the relevant page, and a cold sweat broke out as soon as he read the first line:

"During the Unified Empire period, to increase its strength and advance its southern expansion more rapidly, the Empire established the Court Sages in addition to the Court Mages."

The Court Mages had been established by Frieren's teacher, Flamme, the founder of human magic.

Nearly all of the first Court Mages had been Flamme's disciples.

It was thanks to these first mages that magic spread rapidly through the human world. As they continued to innovate, they completely outstripped the other races and became a force unlike any other.

Unlike the Court Mages, the Court Sages weren't trained for their positions. Instead, the Empire recruited them from all corners of the land.

These gifted scholars gathered to provide the Empire's mages and ordinary soldiers with more powerful equipment and armor, helping the Empire gain an even greater advantage as it expanded south.

"Alchemy, smithing—those are all normal things... Wait!"

Shane ran his finger over the page, his brows slowly furrowing.

"...As the Empire expanded and continued winning its wars, the royal family and nobility gradually grew more extravagant, giving rise to a pursuit of 'immortality.' The Court Sages shifted their research from supporting warfare to exploring the magic of 'immortality.' During this time, the Sage Charles discovered a set of theories that defied common sense in the notes left by Ewich, the Great Sage of the Mythic Era, sparking debate among many Sages."

The account ended abruptly there.

Shane anxiously flipped to the next page. Nothing related. He turned another page. Still nothing.

That was all History of Continental Magic had to say about Charles. There was nothing more.

Unwilling to give up, he searched through several other historical accounts from the Unified Empire period. They mentioned the title "Court Sage," but none of them had anything about "Sage Charles."

Shane leaned dejectedly against the bookshelf.

Humanity's ultimate victory?

Immortality?

The Mythic Era?

The notes of the Great Sage Ewich?

The jumble of words had turned his mind into a mess.

What exactly had that mad Sage been planning?

Just as his brain felt ready to burst, he heard Frieren behind him, giving a slightly smug little hum.

"Shane, look what I found."