LinieBaru Chapter 22: Frieren Attacks LinieBaru (Patreon)

This chapter came out earlier, I hope you like it.

Frieren finally arrived at the city of magic. The journey had been long and hard, the roads winding through forests and hills that seemed to stretch on forever. They had not stopped anywhere to rest, not properly, not for more than a few hours at a time. They had just stopped for sleeping and eating, sleeping in shifts, eating whatever they could carry or find along the way. Sein's feet ached. His back ached. His patience, which had never been great, was worn thin.

He looked at Frieren, who walked beside him with her usual calm composure, as if the journey had been nothing more than a pleasant stroll. "You said that Serie hates you," he said. "Why?"

Frieren's expression did not change. Her eyes were fixed on the road ahead, on the towers that rose in the distance, on the city that was slowly growing larger. "We had different ideologies about magic," she said.

Sein blinked. "That is it? That is the reason she hates you?"

Frieren nodded. "She believes that magic should be studied and perfected, that it should be treated as a science, a discipline. I believe that magic should be felt and experienced, that it should be treated as something natural, something that cannot be achieved by confining yourself to rules and regulations. Serie believes magic is an instrument for power, battle, and dominance, whereas I view it as a joyful pursuit of minor wonders. I  reject her elitist philosophy on magic; she is frustrated that I, an elf with immense natural genius, squanders her boundless potential and lifespan on meaningless novelties instead of striving to surpass Serie herself. Also, I am the ideological descendant of Flamme, Serie’s rebellious first human student who popularized accessible magic for humanity.”

Sein rubbed his temples. His head was starting to ache. "And you are telling me this now?" He sighed, a long, heavy sigh that seemed to carry all the weight of the journey. "What if she does not catch Linie? What if she refuses to help us?"

Frieren shrugged. "I suspect not. She must have killed Linie by now, just to annoy me." She paused, her voice flat. "Though, that is fine. As long as Linie is dead, I do not care how it happens."

Sein stared at her. "That is... that is not reassuring."

Frieren did not respond. She kept walking, her staff tapping against the ground, her silver hair catching the light.

The gates of the city loomed before them, tall and grand, decorated with carvings of mages and monsters and battles that had been fought long ago. Guards stood at the entrance, their armor gleaming, their faces stern. They held up their hands as Frieren and Sein approached.

"Passes," one of them said.

Sein reached into his pocket and pulled out the papers Kraft had given him. The guards examined them, nodded, and stepped aside.

The duo walked through the gates and into the city. The streets were crowded with people, mages in robes, merchants hawking their wares, children running between the legs of adults. The buildings were tall and grand, their walls decorated with symbols that glowed with a faint, steady light. The air smelled of magic and flowers and the distant hint of something cooking. There was also a trinket shop, that looked fresh, selling idols and merchandise of various heros. For some reason, Frieren felt a strange urge to blow the shop to bits.

She looked away. ‘I'm probably not getting enough sleep,”

Sein looked around, taking it all in. "The First Class Mage Exam will be taking place in seven days," he said. "That is not a lot of time."

Frieren nodded. "It is more than enough. All we need to do is confirm whether our target is alive or dead."

They made their way toward the biggest tower, the one that rose above all the others, its spire reaching toward the sky like a finger pointing at the heavens. The tower was made of white stone, polished to a smooth shine, and it gleamed in the afternoon light. Mages in uniform walked in and out of its doors, their faces busy, their steps hurried.

They entered the lobby. It was a vast space, open and airy, with a high ceiling that seemed to disappear into the shadows. A long queue of people stretched across the floor, winding back and forth like a snake. Most of these people were looking for applications to get into the exam. They clutched papers and scrolls, their faces anxious, their voices low.

Sein looked at the queue, then at Frieren. "During my time," he said, "there was no such thing as a class. A mage was defined by their feats, by the spells they had mastered, by the enemies they had defeated. Even a few centuries ago, mages used to carry an insignia to identify themselves if they ever needed to. But this association, this system of classes and exams, it was created not even a hundred years ago."

Frieren nodded. "Ironic. The founder was none other than Serie, who has seen the mythical era."

They walked toward a staff member who stood behind a counter, a young woman with glasses and a tired expression. Frieren spoke, her voice calm and direct. "We need to meet Serie."

The woman gave them an awkward look, the kind of look people give to lost idiots who have wandered into the wrong place. "I am sorry," she said, "but Serie-sama does not take unscheduled visitors."

“It is very important,” Sein insisted.

“I don't think so,”

Sein stepped forward. "We have an appointment."

The woman's expression did not change. "You must have an appointment with a doctor," she said, her voice flat. "Not with Serie-sama."

Sein's shoulders slumped. He turned to Frieren. "This is going to be difficult."

They sat in the lobby, on a bench that was hard and uncomfortable. The queue of applicants stretched before them, endless and slow. People came and went, their voices low, their footsteps echoing off the stone floor.

Sein leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "Is there anything that your great mage status could do to get us out of this?" he asked.

Frieren reached into her pocket and pulled out a pendant. It was old, very old, the metal tarnished, the gem dull. She held it up, examining it. "It has no value in today's time," she said.

Sein sighed. "Great.”

Just then, an older looking man approached them. He was tall, thin, with gray hair and a beard that was trimmed close to his face. His eyes were blue and sharp, and he carried a staff that was topped with a jewel that glowed faintly. He looked at Frieren, then at the pendant in her hand.

"May I see that?" he asked.

Frieren handed it to him. He examined it for a long moment, turning it over in his hands, studying the engravings on its surface. Then he nodded and handed it back.

"You are Frieren," he said. It was not a question.

Frieren nodded. "I am."

The man smiled. His smile was warm, genuine, the smile of someone who had been waiting for a long time and was glad to finally see the person they were waiting for. "I am Lernen," he said. "One of the students of Serie-sama. I am the first ever First Class Mage."

Frieren's expression did not change. "I see."

Lernen continued. "Serie-sama has already informed me that you would be arriving. I have been waiting for you."

Sein blinked. "She knew we were coming?"

“Yes,” Frieren said. “I informed her beforehand.”

“Master said you had something to talk to her with,”

Frieren nodded. "Yes. I need to talk to her."

Lernen's expression grew thoughtful. "It is the time of the mage exam," he said. "The staff are very busy. But I shall personally escort you there."

Frieren nodded. "Good enough."

Sein let out a breath he did not know he had been holding. "Finally," he said. "Some progress."

They sat back down to wait. The queue continued to move, slow and steady. The mages came and went. And the evening approached, bringing with it the promise of answers.

───✧───

Übel woke up in a room. The ceiling was white, plain, unremarkable, the kind of ceiling that existed in a thousand rooms across a thousand cities. The bed was soft beneath her, the blankets warm, the pillow comfortable. Her baggage and staff were beside the bed, placed neatly, as if someone had taken the time to arrange them. The last thing she remembered was Lernen trapping her. The strange old man, the golems, the way the doors had closed and the mana had been blocked.

She sat up slowly, her head throbbing slightly, her body aching in places she did not remember hurting. She looked around the room. It was ordinary, like an inn, with a wooden wardrobe and a small table and a chair by the window. The window showed a view of the city, the towers and roofs and streets that stretched out beneath a pale blue sky.

Übel did not see Subaru. She assumed the demon girl was dead. It was a waste, really. Subaru had been the most interesting subject Übel had ever encountered. Her Erfassen was the most destructive and versatile spell Übel had ever seen or heard of. The ability to create any weapon, any tool, anything she could imagine. It was a power that should have belonged to a legend, not a confused girl who spent too much time making jokes and worrying about her turban.

Übel swung her legs off the bed and stood up. Her body was stiff, but she moved well enough. She walked to the window and looked out, her eyes scanning the city below. The Mage Association Tower rose above the other buildings, its spire reaching toward the sky. So she was still in the tower. Interesting.

She opened the door and stepped into the hallway. The walls were white, the floors polished, and the lighting was soft and even. People walked past her, mages in uniforms, their faces busy, their steps hurried. None of them paid her any attention. She was just another face in a crowd.

Then she saw someone she knew. Sense.

The gray-blond haired mage walked down the hallway, her numerous hair shifting with each step, a grimoire open in her hands. Her eyes were tired, as they always were, the eyes of someone who had seen too much and cared too little.

Übel smiled. "Sense, remember me?"

Sense paused. Her gaze rose from the grimoire, slow and reluctant, as if the effort of looking up was almost too much to bear. She studied Übel for a moment, her expression unchanged.

"Oh," she said. "It is you."

Übel's smile widened. "You do not look surprised."

Sense's voice was flat, monotone. "Should I be?"

"Maybe. Anyways, why am I here?"

Sense blinked. "If you lost your memories, then I am afraid I cannot help."

Übel laughed. It was a short laugh, the kind of laugh that was more about showing teeth than expressing amusement. "Lernen knocked me out, killed my friend, and I woke up here."

Sense's expression did not change. "Interesting story. Good luck reaching the bottom of it."

She turned to walk away.

Übel sighed. She had not expected information from Sense. Interest was not something Sense was known for. She was about to say something else, something that might have been sharper, when someone walked along the hallway.

It was Lernen. He was walking with a silver haired elf and a priest. The elf was small, with green eyes that seemed to see everything and care about nothing. The priest was taller, with a tired face and a cigarette between his fingers.

Übel stepped forward. "Did you kill her?" she asked Lernen.

Lernen stopped. He looked at her, his expression calm, unreadable. "I was about to," he said. "But things changed."

Übel's eyes narrowed. "Changed how?"

Lernen did not answer. He gestured down the hall. "You should go downstairs. We will be holding the opening ceremony for the exam."

Übel shrugged. She did not argue. There was no point. Lernen was not the kind of person who explained himself. She began walking down the hall, her steps light, her staff over her shoulder.

She kept her eyes on the green eyes of the elf. The silver haired mage with the cold stare. She was familiar, somehow, though Übel could not remember where she had seen her before. The elf met her gaze without flinching, her expression blank, her hands clasped behind her back.

Übel walked past her. The elf did not move. She just stood there, watching, her green eyes following Übel until she disappeared around a corner.

Übel's smile faded. She did not like the look of that elf. She did not like the way she had stared, the way her eyes had seemed to see through everything, the way her presence had filled the hallway with something cold and heavy.

She kept walking. The stairs were ahead, leading down to the lobby, to the crowd of mages, to the opening ceremony that she did not care about.

But she could not shake the feeling that something was coming. Something big. Something that would change everything.

───✧───

Lernen led Frieren and Sein through the winding corridors of the tower. The halls were quiet, the walls lined with portraits of mages who had long since turned to dust, their eyes staring out from faded canvases. The floors were polished stone, smooth and cool beneath their feet, and the air was still and heavy, as if the tower itself was holding its breath.

They stopped before a large door, ornate and carved with symbols that Sein did not recognize. Lernen pushed it open, and they stepped inside.

The hall was vast, larger than Sein had expected, with a high ceiling that seemed to disappear into shadows. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with grimoires and scrolls and artifacts that glowed with a faint, steady light. A large window dominated the far wall, showing a view of the city below, the streets and roofs and towers spread out like a map.

But Serie was nowhere to be seen.

Frieren stood in the center of the hall, her hands clasped behind her back, her expression calm. Sein stood beside her, his cigarette extinguished, his eyes scanning the room for any sign of the legendary mage.

Then they heard someone speaking. "I was not expecting a request from you of all people, Frieren."

They looked up. Serie was floating above them, a grimoire in her hand, her robes flowing around her like water. She moved gracefully, placing the book on a high shelf, then descended to the floor, her feet touching the ground without a sound.

She was smaller than Sein had imagined. Her orange hair was long, calm and her eyes were sharp and deep, the eyes of someone who had seen everything and forgotten nothing. Her attire was plain, unadorned, but the power that radiated from her was unmistakable.

"It has been a while, Serie," Frieren said.

Serie tilted her head, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. "A few centuries, maybe. Time passes differently for us, does it not?"

Frieren nodded. "This was an urgent matter. The demon is dangerous."

Serie's smile widened. "Did not seem all that dangerous to me."

"It killed Rivale," Frieren said. "Apparently."

Serie shrugged. "Could be a lie. Demons are known for their deception."

Frieren's voice was steady, insistent. "It inflicted wounds that could not be healed. Wounds that resisted all attempts at treatment, even divine magic."

Serie's expression shifted, just slightly. Her eyes narrowed, and she studied Frieren with a new intensity. "Hmm. So what do you want again?"

Frieren met her gaze. "If you have not killed it already, I would like to take the demon. I have questions. I need answers."

Serie stared at her for a long moment. Then she scoffed, a short, sharp sound. "Such arrogance. You dare to show your face after so many years and demand things? You left without a word. You refused my teachings. And now you come back, expecting me to hand over a demon like it is nothing?"

Frieren's expression did not change. "It is not intentional. The stakes are big. The demon's actions, its abilities, its origins, they could have implications that affect all of us."

Serie's eyes gleamed. "What makes you think I would do such a thing for you without you paying a price?"

Frieren paused. Her voice was quiet, measured. "Name your price."

Serie grinned. The expression was not warm. It was the grin of someone who had just found a way to turn a situation to their advantage. "Pass the exams," she said. "And the demoness is yours."

Frieren's eyes narrowed. "Fair enough. Though I will not become your student."

Serie waved her hand dismissively. "As if. The only rule for you is that you cannot kill your fellow participants."

Frieren stared at her for three seconds. "I accept."

Then Serie turned to Lernen. "Take her."

Lernen bowed, his expression unreadable. He gestured toward the door. "This way."

Frieren and Sein followed him out of the hall, their steps echoing in the silence. Sein glanced back over his shoulder, catching a glimpse of Serie as she settled onto her throne, her smile still in place, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

The door closed behind them.

Sein let out a breath he did not know he had been holding. "That was intense," he said.

Frieren did not respond. She walked beside Lernen, her face calm, her thoughts hidden.

Sein shook his head and followed. “I feel something bad is about to happen,”

Behind them, Serie sat on her throne, smug and content. The pieces were in place. The game had begun. And she was looking forward to seeing how it would end.

───✧───

Frieren arrived at the hall where the examinees were gathered. The room was vast, its ceiling high and arched, its walls lined with banners bearing the insignia of the Continental Magic Association. The floor was polished stone, reflecting the light of the chandeliers that hung above. The air was thick with anticipation, the kind of tension that came from a room full of people who were all competing for the same prize.

The exam group included many different kinds of people who showed their various backgrounds and magical styles. One older tester looked like a serious politician, with a neat gray mustache and beard, clean robes, and straight posture. A dangerous young woman stood out with side-swept green hair, a sharp look, and a black dress with many straps made for easy movement. A very studious young man wore round glasses and neat brown hair, reading a book closely while tracing the words with his fingers. A northern soldier with battle scars wore a heavy winter coat with fur and messy dark hair, his face showing old injuries. A tall, adult woman with long, braided purple hair stood near a young pair made up of an energetic girl with bright orange pigtails and her partner, who had smooth, pale blue hair.A serious scholar in dark robes was easy to see because of the single glass lens over his left eye and his cold, calculating look. A young, fast fighter had two hair buns and bright, traditional southern robes. The rest of the applicants included a girl with short reddish-brown hair and neat robes, a young man with spiky dark hair, and a small boy holding a very large staff. A few extra people blended into the crowd wearing standard imperial traveling cloaks.

Frieren's eyes scanned the room, searching for a familiar face. She spotted Übel leaning against a wall, her green hair bright against the stone, her expression relaxed, almost bored. Übel was Linie's traveling partner, the one who had accompanied the demon on her journey through the north.

Frieren walked toward her, her steps measured, her face calm. The crowd parted around her, sensing something in her presence that made them step aside.

Übel looked up as Frieren approached. A smile spread across her face, slow and knowing. "It is you," she said.

Frieren stopped in front of her. "Were you not aware that Linie was a demon?"

Übel's smile did not waver. "You mean Subaru? Hm, of course I knew from the start."

Frieren's eyes narrowed. "Then why did you help it?"

Übel tapped her chin, as if considering the question. "She is interesting."

"Did it not occur to you that it might be fooling you?"

Übel laughed. It was a short laugh, the kind of laugh that was more about showing teeth than expressing amusement. "I could kill her anytime." She paused, her gaze shifting. "Hm. Why are you asking me about Subaru?"

Before Frieren could respond, a voice cut through the noise of the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen."

The room fell silent. A man stepped forward, his presence commanding, his voice carrying easily across the hall. He was tall, with sharp features and a stern expression. His robes were dark, his staff polished, and his eyes swept across the assembled examinees with the practiced ease of someone who had done this many times before.

"I am Genau, your proctor for the first phase," he announced. "Your mission will be retrieving a bird in three days from a sealed forest. Those who do not have a bird by the end of three days will fail."

A murmur ran through the crowd. Some examinees looked confident, others nervous.

"There will be teams of three each, based on the colors of papers you randomly pick," Genau continued. "The rules are simple. You can do everything aside from murder."

He paused, letting the words sink in. Then he reached into a bag and pulled out a handful of colored papers.

"Before you pick papers," he said, "this year, we have a peculiar addition."

Someone began to step down from the shadows as he spoke. The figure moved slowly, deliberately, her footsteps echoing in the silence.

"Demons are never allowed in human territory to participate in our events," Genau said. "However, with direct order from Serie, we are making an exception."

Frieren's eyes went wide as she saw the figure step out. Subaru. The demon. She was not wearing her turban. Her horns were visible, two curved points rising from her hair, catching the light of the chandeliers. Her dress was simple, dark, and her expression was nervous, unsure.

Übel grinned. She noted that Subaru did not have her turban and was showing her horns. Wirbel smiled, amused. Denken narrowed his eyes. Richter summoned his staff, the wood appearing in his hand with a soft hum. Kanne and Lawine were shocked, their mouths hanging open. Ehre stepped back, her hand reaching for her weapon. Laufen's eyes widened, and she took a step away from the demon. Land tilted his glasses, his expression unreadable.

"No demon has ever participated in a mage exam," Genau finished. "We have one…”

Frieren's hand shot up, summoning her staff. Her fingers curled around it, and mana gathered in the tip, bright and cold. The air around her crackled with energy, and the examinees near her stepped back, their eyes wide.

The beam of light shot forward, fast and precise, aimed directly at the demon's heart.

"Zoltraak,”

Author Note: Pretty sure many of you already expected this. Or maybe not. Will Subaru fall in another loop? Will Frieren go berserk? Though, Serie sure is a pro ragebaiter. Note that this arc will be a bit fast paced, until we reach the climax. We will understand something else about Erfassen and Return By Death here.

Have you checked out the new LinieBaru:ObsessionIF? I will be updating it alongside the main story.

Oh, and if you haven’t already, check out my Discord Server: https://discord.gg/X7sphRUsxJ

Have a wonderful day!