Frieren: Reincarnated As a Demon

Chapter 117: Start Of The Exam

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The first round of exams was held in a suburban basin far from the Magic City.

A massive, city-level magic circle enveloped a lake within the basin and the surrounding forest.

"In this examination area, there's a small bird called the Meteoritic bird," the examiner explained, holding up a small cage containing one of the birds. The cage had a special barrier designed to seal the Meteoritic bird.

"There are only two conditions for this test. First, you must capture a Meteoritic bird, place it in the cage, and return it before sunset tomorrow. Second, all team members must survive."

After this explanation, the examiner distributed magic signal transmitters resembling signal guns to the participants.

Each signal gun could only fire a single flare, and losing or using it was considered a failure. Each gun bore a unique magic mark as its exclusive identifier. Once fired, the mark would be displayed in front of the user, ensuring others could not attack them.

There was also a small safe zone at the edge of the examination area. Participants who wished to surrender could head there, but reaching the safe zone was considered an automatic forfeiture.

Hearing this final rule, the crowd murmured in surprise, particularly Frieren, who seemed taken aback.

Another notable figure on Kanne's team was Lawine, a close friend of Fern. Lawine had long silver hair cascading to her waist, stunning blue eyes, and wore a meticulously styled blue dress. The hem of the dress swayed lightly, complementing her over-the-knee white boots.

Her outfit exuded a Gothic Lolita aesthetic, but Lawine's unexpectedly graceful figure added a striking contrast. Her well-proportioned curves, upright posture, and elegant lines perfectly captured the essence of "contrasting cuteness." She was undeniably a young lady with an air of refined beauty.

At this moment, however, Lawine's ladylike demeanor was nowhere to be seen. Instead, she was forcefully pinning Kanne to the ground in what appeared to be a scuffle.

As was often the case in Ash's household, Lawine had the upper hand, easily overpowering Kanne.

"In the past, I never cared about life. What's going on this time? By the way…!" Lawine muttered to herself, her tone tinged with frustration.

Having brothers in the Magic Association, Lawine was somewhat familiar with the history of the exam. Yet, as she pressed Kanne, who was struggling beneath her, she gritted her teeth and barked, "Kanne! Stop resisting and give me the cage!"

"No! I should be the one to take it! Lawine, you should give up!" Kanne, clearly outmatched in strength, stubbornly refused to admit defeat and continued pushing back against her.

Their unusual display, complete with makeshift spear and shield-like objects, left Frieren watching from the sidelines with a perplexed expression. She wasn't sure what to say.

But then again, this was typical behavior in Ash's household. Perhaps there was no need to intervene?

Just as she decided to let it go, Ash had already approached the two.

---

Frieren sighed and gave up trying to stop them, but Ash crouched down beside the pair. Lawine and Kanne, locked in their love-hate squabble, turned to look at him. Ash suddenly smiled and said,

"I know you two enjoy bickering—it's practically a sign of your close bond. But wouldn't it be better to set aside your differences for now? You do have an exam to focus on, after all."

"It's three against one right now... shouldn't you, a lone guy, just run away?" Lawine snapped, glaring at him with hostility in her striking blue eyes.

"Why are kids these days so unfriendly to others?" Ash replied with exaggerated exasperation.

"Because that 'other' is you," Lawine shot back without hesitation.

"Let the past stay in the past. We should focus on the future. Dwelling on the past only holds us back," Ash said, his tone carrying the weight of experience. He smiled and reached out to pat Lawine on the head.

"…What? Who does this old man think he is?" Lawine muttered, clearly annoyed. If she weren't busy wrestling with Kanne, she might have lashed out at him.

"You're not a stranger, are you? Didn't you stay over at my house last night?" Ash teased.

"That was Fern's house!" Lawine retorted indignantly.

"It's my home too," Ash said with a grin.

"Then if I kill you now, It'll belong only to Fern," Lawine said with a dangerous smile.

Ash, however, remained unfazed. He shook his head indifferently.

"Is this how you treat your friend's parents?"

"Is this how you treat your child's friend?" Lawine shot back.

"Because you're my child's friend, I'm trying to build a good relationship with you. Otherwise, every time you visit, you'll just glare at me with that sour face, and honestly, it makes me uncomfortable."

"I hate adults who don't respect kids."

"Because you're a child, right? I've already explained my side of things. I had my reasons… and didn't I still fulfill my responsibilities as a guardian in the end?"

"...What kind of reasons could you possibly have?" Lawine narrowed her eyes. "Don't think I'm like the others and don't know anything. I know your true identity! I can't imagine someone like you having any real difficulties."

"That's the perspective of a child," Ash replied with a faint smile. "I'm busy, after all. Taking care of children is… well, let's just say it's challenging. Oh, forget it. I'll leave you to it."

Although Ash found the peculiar dynamic with his "daughter's" friends amusing and even a little thrilling, he decided not to push further. Teasing girls like Lawine had a strange, stimulating charm, but he knew when to stop.

If he claimed he was too busy to deal with them, it would only provoke their anger. So, with a hint of regret, he turned and walked away silently.

Compared to the groups of three scattered across the venue, his solitary figure appeared oddly desolate and lonely. This sight made Kanne hesitate and feel a pang of guilt.

"Is this really okay? I mean, even though that uncle can be irresponsible at times… didn't he still raise Fern? And he did apologize. If he gets attacked here..."

"Kanne," Lawine interrupted firmly, "you have to teach adults like him a lesson. What if he decides to abandon Fern again? Have you forgotten that Fern said he wanted to find someone to adopt her in the Holy City?"

"This..." Kanne hesitated further. Lawine, watching Ash's retreating figure, added one final remark.

"That guy won't be killed so easily. He's a bad uncle, sure, but he's also a scary one."

"He's amazing, but there are so many powerful people here..."

"That guy's stronger than you think. Instead of worrying about him, we should focus on ourselves," Lawine said, shaking her head and cutting off Kanne's concerns.

Meanwhile, Frieren stood by, observing the two with an indescribable expression. Even while discussing Ash, Lawine and Kanne were still pushing and shoving each other.

"Is this team… really okay?" Frieren muttered with a long sigh, glancing between the bickering duo, Ash's disappearing figure, and the other teams moving steadily away.