Frieren: Reincarnated As a Demon

Chapter 120: Sense Forced to Break the Rules

______

After eating, drinking, and playing enough, Ash did not take a nap or anything, but came to the safe zone at the edge of the barrier.

By the withered river in the safe zone, Sense, who had arranged the tables and chairs and was drinking black tea elegantly, had just taken a sip of the tea when she noticed the movement coming from the bushes and shook her head slightly unconsciously.

'Today's candidates are really not good enough. They give up after such a short time. I don't know if anyone can pass this year. ' She couldn't help but sigh at the lack of talent in recent years.

But when she saw clearly the familiar figure emerging from the bushes, she almost spit out her tea.

"—A-Ash-sama...? Why are you...?"

"I want a list of references and their information. I'm sure you have it here?"

"Eh… No, this cannot be given to the examinees no matter what..."

"It's okay. I won't show it to anyone else. I just want to learn about their magic and see if there's any interesting magic... I want it!"

These candidates who have the potential to become first-Class magicians can basically be said to be at the forefront of human magic.

If we could take this opportunity to get the magic they are good at, it would be a good choice.

Faced with Ash's shining eyes, Sense's mouth was wide open for a long time, unable to close, unable to utter a word, and there was only one thought in her head—Master Ash, you're really not ordinary… just as reckless as Lady Serie…

"What's wrong, Sense?"

"Actually… Lord Ash, the moment you stepped into this area, you surrendered…" Sense said with an embarrassed expression, pursing her lips slightly, expressing her difficulties.

"It's okay. If you and I don't tell, no one will know."

"No, I'm not the only one here… Look over there."

Faced with his willful remarks, Sense sighed and stretched out her hand, pointing to the hilltop in the distance.

The chief examiner of the first round of the first-class magician examination, Genau, was actually on the top of the hill, controlling the entire examination room from a high position.

But when the two of them looked over, he suddenly rubbed his eyes in pain as if he was blinded by sand. He had no energy to observe what was happening here. After a while, he disappeared, as if he really didn't notice the problem here.

The betrayal of his companion pretending not to see it left Sense stunned for a moment:

"…Did he really just throw all the problems onto me?"

"It's a bit rude to call someone else a problem in front of them, isn't it?" Ash asked, feigning indignation.

"…I'm sorry." Sense complained a little, her voice tinged with distress, causing her to lower her head slightly. "…Although I really want to help you, if Lady Serie knew, she would definitely be angry."

"Well, think about it—who treats you better, her or me?"

"…The point of the problem isn't who's better, but the rules…"

"If Serie finds out, I'll help you solve it. And anyway, rules are meant to be broken." He moved a chair and sat next to Sense, stroking her hair with a smile, his tone filled with calm confidence. "We're the makers of the rules, not the followers of them~"

"Is it really okay for you to say something like that?"

"What's wrong with it?"

"…The rules have already been set, but as the maker, you're breaking them without authorization. Isn't that a bit…"

"Ah, look at you. Your hair is a little dry here. Let me wash it for you when we get back! Don't look at me like this—I'm actually quite good at this kind of thing,"

"…If it's just for a bit, I suppose it's not impossible…"

Sense, who was being petted like a small animal, could only agree with a slightly distressed expression, nodding slightly as if in surrender to his refusal to leave unless she agreed and the conditions he had proposed.

When Ash's face lit up with happiness, Sense sighed again: "Ha… you really are… as willful as Lady Serie…"

"Wait a minute—you're talking about adults like this, even in front of me? Isn't that a bit rude?"

"…I'm already an adult. And… I don't want to hear about politeness from Master Ash, who constantly tampers with and ignores the rules."

"Well… uh, could it be you're in your rebellious phase? You were obviously much cuter before."

"I'm an adult, but…" Sense frowned slightly but smiled faintly in the end. "…Thank you."

"For what?"

"For praising me."

"Ah… Let me correct you. I wasn't joking—you're still as cute as ever." Honest kids are the cutest. She was a quiet girl, as adorable as a small furry animal. Ash was so moved that he couldn't help but hug Sense. Then, with a playful grin, he said: "-I really want to tie you up and take you home like this~!"

"…Please don't do this, Master Ash. It will be very troublesome for me."

"Ah… well, let's put that aside for now." To avoid letting the topic spiral out of control—or worse, being treated as a weirdo by his adorable junior—Ash quickly ended the subject with a smile, taking a silent sip of tea.

But that simple act of drinking tea caused Sense's expression to shift subtly. After hesitating for a moment, she finally spoke up:

"Master Ash…"

"What?"

"…The black tea you're drinking…"

"It's good. What kind is it? I'll buy some next time."

"That's not the question…" Sense seemed hesitant, almost as though she was holding something back, which only confused him further. "What's the matter? Is it very expensive? Can't I compensate you? Why are you being so stingy?"

"That's… what I drank." Sense pursed her lips, her tone soft but direct as she pointed out the issue.

"Ah? Really?" He froze for a moment, his gaze falling to the teacup in his hand. "Well… you're right. There's only one teacup here…" Realizing the situation, he quickly set the cup down and pushed it back toward her, lowering his head and covering his mouth in embarrassment. "I… feel a little sorry…"

"Eh…? Master Ash, you didn't do this on purpose this time?"

"No! Who do you think I am?"

"I…"

"—Okay, you don't have to tell me. I don't want to know."

Before Sense could finish her sentence, Ash interrupted, clearly unwilling to delve further into whatever explanation she had.

The abruptness of his response left her stunned for a moment before she sighed in apparent resignation. Without another word, she quietly stood and went to the tent behind them to retrieve the candidates' information.

This act was undeniably a major breach of protocol, completely at odds with the righteous speeches Ash had given on his first day back at the Magic Association. However…

"…If it's Master Ash, there's nothing we can do." Sense muttered under her breath, as if convincing herself while sorting through the files.

As someone who often followed Serie's lead, Sense had grown accustomed to the willfulness of her master and senior brother.

And while she had tried to resist their whims at times, there wasn't much she could do if they refused to listen, right?

With a resigned expression and a rare smile tugging at her lips, the girl retrieved fresh cups and a few desserts from her luggage.

The two of them sat in the safe zone, enjoying tea and pastries, putting the rules aside for the moment and indulging in a peaceful afternoon.

---

As the night deepened, Ash didn't stay to eat Sense's bento. Instead, he left the safe zone, watched by the girl as he departed. After all, if he ate her bento, Sense would have gone hungry.

Naturally, he went to eat someone else's food. And he had already decided on his next target because…

While the Magic Association didn't require registered magicians to disclose their magic, many revealed their skills during level assessments, leading the Association to document them. Although this information was normally kept confidential, the current situation wasn't exactly normal.

Ash, as a candidate, had already gleaned significant details about the special magics others excelled at.

However, he had no intention of using this information illegally to pass the exam. Instead, he sought out his favorite magician to promote a new method for capturing the meteorite bird—just as he had done with Kanne and Lawine.

The allure of a shortcut to passing the exam was emphasized further, with the added temptation of becoming a first-level magician—a status that granted coveted "privileges." Alongside this, the promise of receiving a valuable magic technique in exchange after the game sweetened the offer.

After presenting this inducement, coupled with a demonstration of his abilities, Ash successfully acquired their self-developed magic manuscripts.

Then… Ash taught them the promised method and quickly departed, leaving behind a trail of confused expressions.

For those who succumbed to greed, Ash promised a corresponding magic book after the game, leaving the chosen ones to reluctantly consider themselves unlucky for now.