What if you are reborn as a demon after a funeral?

He looked like an old man disciplining his willful grandson, which made Ash quickly step forward and push him down, vehemently denying it:

"No need, no need. I was just curious and didn't intend to sit. I was just reflecting on things. You're just an ordinary old man now!"

"Haha, what are you talking about..." Simmel shook her head repeatedly, revealing a kind smile: "Although I'm still so handsome even as I get older, I'm actually just an ordinary old man now. It's just that you haven't changed, right?"

"...That's true."

"Speaking of which, you're here because of a promise you made fifty years ago, right?"

"of course."

“Frilian too, but she arrived three days ago, and we haven’t seen her since. It seems she went out of town to get something? I wonder where she went.” Simmel sighed helplessly, but then smiled and teased:

"Although you two are heartless, never once coming to see us, it seems that you are not so heartless as to have forgotten this promise."

"Uh, sorry... I've been really busy lately..."

This was probably a retaliation. Ash felt guilty for not coming back after he had said that Ash had switched to being a dwarf. Ash was now somewhat ashamed.

"Haha~ Just kidding, don't take it so seriously. But to be honest... we were actually a little worried that we would never see you again in this lifetime... We never expected to have the chance to meet again. Just that alone is enough to make us happy."

"Is this enough to make you happy...?" The more he said this, the more Ash felt like he wasn't human... even though he really wasn't.

But Simmel did not launch another attack. Instead, with a kind smile and a look of nostalgia and reminiscence, she returned to the main topic:

"Speaking of which, when Frilian came, I had already written to Haita and Aize. They have been in this country for years and will meet at the city gate tomorrow morning."

Having lost the vigor of his youth and speaking more slowly, Simmel added at the end, "Let's talk about what you've been busy with for the past fifty years. It'll help pass the time for this old man. You don't have anything else to do here, do you?"

"Well... no, really... I've mostly been exercising."

"I can sense that you've made significant progress in all aspects, but..."

"but?"

"No... it really is nothing."

If you're already nearing the end of your life, why exercise like this? And while a person's appearance may be fixed, can the state of their body truly remain unchanged forever? Why are you constantly on an upward trajectory?

—Simmel didn't ask these questions aloud, but gently shook his head, then looked at him with the kind eyes of an old man looking at a younger person, and said slowly with a smile:

“You are our friend... so we have always been curious about your past with Frilian.”

"is it?"

Why emphasize the point about friends at this moment? — Ash felt that this seemed a bit abrupt, and considering the question he had only half-spoken about earlier, he could tell that something was off.

However... since Simmel didn't press the matter, there seemed to be no need for him to bring it up again at this point, since this wasn't something to celebrate.

With this thought in mind, he pondered with a hint of annoyance, "...Nothing interesting has happened to me over the years, so is that alright?"

"It's okay, it's okay, tell me about it~"

"Hmm, do you know about the Continental Magic Association?"

"Oh, I've heard of it. Was it founded by your master?"

........

Unable to refuse his earnest request, Ash was forced to talk about the only part he could discuss.

In other words, he accidentally kicked the real person while challenging the dojo... a past event that left him feeling quite helpless yet somewhat amused.

After that, Ash talked to him about what he had been doing lately, and they chatted until night fell. Then they went to a tavern to drink and talk.

As for Frillie, who was supposed to arrive first... we didn't actually meet her, and we don't know where she went.

.........................

.........................

The next morning.

Sunlight streamed obliquely into the room, casting a warm and soft glow over the cold winter living room, while the air was filled with the unique warmth of burning firewood.

Ash, who was staying at Simmel's house, washed up early in the morning and lay down in the rocking chair by the fireplace.

With the chair gently rocking and the crackling of firewood beside him, everything was so peaceful that he could roughly understand why Simmel liked this rocking chair.

He himself unconsciously immersed himself in this comfort, closed his eyes, and began to sway freely.

But... not long after, the living room door was slowly pushed open.

A voice, still easily recognizable and deeply nostalgic even after half a century, followed from behind:

"You are... Ash?"

He groggily opened his eyes, only to find the owner of the voice standing before him.

Frillie stared at him, completely dumbfounded. "Why... are you here? And what are you doing here...?"

"Hmm? Ah...you want to try it too?"

"no--!"

Seeing him quickly stand up to offer the invitation, Frillie couldn't help but reflexively refuse it outright.

It should have been a long-awaited reunion, but looking at him in the rocking chair, so relaxed and content like an old man, he looked just like the house's owner, Simmel.

This made her realize... even if this guy's appearance hasn't changed, he must have really aged, right?

Although she didn't know what elderly humans should look like, she could roughly discern something from Simmel's condition, but...

How old are you exactly now?

Even though she didn't want to ask, she subconsciously blurted it out.

"Hmm... a little over a hundred, one hundred and one?"

"...So, it seems that humans can really live longer if they're a little lazy?"

"No, this is still within the normal range... probably."

"Is that so?" Frilian looked at him in the rocking chair with an indescribable, strange expression.

To be honest, she had prepared herself for the worst this time, that Ash might not be able to come here, or that he might have already died of old age. But she had almost forgotten how many times she had mentally prepared herself for this.

Every time she thought he was dead, he would suddenly reappear, full of life... Even she felt mentally overwhelmed by Ash's constant back and forth.

When Ash noticed this strange expression, he couldn't help but glare at him: "What's with that expression? You don't want me to die sooner, do you?"

"How could that be... I just thought this time, I would never see you again."

It's not that I want my friend to die, it's just that the feeling of repeatedly thinking that he's dead and then reappearing is hard to describe.

This made her cross her arms and look thoughtful: "Speaking of which, isn't this Simmel's house? Why are you sitting in his chair?"

"He took the comb back to his room, probably to comb his hair, and said that I could use it first."

"Although I think it's unlikely, you weren't fighting with Simmel for this rocking chair while I was away, were you?"

She had barely finished speaking with suspicion when something occurred to her, and she unconsciously frowned: "Wait, I remember... Simmel is bald now, isn't she?"

"I don't know, even bald guys have their own principles... I remember him saying something like that."

"...I don't quite understand. Humans are really strange." Frilian shook her head in confusion, then sat down in the chair opposite him, propping her elbow on the table and resting her chin on her hand as she stared at him, looking at him with a hint of annoyance:

"What have you been doing for the past half-century? I heard you've been quite rude, not visiting them at all."

"Is this my fault? Why didn't you come? I thought you would! Do you know how sad I was when I heard you hadn't come?"

"This... I'm sorry, it was my fault. It feels like forty-nine years have passed in the blink of an eye... Hmm? No, wait a minute?"

Frillie lowered her head in frustration at what he said, but it wasn't until she was almost finished that she snapped back to reality and realized something was amiss.

But just as she narrowed her eyes in displeasure, Ash waved his hand and said:

"Alright, alright, I forgive you. Let's not talk about the past anymore. Of course, I'd be happy if you could give me a push along the way."

"Are you an old man?! And... you have no right to talk to me like that."

Realizing she had been tricked, Frillie looked utterly dejected.

But after hesitating for a moment, seeing his comfortable and aged appearance in the rocking chair, Frillian sighed and went over to rock him from behind.

The warm indoor space in winter has once again returned to tranquility.

With my friend beside me and the fire burning brightly, everything seemed so harmonious and beautiful.

But... when Simmel finally finished tidying herself up and came out, she looked at the two young guys, one yawning and rocking in his chair, and the other still comfortably sleeping in his own rocking chair, and she didn't know what expression to make.

She was even a little confused about whether she should disturb their strange, yet inexplicably harmonious atmosphere.

After a long while, he suppressed the strange feeling and, with a mix of amusement and exasperation, gently tapped the ground with his cane, temporarily ending their odd "descendant" harmony mode.

The Burial of Frilian: A Thousand Years Later: Chapter Sixty-Four - The Hero's Last Journey - Old Friends Like Leaves in the Wind, Fading Away One by One (3k)

When the three of them walked out of the capital side by side...

As soon as they left the city gate, they saw two people, one tall and one short, already guarding the city wall.

Despite being an alcoholic monk, Haita remained very tall, and his appearance hadn't changed much even after 50 years.

His face was covered in wrinkles, giving him a somewhat aged appearance, and his clothes were surprisingly unchanged from before... Perhaps he had dressed specially for this meeting, but Ash couldn't help but tease him: