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

"...Half a century? That must have been not long ago, right? Was it when I set off with Haita and the others, or something like that? And..." Feeling that she was the only one out of touch with the times, Frilian turned to Ash and pointed at him, saying, "Ash definitely doesn't know either."

"Don't point at people with your finger, it's rude." He waved his hand and slapped the finger away.

"Look! He's feeling guilty, and sure enough..."

"No, I actually do know."

Rather than knowing or not knowing, Ash was basically considered by everyone to be the head of the Northern Division when Celie was not around, which made his expression quite subtle when facing this elf girl seeking companionship.

This immediately made Frillie feel betrayed: "Why? How did you know?"

"Because I used to live in the largest magic city in the northern kingdoms, and the only branch of the Magic Association is located there..."

"So you're a Level 1 Mage?"

"...No, I didn't participate in the certification process."

His instinctive answer brought a smile to Frillie's face, and she looked at Philon with delight: "—See! Philon! This guy is useless too!"

"...Why are you so smug at a time like this? Isn't this just making things more complicated?" Philon couldn't empathize at all, and instead sighed helplessly, "There's no other way, I'll just have to go to the Magic City to take the exam first."

“Actually, you can hire someone by spending money…” Ash didn’t really want to go, and raised his hand to give a different answer.

But Philon didn't even wait for him to finish before saying without thinking, "No way! That's a complete waste of money."

"Then I'll ask someone I know..."

"Asking others for help will leave us indebted! It's better to take the exam ourselves! Hmm, that's the decision, Ash-sama! Is that alright?"

"Uh, okay... alright..."

Philen's past life made her almost consider the Magic City her second home, and she was inexplicably stubborn about going there.

Even Frilian noticed this, and couldn't help but pat Ash on the shoulder with a smile, making him hesitate before finally giving in.

After all, it was he who practically forced Philon to leave the magical city back then, so he should at least make up for it with a return visit.

So the three of them changed their course and headed towards the magical city.

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

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

Led by an enthusiastic Philen, the three maintained their high spirits and happily stepped into the northern plateau, and then...

As expected, Frilian and Philon's initial enthusiasm was quickly and completely dampened by the sudden blizzard.

"It's not even winter yet, and it's snowing heavily... and I'm lost." Florian, already wrapped in a scarf, was completely bewildered by the snow-covered landscape and murmured to herself, staring at the white expanse of snow, "...That's why I hate the North."

"Instead of complaining... what should we do now?" Fellen, who was huddled up, couldn't help but look at Ash, who seemed completely at ease and didn't even need a scarf, and asked worriedly, "Lord Ash, aren't you cold?"

"I'm a soldier, and a fairly good one at that. You guys can withstand this level of cold in your coats, so it would be bad if I couldn't, right?"

"...Looks like you really are just like Aize."

"However, I have never tried a poisoned arrow that can put a dragon to sleep."

Traveling light, even just wearing a thin trench coat, Ash seemed as relaxed and at ease as if he were in a drizzle amidst the sudden blizzard.

This made Frilian a little jealous, and after a moment's thought, she couldn't help but point to the ground: "...Squat down."

"why?"

"Anyway, you're not cold and you can move around easily, so carry me on your back. You can also shield me from the wind and snow ahead." Although she was asking for a favor, Frillie didn't stand on ceremony and stated her request expressionlessly.

"...You're so lazy."

Are we companions, or friends?

"...You're emphasizing this at a time like this?" Ash couldn't help but shake his head. "To be honest, I'm starting to regret meeting you."

"We already know each other, so there's no point in saying this anymore. Besides, I'm freezing cold right now... Also, if you mess with Philon in the future, I won't just stand by and watch like before. Is that okay?"

"make a deal!"

.........

After a brief negotiation, Ash readily reached an agreement with Frillie, and then quietly turned around, squatted down, and let the elf lie on his back.

Throughout the entire process, Philon remained silent, simply staring at the two of them with a hint of annoyance on his face.

If I had known it could be like this, I would have had Ash carry me too... Lady Frilian is so cunning! — Philon stared silently at Frilian, so unwilling that he couldn't help but stomp his feet firmly into the snow behind her.

This made Frillie, who was feeling a bit uncomfortable being stared at, subconsciously turn around and look: "...What's wrong? Felene, are you cold too?"

"Yes! I'm very cold too!"

"...Then, shall we take turns?"

"May I?!"

"of course."

“I’m sorry, Lady Frilian.” Upon hearing this, Philon immediately stepped forward, grabbed her hand, and showed a guilty expression: “...I actually doubted you again.”

"Huh? You guys are eating dessert behind my back again?" Frillie's eyes widened slowly, and once again after several days, she calmly revealed an expression as if she had been betrayed. Even the hand holding Ash's neck unconsciously tightened its grip.

"I haven't had dessert for half a month... Philon, that's so mean; Ash too, we agreed to be friends."

"...No, I don't know anything about it! What was the topic?"

Ash, who was suddenly choked, felt the resentment of the girl behind him and was full of questions, his face showing innocence.

"No? Then why is that, Philon?"

"...Don't worry about it."

Not only did Ash suffer an undeserved disaster, but Frilian also felt isolated, yet Philon just stiffly turned her face away.

However, she couldn't help feeling guilty, as if she had carelessly caused a rift between them.

Of course, at this moment she couldn't help but wonder if their long-standing friendship was really just a facade.

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

After Ash carried Frilian for a while, Frilian reluctantly got off his back, and Philon carefully climbed onto it instead.

As Philon gently hugged his neck with barely concealed joy, she whispered, "Um... Lord Ash, am I heavy?"

"Hmm~ What if I say it's heavy?"

"...Then I have no choice but to kill you and then kill myself."

He asked casually, and Philon tightened his arms around his neck, his voice becoming colder and more piercing than the blizzard on the plateau, like the permafrost of a demon's castle.

Ash's expression froze as well, and he forced a smile as he joked, "I'm not saying this to be mean, but saying such scary things in such a cold tone... even a joke is a bit frightening."

"What are you talking about...? I'm quite serious." Philon's face was unusually serious compared to usual.

"So he's serious..."

"...And then? Lord Ash, what's your answer?"

"Of course you're light! You're much lighter than Frillie!"

Faced with the girl's overly heavy-handed and ultimately suicidal remarks, Ash could only pat his own conscience and utter words that went against his conscience.

Upon hearing this, Frillie couldn't help but retort, "No way, how can you lie like that? No matter what, judging from her size, Philon couldn't possibly be bigger than me..."

"Lady Flillian!"

"Hmm? I just feel... I have a feeling... oh well, never mind..."

Not wanting her to be deceived, Frillie, faced with the girl's overly stern gaze, was somewhat confused and hesitantly chose to give up exposing this clumsy lie.

Although she couldn't understand why such a shrewd child as Philon would be fooled by such an obvious lie.

"...Could it be that he caught a cold and got a fever from being so cold? The weather in the north is really dangerous; let's find a place to rest later and take Philon's temperature."

Seeing the two people walk ahead without her noticing, Frilian hurried to catch up while genuinely worried whether Philon had caught a fever from the cold... or even fainted from the fever.

The Burial of Frilian: The Official Beginning of the Journey: Chapter Eleven - The Strangeness Brought About by Philon's Growth - The Elves Nearly Frozen to Death (8K)

Frilian was genuinely worried about Philon's health.

The racial difference prevented Philon from fully understanding her worries, and she didn't intend to care about Frilian, who took care of her and needed her care in return—she was essentially both an old mother and an eldest daughter. After all, Frilian had just said something that upset her.

So she was naturally happy, and just hugged Ash, enjoying the warmth in the snow.

In contrast, Ash's feelings were in a completely different situation.

Oh no... I can't feel my heartbeat at all. Is the difference between people really that big? The "deep," solid, and extremely oppressive soft touch behind him left him with a feeling that he couldn't describe, and a strange, subtle sensation.

Although he tried hard not to care, the overwhelming sense of pressure was so strong that he couldn't help but care. In fact, because he could feel it so vividly, he couldn't help but gradually feel a strange sense of guilt.

His silent presence in the wind and snow caught Philon's attention, causing her to unconsciously lower her head and ask worriedly, "Lord Ash? Am I... really too heavy?"

“No, that’s not the case…”

"Really?"

"I was just thinking, you just said you'd always be on my side, but now you're suddenly saying you want to die with me... Sigh~ As a father, I'm really heartbroken~"