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

Fru opened his eyes in surprise, while Ash said thoughtfully, "Hmm... Ah! You used this trick before when you came here?"

"...Fru's tactics are as despicable as ever." Frilian was not surprised at all by this unexpected turn of events, and even couldn't help but laugh: "But he's never succeeded against Ash."

“Most people die from carelessness in battle, but you are the only one who has not made a single mistake... No wonder you are a seasoned warrior.” When Ash picked up the sword with his toe, Fru casually took it and placed it beside him, revealing an old smile: “Welcome... Frilian, Ash, you can stay as long as you want.”

"I want to stay for ten years. Let the village chief introduce me to a job."

Frillie agreed without hesitation and then made a strange request.

But before he could finish speaking, Ash grabbed her by the back of her collar and dragged her into the village without even turning his head, saying:

"Stop fooling around, Philon will get angry."

"Ash, you really disappoint me, actually giving in to a child." Frilian feigned displeasure.

“Then go and persuade her,” Ash replied crisply.

"...Well, it's also an adult's responsibility to occasionally indulge a child's whims."

Frillie, who was being dragged along, stood with her arms crossed, seemingly trying to project an adult demeanor.

However, Ash didn't even bother to turn around and look at her with disdain. Without stopping, he casually said, "You're shameless. What were you saying just now? You've changed your mind so quickly?"

"I wanted you to go and say it."

"Stop messing around, you'll only drag me down and make me the subject of gossip."

That's because you lack confidence.

"If you're confident, then you go for it."

"I only let you go because I didn't have any."

........

The two bickered all the time, which Philon was already used to, so she didn't interfere much. She simply bowed politely to the old man at the village entrance and hurriedly caught up with the two.

Soon they found a short-term job in the village through the village chief's introduction, and thanks to Mr. Fruye, they were given a free guesthouse in the village, which was usually used by passing merchants.

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

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

Because they often ate and slept outdoors during their journey, each of them carried their own packs and bedding, but most of the time they stored them in their own personal alternate dimensions... just like those magic wands, which they only summoned when needed.

As Ash and Frillie's "guardian," Philon began her simple tasks after taking their bedding and her own to air out in the sun.

The job is as simple as it sounds: just use magic to pull carrots out of the ground.

But it was during this process that Philon couldn't help but ask the villagers around him about this village, which had once been another country but had peacefully merged into the Kingdom of Esther, and about the Kingdom of Esther.

"...What's the difference between the Kingdom of Ester and the previous countries? This place was already part of the Kingdom of Ester before I was born, so I don't really know much about what it was like before." Upon hearing this strange question, the villager carrying the bamboo house pondered for a moment before adding:

"However, the older generation often says that life is much better now than before. The lords' taxes are lower than before, and people don't starve to death as often as before because they can't afford to pay their taxes."

"Why? If it's only lowered a little..."

"The kingdom regularly sends special mages to plant very special wheat and potatoes, and they also occasionally cast strange spells. All we have to do is harvest the crops." The villager shook his head and pointed to the vast wheat field not far from the village:

"Look, that magnificent wheat field over there is wheat cultivated by the kingdom, and its yield is much higher than before; although most of the harvest has to be handed over to the kingdom, the kingdom will also generously distribute relief grain in times of famine."

"...I heard that this country's population has increased six or seven times in the last century? Is this because people don't starve to death?"

"I don't know, but there must be some people from other countries who often flee here, right? There are even people in our village who fled here from the southern countries in the past."

"Even people from the southern kingdoms are here?" The fact that people from his homeland had fled to the north of the continent, and even made a special trip to this country, surprised Philon. He couldn't help but look towards the capital, a sense of indescribable respect welling up within him.

"The king of this country must be a gentle yet powerful person, just like Lord Ash."

"Although I also think this country is amazing, but... is your standard for amazing people Ash?" The strange praise made Zain chuckle.

But Philen completely ignored him, leaving him helpless as he looked at the villagers beside him and asked curiously:

"Is that old man Fru a villager? Why is he always there?"

"Lord Fru has a house in the village, but he usually lives alone. He is too old and can't even speak properly anymore. It seems that he has been protecting the village from demons, monsters, soldiers, and bandits for a long time, but no one knows why he does it."

Aren't you curious?

“He doesn’t tell anyone, and after it was actually incorporated into the Kingdom of Esther, those things basically didn’t happen here anymore, but Lord Fru still sits there... like a guardian deity. He’s been there since I was a child, sitting alone at the village entrance.”

"Guardian angel... I always feel a little lonely."

Zain murmured to himself, unable to help but sigh as he gazed at the aged figure. Even Philon, who didn't get along with him very well, nodded silently as he looked at the old man's back.

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

at night.

While everyone was asleep, Ash was practicing his magic as usual, but something was different... He sat at the village entrance, and Fru sat opposite him.

Perhaps Fru was asleep, for even though the two sat facing each other, they remained silent for a long time.

He didn't know how much time had passed before he slowly opened his eyes and looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar boy opposite him:

"Ash, why do you work so hard?"

"...You are the one." Ash asked casually without even looking up, "Why are you in this village where almost no one knows about your past?"

"...I've said this before, haven't I? I'm just protecting my wife's beloved village, while you're already strong enough, aren't you? Why are you still cultivating and doing strange things?"

"Is it weird?"

"It doesn't seem like it's been that long since we last met, does it?"

"In just over ten years, you even killed my monster."

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

At that time, Ash just wanted to visit an old friend, so he came over briefly and also brought the monster army that was supporting the pass to the vicinity.

The attack on the village wasn't on his orders; it was simply because dealing with the frontal lobe hadn't been effective, and the out-of-control monster had broken free of Aura's control.

And he was killed by the old but still strong dwarf warrior as soon as he entered the village territory.

“Back then, I thought I’d have a fight with you… no.” Halfway through his sentence, Master Fru shook his head to himself: “Rather, I’d probably be killed by you.”

"...That's really going too far. I would never kill my friend for a monster."

"But you are doing something very dangerous."

"probably."

"Can you be sure you won't harm the village?"

"Nothing in this world is certain." Just like the old man before him, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, Ash simply replied calmly:

"If this village is in my way, I have no choice but to eliminate it."

"But if you destroy this village, I will definitely find a way... to send you to your death."

"Can it be done?"

"...No matter how hard I try, this old bone of mine is no match for a young man like you." Grandpa Fru didn't try to be tough, but he still refused to back down. He simply continued calmly, "But right now, I'm just fulfilling a promise I made a long time ago. Anyway, I won't live for many more years, so I have to keep my promise."

"Keeping promises...?" Ash nodded slightly, a hollow feeling washing over him.

"I remember your wife was human, and she's been dead for over three hundred years... After all, you've been guarding this village for nearly 400 years, haven't you? Haven't you ever thought about giving up?"

"And what about you? Why do you do such dangerous things?"

"There are many reasons."

"How about just name one?" Tonight, Mr. Fru surprisingly responded sharply.

“I had a tough childhood, so I was thinking—instead of just surviving like this, why not use blood to show my claws to the world… or something like that.”

"Did you make it?"

"...part of it."

The conversation continued, and he simply gave one of the answers casually before giving up on saying anything more and silently closing his eyes to hone his magic.

After a long while, Ash suddenly seemed to remember something and asked, "Speaking of which, after all these years, do you still remember what your wife looks like?"

"...To be honest, I can't remember her face, her voice, or her eyes anymore—but even so, I remember protecting this village for something important, so even if it means facing an old friend on the battlefield, I won't regret it."

"is it?"

The dwarf gave his answer after a long silence, but it made him feel like the other person was joking, at least that's how it should be if he forgot about his wife.

After all, if you've completely forgotten, why keep the promise?

He couldn't help but think this way, but then Mr. Fru suddenly asked:

"Ash, you're with Frilian again this time. What are you doing? Are you dragging Frilian to do something weird? Or are you finally going to fight the Demon King?"

"...Defeat the Demon King?"

"what happened?"

"...No, it's okay."

Ash hesitated for a moment, but quickly gave up on saying that the Demon King had already been defeated.

Even if the village was completely isolated from news, he couldn't possibly have been unaware of the fact that the Demon King had been defeated long ago after all these years. So... had he really forgotten?