Frilian: This Demon Isn't So Cold

Five years have passed in the blink of an eye.

The atmosphere in the trading city of Tiyua was somber on this day.

On the city wall, the lord in charge of guarding the area looked at the large army of demons and monsters in the distance with a worried expression.

This time, the scale of the demon attack is different from the past. According to the mage's analysis, there are several powerful magical fluctuations, as if they want to take down [Tiyua] in one fell swoop.

"Lord Vlame, the demons are coming in a fierce attack this time. If things are hopeless, please prioritize your own life."

Beside the lord was a girl called Vlame. Her orange hair was still styled into a long three-strand braid as when she first arrived, but the childishness that could still be seen had disappeared, replaced by composure and maturity.

"Yes, I understand."

Vlame did not refuse the lord's kindness. The reinforcements from the capital that the lord had mentioned had not yet arrived, supposedly because there were other places that needed support more.

As for [Tiyua], the fact that it has been able to maintain the status quo means that the truly urgent moment has not yet arrived.

The lord analyzed it this way: although he was very embarrassed, he could only continue to shamelessly ask Vlamé for help.

And Vlamé truly lived up to her reputation as a disciple of Seria; her progress in magical skills was astonishing, so much so that it could be said that she was making rapid progress every day.

The first time I went out with them to kill monsters, I was a novice mage who didn't even know basic tactics and was quite unfamiliar with using magic.

In just five years, Vlame has become a mage capable of standing on her own, and has repeatedly distinguished herself in battles to repel demon attacks. She has even set up a barrier magic outside the city to isolate the demons, which has earned her even greater respect from the people of Tiyua.

As for Serie, who could be Volamere's mentor, that goes without saying.

"I wonder if Lady Celie will make a move then..." the lord murmured.

"Lady Celia won't make a move." This time, it was a girl about the same age as Volame who spoke. She stood next to Volame and was also looking at the demon army in the distance. "If our grandmaster wanted to make a move, she would have had several opportunities before."

"But……"

This time is really different from before—the lord didn't dare say those words out loud.

Although an isolation barrier already exists, according to Vlame himself, this barrier still has a lot of room for improvement, so we cannot have high expectations for it and should still rely mainly on human intervention to block it.

The person who just spoke is called Sylvie, and she is Lord Vlame's disciple.

The world of magicians is truly strange. Lady Celie took Lady Vlame as her disciple, and Lady Vlame in turn took Sylvia, who was the same age, as her disciple. Although both of them were being taught by Celie, their seniority was like this.

"I think what the lord just said to me should be said to you, Sylvia. This time, you really shouldn't be so stubborn. Don't forget what happened."

Vlame was referring to the incident during the demon invasion, when Sylvia accidentally ventured deep into the demon army's territory. If he hadn't gone to rescue her, Sylvia would have died there long ago.

"Okay, I understand." Without trying to be cute or funny, Sylvia nodded seriously. "There are so many things I haven't experienced yet. Dad will be relying on me to take care of him in his old age, how could I bear to die here?"

Death doesn't cease to happen just because someone is reluctant to die.

Vlame only said this to herself. Having brushed with death several times, she had little confidence in the upcoming battle.

Because among the magical fluctuations coming from afar, several were no weaker than hers.

"It's about to begin," the lord said briefly.

In the distance, the demons, the ones responsible for leading the charge, began their assault on this place.

As the vanguard, they knew they were doomed to die, but even so, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and keep charging forward.

The same was true for the human side. Well-trained soldiers clashed with the vanguard of the demons, and blood flew and magic raged. Casualties quickly followed.

Because demons and monsters do not leave behind corpses after death, but instead dissipate into magic in the air, the scene appears to be only the human side suffering casualties.

On the city wall, Vlame had disappeared at some point, while Sylvia and the other mages waited anxiously above. The human soldiers below fought and retreated, and soon they were within their attack range.

Fire magic, explosion magic, high-speed stone-shooting magic...

All of them are simple spells, which are relatively easy for novice mages to learn.

With the help of the mages on the city walls, the casualty rate of human soldiers was greatly reduced.

But no one let their guard down. Those who had free time were all watching the demons floating in the air in the distance with great tension, because they had not yet made a move.

The demons are having a conversation in a place they can't hear.

"This is... a barrier magic?"

"I hadn't seen it before when I came here."

"Have you figured it out yet?"

"It's a barrier magic specifically designed to attack demons; it will take some time to break."

"What do you mean?"

"It means it will take time, since we can't get close to the barrier to analyze it, or we could capture the caster and kill them."

"Are there any other methods?"

"You can also use magic to stack up the pollution barrier; the closer you die, the better the effect."

"Let them go to their deaths, continue the offensive."

A steady stream of monsters and demons rushed to the front lines, only to die and dissipate into the air as magical energy.

The light emanating from the barrier that Vlamé had initially set up began to dim.

Just as the demons were waiting for their chance, a familiar surge of magical energy appeared beside them.

【Judgment Light Magic】

Before they could react, two demons were instantly pierced through the chest by the attack, suffering fatal injuries and falling straight to the ground. The rest, having been killed by these two, had time to react and used their respective methods to dodge or defend.

"How despicable."

The three surviving demons surrounded Volame, who had just successfully launched a sneak attack. Under the [Flying Magic], any attempt to escape was futile.

Having landed a successful blow, Volame did not choose to flee. She continued to use the [Judgment Light Magic] while responding:

"Really? I don't think it's despicable at all."

"Kill her. I can sense that she is the caster of that barrier magic," one of the demons said.

"I would have done it even without you telling me." Without any regret for the deaths of his two companions, the demon calmly and cruelly launched an attack on Volame.

Their attack methods were very straightforward; apart from the [flight magic], the demons used only one type of magic throughout, and Vlame quickly figured out their tactics.

This one manipulates blood, that one plays with grenades, and this one manipulates light to create visual illusions...

Vlame thought of Carlos, but now was not the time to reminisce about the past; in fact, she didn't feel much nostalgia.

The thought flashed through his mind, and Vlame continued to use the magic that the demons already knew about, waiting for the opportunity to counterattack.

But she didn't get the chance to counterattack.

Because of the sudden and astonishing magical fluctuations from afar, the three demons who were dancing and dodging attacks in the air were instantly engulfed by the unexpected beam of light, leaving not a trace behind.

"This is……"

Vlame looked to his left with a surprised expression. There was a beam of light, and also the direction from which the magical fluctuations, both unfamiliar and familiar, were coming.

"Carlos, you're back."