Frilian: This Demon Isn't So Cold

"This person is probably the strongest in our village besides me."

After a while, Frilian brought them an elf who was holding a shield and was hiding behind Frilian with her head half-exposed.

"Is this what you're using?" Carlos pointed to the shield in her hand. "I should warn you beforehand that my method automatically releases the magic I've pre-stored inside the object when it comes into contact with demonic magic."

Therefore, if it's something like a shield that's frequently used in combat, it's not impossible for it to be accidentally triggered outside.

"It's alright. What she's holding now is a small shield. She carries it with her at all times, but only takes it out in very urgent situations," Frilian explained to the elf.

"Why isn't she saying anything?" Sylvia tried to examine the elf, but found that the elf wouldn't even meet her gaze.

"Vilmin is rather shy," Frillian continued to explain for her. "I only recently discovered that myself."

As she spoke, the elf named Vermin completely hid behind Frillian.

"Just give me back the shield after that!"

After Vermin finished speaking, she shoved the shield into Frillian's arms without saying another word, and then ran away without looking back.

"It's quite a rare sight to find someone like this among the elves," Carlos remarked, marveling at Vermin's retreating figure.

Sylvia nudged his side. "You don't need to worry about that elf. Hurry up and finish the important business."

"Too."

Carlos reached out and took the exquisite silver shield, swung it around a few times, and then tapped it.

"The quality seems good."

At that moment, Celia also came out from inside.

"Master, what brings you here?"

"With you guys making so much noise outside, do you think I can concentrate on studying the grimoire?" Celia looked at Carlos. "Let's begin, let me see your skills."

So it turns out she came to see him after all.

Carlos took a deep breath and then operated the shield in the same way he had with the basin of water last time.

A large amount of magic was lost, but because Frilian's village was much smaller than the previous one, Carlos only used 40% of his total magic to complete the task.

"I see, it's a 'curse,' Carlos. You sealed the 'curse' within the [barrier magic]."

Celia saw through Carlos's actions at a glance; she even realized that the curse was one that humans could almost never decipher.

"What does that mean?" Just hearing the word "curse" gave Frillie a bad feeling.

"Among the spells used by demons and monsters that cause sleep or petrification, those that have not yet been deciphered are called curses," Vlame explained. "Generally speaking, they can only be removed by eliminating the caster or by a ritual performed by a monk."

"So how does this... curse distinguish between friend and foe?" Frillian frowned.

"Well..." Vlamé glanced at Carlos, "I'm not quite sure about that."

"The answer is simple: this magic doesn't need to distinguish between friend and foe, because it's a magic that attacks indiscriminately."

Carlos's words made the atmosphere somewhat awkward.

"What exactly is going on?" Frillian's tone was very calm, but Carlos knew that this was a sign that she was about to get angry.

Frillie is still too easy to understand.

"Ms. Frilian, please don't get agitated. I believe Carlos must have his reasons for doing this." Sylvia had already stepped between Frilian and Carlos, and she could also see that the other woman's emotions were not quite right.

"I……"

Carlos sighed, and just as he was about to reveal the true nature of the magic he had cast, Vlamé interrupted him.

"Frilian, stop asking those kinds of questions. We'll be a team from now on. If we don't even have this kind of trust in each other, how will we face any dangers together?"

"..."

After being told this by her new master, Frillie took a deep breath and slowly withdrew from her previous state.

"You're right, I was too impatient."

Indeed, she was simply blinded by a momentary impulse. If Carlos really wanted to harm them, he would have just taken action directly instead of going through all this trouble.

"Call me Master," Vlame corrected.

"Carlos, you actually secretly learned this kind of magic without telling me?" On the other side, Celia asked with great interest, "How many other kinds of magic did you learn in those five years that I didn't know about?"

"Actually, I initially planned to use this magic as a trump card." Carlos's lips twitched slightly, but he still explained, "However, during the experiment, I discovered that this magic is more effective in protection than in offense."

He continued, while also explaining to Frillie:

"Suppose that the spell I left here is triggered now, then no matter where I am, I can receive the fluctuations from when my spell is triggered, and then we can return here, and then eliminate the invading enemies together while dispelling the spell's effect."

"I'm sorry." After hearing his explanation, Frillie sincerely apologized to Carlos, "I never thought magic could be used in this way before."

The fact that they used the characteristics of curse magic for protection was completely beyond Frillian's expectations.

Looking at it this way, it's clear that her opponent held back quite a few moves when they sparred before... No wonder he always tried to suppress her with magical power; he was hiding his true intentions.

Frillie thought to herself, feeling rather sullen.

"I'm almost finished reading the grimoire." Celia turned and walked back into the house; she had lost interest. "Keep it quiet. If you want to make noise, go somewhere else."

Vlame nodded to the group, then continued reading the magic book.

Frillie first returned the shield to Vermin, and then found Sylvia, who was preparing to train her magical skills, and asked her:

"So, how exactly did Grandmaster Sai teach his students to produce a genius like Senior Uncle?"

Fleurian remembered what Vlamé had just said, so she changed her mind halfway through.

Sylvia didn't know the answer to the question, so she looked at Carlos, who was practicing magic compression to the side.

Carlos thought for a moment, "She taught me some magic and knowledge about controlling magic."

"And then?" Frillie asked, taken aback.

"That's all." Carlos asked in surprise. "The master leads you through the door, but the cultivation is up to you. Although I initially had the idea of ​​learning all the magic that my master possessed, learning magic was not a very enjoyable thing for me. Besides, my master didn't even know how much magic he actually knew."

Frillie: "..."

She turned to look at Sylvia and said, "I still really hate geniuses."

"Me too," Sylvia nodded, then smiled, "but I prefer geniuses who are gentle with me."

Frillie fell silent.

Sure enough, they all liked to bully me.