Frilian: This Demon Isn't So Cold

After swinging the ice axe around a few times and checking with his fingers to make sure it was hard enough, Carlos deftly began chopping down the tree.

First came a crisp "crack," followed by a loud "thud" as the tree trunk crashed heavily to the ground.

Even though there was no sweat on his forehead, Carlos habitually wiped it away.

Once the trees have been cut down to a suitable size, they can be used to build a simple house.

Here, Carlos once again marveled at the convenience of [Flying Magic], finding it incredibly useful for moving things.

"I went hunting."

Because there was no one else there except Vlamé, she knew that Carlos was talking to her, even though he wasn't looking at her.

From the very beginning, Vlame was of little help. Whether it was collecting fallen leaves and branches or chopping wood, she couldn't do anything because she had neither flying magic nor a strong body.

She could only watch helplessly as Carlos did everything for her.

How awful! How awful! How awful!

But Carlos really didn't do anything bad to her. In fact, strictly speaking, the demons who invaded and destroyed her village had all been wiped out by her master, and her specific target of hatred had long since disappeared.

While sitting on the ground contemplating life, Vlame unconsciously began rubbing his legs.

"It hurts so much... I don't know if I'll be able to walk tomorrow..." She sighed, put her arms on her curled-up knees, and buried her head in them.

Once she relaxed, the fatigue that had accumulated due to various factors came rushing back at her, and Vlame leaned on her forearm and slowly fell asleep.

When Carlos returned with the rabbits and pheasants he had hunted, he found Vlamé already asleep.

"She's actually kind of cute."

While Vlamé was asleep, Carlos finally got the chance to examine the little girl closely.

Her long, orange hair, reaching her waist, was styled into a three-strand braid. She had a slightly chubby face, developing eyelashes, and plump lips.

If I were to meet Volame in a human village, I would probably take her around to play all the time.

pity.

Suppressing his feelings of love and care for the human child, Carlos took off his coat, draped it over her shoulders, and then began to cook.

He was hungry.

"Did you fall asleep already?"

Looking at Vlame, who had appeared uneasy while sleeping, Celia, who had somehow come out of the room, said casually.

"Otherwise what? This person is so young and has already experienced such a change, and has walked with you for an entire afternoon. It's already quite remarkable that they've managed to persevere this long."

Carlos became more talkative.

"You seem to have a problem with me?" Celia glanced at him sideways.

"I wouldn't dare."

Carlos decided to focus on the roasted rabbit and chicken in front of him. "Do you have any seasoning?"

Using magic to process ingredients is much more convenient than using your hands, but when it comes to taste, you still have to rely on external forces.

"No," Celia replied as if it were a matter of course.

Carlos paused for a moment, then asked:

"May I ask what you usually eat?"

"bread."

No wonder he's so short and underdeveloped.

Although Carlos thought this in his heart, his eyes and gaze did not waver in the slightest.

It's not because he's a good actor, but because he simply doesn't care.

"That probably won't taste very good."

To reiterate, magic is a very convenient thing. For example, fire, which is normally difficult to control precisely in terms of temperature and range of combustion, can be precisely manipulated with magic to accurately strike food.

The roast chicken had a golden, crispy skin that gleamed with oil. Carlos was quite satisfied with his cooking skills and believed that the chicken meat inside was tender, juicy, and melt-in-your-mouth tender.

"Using magic to do something like this, you really have no pride as a mage at all," Celia commented on Carlos's use of magic to cook.

"I just thought it would be more convenient to do it this way..."

Carlos's voice trailed off; he was hesitant to contradict Celia.

"Hmm... Is it time to eat?"

Drawn by the aroma, Vlame rubbed her eyes, but when she opened them, the first thing she saw was Carlos. She was startled, but calmed down when she found Celia beside her.

Carlos, who had witnessed everything from beginning to end, was somewhat saddened, but he quickly rallied his spirits and prepared to channel his grief into his appetite.

Celia ruffled Volamey's hair. "Time to eat, Volamey."

"good--"

Vlamera answered in a drawn-out voice, and only when she got up did she realize that she was inexplicably wearing a coat, and that Carlos had given her a strange feeling just now.

So this jacket I'm wearing is his...

The thought crossed Vlame's mind, but she quickly shook her head and banished it from her thoughts.

That despicable demon! They actually tried to break down her psychological defenses using such a method! She wouldn't fall for it!

"Are you very strong?"

"I don't use magic in a human village."

As he ate the roasted rabbit and duck, which were neither marinated in advance nor seasoned, but relied solely on the control of the heat, Carlos indirectly answered Celie's question.

Sure enough, while the other party appeared to be reading inside, they were actually observing their every move.

Fortunately, he was indeed a good demon.

"You want to be a warrior?" Celia asked.

"Warrior?" Carlos looked puzzled. "What's that? I only know about mages and monks."

Celia took a bite of rabbit meat, chewed it slowly, and did not answer his question.

Carlos didn't press further, and the three of them remained silent.

"..."

"I can't eat anymore."

Vlame put down the roast duck skewered on a branch; half the meat was gone, and her belly was swollen.

Despite her efforts to catch up with the other two, this was all she could achieve in the end.

Half of the roast duck floated in the air after being released, and Vlamé looked at Celia.

Noticing her gaze, Celia looked at Carlos.

Carlos pointed to himself, looking puzzled.

"I?"

"You have a small appetite?" Celia asked.

So that's the problem.

Carlos didn't dare say that, his eyes quickly glancing at Vlamé out of the corner of his eye.

"Indeed, I have a small appetite and can't eat anymore."

He subtly averted his gaze, nodded at Celia, and began to lie.

Honesty is indeed a virtue, but lies are also a necessary part of life.

Celia didn't say anything, turned around as if she found it boring, and went into the house.

Vlamé and Carlos were left standing outside, with the former staring at the latter, the half-eaten roast duck floating in the air between them.

"I can freeze it and thaw and reheat it tomorrow morning. Although the taste will be a little different, it won't be a waste of food."

Carlos finally couldn't stand Vlamé's gaze any longer, and as he spoke, his eyes met Vlamé's for the first time.

He asked with his eyes, "Is it okay?"

"Wasting food is shameful," Vlame said.

Upon hearing this, Carlos breathed a sigh of relief, quickly preserved the roast duck according to the method he had just described, and began to deal with the leftovers after the meal.

Throughout this process, Vlame simply watched him silently, without saying a word.