Frilian: This Demon Isn't So Cold

"Let's take a picture," Carlos suddenly suggested after they finished picking the mushrooms next to the icicle cherry blossoms.

"Master and the others aren't here, it's just the three of us, isn't that a bit inappropriate?" Sylvia said somewhat embarrassedly.

"Um?"

Carlos originally wanted the two of them to take a photo together under the icicle pillar, but Sylvia thought it should be the three of them together.

"They'll have other chances later, but this first experience of being moved is unique." Carlos pulled her hand and led her inside.

Sylvia suddenly became hesitant. "Where do I cast the [Image Recall] spell? I've already used up all the jewelry I bought."

"I plan to cover this one up." Carlos took out the pendant from his chest, opened it, and the last image was displayed inside. "After all, mine is just a copy, no different from the one you're wearing now, so there's nothing to regret about losing it."

"……good."

After a brief silence, Sylvia grasped his hand in return, but Celia refused to take a photo with them.

"I already have something like this for...remembrance," she said.

So in the end, under the icicle and cherry tree in the scene, only Carlos and Sylvie are there.

"So beautiful, I'd like to trade places with you." Sylvia was increasingly satisfied with the footage Carlos had just recorded.

Carlos was very understanding. "If you really like it, I can just give it to you."

"No." To everyone's surprise, Sylvia disagreed, even though she had just said it herself. "It's best if you keep this footage."

Since this is a scene featuring only him and her, having Carlos save it would undoubtedly be a more satisfying solution for her than for her to save it.

"Oh, I see... I should have bought more back then." Carlos's voice carried a hint of regret.

"It's okay," Sylvia comforted him. "If too many images are recorded, they'll become less precious."

It turned out to be the case.

Carlos was surprised that Sylvie knew these principles.

Just like some antique collectors who, even though they have two identical antiques, insist on destroying one of them.

Because a unique copy can sell for more than the sum of two copies.

But can this principle also play a role in images?

Carlos was confused.

"Let's go back," Celia reminded the two people she saw whispering sweet nothings under the tree.

Celia didn't notice the way they came; it was all Carlos and Sylvia chattering along the way. Even though they were just gathering herbs and hadn't rested along the way, they gave her the illusion that they were having a great time.

In the middle, beneath the icicle cherry tree, she felt a touch of joy, just like the icicle cherry tree itself, dreamlike and ethereal.

On the way back, the feeling from before vanished again, and only the constant bickering of Carlos and Sylvie could be heard.

"We're back."

Without disturbing anyone in the caravan, Sylvia began secretly brewing medicine for Frilian in the carriage.

"This is my first time brewing medicine," Sylvia said to everyone before she began.

"I know," Vlame nodded with a smile, "but we don't have much experience to share with you."

After all, none of us had ever brewed medicine before.

Still curled up in her sleeping bag, Frillie overheard their conversation and suddenly had a bad feeling.

She tentatively asked, "Can I not drink it?"

"What do you think?" Sylvia replied to Frillie with a bright smile.

"As the first hero to test the drug, we will mourn for you," Carlos said, offering a prayer to Frilian.

Frillie trembled slightly; her little face peeking out from her sleeping bag looked both pitiful and helpless.

"Don't worry, Frilian, I'll have a taste first," Vlame said gently.

"What if it's hard to swallow?" Carlos asked, a little curious.

"This medicinal soup is something you all painstakingly prepared after going out all this way. How can you not drink it?"

"The answer is obvious, Frilian." Carlos smiled with a hint of schadenfreude upon hearing Vlamé's reply. "Whether it tastes good or not, this bowl of medicine will have to go down your throat from now on."

"I'll try my best to make it taste better," Sylvia said, waving her little fist to encourage herself.

Carlos, however, said, "Good medicine tastes bitter, and I believe Frilian will understand."

"I don't understand at all, achoo—!"

Frillie sneezed again and then fell silent.

Incidentally, the air around her was isolated by Carlos using [barrier magic], so it wouldn't affect the other people in the carriage.

A little while later, more time passed.

"Alright, Ms. Frillie." In Frillie's eyes, Sylvia's devilish smile appeared before her. "Open your mouth, ah—"

"You said you'd try the taste first?" Frilian looked at Volamey, who had just said she would do it this way.

"Hearing what my senior brother just said, I feel there's no need for me to try it first," Vlame said with a gentle smile. "After all, the result will be the same no matter what."

"Alright, please open your mouth, Ms. Frilian. Or would you prefer me to call you junior sister?" Sylvia said with a friendly smile. "The temperature has dropped, now is the perfect time."

Like a prisoner heading to the execution ground, Frillie opened her mouth wide and sipped the medicine that Sylvia had brewed. Surprisingly, it felt quite good. The freshly brewed medicine flowed down her esophagus into her stomach, and the warmth it emitted made her feel very comfortable.

"It tastes good," she mumbled drowsily.

"Really, Ms. Frillie?" Sylvia said, quite surprised. "Don't say that just to comfort me."

Frillie, of course, did not exhibit the high emotional intelligence that Sylvia had imagined. She simply continued, "Mmm, it's really delicious."

Hearing Frilian's heartfelt praise, Sylvia left a small sip of the medicinal soup for herself instead of feeding it to Frilian.

Indeed, Frilian, who was testing the drug, was right; it really did taste delicious.

"Would you like a sip too?" Sylvia asked Carlos, holding the small spoon she had just taken a sip of.

Carlos stared at the medicine in the spoon, wondering if Sylvia had realized something—

These are things she just imported herself.

"The bodies of demons are different from those of humans, so this medicine may not work for me."

"It's okay, come on, come on~"

Sylvia forcefully tried to shove the spoon into Carlos's mouth, and to prevent the medicine from splashing out, Carlos had no choice but to open his mouth and taste it.

"..."

Sure enough, all the imported food was fake. The medicine just tasted like medicine. It didn't become sweeter just because it was contaminated with someone's saliva. It was simply medicine.

"How is it?"

"Yes, it really tastes good, so good that it doesn't even taste like medicine."

"Right, right~" Seeing him drink the medicine clean, Sylvia's eyes crinkled. "Maybe I really do have a talent for this."

Then Carlos took out the bread.

"It's time to eat."

"Ugh, more of this hard stuff. When will I ever finish this?!" Seeing the bread, Sylvia's smile vanished, replaced by a listless expression. "I should have known better than to buy so much!"

The bread in the north is quite... firm. Sylvia used to think that bread should be like that, until she came to this area and discovered that bread can also be soft.

"If you don't want to eat it, it's fine to throw it away. We've already bought softer bread anyway," Carlos said.

"No! We can't waste food." Sylvia took a vicious bite of her hard bread. "Besides, you're all eating this, how can I enjoy it all by myself?"

"What about Frillian?" Carlos glanced at the elf who was enjoying a soft bread.

"She's a patient, different from us. And if she has to eat this kind of hard bread even when she's sick, don't you think it's a bit too pitiful?" Sylvia explained to Frillie.

So, as long as I'm sick, I can keep eating this soft and fluffy bread?

"A cold is really nice..." Frillie muttered softly, a happy smile spreading across her face.

As expected of you.

Upon hearing Frillie's muttered words, Carlos looked away.

He wouldn't stoop to the level of an idiot.