Frieren: Understand Humans, Aura!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone !!!! (≧∇≦)

Here's the extra chapter to celebrate it (～￣▽￣)～

Oh yeah... there will be no update for one week since I need some time to enjoy my holiday.... Cyaa~~

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'Finally, finally, she was caught.'

Flamme looked at the purple-haired demon, her mana sealed under Flamme's barrier, obediently putting on the shackles, completely submissive.

For a long moment, Flamme didn't move. She simply watched, her chest rising and falling with slow, measured breaths.

It was the first time she had truly allowed herself to relax.

Still, there was much to do. This wasn't the end—this was only the beginning.

Though she had already formulated a plan to eliminate the demon's hostility towards Aura, it hadn't been implemented yet. If she allowed Aura to wander outside, she would likely fall victim to the demons' harm.

Moreover, Aura's humanity still needed to be evaluated. With Aura vast knowledge and ideas that are ahead of her time, no matter which side she chose, whether demon or human, it would completely change the situation.

Flamme understood humans, so she would never entrust Aura to them.

But she loved humanity, so Flamme would never allow Aura to harm humans either.

So... this was the only way...

'Aura... you won't have to wait long.'

'I will accomplish this before the end of my life.'

'I will teach you how to protect yourself without harming humans and help you become a great asset in the eyes of the demons while deeply integrating yourself into humanity.'

A faint soft smile crossed her lips. "We have plenty of time, Aura."

Flamme reached out, her hand hovering just above Aura's head before resting on one of her horns. It was smooth and warm, but one hand couldn't fully hold it. The demon's body visibly trembled as Aura, kneeling on the ground, looked up at Flamme with disbelief.

"What are you planning to do to me?!" Aura cried, her voice sharp with panic.

The shackles on her neck and wrists clinked as she instinctively tried to pull away, but Flamme's hand held firm.

The reaction amused Flamme more than it should have. She felt the faint tremors in Aura's body through her hand but kept her expression neutral. A small, almost playful smile flickered across her lips before she hid it behind a mask of seriousness.

"In Kribi, there's an ongoing research project about demons," Flamme said, her voice calm yet pointed. "And we need demons as test subjects."

Aura's eyes widened in shock. "Test subjects?!"

"And you, Aura, are my experiment."

Aura raised her shackled hands, the faint clinking sound cutting through the tense air. She frowned, her voice lowering to an almost sulking tone. "Do I have to wear this all the time?"

Flamme tilted her head slightly, "I can let you wear it all the time."

"..."

Flamme allowed herself a brief smile, savoring the moment. With a flick of her hand, the shimmering barrier surrounding them dissolved, leaving only the two of them in the quiet aftermath of the battlefield.

Flamme reached into her pocket and retrieved a small cylindrical object. She held it up to the sky and twisted the top. A sharp hiss followed as a flare shot up, bursting into a vivid red streak against the skyline.

Not long after, the distant thunder of hooves echoed from outside the city. The sound grew louder, reverberating through the streets until Flamme's entourage appeared, galloping toward her. Five riders arrived, their horses pulling a sturdy prison cart behind them.

The cart was an imposing sight, clearly designed for a dangerous captive. Its cage, crafted from iron bars as thick as a grown man's wrist, stood tall, sealed from all sides. The metal gleamed faintly under the light, its polished surface devoid of even a hint of rust. It was evident the cage was newly built, perhaps commissioned specifically for this mission.

The design of the cart was simple yet meticulous. The cage wasn't large—just enough to confine a single occupant. A heavy black cloth lay folded near the base, ready to be thrown over the structure to conceal its contents. Secrecy was paramount; the transport of a demon, was not a matter to be paraded through the streets.

The topic of demons was always sensitive among human kingdoms, especially during the ongoing human-demon war. Although the Continental Magic Association had approved Flamme's request for demon research, they had also sent a note advising her to minimize the number of people who knew, to avoid stirring up rumors and public outcry.

Flamme didn't pull at the chains on Aura but opened the cage door and stepped aside, and said to Aura:

"Climb in yourself."

"..."

Aura thought Flamme was crazy.

Her calm tone was as if she was inviting Aura to take a ride there for a tour

Yet she was being treated like an experiment.

Though Aura wanted to punch that smug face of Flamme's a few times, the situation was more powerful than her. She obediently climbed into the cart and curled up in a corner.

Flamme, seemingly satisfied, climbed onto the cart herself. She didn't take a seat in a more comfortable compartment or ride alongside her entourage. Instead, she settled right in front of the cage, her staff resting casually against her shoulder.

"You really won't kill me?" Aura's voice was low, hesitant.

Flamme turned her head slightly, arching an eyebrow. A faint smile tugged at her lips. "Kill you? Why would I waste such a valuable specimen?"

Aura stiffened at the word.

Flamme leaned back, crossing her legs as she regarded the demon with a mixture of amusement and calculation. "Aura, by your own admission, you've killed countless humans. Do you really think you can escape punishment so easily? No, a demon like you is far more useful alive. An obedient great demon can provide unparalleled value in a laboratory before their eventual... expiration."

A timid voice came from behind, and Flamme turned to glance at Aura before smiling again and threatening:

"Aura, you want to die, but it's not that easy!"

"..."

Clip-clop, clip-clop—

The sound of hooves continued to echo steadily against the dirt road, a rhythmic, unbroken sound that filled the silence of the prison cart. Aura, inside the cage, remained still. Her body was rigid, her eyes staring vacantly out through the bars, but her mind churned with restless thoughts, plotting her next move, considering every possible escape.

Flamme, however, seemed unfazed. She leaned back against the cage, her posture relaxed, though her mind was far from it.

The events of the past few hours weighed heavily on her. Her breath came out slowly, a long, almost exhausted sigh escaping her lips. The explosive magic she had just unleashed in her fight—magic so powerful it had obliterated four great demons—had nearly drained her of all her strength.

In her twenties, she could cast such high-output spells with little thought or effort, the mana flowing effortlessly from her. But now, in her late thirties, things were different. Though her mana had continued to grow stronger, her once carefree use of explosive magic had to be tempered. Every spell, every burst of power now came with a cost.

Flamme reflected on how her fighting style had shifted over the years. She had moved away from reckless, high-explosive magic and had developed a more tactical approach. Instead of throwing everything into one grand attack, she now used barrier magic and other spells to probe for weaknesses, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Then, with a single, targeted magic spear, she could neutralize her opponent's powers. It was a deadly efficient method. Few demons, no matter their size or strength, could withstand her targeted strikes, especially once they were caught off guard by her precise tactics.

After all, no demon had more comprehensive magical knowledge than she did. Most demons only focused on the types of magic they were good at, and could only block her initial probing attacks with unfamiliar magic, unable to handle her next, more targeted assault.

Flamme had once asked Serie about this. Serie had said that even if she personally trained Flamme, she would only reach this level at fifty.

'If the theory that Aura taught me could be promoted among humans... no... just spreading the theory wasn't enough. Aura would have to personally teach, as demons had an innate sensitivity to magic, which would allow for more tailored instruction... but Aura would never agree to that.'

'She hated humans so much, always thinking about escaping.'

Flamme's musings were interrupted by the sudden realization that it had grown too quiet. She turned slightly, her brows furrowing. Even Aura's breathing had become imperceptible.

Moments later, one of her subordinates approached, his footsteps light but urgent. Leaning close, he whispered, "Milady, the demon in the cage... she's trying to pick the lock with her nails. We didn't notice at first, but she's already halfway through opening it."

Flamme closed her eyes briefly, suppressing the annoyance rising within her. She opened them and replied curtly, "Bring me a cloth. I'll deal with her."

When the subordinate returned, Flamme took the cloth and climbed onto the cart. Sliding open a panel at the back of the cage, she stared directly at Aura, who froze mid-motion, her nails still poised near the lock.

Thankfully, Aura had acted too hastily, so Flamme was able to secure her restless fingers in advance. The rest of the journey was much smoother.

Flamme had planned it this way. But after she wrapped up Aura's fingers, turning them into a bundle of cloth then returned to her seat. The cart resumed its journey, the sound of hooves filling the silence once more. But the reprieve was short-lived.

Barely an hour had passed when another subordinate approached, looking even more hesitant than the first. He leaned close, whispering as though embarrassed. "Milady, the demon... she's taken off her shoes. She's trying to pick the lock with her toes. Two of the locks are already open."

Flamme blinked, momentarily at a loss for words. Then she let out a laugh. "Her feet? Really? How resourceful."

She stood, stretching her stiff limbs. "Bring me shackles. Two pairs. If she wants to act like an acrobat, we'll see how far she gets with her ankles bound."