Starting with Frieren

"Ephemeral Dreams is no ordinary illusion. Even if you've realized its illusory nature, you cannot escape it. It's like a lucid dream—only death can break it," Serie explained.

"And if you die within the illusion, the wisp of your soul fragment in the ancient battlefield will naturally perish in reality."

"Wait a second! There's a major flaw in your logic!"

Ivan slammed his hands down on a table that appeared out of nowhere, then pointed dramatically at Serie with his right hand.

"If dying in the illusion affects reality, and there's no way to end the illusion except through death... then why would you risk entering it yourself?!"

"...I hate to admit it, but this magic is incomplete. I accidentally got dragged into it as well. If I could use magic within the illusion, I could easily escape. But I didn't expect the world you lived in to lack mana entirely—even elves exist only as fantasy creatures."

Serie, disinclined to lie, candidly explained, "If you manage to kill me within the illusion before you die, my soul fragment will also perish in reality. Of course, the illusion won't end, and you'll still age and die here. It'd be a lose-lose situation. So, what do you say? Care for a duel?"

Despite her diminutive stature, which made her look like an elementary school student, and the sealing of all her extraordinary powers, the aura of battle intent and killing intent Serie exuded for a moment left Ivan stunned.

Not to mention the countless students and teachers nearby. If a fight broke out, he'd be at a disadvantage for sure. Foreigner + Version T0? No way he'd win.

Fighting was absolutely out of the question!

"Let's keep it civilized," Ivan muttered repeatedly. "On Blue Star, resorting to violence without provocation doesn't lead anywhere good."

If he could win the fight and gain something from it, sure, he'd fight. But if the odds were against him or if there was no benefit to winning, it was better to reason with the opponent and promote peace.

This was the wisdom passed down by his ancestors.

Ivan continued to persuade her, "Besides, you wouldn't want to waste your time constantly outsmarting and battling me, would you? Isn't it better to spend that time reading a few more books?"

Serie glanced at the book in her hands, her expression softening, and the invisible pressure in the air dissipated significantly.

Sensing the shift, Ivan seized the moment to press his advantage. He raised his right hand solemnly, pointing his left toward the artificial lake, and declared with utter seriousness:

"I swear upon this artificial lake that I will not harm Classmate Serie within this illusion, whether in poverty or wealth, in health or sickness, I will treat her as warmly as a spring breeze! If I break this vow, may I never catch a single fish from this lake for the rest of my life!"

Serie: "..."

How odd. So odd. This vow sounded incredibly off no matter how she listened to it.

Still, Serie had no desire to engage in direct conflict with Ivan at the moment. A vast illusion where she couldn't even find a quiet desk to read would indeed be far too pitiful.

"Very well," the girl nodded. "Within this illusion, I will also refrain from harming you. But should you break your oath, I will pursue you in reality as well—ensuring you never catch a fish again for the rest of your life!"

What a ruthless proclamation!

Ivan knew from her tone that Serie wasn't joking.

Fortunately, the stern and deadly atmosphere didn't linger for long. At the teacher's urging, the two rejoined the group heading back to school. Serie once again picked up her book, now flipping through pages earlier than those she had been reading in the classroom. This ruled out the possibility of her reading from the end to the beginning—she must have started the book over.

"Is this book really that interesting? You're reading it again?"

"Correction, this isn't just reading it again—it's the third time," Serie replied calmly. "The reason is simple. I didn't understand it. Without the aid of magic, tackling this text is quite challenging."

She wasn't worried about Ivan laughing at her—facts were facts, and she valued honesty over a false pretense of dignity.

"Exploring science is a gradual process," Ivan said. "You wouldn't ask a three-year-old who hasn't learned addition to study manned lunar missions, would you?"

"Only by mastering the basics can you understand more advanced knowledge. If you have any foundational questions, I can teach you."

"Oh~?"

Serie turned to stare into Ivan's eyes. "Teach me? You do realize we're enemies."

"Correction," Ivan mimicked her tone in rebuttal. "I have never regarded you as an enemy, nor do we need to be enemies. Even this duel is just a small test. Even within an illusion, wouldn't it be nice if we could get along harmoniously?"

As he spoke, Ivan naturally flashed a bright smile. It was no wonder the "Eye of Truth" system had chosen him as its host—his genuine smile even made Serie momentarily lose her composure.

Though Seriel didn't fully grasp human emotions, she recalled Ivan's earlier gesture of offering food. In nature, when a male presents food to a female and expresses a desire for closer relations, it is typically a precursor to...

"Ivan, are you trying to mate with me?"

"Ph—cough, cough!"

Such a blunt and unexpected remark nearly choked Ivan to death—quite literally from his own saliva.

However, this prompted Ivan to take a different perspective, appraising Serie from the standpoint of the opposite sex. With her youthful features and petite build, he thought, This ancient magical entity still has its charm.

"...Doesn't seem impossible."

Determined to recover from his earlier embarrassment, Ivan took the initiative. "As I said before in the Elven Ancient Tree, in my culture, kneeling on one knee symbolizes either allegiance or a proposal. If I were to replace my request to swear allegiance with a marriage proposal, I wouldn't mind at all. After all, Serie, you're knowledgeable, powerful, and undeniably beautiful. Honestly, you're a very attractive candidate for marriage."

"Hahaha—!"

Serie burst into laughter, heedless of the astonished gazes around her.

"As expected, you're quite extraordinary, Ivan. To witness my power and still confess your feelings to my face—you're the first!"

"But..."

She changed her tone, a proud expression appearing on her face, "Making me like you isn't an easy task. It's as hard as defeating a goddess, so don't waste your time. There's absolutely no way I would ever..."

◇

Ten years later.

"There's absolutely no way I would fall for you."

The girl sat at the head of the bed, covering herself only with a blanket. Despite this, a large expanse of fair, delicate skin was exposed to the air. A few strands of golden hair clung to her forehead, damp with sweat. A faint flush spread from her neck, blending into her creamy complexion, and her face bore a misty, enchanting glow.

Yet, despite the softness of her demeanor, Serie's words remained unyielding.

"This is just a result of hormones, understand? Because my current body is a regular human's, it's inevitably influenced by hormones, which causes desire. It's absolutely not because I have feelings for you. Got it?"