After touching the Goddess's Monument, Diego caught the unconscious Frieren and laid out a blanket nearby for her to rest.
Alicia looked at the sleeping Frieren and asked, "Did she return safely?"
Diego nodded, took a deep breath, and extended an invitation to Sui. "It might be too late to say this now, but allow me, Dio, to formally invite you to join my, Dio's, party. Come with me to subjugate the Demon King."
"Hmph, fine." Sui snorted, looking to be in quite a good mood. "But don't overthink it. I only agreed because you'd probably die easily without me around."
"Alright, alright, whatever you say."
Diego discovered something: as long as he went along with what Sui said, her mood would improve greatly and she would become particularly easy to talk to.
"Oh right, which one of you three knows how to tie a bow?" Diego suddenly asked, remembering something.
Mabel raised her hand excitedly. "Me! I know how!"
Diego lowered his head, holding out the hat with "Dio" written on it toward Mabel, and handed her a silk ribbon. He said softly, "Tie one on my hat for me."
"Why do you suddenly want a bow?" Alicia asked curiously.
Diego's eyelashes lowered, hiding the flash of longing that passed through his eyes. He was quiet and restrained.
"Just a sudden whim."
...
Eighty-one years after Diego's disappearance...
Northern Plateau, Kino Canyon.
At the Goddess's Monument, Stark and Fern were staring curiously at Alicia and Frieren. Sein was smoking in the distance, enjoying the scenery. Mabel was quietly lying in Sui's arms being petted.
Fern bent down and walked over to the two of them, asking curiously, "Lady Alicia, what are you and Lady Frieren doing?"
Before Alicia could answer, Frieren seemed to just come back to her senses. She looked around blankly and murmured, "This is..."
It seemed she had successfully returned to the future...
But how did Dio know the incantation for returning?
He said he could understand it?
"Frieren, did you gain anything?" Alicia patted Frieren's head and asked with a smile.
Frieren narrowed her eyes, her tone gloomy like a bullied resentful wife. "...Alicia, did you all know the whole time?"
"Who knows?" Alicia looked away, sticking out her little red tongue.
Frieren grumbled quietly, "Mean-spirited, mean-spirited..."
Noticing the commotion over here, Sui drawled loudly, "Hey————, are you done yet————?"
Alicia responded with a smile, "All solved————"
"Is that so? Then let's set off again." Sui smiled along and drew the King God Sword from her storage magic. "Hozumi, I'll leave the rest to you!"
Immediately afterward, under everyone's gaze, Sui's expression changed as if she had split personality. She looked very smug, with two little tiger teeth clearly visible.
"Ku!"
Seeing this, Stark leaned close to Fern and whispered in her ear, "Why does it feel like she's become a completely different person?"
Fern shook her head, indicating she didn't know.
"Where are we heading off to?" Sein blew out a smoke ring. "The Empire?"
"...! Hah——?" Sui's expression twisted. Her eyes swirled like a vortex, and her mouth split into a grin that was almost tearing. "Don't ask!"
Hearing that, Sein extinguished his cigarette. His gaze sharpened as he took out his Holy Scripture. "An undead?"
"Hozumi." Alicia spoke up in time.
"…Hm?" Hozumi shifted her gaze to Alicia. After a second of surprise, she showed a bright smile and crossed her hands. "Ah… it's little Alicia. In that case, it's fine to ask. I permit it. After all, I can't beat you."
"Uh, what was it again? Where are we going?"
This is completely a bully-the-weak, fear-the-strong undead...
Sein turned into a deadpan stare and silently put away the Holy Scripture.
"Do you even need to ask?" Hozumi raised the King God Sword and waved it toward the sky, speaking like a kindergarten teacher asking children if they want to play a game. "If you want to come with me to kill Brando-kun, line up properly. Make sure to hold onto my hand!!"
!!
"What..."
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire group fell silent!
"What, didn't little elf girl Elga tell you?" Hozumi sighed and shrugged with both hands spread out. "I really can't do anything with you bunch of ignorant guys!"
Then, she placed her hand on her chest and explained, "Just like the Freeze God Sword, the King God Sword is also a divine tool that coexists with its inheritor and fulfills their wishes. And the cute Brando-kun was once an inheritor of the King God Sword too!"
"Is that true, Master?" Stark asked in surprise.
Mabel nodded, her pupils losing their highlights as she rolled her eyes. "Back then, Hozumi wanted to take over Dio's body, but she failed. Instead, Dio turned the tables on her. Even the divine tool was taken away..."
"Shut up. If you bring up my dark history again, I'll fight you all!!!" The Hozumi possessing Sui's body instantly got agitated.
Mabel reluctantly closed her mouth. "...Oh."
Hozumi straightened her expression and said seriously, "Therefore, just as the inheritor can summon the divine tool, the King God Sword can also return to its master's side. And for that, I, who am residing in the King God Sword, need to help."
Fern understood the implication in Hozumi's words and concluded thoughtfully, "In other words, we don't need to go to the Demon King's castle?"
Smack!
"Exactly!" Hozumi proudly put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you going to say thank you to Lady Hozumi?"
Hearing that, Sein waved his hand. "I won't be going. My destination has always been the Empire, to bring back that stupid best friend of mine."
Fern and Stark exchanged a glance, then nodded heavily and said to everyone, "In that case, the two of us won't be going for now either."
Alicia said thoughtfully, "I see..."
"Eh? Stark, are you abandoning your master again?!" Mabel clearly didn't understand and shamelessly hugged Stark's leg, saying pitifully, "Don't go!"
Fern said in disbelief, "How pathetic..."
"No, Fern and I are more worried about Sein." Stark helped Mabel up and explained, "Shadow Warriors are quite difficult opponents, right? As a cleric, Sein definitely can't fight them alone."
"The two of us want to help Sein bring back his best friend first, then go visit Master."
The wind blew past. Stark stood with one hand on his hip, his red hair fluttering in the wind. In Sein's eyes, he was dazzling.
"Stark..." Sein was deeply moved. "I'm so touched. I've decided to forgive you for showing off your relationship in front of me!!"
Stark's eyes widened as he denied without any self-awareness, "I didn't!"
"Speaking of which..." Frieren suddenly spoke up. She took out an envelope from her luggage and read it. "This is a mission notice from the Continental Magic Association. Serie sent it via carrier pigeon to Fern not long ago."
"Why are you only telling me now?" Fern was somewhat dissatisfied.
Frieren explained, "Because it's not mandatory to participate, I just put it away."
Serie's original words: No need to take it too seriously. Come watch the show.
Frieren continued, "The mission content is to eliminate the Shadow Warriors."
"Not long ago, Dio sent intelligence to the Continental Magic Association. The Shadow Warriors plan to assassinate Serie during the ball in the palace on the final day of National Day."
"In other words, Serie will be able to help you to some extent, Sein."
Stark blinked and looked around. Seeing that the others were unmoved, he quickly said,
"Wait, aren't any of you worried?! This is an assassination!! Why do you all look so indifferent? Serie might actually die, you know?!"
"I can't imagine Lady Serie being assassinated." Fern said slowly.
"Lady Serie sparred with me. She's completely unafraid of being approached at close range." Alicia tilted her head as she recalled the scene. "Even if I launched a surprise attack first, I couldn't beat her. She gave me the feeling of not being a mage at all, but rather a top-tier warrior."
Just like... Dio.
"Hey! Don't ignore me! Do you still want to see little brother Brando or not?!" Seeing that no one was praising her, Hozumi crossed her arms unhappily and puffed up her cheeks. "Well, since you don't care, I'll go first. You guys can take your time playing with those Shadow Warriors!"
"Ah, sorry sorry, we're coming now!"
Then, Alicia, Mabel, and Frieren together grabbed the hilt of the King God Sword.
"Have a safe journey." Sein raised the corners of his mouth. "This journey has really been very enjoyable."
Stark waved his hands frantically on the side, seeing the four off. "Say hello to Master for me! After I help Sein bring his best friend back home, Fern and I will go find Master to play!"
"Lady Frieren, remember to give my gift to Lord Diego." Fern reminded her worriedly. "Also, even in another world, don't sleep in. Eat properly, remember to comb your hair every day, and wash your clothes every day..."
"Stop talking already. Leave me some dignity." Frieren's ears drooped, her expression turning into ＜(´⌯ ⩊ ⌯`)＞.
Whoosh...
A pillar of light enveloped the four of them.
Hozumi said in a low voice:
"Holders of my sword..."
"Cut through thorns, slay gods if gods block the way..."
"Certainly can achieve..."
"Return to the Land of Soul's Rest and set foot on home soil once more..."
Whoosh!
In an instant, the four figures disappeared.
Seeing this, Stark said with a smile,
"Then let's set off as well!"
"Fern! Sein!"