Chapter 90

Glück is the ninetieth chapter of Yamada Kanehito & Abe Tsukasa's Frieren: Beyond Journey's End.

Summary
Macht attacked the carriage for a nobleman heading towards the Fortified City of Weise and killed all of the noble's guards. This nobleman was Glück, the feudal lord of Weise. With the demon's blade by his neck, Glück fearlessly requested to smoke one last cigarette, which intrigued Macht and they conversed.

Macht told Glück about his quest to understand foreign emotions. When he learned of the demon's preoccupation, Gluck detailed the history of his life. He was the ruler of the Fortified City of Weise, which had long been plagued with corruption. Yet he did not take any action against the corruption and the suffering of the people until his son was murdered by the other nobles for publicly pleading them to improve the city. Because of his son's death, Glück became determined to change Weise for the better, resorting to multiple assassinations of the corrupted nobles in power. When Macht questioned the reason he was retelling this, Glück revealed that he was negotiating with the demon. Glück would teach Macht the emotions he did not understand, but only on a condition. Macht must assassinate the allies of the nobles who were in power and help him gain control of Weise. Macht accepted the condition and proceeded to eliminate all of Glück's political opponents.

Plot Details
The chapter opens with a monologue from Macht saying he attacked the carriage of a nobleman heading to the Fortified City of Weise out of a whim. This person happened to be the feudal lord of Weise, Glück. After seeing him kill all of his guards, Glück told him they were all excellent subordinates whom he did not expect to get wiped so easily. Macht asked if those subordinates were trained in "killing people", to which Glück asked if it were bad. The demon said he did not know, but those trained in killing people were ill-suited to battle with demons. Since demons' physics and reaction speed are on a different level than humans, those who could not shake the habits of killing humans would not be able to adjust to the discrepancy. The nobleman noted the information and asked Macht what it would take for him to die. He reached into his jacket for something, which Macht recognized as a threat and responded by bringing the sword up his neck.

However, the nobleman only calmly pulled out his cigarette box and asked to have one last smoke, not deterred by the demon's threat. Macht obliged him, commenting how despite not having the airs of a murderer, Glück had the eyes of one. The noble said it was because he had ordered the deaths of many political rivals, though noting that they were much more despicable than he was. When he said he had been burdened with guilt for the evils he had committed, Macht's interest was piqued, and he told Glück about the emotions he had been looking for.

Glück appeared contemplative, asking the demon if he had concepts of good and evil. When Macht did not understand, Glück commented that his was a much happier existence. He launched into an explanation of Weise's history. The Fortified City of Weise was a corrupted place, where disgraced nobles from the Imperial City settled and continued their struggles for power and influence. Although Glück was the feudal lord in name, another noble family and their allies held actual power. They neglected the administration of the city and sabotaged its citizens to enrich themselves. Even though Glück was dismayed about the situation, he had never once taken action. Instead, his son had made a public appeal to the nobles of Weise to help the city, for which they assassinated him and staged it like a suicide. At the time, Glück wondered how such a terrible act could be done so callously, but he said it was too easy "even an idiot could do it" after ordering another's death himself.

Macht asked if he were avenging his son. Noting that the demon understood the concept of "revenge", Glück did not deny it, but he claimed his goal was carrying out his son's wish to make Weise a better place to live. His cigarette ran out at this admittance. Macht asked Glück why he had told the demon this. Glück replied that he was negotiating with the demon. Since Glück's life had been filled with malice, he would be able to teach Macht the emotions he lacked. However, in return, Macht must work for him and get rid of his political opponents, who were incredibly cunning and cautious. Glück told Macht they were extremely well guarded by those trained in "killing people".

Macht accepted the condition and proceeded to eliminate the members of the noble family in power within half a year. This noble then came to question Glück about the deaths of his relatives, but Glück made a show of ignorance, saying he would help look into the ones responsible. When the other noble accused him of playing dumb, Glück reminded him what he had said when Glück's son just died and claimed that the situation was exactly the same then. He then dismissed the other noble, telling him to rest easy and remember to lock his door.

On the balcony of his mansion with Macht by his side, Glück told Macht that he planned to have the demon work for him on the front stage as well. At first Macht replied rather promptly, making Glück restate that he was the feudal lord of Weise. With an affected smile, Macht replied in a changed manner of speech towards his new "master".

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Macht
 * Glück

Locations
Northern Plateau, Weise Region, Fortified City of Weise

Spells
Di Agolze