Episode 2

It Didn't Have to Be Magic... (別に魔法じゃなくたって…) is the second episode of the Frieren: Beyond Journey's End anime series. It is the second part of the initial two-hour premier episode, released on September 29, 2023.

Synopsis
Frieren instructs Fern in the use of magic while deciphering a grimoire for Heiter.

Plot
Frieren begins to teach Fern the basics of long-range magic, emphasizing that Fern's mana output and strength will require years of training to master, though her control over mana, an aspect many people struggle with, is very high. Over the next four years, Frieren continues to decipher the grimoire while Fern diligently trains under the elf's tutelage and alone in the woods.

When asked about child's progress by Heiter, Frieren explains that she has learned more than most people would in a decade and that she is studying a little too hard. Suddenly, Heiter collapses and is now bedridden. Heiter remarks that it is miracle that he had been mobile for so long and Frieren ensures him that she will decipher the grimoire quickly. The elf then tells Fern to pause her training on the cliff to stay by Heiter's side, but Fern rejects this notion, saying that she has to be able to hit the rock with her magic before the priest's death.

A backstory shows that a younger Fern was about to jump off a cliff in the aftermath of a war before being stopped by an aged Heiter, who says that it would be a waste for her to die. He explains that he once lost an old friend of his who never abandoned anyone who was in need, supposing that if he were to stay alive, more people would've been saved by his hands compared to the priest's. Heiter had planned to lived his life quietly, but came to the realization that everything that he learned, including precious memories, from his friend would go to waste that way. Likewise for Fern, he believes that the child holds precious memories that should not go wasted.

Having been saved by him, Fern believes that the best way to repay him is to learn any skill that would help her survive so that he could remain glad that she was saved and will remain to be safe. Convinced by the child's convictions, Frieren allows her to continue training as she continues to decipher the grimoire that could possibly save Heiter.

Eventually, Fern was finally able to achieve her goal of hitting a nearby rock with her magic while Frieren finishes deciphering the grimoire which did not contain any spells related to revival or immortality. This revelation, however, did not surprise Heiter who supposes that the Sage Ewig would have used the spell themselves if it was true. With Frieren's approval of Fern being a proper mage, it was revealed that the priest's main objective all along was to have Fern learn enough that she would not be a hindrance to Frieren as the elf's travelling apprentice.

Heiter requests that the two leave the same night before his death so that Fern does not lose anyone anymore, but an emotional Frieren rejects this and tells Heiter to give the child a proper farewell and to make as many memories as possible. When asked why he saved Fern, Heiter gives the reasoning that the Hero Himmel would have done the same thing. Later, Frieren climbs the same cliff where she met Fern to witness the fruits of the child's training. Heiter's death eventually arrives as Fern expresses gratitude to Frieren for allowing her to repay the priest as the elf pours two full bottles of alcohol over his tombstone. The two finally set off on their journey.

Frieren and Fern have been doing odd and simple jobs in exchange for magic spells. An unamused Fern believes that the two share slightly different views on magic, but Frieren insists that they're both the same in loving magic. They eventually come upon a herbalist who requests the two for help in cleaning the statue of Himmel in exchange for information about the local flora. The statue is then cleaned, not before Frieren reminisces about how long it took for the hero to settle on a pose for the statue.

The herbalist plans to add some flowers to give the statue more color, but before Frieren summons a flower bed-making spell, she remembers that Himmel used to love blue moon weed flowers though she has never seen them before. The herbalist claims that it has been decades since the flowers have been spotted, but this does not stop Frieren from searching for them. Before leaving, Frieren spots Fern hiding seed rats in her robe as the latter claims that she will release them in the forest.

Six months pass into Frieren's search for the flowers as Fern is discouraged to learn that the elf does not plan on stopping anytime soon. An impatient Fern vents to the herbalist about how Frieren should not be spending her time searching for something that doesn't exist. In response to this, the herbalist hands Fern a bag of seeds of related species and tells Fern to convey her feelings to the elf as she must see things very differently to humans.

As Fern conveys her feelings to Frieren, the latter understands that she is no longer on her own time and claims that the search will end soon. Fern was displeased to hear "soon", but before the conversation could continue, the two spot a seed rat that takes the bag of seeds and begin to follow it. Fern asks Frieren why she collects spells and although it may seem more than that, Frieren insists that it was just a hobby that an idiot complimented.

The two eventually spot a tower that contains seeds the seed rats would bury and promptly forget about. Frieren flies towards the top of the tower as a flashback of Himmel wishing to view the blue moon weed flowers with Frieren appears. The top of the tower is revealed to be full of said flowers as Fern soon follows Frieren from behind. Fern continues to not understand why Frieren loves magic, but the latter insists that she does understand as she chose to learn magic above all else.

Himmel's statue is finally decorated with a bed of blue moon weed flowers to the satisfaction of the herbalist. Before Frieren and Fern leave, Frieren remembers to place a wreath of flowers on top of Himmel's head.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Frieren
 * Fern
 * Heiter
 * Fern's parents (flashback)
 * Herbalist
 * Himmel (flashback)
 * Denken (flashback)