Chapter 22

Scales of Obedience (の) is the twenty-second chapter of Yamada Kanehito & Abe Tsukasa's Sousou no Frieren.

Summary
Right after the events of the previous chapter, it shows Frieren and Aura getting ready to fight. Then it shows proceeds to show the life of Frieren, under the apprenticeship of Flamme. Once Flamme perishes due to old age, it shows Frieren's life just before she is recruited by the hero party. Then it goes back to the present, when the battle between Aura and Frieren has just begun. During this fight Frieren restricts her mana, which results in Aura calling her weak, overlooking her abilities. As Frieren releases the seal placed upon herself, she commands Aura to kill herself.

Plot Details
Frieren observes Aura's Scales of Obedience and links Aura's incredible mana levels with her confidence in using the Scales, given that she has lived for over five hundred years, a period of time longer than most demons. As Aura begins to utilize her submission magic, Frieren pities the demons' inability to limit their mana.

During her apprenticeship under Flamme, Frieren's younger self questions her mentor why demons don't conceal their mana. Flamme responds that demons are simply unable to: demon society practices the concept of order and hierarchy so they're able to battle against humans. To establish this order, they use strength, a measure decided by their mana levels, and thus are able to immediately discern what their peers' order in society are based on their mana. Flamme likens this superiority ranking around mana to how humans base superiority around status and wealth. Thus, considering that mana is quite literally the identity and dignity of a demon, she explains that there is no benefit to them limiting their mana and the thought isn't even entertained. Flamme expresses pity towards how demons are bound by their mana despite how much they enjoy magic, and asks Frieren if she is glad she isn't a demon. The elf responds positively, and notes that she is able to deceive demons for this very reason. Flamme comments that Frieren has been limiting her mana for three years and praises her abilities.

Many years later, an older Flamme meets Frieren by a cliff and asks if she still enjoys magic, to which Frieren responds that she does in a moderate amount. Flamme reminds Frieren about her love for magic decades ago and mentions how she only taught Frieren magic used for fighting and revenge, but states that she has no regrets entrusting her magic to the elf. She tells Frieren that she will be capable of defeating the Demon King one day and makes a final request to grow a flower bed around her grave, as she loves flower bed magic the most. As Frieren requests for her to teach her the magic, Flamme tells her to live modestly and make her mark in history when she defeats the Demon King.

After Flamme passes away, Frieren honors her request and grows a flower bed around her grave. The elf then begins traveling and training on her own, eventually encountering Himmel and his party. Heiter mentions her average mana levels, but Himmel's intuition tells him that Frieren is the most powerful mage he has ever met and invites her to his party. The group then advances on their journey to slay the Demon King.

Back in the present, Aura casts Auserlese, and two fires appear. Frieren points out Aura's confidence, and the demon observes that although she isn't aware of Frieren's age, her mana levels are much lower than hers, calculating that the mage has only trained for a century at most. The scale tilts in Aura's favor and she confidently declares her victory, moving to behead Frieren. However, to her confusion, the scales begin to even out.

Frieren thanks Aura for using her magic, as it would be a much easier end than her fighting the undead army, and she reveals to the demon that she has been limiting her mana. Aura tries to combat the statement and expresses she didn't sense instability in Frieren's mana, but Frieren attributes this to the incredibile familiarity she has with naturally keeping her mana levels limited. Aura contests this with the fact that she is a demon who has lived for over five hundred years, but Frieren, unleashing her mana, reveals that she has lived for at least a millenium. Frieren, now with Aura under her control, commands the demon to kill herself.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Aura
 * Frieren
 * Flamme
 * Himmel
 * Heiter
 * Eisen
 * Qual
 * Demon King