Kreis the Blacksmith ｢
Summary[]
Plot Details[]
At the meeting between the first-class mages, Übel plays around by dressing Sense with a pair of cat ears she had purchased. Fern interrupts them to ask Übel for details about her fight against the Magic Special Forces per Frieren's request. Übel reminds her that Land has already briefed them, but Fern insists to hear the fight from her perspective. Fern asks if she heard a buzzing sound during the battle, and Übel recalls the spell that Neu had used, which had limited her senses and mana detection. She expresses that understanding how the Magic Special Forces fight will not make them any less threatening, but she begins recounting her experience.
Meanwhile, Frieren and Stark look over the list of Shadow Warriors. Stark retorts his concern about their lack of information, given how massive Eiseberg is and the fact that the ball is the very next day. Frieren tells Stark to relay his concerns to Sense and points out that acting now is better than nothing and their best case scenario is preventing the assassination of Serie. However, Frieren also expresses her doubts towards their ability to find the Shadow Warriors and considers that it is very likely they will face off at the ball. She recognizes Lore from their previous battle but notes that they will unlikely be able to detect her mana, and she laments the fact that the Magic Special Forces noticed their battle, else Fern may have been able to track Lore.
As Frieren continues recalling the previous battle between her party and the Shadow Warriors, she mentions that they are not certain of where the Magic Special Forces stand between the two groups, and they should not be facing them directly. She tells Stark that after Fern finishes collecting information about the forces, they should head out to search for the Shadow Warriors. Stark wonders where Sein is, and Frieren informs him that he had already left and appeared rather invested in the mission. Stark looks at the image of Sein's childhood friend on the list of Shadow Warriors and comments that it makes sense for him to be. On the streets of Eiseberg, Sein relentlessly continues his search for Gorilla.
At a blacksmith's shop, Wehrlos tells the blacksmith to close shop for the day. The blacksmith, who is named Kreis, reminds Wehrlos that he needs to earn his living. He complains that because of the Shadow Warriors's mission, he needs to make up for the amount of money his "sister," Schritt, is spending on alcohol. Wehrlos reminds Kreis of Schritt's swordsmanship capabilities, ranking her as one of the top five swordsmen in the Empire. Kreis tells Wehrlos that him being aware of such a fact means that he should know she is capable of living through the mission.
Kreis tells Wehrlos to leave, but Wehrlos brings up that someone was searching for him: a priest with a goatee. Kreis asks if Wehrlos killed him, but Wehrlos tells him that there were too many people within their surroundings and that the man seemed to truly believe Kreis was an individual named "Gorilla Warrior." Wehrlos comments that the man will not be able to find who he is looking for, and Kreis agrees, reaffirming that his original name was ridiculous and he was correct to abandon it.
Wehrlos thinks back to his discussion with Sein. Upon hearing who Sein was looking for, he pointed out the absurdity of the name. Sein agreed, but he stated that his friend wanted to become someone who would be remembered, and to do so, he had to have a memorable name. However, as a result, Sein forgot his friend's real name. Sein continued, stating that even if his friend gave up on the moniker, he had to find him so they could achieve their dream of becoming unforgettable heroes together. Sein then told Wehrlos to refer to him as "Goatee Priest."
Wehrlos relays that the priest called himself "Goatee Priest" to Kreis, but Kreis asks why he is mentioning this. Wehrlos reveals that the priest is a member of Frieren's party, and that means he will be their enemy during their next encounter. Kreis once again questions why Wehrlos is bringing this subject up, and he asks if the dwarf wants him to beg for him to not kill his childhood friend. Wehrlos apologizes in response.
Elsewhere, Iris and Routine visit Lore, who is traumatized from her battle with Frieren's party. Iris asks Lore about her current condition, and Routine notes that this is the first time Lore has been subject to a direct attack by the enemy, which would explain her response. Iris remarks how Lore was only hit with a single direct shot, and she compares it to her past torturous experiences. She recalls how Clematis healed her after she was tortured but bitterly recounts how he told her to return to battle immediately despite her pain. She praises Lore for her decision to confine herself, else Clematis would have likely pushed her into returning to the battlefield, given that they are just pawns to him.
Iris and Routine exit Lore's room and meet with Clematis, who is currently engaged in a game of chess against Löwe. He asks about Lore's condition, and Iris responds that Lore is not currently fit to return to battle. Clematis decides to come up with a new strategy and acknowledges that they were at least able to obtain some information about the fight with Frieren's party. He asks Iris about his dinner, but she curtly tells him to starve. After Iris and Routine leave, Löwe asks if Clematis is certain about leaving Lore out, as that means he will be their sole commander. Clematis explains that while he does use the Shadow Warriors as pawns, he is not interested in wasting a life and does not intend to bring anyone who would hold them back. He also brings up that Lore was trained to become his successor, so her loss may be a good experience for her, and he trusts her capabilities to clean up after the mission concludes if he ends up perishing.
Löwe asks Clematis how many individuals will die for the mission, and Clematis ignores the question, instead reminding Löwe that he can take charge as the Shadow Warriors's commander if he has an issue with his approach. When Clematis addresses Löwe as a governor general, Löwe stresses that his title is in name only and he is simply another pawn who is skilled solely with murder. Clematis asks why Serie needs to be assassinated, but Löwe in turn asks if a mission needs a reason to be carried out. Clematis continues pushing and emphasizes that if Löwe has a goal in mind, he can help him achieve it. Löwe relents and reveals that he intends to eliminate magic from the world.
Frieren meets with Sein on the streets of the capital and comments that he ultimately could not find his friend. Sein requests to join Frieren in infiltrating the ball with the rest of Serie's bodyguards. Frieren agrees, but she reminds him that she will not hold back in killing members of either the Magic Special Forces or the Shadow Warriors, and she will always prioritize the lives of Fern and Stark. However, she reassures Sein that she will try her best to deliver the best outcome. Sein thanks her and voices his surprise about Frieren's involvement in the mission, and she admits that although she does not care about the assassination plot, the Empire is her master's legacy, and she wishes to maintain it even if Serie won't. As she continues talking, Frieren notices an odd sensation.
Frieren and the rest of her party continue searching through Eiseberg but are unsuccessful in gathering intel about the Shadow Warriors. Fern notices that Frieren is on edge, and Frieren points out the sensation she felt earlier. She brings up the two most dangerous individuals to the Empire: the commander of the Shadow Warriors, and an unknown individual who has been watching them throughout their time in Eiseberg. Frieren explains that Serie had just scanned the entire capital with her mana detection, which may be her method of interfering with the force's mana detection and picking a fight with them. Frieren confesses that if not for Serie spreading her mana detection, she herself very likely would not have noticed the foreign layer of mana detection.
Kanone meets her captain Fräse in the latter's office to report the progress of security for the imperial ball. Fräse tells Kanone that she can now focus on her mission, as the Magic Special Forces have been granted approval to move freely. Kanone asks what mission Fräse is referring to, as the captain has simply told her to maintain order during the Foundation Festival. Fräse recalls that she did, in fact, give such an order, as otherwise, the Magic Special Forces would not have been involved with the ball. Fräse asks if Kanone has any issues with her mission and reminds her that she cannot let the Shadow Warriors interfere with the ball, as the event is a symbol of peace.
Fräse continues discussing Kanone's mission of maintaining public order and concludes that they should prepare contingency plans, which prompts Kanone to comment that Fräse appears to be waiting for something to happen. Kanone asks what the Magic Special Forces are to do if they end up facing the Shadow Warriors, and Fräse implies Kanone should deal with them accordingly through force. She tells Kanone that she hopes the vice-captain can make the right choices, and they fight for the eternal prosperity of magic in the Empire.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
Locations[]
- Imperial Territory