With a Little Help ｢
Summary[]
After the conclusion of the First-Class Mage Exam, many examinees remain in Äußerst as they prepare for their next courses of action. Denken treats Laufen, Fern, and Stark to sweets, as his wife passed away when he was young and he has no one to spend his money on. He asks Fern to thank Frieren for reminding him of the joy of magic because Frieren was the one who inspired him to become a mage.
Meanwhile, Wirbel encounters Frieren, and they discuss Wirbel's motivations. Wirbel tells Frieren that the silly adventure stories about Himmel the Hero were what brought him this far, and Frieren recalls Himmel saying that he would not turn his back on people who need a little help even if such actions do not change the world. Frieren reckons that the world is changing after all. Fern later asks Stark and Frieren to attend the ceremony for the special privileges granted to the new first-class mages, but Frieren appears displeased at the thought.
Plot Details[]
After the conclusion of the First-Class Mage Exam, Stark waits for Fern to select a pastry at a pastry shop. Fern eventually selects a basket of pastries, and she looks up to see Laufen pointing at the same basket, with Denken standing behind her. This prompts Denken to treat the three of them to the pastries together.
Denken encourages the others to enjoy the pastries and not worry about him, as he rarely had the chance to savor sweets when he was young. He hands a puzzled Stark a plate of the pastries, and Stark casually thanks him before turning to Fern and inquiring about the identity of the older gentleman. Fern introduces Denken as an Imperial Mage, causing Stark to startle and realize that Denken is of noble status. He promptly apologizes for his informal language. However, Denken dismisses the apology and explains that he arrived in the town as a mage, not as a noble.
Denken talks about his deceased wife.
Stark mentions that he is an unrelated party for Denken to treat, and Denken responds by saying that he has no other use for his money. Fern and Stark express doubt that there is nothing else, citing grandchildren as an example. Denken explains that he has no offspring, as his wife passed away when he was only in his mid-twenties, mentioning that she had always been in poor health. He goes on to reveal that she was a noble's daughter from a remote region in the Northern Plateau, which was in the midst of political strife, and that he was desperate for wealth and influence to save his wife. Denken further adds that he had never felt so helpless as when Serie established the Continental Magic Association and advertised its special privilege shortly after his wife's death. He recalls himself standing beside the Emperor, and he reflects on the irony of the situation, considering that he is now influential enough to command a country. Denken tells Fern that for the longest time, magic had been a tool of conflict for him. He asks Fern to convey to Frieren that, for once in a long time, he was reminded of how enjoyable magic can be. With a smile, Fern encourages Denken to tell Frieren herself and assures him that she would be pleased to hear it. Denken agrees and plans to do just that.
Wirbel helps the elderly woman pick up fruit.
Meanwhile, Frieren sits by herself, content with her purchase of a stack of grimoires, remarking that she expects nothing less from the Magical Town of Äußerst. An elderly woman accidentally drops a basket of fruits right in front of Frieren, who watches on. Wirbel approaches the woman and uses magic to help her gather the scattered fruits back into the basket. Afterwards, he walks up to Frieren, who has resumed reading a grimoire. Wirbel tells Frieren that he would not ignore a situation like that, and Frieren admits that she was briefly concerned. Wirbel expresses mild surprise, mentioning that she was a comrade of Himmel the Hero. Frieren bluntly asks Wirbel to clarify what he means and adds that she should be the one surprised. She tells Wirbel that she has heard Fern's complaints about how he attempted to kill Fern and her team during the first stage of the exam and that Fern described him as someone who would kick a dog. Wirbel smiles, seemingly unfazed by the description, and explains that he was simply making threats. However, while recalling Übel, he implies that there is one person in the world whose death would be beneficial.
Wirbel reveals to Frieren that the special privilege of being granted any magic he desired was his primary motivation for becoming a first-class mage, believing that the more powerful his magic, the more demons he can defeat. Wirbel emphasizes that he will always lend a hand when possible, even if it does not directly relate to his goal. Frieren questions why, and Wirbel is slightly taken aback but continues to speak.
Wirbel describes the heroic tales of Himmel he enjoyed as a child.
Wirbel explains that his hometown is at the Northern Frontier, and he has heard many stories about Himmel there, including his conquest of the Thousand Mirror Tower, his battle with Böse the Immortal, one of the Seven Sages of Destruction, and his encounter with the Hell Emperor Dragon. He adds that when he was a kid, he enjoyed reading stories of said exploits, but he was never told about similar feats by the elderly in the village. Instead, the elderly would tell the young Wirbel about seemingly bland actions performed by Himmel, such as eliminating small monsters, escorting merchants, and transporting goods for the village. Despite this, a young Wirbel observed that the elderly would always talk of these accounts from the bottom of their heart. Wirbel adds that he finally understood once demons attacked his hometown after Himmel's death: the epic tales of Himmel were irrelevant to his village, as everyone had their hands full protecting their daily lives. Wirbel asserts his belief that if Himmel had not come to his village, it would not exist, even if the world became peaceful.
Wirbel realizes the true impact of Himmel's ordinary help.
Frieren continues to listen and asks Wirbel what he was trying to say. Wirbel answers that the silly adventuring stories of Himmel the Hero were what brought him this far, and he states that he had taken too long with his stories as Ehre and Scharf are waiting for him. Before taking his leave, Wirbel urges Frieren to treasure the people that she meets as final farewells do not always happen because of death, and he surmises that Frieren is probably all too aware of the same.
Frieren reflects back to a time when the Hero Party was providing help to a man. Eisen asked Himmel about hethe point of such trivial assistance when their main goal was to defeat the Demon King as soon as possible. Himmel agreed that their help was truly trivial, but he had no intention of forsaking anyone who required his help. In the present, Frieren looks on at Wirbel, Scharf, and Ehre before expressing delight for Himmel that the world is truly changing.
Later at the inn, Fern explains that the special privilege conferment will be occurring that night. She notes that since the mages may bring companions, Stark and Frieren should come along with her. Looking at Frieren, Fern continues to say to herself that Frieren is making an extremely reluctant face towards the idea.
Frieren's displeasure at the thought of attending the ceremony.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
Locations[]
- Äußerst
- Weise Region (flashback)
- Eiseberg (flashback)
- Wirbel's hometown at the Northern Frontier (flashback)
Battles and Events[]
Events[]
- The ceremony for the special privilege for new first-class mages commences.
Objects of Interest[]
- Thousand Mirror Tower
- Hell Emperor Dragon
Chapter Notes[]
- Fern and Laufen picked the same sweets.
- Denken's wife is depicted for the first time.
- Denken has enough influence to command an entire country.
- Himmel conquered the Thousand Mirror Tower.
- Böse the Immortal, one of the Seven Sages of Destruction, is mentioned for the first time.