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The Golden Land ｢
Summary[]
Thirty years after the Hero Himmel's passing, Frieren's Party are in the Weise Region. Frieren's Party receives a private request from first-class mage Lernen to assist the new barrier keeper of the Golden Land, which is a region transformed into gold at the hands of Macht, one of the Seven Sages of Destruction, fifty years ago. Frieren is initially wary but accepts due to a grimoire that is included as the reward. Upon arriving at the Golden Land, they find that the new keeper of the Golden Land's barrier is Denken, who finally receives the post after successfully becoming a first-class mage. Denken, having revisited his hometown, intends to face Macht of Golden Land and return the Golden Land to normal, an idea which Frieren immediately dismisses as she refuses to engage in a battle with Macht. It turns out that Macht is one of the eleven people Frieren has lost to, and she can still not picture herself defeating Macht. Frieren says it is the best choice to leave him sealed inside the barrier until he dies, to which Denken says that was his initial idea. However, after he revisited his hometown and visited his wife's grave, he decided on this undertaking. Denken tells Frieren's Party they do not have to accept the request and that he intends to face Macht alone, but Frieren, after recalling a memory with Himmel and the Hero Party, agrees to help Denken "seize a chance of victory."
Plot Details[]
Thirty years after the Hero Himmel's passing, Frieren's Party are in the Northern Plateau, specifically the Weise Region. Frieren's Party receive a special request from first-class mage Lernen. Frieren considers turning it down, citing the fact that an unofficial request can only spell trouble. When Fern notes she is being unenthusiastic, Frieren replies it is because she dislikes Lernen. Stark explains that Lernen once attacked Frieren out of nowhere, wounding her shoulder. However, when the request comes with a grimoire, Frieren decides to take on the job.
The party soon arrives at the Golden Land, a massive region made of gold, protected by a powerful anti-perception barrier. Fifty years ago, one of the Seven Sages of Destruction, Macht of Golden Land, transmuted the Fortress City of Weise and its inhabitants into gold. The Continental Magic Association then created a barrier around the area to seal Macht inside with the intent of imprisoning him until his natural death. At the barrier, the party is surprised to meet Denken, who has taken over the position of barrier keeper after becoming a first-class mage. Denken explains that he asked Serie to be the barrier keeper because his hometown, a village to the north of the Fortress City of Weise, had been engulfed by the Golden Land a few years ago. Although the barrier has sealed Macht inside, his magic still expands from the barrier even now. This is why every year the first-class mage assigned to be the barrier keeper must adjust the barrier's range, a task that seems to have continued for fifty years.
Frieren comments that it is a good plan and she would have done the same. When Denken mentions that he had entered the Golden Land and visited the grave of his wife, Frieren asks him if he was content. She warns him that they will not assist in any way if he intends to fight Macht. She declares that they will not be accepting Lernen's request and tells Fern to return the grimoire. Fern and Stark are confused at her avoidant attitude compared to how eager she usually is about fighting demons. However, Frieren is adamant, claiming she always prioritizes everyone's lives. Macht is one of the eleven mages who has beaten her in battle, and even now she cannot imagine herself beating Macht. Frieren claims that the best way to defeat him is to leave him sealed in the barrier until he dies of old age.
Denken says that at first he also thought that would be enough. He says he had not once returned to his hometown since his wife died when he was young. Even though he kept telling himself to return one day, he used his work as excuse to avoid facing his past, in fear that it might remind him of the happier times he had when his wife was alive. He only made the decision to return not out of a heroic resolve to defeat Macht and save his hometown, but to let go of what he loved. However, when he revisited his hometown after half a century, Denken found that it had stayed just as in his memories and realized he had only been running from the truth.
Upon hearing his story, Frieren remembers the time when Himmel talked with her about the spell to produce a field of flowers. Frieren explained that she avoided using this spell because it reminded her of Flamme, her late master. She commented how surprising it was that she felt at peace when using it in front of Himmel and the Hero Party, even though she had tried not to for many years. Himmel told her she must have had a long and painful journey that she could not realize that the time she spent with her master was truly happy, and told her that it was alright to reminisce over the happy times of the past.
In the present, Denken tells Frieren and her party that they do not have to accept this request and that Lernen only did this out of concern for him. He has planned to face Macht alone from the beginning and is fully intent on restoring his hometown before he dies. He says he has managed to secure some clues to a chance of victory. Moved by her recollection of Himmel, Frieren decides to help Denken secure a chance of victory against Macht.
