Smells like Trouble ｢
Synopsis[]
When the party happens upon a town whose inhabitants are all mysteriously asleep, it's time for their newest traveling companion to prove his mettle.[1]
Plot[]
Twenty-nine years after Himmel's passing, Frieren's Party ride a cart through the Laub Hills in the Northern Lands. Frieren reads a book while Fern dozes off. Sein asks how long they have all been traveling together, and Fern tells him she went on the journey with Frieren more than four years ago, with Stark adding in that he has been around for about a year. Sein smiles upon hearing the answers.
Sein thinks the party needs an older woman.
Later, Frieren's party continues towards the next village on foot. Sein suddenly remarks that something is missing from their group, which prompts Frieren to list the classes the party currently has. Fern suggests that a thief may be a useful addition, as Frieren always falls for mimic traps. Sein stops and proclaims that most importantly, the party lacks an older woman, and he loudly expresses his belief that every party should have at least one mature lady. Stark points out that Frieren is indeed an older woman, but Sein quickly dismisses the notion. Stark attempts to steer the conversation away from the uncomfortable topic by mentioning that they are approaching the next village.
Frieren's party finds a villager succumbed to the sleeping curse.
As they arrive in the village, they are met with a peculiar sight: all the humans appear to be asleep. Fern points out that they are still breathing and Sein confirms this. Stark questions what is going on, and Frieren suggests they leave for the next village to avoid any trouble. Fern chastises Frieren for the suggestion, and Frieren clarifies that she was joking. Sein continues to examine the villagers and deduces that a curse has been cast upon them, which Frieren concurs. Stark asks Frieren for clarification, and she explains that a curse is a spell employed by monsters and demons that could petrify or put people to sleep, and humanity has not yet unraveled them. She adds that they have yet to discover a way to break curses, causing Stark to fear that the village is doomed. Frieren reassures him that there is still hope, as while humanity's magic can not solve it, the Goddesses' magic used by priests is different. She adds that, for a long time, the role of priests is to counter curses.
Frieren tells Fern and Stark how the Goddess's magic is different to the magic she uses as a mage.
As Sein works to determine the nature of the curse, the rest of the party enters a building. Stark asks what makes Goddess's magic different from other types of magic, and Frieren explains that the magic is recorded in Holy Scriptures, and only those in possession of these scriptures can use it. Frieren adds that the principles of Goddess's magic are barely understood, much like the magic of demons, and therefore it does not appeal to her. She also notes that the magic is difficult to handle unless one has the "Blessing of The Goddess," which makes one more resistant to curses, giving priests an advantage. Stark asks if even Frieren has a hard time defending against curses, to which she replies that mages cannot detect curses, although she can sense that she is being attacked in some way. Fern voices that she feels anxious, and Stark fearfully wonders if they are being actively cursed.
Stark succumbs to the curse.
Sein finishes his examination and proclaims that the curse is rather unique. He suggests that they strike at the source of the curse, otherwise, he would need special equipment, and it would be quicker to deal with the source directly, as he has already determined the location of the monster casting the curse. As soon as they start walking, Stark falls victim to the curse. Frieren asks if Sein can lift the curse temporarily, to which he replies that he can only keep him awake for five seconds. The priest then urges everyone to hurry.
Frieren casts a magical barrier around Stark and Fern.
With no other option, they set off towards the monster while carrying Stark with floating magic. Along the way, they make a campfire, and Fern also falls asleep while she rests. Frieren comments that the situation is bad, and Sein and Frieren decide to leave them as they continue looking for the monster. Frieren casts a magical barrier for protection around Fern and Stark, and she and Sein set off towards the monster. When Sein says they are close to it, Frieren tells him to wake her up when the monster appears. As she subsequently starts falling asleep, she warns Sein not to fight the monster alone and that she promises to defeat it. Sein doubts her to do so in the small time he can awaken her. He carries Frieren on his back for the remaining distance between them and the monster, and he says to himself that he also knows offensive magic.
Sein engages the Chaos Flower.
As he arrives at the location of the monster, he sets down Frieren against a tree. As he confronts the flower-like monster, he notes that it is a subspecies of a Chaos Flower, a monster that puts people to sleep and slowly drains their mana, killing them and later using them as fertilizer. Sein thinks about the weak point of all Chaos Flowers and launches a spell—Three Spears of the Goddess—towards the creature's core.
Sein attacks the Chaos Flower with his Three Spears of the Goddess spell.
To Sein's surprise, his spell is deflected by the mirror-like leaves of the flower. He realizes that if he cannot strike directly at the core, the creature's leaves will reflect his spells and damage the surrounding areas. He considers waking up Frieren, but he quickly dismisses the idea: as a member of the Hero Party, Frieren's spells are too powerful to risk being deflected and potentially devastate the village they are trying to save. He argues to himself that even if he were to awaken her, they have not yet established mutual understanding with each other and within the five seconds, he does not know if he can communicate where to strike the monster.
Frieren casts an offensive spell against the Chaos Flower.
However, Sein suddenly recalls a memory of Heiter telling him and his childhood friend about the adventures of the Hero Party. Heiter believes that adventurers like them did not need trust or mutual understanding, as Frieren was terrible at communicating properly. All they needed was to believe in each others' words, and since Frieren proclaimed to defeat the Demon King no matter what, he chose to believe and trust her. Sein recalls Frieren's words to not fight the monster alone and her promise to defeat it, so he decides to believe in her. Using an awakening spell, he manages to rouse Frieren. The mage gets up, and before Sein manages to finish telling her where to aim, she blasts an offensive spell at the weak point of the monster with ease. With the monster dead, Stark wakes up besides a still-asleep Fern, and he wonders what is going on.
Frieren gives Sein a pat on the head.
Back in the village, the chief, an older woman, thanks Sein. Sein modestly insists that he did not do anything special. The chief gratefully states that the villagers could not have asked for a better way to be reawakened. Sein gleefully smiles as he continues the journey with the rest of the party. Frieren thanks him for his trust and tells him that the moment she woke up, she knew the monster was the type that could reflect spells. Sein calls her incredible, to which she replies that it was thanks to him that they managed to get out alive. She shows her pride in him by patting him on the head. Sein cannot help but think of the beautiful, older villager lady who had thanked him and again bemoans the lack of one in their party.
Lord Orden asks Stark to come to his mansion.
Frieren's party continues traveling further and reaches the Fortress city of Vorig. The party views the city from a distance, and Frieren starts to explain that Vorig is a relay point to Äußerst, and Fern comments that they are finally halfway there. Frieren suggests they resupply in Vorig, but Fern interrupts her and makes her aware of the party's lack of funds. At that moment, a man calls out to them. He approaches the group from his carriage, accompanied by a servant, and takes a good look at Stark. The nobleman comments on his nice body and that his appearance isn't bad either, prompting him to request they visit him in his mansion.
Frieren considers Lord Orden's offer after being told how low they are on funds.
Later, the nobleman sits together with Frieren's party in the mansion. The man asks for Stark's name and the boy answers. Frieren calls the man by name, Lord Orden, and tells him that this is the estate of the Orden family, one of the Three Great Knightly Houses of the Northern Lands. Frieren thinks of his grandfather, a previous lord, as a similarly pushy individual, which Orden dismisses as nonsense and expresses that he wants to converse more with Stark. Frieren interrupts again and says Stark is the warrior of their party. The nobleman brushes Frieren off and addresses Stark, telling him he has a request and that he would pay for it. Displeased, Frieren announces that they are leaving. Fern interrupts and shows Frieren their lack of travel funds. Seeing this, Frieren suggests that they hear what Lord Orden has to say.
Lord Orden requests Stark to be a double for his dead son Wirt.
Lord Orden asks about Stark's hometown, and Stark tells him he is from a village in the Klee Region in the Central Lands. Orden mentions that his family line also originated from that village. They gather in front of a large portrait, and Orden explains that it shows his eldest son, Wirt. Fern comments that Stark and him look alike, and Orden agrees. Frieren asks what this has to do with Orden's request. The nobleman explains that a month before, they fought a large battle against demons, and Wirt sacrificed himself to take down the enemy's general. He recalls the memory of his last moments with Wirt, and he reveals to Frieren's party that only his butler, Gabel, and some of their nearest confidants are aware of Wirt's death.
Stark buckles after Fern reminds him about their dwindling travel expenses.
Frieren asks how Stark would fit into the picture. Orden explains that Vorig is the key to the region's defense and he cannot allow morale to fall. There will be a social gathering of influential figures within the region in three months, and Stark would show up as Wirt's replacement. Frieren asks what the pay would be, and Orden offers ten Strahl gold coins. Fern whispers to the elf that this payment is enough for three meals a day and snacks for a year. Frieren wants a grimoire added to their reward, and Orden accepts the extra condition. Stark presents his scar on the face as a problem, but Orden is of the opinion that the people think Wirt is currently in recovery, and a battle scar would be something honorable. Fern then reaffirms that they need the money and Stark, in low spirits, agrees. After reaching an agreement, Orden orders Gabel to teach Stark proper etiquette.
Stark's etiquette training with Gabel, the butler.
Two of the three months until the event pass as Stark studies etiquette. He is trained on how to ride horses and dance, and he receives general education. Meanwhile, the other members enjoy their free time. Fern meets Stark in one of the estate's hallways and tells him his training appears to be taking a toll on him. When she about his progress, the young man kneels, takes her hand, looks up at her, and asks in return what she thinks. Fern replies that his behavior does not suit him. Stark then stands up and wanders off, leaving Fern alone, and she looks at the hand he had taken.
Stark shows Fern the results of his training.
Lord Orden stands in thought in front of the portrait of Wirt, and Stark meets him, addressing him as "Lord Orden." The nobleman reminds him to say "father" in his presence, as there could always be somebody watching. Stark tells him that he thinks this is too cold considering how recently his son passed, but Orden says that it would have been his son's final wish. Orden admits to not enjoying the plan either but requests for Stark's cooperation. Stark and Orden walk outside into the backyard, where they come across a young boy who is practicing with a sword. Orden introduces him to Stark as his second son, Mut. Orden gives the child strict advice and says to Stark that his heir shows little improvement. Stark immediately recalls memories of his past about his father in the presence of Stoltz, regarding him as a failure.
Stark and the lord discuss Mut's progress while training the Orden family's sword technique.
While the nobleman gives Stark training in the family's technique, Stark asks what Orden thinks of his young son. Orden describes Mut as someone who may not have as much talent as brother, but as he works hard over time, he will grow to someone that could surpass himself. Stark feels relieved and tells him he should explicitly communicate this to his son as encouragement for the boy. Orden states that he already has, but it has seemingly gone to his head and Mut lacks improvement as a result. Stark playfully acknowledges that this is a problem.
Fern learns to dance as part of her etiquette training.
Later, Frieren, Fern, and Lord Orden meet at tea time, where Orden reveals that Fern should also learn etiquette, shocking her. Orden points out that the event is a social gathering and asks if a young man is expected to attend it alone. He asks Frieren if she would prefer to escort him instead like a mother, but Frieren passes the duty off to Fern, wishing her good luck. Fern subsequently goes through the same training by the female staff in etiquette and dance while Sein and Frieren continue enjoying leisurely activities.
Stark and Fern dance together at the ball.
Another month passes, and the evening of the social gathering begins. The ballroom comprises of various noble figures, alongside Frieren's party and Lord Orden. Fern sits in a dress while Stark stands beside her in uniform. The young woman comments that the past month was hellish, and Stark reminds her of her own words that they needed the money. Stark kneels, takes Fern's hand, and requests a dance, as they had practiced for it anyway. She tells him once again that this behavior does not suit him, but she reluctantly follows him to the dance floor. Alongside the other pairs in the ballroom, they dance to music while executing their choreography. They soon get into the dance and appear to enjoy the ambience, and Lord Orden and other guests watch them and appear to be taken in. Frieren sits at a table accompanied by Sein. He asks the elf if she would like to dance too, but Frieren focuses on eating cake and refuses.
Wirt and his father part in anger before Wirt's death.
Lord Orden takes a break in an empty side room and is accompanied by Gabel. He blames his eye injury for not being in the front lines, which may have changed Wirt's fate. As the butler tries to cheer him up, Stark arrives, and Orden confirms that the ball is coming to an end, which means Stark has fulfilled his duty. The Lord commands Gabel to reward Frieren and sends him out. Orden compliments Stark for being a powerful warrior and implies that he could stay here, but the young man declines the offer, as he is not a replacement for his son. The nobleman agrees and says he cannot be a replacement for Stark's father, either. Disappointed, Orden then reveals that he had an argument with Wirt and said something he didn't mean, leading him to part with Wirt in anger right before his death, and he recalls the day in his memory. He expresses his belief that him finding Stark was a miracle. However, for Stark, who recalls Eisen's face, explains that this is just one more reason he cannot stay, as he also said something he didn't mean with the man that raised him, and he wants to bring him stories of his travels. Reinvigorated, Lord Orden accepts the decision.
After the social gathering concludes, Frieren spends half a day looking through grimoires, struggling to choose one. An exhausted Gabel watches over her, and Fern urges Frieren to pick one and not distress the butler even further. Meanwhile, Stark stands with Sein near a window and watches the backyard. Sein remarks that it will take time before the city can rebuild the forces. Stark, however, is just pleased to see Orden training together with Mut, and he comments that Orden does not have to worry about his heir at least.
Lord Orden spends time with his young son, Mut, and trains him in sword skills.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
Locations in Order of Appearance[]
- Laub Hills
- Alt Woods (flashback)
- Fortress City of Vorig
- Klee Region (flashback)
Episode Notes[]
The volume extra from Chapter 31 included in the episode.
- The anime has an extra scene at the start of the episode, consisting of Frieren's Party in the wagon and a conversation between Sein, Stark, and Fern about how long Fern and Stark have been traveling with Frieren. The manga starts with the group walking down a path instead.
- When Frieren's party observes the cursed village, additional scenes are added in the anime, with Frieren noticing that the animals are acting normal and Fern commenting that the inhabitants are breathing.
- In the manga, the conversation about the Magic of the Goddess occurs outdoors instead of indoors in the anime.
- Items related to the worship of the Goddess of Creation, such as on the house altar, were designed by the anime's concept artist, Seiko Yoshioka. These details were coordinated with the authors of the manga, Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe, in order to incorporate important elements to fill in the backgrounds of the anime.[2]
- The anime includes an additional scene based on a volume extra from Chapter 31 in the manga: The morning after the Chaos Flower is defeated, Stark wakes up next to Fern against the tree Frieren and Sein placed them against, and he wonders what is happening.
- The city of Vorig and the backyard of Lord Orden's mansion are populated with birch-like trees, as according to Seiko Yoshioka, the trees symbolize "rebirth," "new beginnings," and "growth." These ideas represent how the will of Lord Orden's eldest son, the late Wirt, is passed on to his younger brother, Mut.[2]
- The anime includes original scenes of Frieren, Fern, and Sein's activities across the period of Stark's etiquette training. The anime also depicts the process of Fern's etiquette training, which is not present in the manga.
- The animator for Fern and Stark's ballroom dance segment, key animator MYOUN, stated that the scene was drawn and animated entirely by hand without the use of CGI (computer-generated imagery) or rotoscoping using motion captured figures.[3][4][5]
- The dance was choreographed by Tatsuro Otake[6] and performed by Satoshi Tateishi[7] and Misaki Tsuyuguchi[8] using motion capture. However, this footage was solely used for reference.[3]
Notes[]
- ↑ Delayed by one week due to the New Year holiday.
References[]
- ↑ Crunchyroll: Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Episode 15.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Interview with Seiko Yoshioka: Part 2.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 MYOUN explains the process behind animating the dance (in Japanese).
- ↑ MYOUN's keyframes for the dance animation (in Japanese).
- ↑ Keiichiro Saito's post about MYOUN's animation (in Japanese).
- ↑ Tatsuro Otake's post on the ballroom dance animation (in Japanese).
- ↑ Satoshi Tateishi's post on the ballroom dance animation (in Japanese).
- ↑ Misaki Tsuyuguchi's post on the ballroom dance animation (in Japanese).
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