Frieren: Reincarnated As a Demon

Chapter 2: A Family of Love and Devotion

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The two "loving each other" spent time together, night after night, and before they knew it, they had become wandering children and unknowingly spent another year together.

In the primeval forest at noon, sunlight poured down like a waterfall, penetrating the dense treetops and falling to the ground in patches of golden light.

The air in the forest seemed to be slightly warmed by the sun, carrying the fragrance of grass and trees, the scent of moist earth, and also—a strong smell of blood.

More than a dozen wolf corpses were scattered throughout the jungle, with wooden spears piercing through their bodies, as if fired from siege crossbows.

After using gravity magic combined with spears to clear out a large number of wild wolves that were immobilized by Aura's mind control from the treetops, Ash continued to use gravity to suppress the last wolf, at Aura's request.

The only survivor, whose movements were restricted, had a fierce look in its eyes, and its silver fur gleamed in the sunlight. Though terrified of the two monsters, the wolf kept growling lowly in its throat despite being held down.

However, before it could pose any further threat, Aura, whose magic had roughly taken form, conjured an exquisite small scale using magic.

"Now, let's see who's stronger—you or me!" Aura pointed the scale at the wolf with great momentum. But just after speaking, she glanced at the boy next to him and added, "Ash! If the scale tips towards me, kill the wolf immediately!"

As soon as she finished speaking, before Ash could respond, the balance quickly tilted toward the wolf. The once-whimpering creature gradually stopped struggling and lay on the ground obediently, motionless.

"This is..." Before Ash could finish, Aura squatted beside him, staring at the wolf without raising her head, and said, "Let it go, Ash. It's already my pet."

"...I see. Did you succeed in your research on mind control magic? What does that scale do?"

"Good question." Aura suddenly stood up, pointed the scale at him, and smiled mischievously. "Ash, how about you try it yourself? That's more convenient than any explanation, isn't it?"

"No, you just want to use me as an experiment, don't you?" Ash instinctively took a few steps back, keeping a wary eye on both Aura and the wolf.

"Don't you always say you're my big brother? If that's the case, you should be willing to use your body to experience the essence of my life's work, right? It's okay~ I'll take great care of you~ No, wait... it should be your turn to take care of me! Time for you to cook for me!!"

Thinking back on all the times he'd broken the rules and always made her accommodate his needs, Aura became more and more excited, sensing a rare opportunity, feeling like a serf rising up to become master of their own destiny. However...

"What you're saying makes sense, but—I refuse!!"

As the pink-haired loli approached step by step, Ash's expression shifted to a smile, and he suddenly raised his hand, taking the initiative.

An abnormal surge of gravity shot through Aura's body, distorting her expression and causing the scale in her hand to drop. She nearly collapsed to her knees.

But she forced a smile. The injured wolf beside her, as if receiving an unseen command, suddenly leapt toward Ash, attempting to knock him down.

At that moment, Ash looked up.

Boom!!

A shockwave spread from his position.

The fallen leaves scattered in the air, and the wolf that had lunged at Ash flew back before reaching him. Even the pink-haired loli, standing three meters away, was knocked to the ground by the force, staring at him in disbelief.

"—Wha, what?! This shouldn't happen! Isn't your magic only effective on a single target?!"

"Do you think I'm stupid enough to reveal all my secrets to my dearest sister?"

Ash, breathing a little heavily, grabbed her horns and lifted her up. Leaning slightly forward, he pressed his forehead against hers, a sneering smile forming on his face: "Tell me, Aura, how should I punish you for your betrayal?"

"What are you talking about, Ash? Aren't we a loving family?"

"Yes, we are a loving family," Ash nodded gently, but then his expression grew cold. "Which is why betrayal can't be easily forgiven, right?"

"...I just thought you were being too harsh on me, so I wanted a little revenge. It's just the playful and willful behavior of a cute little sister, okay?"

"Oh, what a cute little troublemaker~"

He shrugged indifferently, showing no further dissatisfaction. He simply grabbed Aura by the horns and started walking toward the cave where they lived. Without turning his head, he ordered her to tell the wolf to take its pack back with it.

Aura, accustomed to this treatment, obediently complied but couldn't help muttering, "...At least change the gravity. My pants will be worn out before we even get back."

"Don't worry, I'll find a way to get you new ones. But I'll still give your behind some 'attention' on the way back to the cave."

"You just want to see me walking around naked in front of you, don't you? You're such a pervert, Ash, even though you call yourself my brother."

"It's fine. I've already figured out that demons only give birth to one child at a time. I'm just your brother." Ash dragged Aura along, his face expressionless, unmoved by her bizarre comment.

Aura, tapping her chin thoughtfully with her slender white fingers, tilted her head in confusion, "Even from a common-sense perspective, that statement sounds pretty weird, doesn't it?"

"From a demon's perspective, there's nothing strange about it."

"No, actually, from a demon's perspective, you should have killed me by now, right?"

"Which is why you should praise my generosity."

...

While nonchalantly dealing with Aura on their way back to the cave, Ash couldn't help but glance repeatedly at the wolf dragging its dead companions by the teeth, rather than paying attention to the sister he was hauling along.

Aura's "cute" and willful behavior no longer surprised him, but the wolf's alternating docility and occasional baring of its teeth felt off to Ash.

Just as he was about to question it, the wolf suddenly lunged at him, knocking him to the ground from behind and sinking its teeth into his neck.

Blood splattered everywhere, and Ash's face twisted in pain.

"Hey! What are you doing?! Stop it!" Aura cried out in panic, startled by the sudden attack.

Her intention had only been to reverse the dynamic with Ash and make him care for her, not to kill him.

But the wolf, like a beast that had broken free from its chains, ignored her commands, biting into Ash's neck with savage force.

At the height of this tense moment, another shockwave of repulsive force suddenly surged through the air.

The wolf, with blood and flesh hanging from its jaws, was flung over two meters high without resistance. Then...Ash, still bleeding, grabbed Aura—who was nearly swept away by the aftermath—and positioned her in front of him.

With a sickening puff, he yanked her sharp horns and drove them directly into the wolf's belly, causing its blood and entrails to explode outward, splattering across Aura's face. The pink-haired loli was instantly drenched in blood, her entire body soaked as the wolf's remains gushed over her.