Frieren: Understand Humans, Aura!

Sheila waved as the group of young apprentices disappeared down the road, their cheerful laughter echoing in the cooling evening air. They playfully teased their friend for his grand ambition, throwing friendly jabs about how he'd surely forget them once he reached greater heights. They knew that among them, he was the one who could actually make it. If there was any justice in the world, his talent should take him far beyond the confines of Hohenburg.

The sound of their voices gradually faded into the distance.

Sheila lowered her hand, her fingers slowly curling into a tight fist.

'—Thank me for my encouragement?'

'—Why would I encourage you?'

An inexplicable frustration flared within Sheila, an unprovoked fire burning in her chest.

Had she not made herself clear enough?

'Going to Kribi as a magic exchange student? Impossible, absolutely impossible! The three available spots had long since been taken by noble children assigned by the Graf. It was no longer about talent—no matter how gifted you were, you couldn't apply anymore!'

'No matter how many times you ask me, I can't give you a spot!!'

In the end, it was indeed Sheila who confirmed the final list, but her superiors had already given her three names. There was nothing she could do to expand the number of spots.

Even though these young mages showed her utmost respect, Sheila dared not overstep her authority to grant them rights they were no longer entitled to.

'—I'm just an ordinary person. What can I do? Don't come to me seeking fairness—I can barely look out for myself…'

"Quite the talent, huh~"

Just as Sheila was drowning in irritation, a voice suddenly sounded behind her. She turned around to see that Aura had never left. She had been following behind, listening to her conversation with the apprentice the entire time.

Aura's gaze lingered on the group of vibrant young apprentices disappearing into the distance. She narrowed her eyes slightly, then remarked with admiration:

"That human has remarkable talent. Even among those of his age in Kribi, few could match his level of magic. He's a genius."

Sheila hesitated. Though she hadn't expected Aura to take such an interest, she found herself nodding.

"Indeed, as you say, Miss Aura. Andro is the most gifted mage apprentice we have here. Although he comes from poverty and only encountered magic late in life, his achievements are in no way inferior to noble students who have studied since childhood."

"Then his name must be on the list of those going to Kribi," Aura stated matter-of-factly. "A talent like his would only reach its full potential there. Kribi's libraries, its higher mages—he needs those resources. Here, he'll stagnate."

Sheila hesitated, her expression unreadable.

"…Actually… staying behind after graduation and contributing to his hometown is a fine option too."

"Then why not study in Kribi first and return to contribute afterward? Wouldn't that be better?"

"...."

Sheila stared at Aura's clear, wide-open purple eyes and found herself at a loss for words.

'—How naive.'

This department head, directly dispatched from Kribi, understood nothing at all.

Sheila turned her head away, refusing to answer.

Among the mages who had left, aside from mediocre ones like herself, who would ever come back? Who would even want to?

The only ones who remained were those like herself—people who clung to power where they could find it, who swallowed their pride and served the nobility in exchange for the scraps of authority they were given.

Aura noticed Sheila's deliberately didn't answer and changed the subject, Aura's eyes flickered a few times, but she didn't ask any more questions.

She merely cast a thoughtful gaze toward the academy gates, watching the spirited young apprentices depart.

————————————

Serie had sent Aura here to reform the system. But since Aura knew nothing of governance or reform, she could only interpret Serie's orders in the simplest way possible.

Select the most talented humans, train them to a certain level, and send them to Kribi.

How to utilize these humans? That was a matter for the first-class mages at the Mage Association Headquarters to decide.

Aura's only duty was to send them over.

To send only those worth using.

But looking at it now, wasn't the education system here working just fine? That human mage, Andro, had already been selected and would be sent to Kribi.

Thinking about it made Aura grit her teeth. Watching a human genius be sent off to Kribi to receive a superior education—it felt like slow torture to her soul.

How was this any different from forcing her to ruin her own kin with her own hands?

Yet, for the sake of Schlacht's plan, Aura had no choice. She had to play along with the Mage Association, earn their trust, and ultimately steal that classified document.

Standing atop the highest level of the Mage Association branch in Hohenburg—at the very peak of a clock tower—Aura gazed down upon the entire city.

The buildings, packed haphazardly together, were a patchwork of aging stone and wooden rooftops, their structures barely holding together.

The streets were narrow and winding, choked with uneven cobblestones that bore the weight of countless footsteps, carts, and livestock. Smoke curled lazily from chimneys, mixing with the ever-present haze that clung to the city like a second skin.

From this height, the people below looked like mere insects scurrying about their daily routines. Their shoulders hunched against the wind, their faces blank with exhaustion—lifeless, yet trudging forward all the same.

Aura took it all in with an indifferent gaze.

Serie had spoken of Hohenburg's problems. Flamme's investigation had supposedly uncovered major flaws in its education system. Yet, as Aura observed the city from above, she saw no such glaring issues.

Could Flamme's report have been exaggerated?

Perhaps Serie's concerns were misplaced.

Maybe the so-called educational decline had never existed in the first place.

"Miss Aura, how did you climb so high up? It's dangerous!"

A sudden shout from below pulled her from her thoughts.

Aura glanced downward, her eyes quickly locating the source of the voice. It was Sheila, waving up at her, her expression a mix of exasperation and concern.

From the way she stood, arms slightly crossed with a forced patience, it was clear she had something to discuss.

Aura sighed, tightening her grip on her hat to prevent the wind from stealing it away. Then, without hesitation, she stepped forward—off the edge of the clock tower.

She didn't even bother using levitation magic.

She simply fell.

A violent gust rushed past her ears as the air whistled around her descending form. The stone walls of the tower blurred beside her. For a moment, the world was weightless.

Then—

Boom!!!

A deep, resounding impact shook the ground as she landed, sending a thick cloud of dust into the air.

Sheila gasped sharply, clutching her chest as her breath hitched.

Her eyes widened in horror as she took a step back, watching with barely concealed shock as Aura casually straightened herself from the small crater she had left in the ground.

"You… Y-You just jumped straight down?!" Sheila stammered, her voice an octave higher than usual.

Aura dusted off the hem of her robe, completely unbothered. "Mages are supposed to ignore terrain, aren't they?"

"But you didn't even use magic!"

"I did."

Sheila's brow furrowed. "There was no mana fluctuation."

"You're too weak to perceive it."

"..."

'—Are you seriously that powerful?'

Sheila felt a little indignant.

It was difficult to believe. The girl before her wasn't much older than a fresh graduate. Even the prodigies of Kribi, at Aura's age, would still be finishing their foundational studies. They'd be full of theoretical knowledge, sure, but real combat experience? That took years to refine.

Yet this purple-haired girl spoke with a casual arrogance that made Sheila's teeth itch.

It was as if the concept of 'danger' didn't even exist to her.

And worst of all, no matter how much Sheila wanted to argue, she had no choice but to hold her tongue.

This wasn't just some visiting mage. This was her superior.

She was used to enduring.

Taking a slow breath to steady herself, she got to the point. "The Graf has sent an invitation."

Aura raised an eyebrow. "A what?"

"Graf Konrad," Sheila clarified. "He's arranged a banquet to welcome you."

"A banquet for me?"

"Yes," Sheila confirmed, her voice measured.

Aura tilted her head, visibly puzzled.

"I don't even know him. Why is this 'something-rad' being so generous?"

Sheila exhaled, choosing to ignore Aura's deliberate butchering of the name. "It's Graf Konrad. He has always respected scholars. Upon hearing that you hail from Kribi, he assumed you must be well-traveled and highly knowledgeable. A mage of prestige. That's why he's offering you this special treatment." She hesitated before adding, "The previous director never received such an honor. The Graf sees you as a pillar of humanity, a cornerstone of the Mage Association, and thus extends his courtesy."

Aura stared at her.

"A pillar of humanity, huh…"

Something in her expression shifted.

For a brief moment, there was a flicker of something—contempt, boredom, or maybe just sheer disinterest.

And then, just as quickly, it was gone.

"That has nothing to do with me."

Despite the carefully worded flattery, Aura suddenly found herself losing all interest in the subject.