01x04 - The Land Where Souls Rest

[bunniefuu]

Like a fairy tale

It's a sign the story has reached its end

Like a single passage taken from

A journey that was too long

Of the evil that once cast a shadow

Across this land

And the memories of the short journey

With the hero who defeated it

Beyond Journey's End

The story ends

And the hero goes to sleep

Leaving this land with

Days of peace and quiet

The passage of time heartlessly

Makes people forget

Even the tracks left behind by his life

Begin to rust

Just the same

Your words and wishes and courage

Are still inside of me

And they live on

We chose the same path

That's all it was supposed to be

Why is it that at some point

I wanted to understand the reason for

The tears that fall down my cheeks

Even now

If I retrace the journey we walked together

Even though you're not there

I know I'll be able to find it

years after the death of Himmel the Hero, at the Granz Channel, located in the central lands

This area has always been difficult to navigate,

so all kinds of things wash up here.

It used to be that the entire village helped clean up the shore.

But now you don't have enough people, so it lies neglected.

These waters used to be beautifully clear.

I know.

How about this as payment?

It's a book written by Flamme the Legendary Mage.

Ms. Frieren.

Is this the only grimoire you have in your village?

Yes.

Very well. We'll clean up the area for you.

That grimoire is a fake, isn't it?

I see you've been studying like I told you to. Good girl, Fern.

Books attributed to Flamme are never real. This is just another poor imitation.

Why did you accept the job?

To help someone in need.

I find that hard to believe.

You're right. I'm doing this for me.

Sounds like we've got another long stay ahead of us.

Thanks for being such a regular customer, Fern.

I threw in an extra one for you.

Thank you.

It's been three months already.

Have you gotten used to the village?

Yes.

The shore gets cold this time of year. Be careful.

It's winter already.

She's still asleep.

This place is a mess.

I just tidied up yesterday, too.

Ms. Frieren, it's morning. Please wake up.

Let's go clean up the shore.

So cold...

I've been thinking.

About what?

Are you actually a very sloppy person?

Every morning I wake you up, feed you breakfast, and help you get dressed.

I'm practically your mother.

I can do all that myself.

But then you'd sleep until noon.

Yeah.

Well, I've already given up hope, anyway.

Sorry.

How did you manage traveling with the hero's party?

There wasn't anyone there to look after you.

I overslept all the time.

And you never got in trouble for it?

I did, just once.

Just once? They must have been very tolerant.

They were a whole different breed.

Also, Heiter sometimes clicked his tongue.

Sorry.

Hey.

I understand how you feel, but...

Sounds like they were rather upset with you.

How is the cleanup coming along?

We have about a third of it left.

Do you think you'll be done in time for the New Year's Festival?

Just barely.

In that case, I hope you'll be able to watch the sunrise this time, Ms. Frieren.

Is the beach cleanup related to the New Year's Festival somehow?

In this village, it's customary to watch the sunrise on the day of the New Year's Festival.

They say it's beautiful how the light reflects off the clear waters.

You haven't seen it?

Do you think I'd be able to wake up that early?

I suppose not.

Let's hurry. We don't have much time.

No problems with the water quality.

We managed to finish by the day before.

It hardly looks like the same beach.

Thank you, Ms. Frieren.

You'll be joining us for the New Year's Festival, won't you?

Yes.

We'd love to have you.

Have you lost your mind, Ms. Frieren?

You'll have to wake up before the sun rises.

That's impossible for you.

I'll be fine. I just need to stay up all night.

You're that desperate to see the sunrise?

Honestly, I'm not interested, which is why I want to see it for myself.

I don't understand.

No, I suppose you wouldn't.

Why didn't you come to the New Year's Festival, Frieren?

The shock was so great, it left Heiter bedridden. Poor guy.

He's just out of commission because he drank too much.

What's the problem? The rest of you got to go.

We wanted you to enjoy it, too.

It's just a sunrise. I doubt I'd enjoy it much.

No, you would.

Why?

Because you're that kind of person.

She's asleep.

She's asleep!

Ms. Frieren, wake up. You'll be late for the New Year's Festival.

Mother...

Who are you calling "Mother"?

Why am I doing this?

Thank you, Fern.

It's certainly pretty, but it wasn't worth waking up early for.

Himmel didn't understand me after all.

Fern, I'm going home so I can go back to...

Ms. Frieren, it's beautiful.

Is it?

It's just a sunrise.

But you seem to be enjoying yourself a little.

That's because you're smiling.

I wouldn't have been able to see this sunrise if I'd been on my own.

Of course not. After all, you can't get out of bed by yourself.

Episode : The Land Where Souls Rest

Are these for your family?

It was a long time ago.

My village was att*cked by demons.

What are you doing?

Praying.

People return to nothingness when they die.

No, they go to Heaven.

Until several thousand years ago,

the commonly held belief was that there was no afterlife.

Dwarves value tradition.

I'm skeptical about the idea of a heaven myself,

but since current magics can't observe the souls of the dead,

its existence can't be proven or disproven.

I don't think it matters either way.

You're right. I don't care if it exists or not.

Should a man of the cloth be saying that, you corrupt priest?

But even if it doesn't exist, I believe it should.

Why?

Because it's more convenient that way.

All those people doing their best to live deserve something better

than nothingness awaiting them.

I prefer to think they get to live the good life in Heaven.

That certainly is more convenient.

Shall we pray?

Yeah.

years after the death of Himmel the Hero, in the Bredt region, located in the central lands

Eisen, I'm here to hang out.

You act like it hasn't been thirty years.

What's a mere thirty years?

You're right.

I never thought you'd take on an apprentice.

Eisen, is there anything you need help with?

Frieren, I heard you asked Heiter the same thing.

I'm not on my deathbed yet.

How do you know about that?

Because we wrote to each other.

You're more conscientious than you look.

You're just too indifferent.

So, do you need help with anything?

Voll Basin...

This place brings back memories.

You've been here before?

A long time ago.

"A long time," she said. How long must that be?

Perhaps she came here in prehistoric times.

Not even I've lived that long.

So, what are we looking for?

The notes of Flamme the Legendary Mage.

Fine. You know most of Flamme's supposed writings are fake, though?

I have a lead.

Heiter deduced the location from records on Flamme left in the holy city.

Her genuine notes are located somewhere in Voll Basin.

Frieren, you must know that.

That corrupt priest. He'd gotten that far in his research?

Fine. We'll begin by searching for a large tree.

A large tree?

That's ridiculous. There are tons of trees.

Well, I suppose you have all the time in the world.

That's right.

But Fern wouldn't like that, so I'll try to finish quickly.

Let's search as efficiently as possible.

You've changed.

You never cared about other people's time before.

Fern is scary when she's mad.

I see. Then I should watch myself.

Ms. Frieren.

There's a large tree to the west growing over some ruins.

This way.

Got it.

Hey. Why did you decide to look for Flamme's notes?

Because I felt sorry for you.

What?

I felt sorry for you and Himmel.

On that day thirty years ago,

you said you wished you'd gotten to know Himmel better.

You should tell Himmel himself that.

They say the notes of Flamme the Legendary Mage describe her conversing with the dead.

That's just a fairy tale. Besides, I don't want to see him now.

All magic started as fairy tales.

And don't you want to know more about Himmel?

That's why I talked it over with Heiter.

We were sure you had regrets, so we wanted to help you.

Ms. Frieren, both the tree and ruins are protected by a powerful barrier.

Even after a thousand years, I'm still dancing in the palm of my master's hand.

How's that little sapling going to keep watch?

Don't sell it short.

Once it grows, it'll still be protecting this place a thousand years from now.

You'll be dead by then.

But you won't be.

Someday, you'll make a terrible mistake and wish you'd gotten to know people better.

Do you wish I knew you better? Are you being needy?

Yeah, no.

When that happens, return to this place.

Then I, Flamme the Legendary Mage, will help you.

Those are Flamme's notes?

Are they real?

They're real.

How do you know that?

Frieren was Flamme's best student.

Flamme the Legendary Mage is an ancient hero who's written about in magical history.

Are you sure you haven't been around since prehistoric times?

Does it say anything about speaking to the dead?

It's already opened to that very page.

Did she know a thousand years ago that I'd come here?

What an unpleasant woman.

"On the northernmost end of the continent..."

I arrived at the place the people of this world call heaven:

Aureole, the land where souls rest.

Many souls gather there,

and I spoke with friends who once fought alongside me.

This discovery of the century...

"...will propel research on souls forward."

Do you suppose it's true?

Who knows? She was an irresponsible person.

Heaven exists.

It's more convenient if it does.

You're right. Perhaps I should believe in it for once.

Where exactly is this place?

Give me a moment.

The northern continent... Ende.

Ende?

Yes.

It's where the Demon King's castle is located now.

But why there?

Frieren.

You must find Aureole and speak with Himmel.

You said you'd help me, didn't you?

You've learned some cunning tricks, Eisen.

Thanks to Heiter.

Fine. I didn't have a particular destination anyway.

But it's so cold around the Demon King's castle.

I don't want to go.

She's already feeling discouraged.

She fell asleep.

What a carefree girl.

It's cold. I don't want to go.

She's moaning in her sleep.

Is it really that cold around the Demon King's castle?

Ende, where the castle is, is located at the very northernmost end of the continent.

We went through a lot in that place.

A lot?

This is awkward.

Maybe I'll wake Ms. Frieren.

Ms. Frieren. Ms. Frieren.

She won't wake up.

Say, Fern. Is she a good master?

That's a good question.

I don't really know.

All she does is drag me around while she searches for magic.

But she does seem interested in getting to know Mr. Himmel and his companions.

Perhaps she's not very interested in me.

Ms. Frieren only took me on as an apprentice

because she promised Mr. Heiter she would.

I see.

But she's such a strange person.

After we began traveling together, she started giving me birthday presents.

Normally she seems so disinterested in me.

I wonder what she's thinking. She's so strange.

Frieren, you're not going to stay in the royal capital?

I'm going to keep traveling.

Alone?

It'll be nice and easy.

You're not going to take on an apprentice?

Traveling is better when you have someone to talk to.

It's a waste of time.

Even if I taught them, they'd die in no time.

Frieren, that's not how relationships work.

Yes, it is.

My adventure with you wasn't even one one-hundredth of my life.

You must understand that, Eisen.

I...

Okay, okay. That's enough depressing talk.

Today is a day for celebrating. Let's drink.

You just want a reason to drink, don't you?

You saw right through me.

You're always drinking.

You corrupt priest.

Fern...

She's a good master.

You're right.

Eisen, you're really not coming with us?

That's right.

I told you before, I'd only get in your way.

I see.

You remember how to get to Ende, don't you?

Yes. First we travel through the Wille region,

and then we cross Riegel Canyon and pass through the northern lands checkpoint.

Sorry to ask this of you.

It'll be a long journey.

It took us ten years.

I see.

We'll be following the same path Mr. Himmel's party took to the Demon King's castle.

You're right.

It'll be a mere ten-year adventure.

And you alright

Can you hear me

Trailing along deserted train tracks

Crying excessively

Wanting you to smile

I hold on to memories I'd like to keep fresh

There's something I'd like to tell you

With words more precious than a goodbye

Unremarkable yet special

See, things that couldn't have been

Seen if it weren't for these eyes

Why? They begin to overflow

So, if I were to be born again

I would surely choose this place once more

So, if we were to meet again

I'd never let you go, I'd choose the present

Even if no promises were made

Even if I'm lost in days of loneliness

Those tears will be alright, dawn will surely break

I’m whispering our lullaby

for you to come back home

Do you think I can become a powerful warrior?

I'll haunt you after I'm dead.

You really do collect a lot of odd spells.

Travelers, may I have a moment of your time?

Why haven't you defeated the dragon?

You're searching for someone, aren't you?

That's ridiculous.

Episode Phantoms of the Dead

This is a phantom of the dead.