Chapter 43: The Journey
"Alright kid you're all packed right?"
Griffon looked at the comedically large back pack Hyme was wearing with a sweat drop.
"Originally I was planning to train Fern as we traveled from town to town, but if what Griffon said is true that means we have to inform the current king about the situation."
Despite Frieren mostly being forgotten by the new generation, she still had a considerable amount of authority and rank within the kingdom. So gaining an audience with the current king would be easy as snapping her fingers.
"Who do you have in mind tut's?, I mean the four of us can't take Nero's Demon Half and even with the kid awakening the other two we won't be able to stand a chance against the demons."
"That is why we are visiting an old friend, the strongest warrior currently alive."
After explaining to Hyme and Griffon that she was the elf in the party of the Hero who killed the past Demon King, they had a good idea about the man she was talking about.
Hyme had read about him a dwarf so strong that they say a single swing from his axe could take out a dragon, there were stories of his exploits during their fight with the demon kings army specifically how he was the cause of death for most of the demons.
His name was Eizen the current strongest warrior of this Era, and as a dwarf he wasn't far from his prime so having him in their party would be helpful and increase the chances of them surviving.
"While we head there we will of course stop occasionally in villages we pass, I could have Fern teach you the basics of magic."
Hearing Frierens words Hyme because excited in the past year he always wanted to learn magic but there wasn't anyone in the Grobe Village that could teach him, but his excitement was short lived as Griffons word's struck him like an arrow.
"Sorry buddy you can't learn magic, you only got a limited amount of demon magic with ya."
"H-Ha?"
"You see kid you ain't a human like Fern, you aren't supposed to have magic in you the only source of magic you can use is demon magic unless we find another source of power for you. Until then your stuck with a limited amount of Mana that you can't gain back."
Hyma couldn't believe what he was hearing, earlier he thought that he would be able to learn magic now apparently he couldn't.
"Then again V did use minor shifting and multiplication magic that only took a miniscule amount of Mana...."
"S-So there's a chance!"
"Don't get your hopes up kid, your far from being a genius like your old man who was able to make something like Shifting and Multiplication seem like a cake walk!"
"But you can still teach me right!?"
"You don't even have a medium!"
[Dimensions May Die]
After hearing how Hyme was going to leave the village, the villagers prepared him a going away present as a form of thanks for all he's done the whole year he had been with them.
It was a sack filled with dried fruits and meat and old mining supplies like a long piece of rope and a rusty shovel and pickaxe in a small old cart that could be pulled by him.
[Dimensions May Die]
"So Griffon what are you?"
"Right now I'm what you would call a familiar but technically I'm the personification of Vergil's Nightmare."
"Hyme's Father yes?"
"Yup Hyme, Nero whatever you wanna call him hell I won't be surprised if he has a different name!"
Currently Griffon and Frieren were having their own conversation while Hyme and Fern were walking side by side talking about something entirely different, and that was their situation with traveling.
"I believe the quickest way should be through the left side of the forest."
"F-Fern you do know that's past a forest filled with monsters right..."
"Please don't worry Mister Hyme, We can defend you from any beast."
"Didn't I tell you to stop calling me mister..."
This continued on for several hours with Griffon explaining everything he knew to Frieren to Hyme and Fern bickering over where they would go as he pulled the small cart.
"So you can't even kill anything." Frierens words caused Griffon to snap towards her direction before squawking.
"Of course I can't kill anything!, how the hell do you expect a nightmare to kill anyone!?"
Of course Griffon forgot one simple flaw.
"Perhaps a Heart attack?"
Frieren was a scholar so she had many comebacks with anything Griffon would say.
It was safe to say that despite the situation the four of them were having great conversations, but as they went deeper into the forest while Hyme being reluctant the two mages were ready for any monsters that would try to attack them.
But strangely enough they were able to pass through the forest without any monsters attacking them, at first Frieren and Fern believed that an adventuring party took care of them but Griffon said otherwise.
Apparently his presence with them was causing any lesser monster to stay clear of them as despite looking like a normal avian monster Griffon would be the second strongest being in their current group, no matter what a weaker monster would always sense the presence of a predator.
"It's dark and scary here!"
Yet that didn't stop Frieren from being in the mouth of a Mimic that she thought was a secret chest with an artifact inside, despite said chest being in the middle of the road.
"It's hard to believe that she's the same mage that took out a demon so easily..."
"Kid you shouldn't be talking, your uncle would intentionally let his opponents stab him just to fuck with them."
"I-Is my apparent family that stupid?"
Griffon didn't reply and just turned his head to Fern who was trying to pull Frieren out of the mimic, he began pondering about his situation how he was supposed to be Virgil's nightmare incarnate not "Nero's". But for Griffon it wasn't so bad as his Mana pool wasn't as small as V's but that didn't mean that he was safe from crumbling and turning to dust.
Which was something Griffon hadn't informed Hyme about just yet.
-Break-
Their journey was quite a peaceful one, now they were only a days travel from the nearest village and as nothing interesting was happening and their wasn't any threats to look out for as they were in a path on the open field. Griffon suggested for Hyme to learn how to use basic temporary multiplication using his feather as a medium as Hyme's magic couldn't effect anything that wasn't demonic by nature.
"Ouch!"
"You almost used too much Energy!, are you trying to get yourself killed!?"
Hyme rubbed the hand Griffon pecked before going back to focusing how to multiply the feather in his other hand as they walked, Frieren was beside them watching Hyme try to use the spell that required not incantation or Magic circle but a different type of energy from Mana and a simple demon's body part. While Fern was forced to pull the cart which thankfully was basically empty only having their bags and others sacks as they had gone through most of their supplies.
"You're not getting it!, thinking about another feather appearing isn't enough"
"What am I supposed to do!?"
"Visualize everything!, that's demon magic you gotta think and will it to happen while dumping enough energy through your finger tips and my feather!"
Griffon was getting frustrated, he had plucker around right feathers for Hyme to use and all of them were reduced to ashes thanks to Hyme adding just a bit too much of Demonic Energy into them.
(For context his Limited Demonic Energy's potency is the same level as the original Victor, it's just that he physically can't regenerate anymore Demon Energy it's basically the same case with V)
"Jesus at this point he ain't gonna learn it anytime soon!"
Watching Hyme burn another one of his feathers Griffon was getting frustrated but still reluctantly plucked out another one before handing it to Hyme.
"You keep saying the name 'Jesus' who exactly is that?"
Frieren who was still watching asked Griffon who only looked at her before remembering that he and Hyme were in a different world.
"Nothing just a Jewish guy who was the son of God, never met him since his physical form was dead a long ass time ago.hell I've never even encountered an Angel before."
"Now, what is a Jew?"
'Really lady that's your question?'
It didn't take long for the group to reach the town that was near Granz Channel, the reason for their visit was to not only resupply and gain more money as their remaining funds was a single silver coin but to also give Hyme and Fern time to train but as they got near the town Griffon landed on Frierens head causing the Elf to look up at him.
"Hyme, Fern. Why don't you two go find us an inn I need to talk to little miss white over here."
As if getting what Griffon was saying Frieren confirmed his words by saying something so wise that it couldn't help but move Fern
"Mhm"
Of course Frieren believed it would move Fern who only replied with deadpan stare before turning to Hyme and sighing.
"It appears it's something important Mister Hyme."
"Please stop calling me mister..."
Hyme could only scratch the back of his head as he began to follow Fern into the town to find both an inn and some work, as they left the two alone Frieren broke the silence with a question.
"How long do we have until the Qliphot fully grows?"
"Well if the thing you said about the population being right my guess is around a year until demons start popping up even more."
"And for the world to end?"
"A year and a half."
Frieren looked towards the direction of the village and could only sigh as her eyes landed on Fern, she was talented in magic she knows that but for Frieren talent could only bring you so far.
"Hey, can you promise me something?"
Taking another look at Griffon who was still perched on her head she couldn't help but find it weird the she was actually listening to a demon.
"You're pretty smart right?, you must know some form of magic without the kid needing mana."
"Why do you ask?"
"I'll keep it real with ya, at some point when the kid has barely anymore Demonic Energy in him he might turn to dust and crumble away."
Frieren couldn't help but widen her eyes slightly but before she could say anything Griffon interrupted her.
"Promise me no matter what, you ain't gonna let that kid die. It what would his ass hat of a father would have wanted."
Griffon looked at Hyme's back and couldn't help but feel sorry for the boy, he knew for a fact that some day he had to tell him about his 'condition' before it was too late.
"Look we just met but you gotta promise me."
"I'll try."
Now unlike with V Griffon wasn't linked with Hyme's soul he was his own being he barely needed to get Demonic Energy from him which should be a good thing but for Griffon it wasn't.
Unlike with V everytime he was close to death he would return to a demonic orb of sorts, but with Hyme Griffon felt that it wasn't the case he would die and sure he was a strong demon but he isn't strong to the point he could scoff off a direct hit from someone.
'These Sparda's and their bullshit luck of getting into life or death adventures.'
He flapped his wings as he flew to the sky taking a deep breath as he felt the sun on his figure, he couldn't help but chuckle as he was in air.
"If somehow I see you again V, you owe me one for watching over your kid."
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