Chapter 35: A Reason to Begin the Journey

Stalled on the Rohr Road by word that Warrior Gorilla went the opposite way from Äußerst, the party postpones any decision and shelters in a cabin Stark has rented. A fierce cold wave expected to last a month soon traps them in the nearby village, which suits Frieren fine given its comforts and a shady old man's magic shop rumored to hold rare spells. Her legendary finds, it turns out, amount to oil-stain and mold-removal charms.

As the freeze winds down, Frieren asks Sein to settle yet another spat between Fern and Stark. Stark had patted Fern's cheek in payback for an earlier jab, and the priest coaches each of them in turn, drawing out Stark's wish to reconcile and Fern's admission that the force of his arm, not the gesture itself, had frightened her.

Once the pair make up, Frieren and Sein share a drink, and he asks why she fretted over him enough to bring him on the journey. She explains that he mirrors the person she once was before marching against the Demon King, a recluse who refused to travel, and that offering him a chance felt like something Himmel would have done.

The admission calls up the moment Himmel first invited her into the Hero Party, calling it her opening to see the world. That company, she tells Sein, taught her the joy of traveling alongside others, and she asks whether he found it fun too. He answers that it truly was.

The next morning, at the gorge bridge leading toward Äußerst, Sein announces he will go after Gorilla after all, unwilling to carry any more regrets. The group exchanges easy farewells, Frieren assuring Stark that the grown priest will manage on his own.

With that, the single band splits in two, each continuing its separate path, while Sein notes how quiet the road feels once he walks it alone.