The morning sun rays fell into the room Menno and Himmel occupied, causing Himmel's eyelids to flutter under its influence, only to open after a moment of resistance. He slowly got up, yawned and stretched, then sat on the edge of the bed and looked towards the window where Menno was standing.

— Did you go to bed or were you awake again?— he asked, but he wasn't surprised by the sight.

— I got up about 10 minutes before you. It's a habit.— Menno concluded.— Breakfast is probably waiting, so get ready, because we have a lot to do today, or rather to catch up on.— He sighed resignedly. He knew that it was impossible to catch up on years of training in one day, but maybe at least thanks to this he would remember something and not make a fool of himself in front of the crowd.

Himmel smiled, but didn't answer, he imagined that this is how Frieren would behave if she was a human and didn't like to sleep for long, she would become impatient, she would want to see everything, become the best she could, learn as many spells as possible before her life ended, he just didn't know if she would find time for feelings then.

For Himmel, Menno was a man who didn't care about anyone unless it benefited him, he was cold and painfully pragmatic, and every statement he made sounded like a phrase taken from some academic textbook, but he was definitely not a fool for that, Himmel wondered if this was the path to power, cutting himself off from the world and treating everything and everyone as a path to a goal. After a moment of reflection, he decided that such ambitions were more suited to a human, not an elf, who when he achieved his goal, would simply get bored with it and start looking for another. Himmel stood up and smiled to himself, slightly surprised by the fact that he had been traveling with Menno for such a short time, and his philosophical musings had already infected him.

— So let's not waste any time. — He announced and was the first to leave the room, with Menno right behind him.

Milten was waiting for them downstairs, who signaled with his hand for them to join him.

— The Dark Paladin is good for the soul. — Milten tapped his chest lightly.

— We've already gotten to know him well. — Himmel smiled, looking at Menno, who smiled slightly. — Maybe even too well.

— I'm not surprised. — Milten took a sip. — And where are your companions?

— They'll probably join us soon. — Menno replied indifferently.

In the meantime, Sukrus brought plates of food and put them on the table.

— Thank you. — Himmel nodded.

— I've heard a lot about Flamme, but seeing her with your own eyes is quite an experience. Overall, she and Fauna have a really nice piece of horse meat, don't they? — Milten asked, looking at his friends and their reactions.

At this dirty joke, Himmel laughed quietly, and Menno smiled politely, nodding his head in agreement, taking a sip of Dark Paladin.

— Are my ears itchy? — Flamme spoke up, approaching the table with Fauna.

Menno, hearing her words, mentally reprimanded himself for not hearing them approach, but he preferred not to let it show and remained calm as if they were having a completely normal conversation.

— Really, gentlemen? We've only known each other for three days, and this is the third time you've talked about asses, specifically mine and poor Fauna's... Men will never change. — Flamme sighed and sat down next to Milten, smiling maliciously. — Well, don't worry about this body, apart from the fact that it belongs to the most powerful human sorceress, it's also deadly sexy, so you're absolved. — After the last word, she smiled flirtatiously and smacked her lips, narrowing her eyes as she did so.

Milten felt hot, because his face turned red, Himmel, decided to focus his gaze on the table, blushing slightly, because he remembered that Frieren had once used a similar trick and now he knew who had taught her, and Menno, for a change, didn't care, he just ate, but Fauna opened her mouth in surprise.

— 2.5 out of 4. Quite good. - She replied proudly. — Well, but getting back to mundane matters, Milten, did you manage to organize anything?

— Ahem... — He cleared his throat, regaining his composure. — Yes. We will now go to the place where the tournament will start tomorrow. Each competitor has the right to train, so you will see with your own eyes what it looks like and what you will have to face.

— How is it that you are able to organize all this in such a short time? — Flamme asked with undisguised admiration in her voice.

— It's nothing special. — Milten waved his hand. — I have seen my share in life and I have connections, so I know who and what to ask, and if you give me some time, I can arrange everything within reason, of course. Besides, that's what friends are for, right?

— To friends like Milten. — Himmel raised his bottle of Dark Paladin.

— To friends. — The others replied, raising a toast.After they had drunk and eaten, they set off in the same wagon they had come to the city in, but this time the wagon was going much faster, and after less than an hour they reached the massive gate leading to the tournament grounds, which turned out to be quite large. After driving through it, they got down from the wagon and approached Milten.

— As you can see, it's quite a large area, the ruins here have been skillfully incorporated into the tournament buildings. As you can see, everything is well marked, so you won't get lost, and it's early, so apart from the people taking care of this place, there's no one here. The nobles mostly like to sleep in. — He joked.

— So where do we start? — Himmel asked.

— If you want, you can share. I'll show Himmel the course, and Menno can practice shooting.

— I'm in. — Menno replied immediately.

— The bow, arrows and rules are in place, and you, ladies? Do you want to hang around here?

— I'd be happy to go with you. — Fauna announced. — And you, Flamme?

— I'll hang around here. — She replied.

— In that case, we'll meet here when you get bored with training, or when more competitors show up. — Milten said, looking at Himmel and Fauna. — Come on, I'll show you the track and tell you a little bit...

When Milten, Fauna, and Himmel set off towards the race track, Menno headed for the shooting range as quickly as possible. Once there, Menno saw ready targets and a board with short rules:

1 You can't cross the designated line.

2 The competitor must hit only the target marked with the color drawn earlier.

3 Hitting a color other than the one drawn is an additional point for the opponent.

4 Whoever hits all the targets before the opponent wins.

Menno looked at the targets, of which there were 14 in total, 7 red and 7 blue, set in such a way that you had to aim well, and on top of that there was also the opponent, Menno picked up his bow and threw the quiver on his back. He didn't like the bow, because he preferred close combat and his aiming was also different. Luckily for him, this competition was about hitting the target at all, not a specific spot. He also secretly hoped that this short training would allow his body to remember how to handle the bow, and for that he needed the right stimulus, i.e. training.

— Are you going to be okay? — Flamme asked, who appeared unexpectedly as always. — There's nothing interesting to see at the moment, so I came to see how you're doing.

— More like it — Menno said, aiming at the target on the left, then he let go of the arrow and hit it, quickly drew another one, but it missed by a tiny bit. — Sigh... — He mumbled in frustration and placed the hit one on the target.

— Problems with concentration? I'm not surprised. — She giggled maliciously. — It's hard to concentrate with me.

— What are you getting at? — he asked, slightly irritated by her behavior.

— Nothing, I'm just wondering where your indifference to women's charms comes from? — After these words, she exposed her left leg up to the thigh, fluttered her eyelashes flirtatiously and kissed her lips seductively. If he succumbed to her charm, she could safely assume that there was no man in the world who could resist her. After all, when it came to female magicians, there was an unwritten saying: "Where magic fails, charm will do the trick."

— Because I've seen how dangerous a woman's charms are. — He replied firmly, but his facial expression didn't change one iota. — A pretty face lures the weak, who fall into a trap and die. Demons, humans, and even elves have resorted to such tricks, which is why a cool head is most important.

— So if I stood here naked and announced that I would give myself to you, you wouldn't react? — She continued, a malicious smile on her lips. She was intrigued by his indifference and was curious about what was really behind it.

— I would probably take a peek, but nothing more, because I know very well that you wouldn't do that. — He replied, shrugging his shoulders indifferently.

— Actually, you're right. We don't know each other well enough, but maybe someday... — She replied, winking at him. Of course she was joking, but Menno intrigued her more and more, he was mysterious, powerful and part of her team, and on top of that he was quite handsome, that would be enough to interest him, he was a mystery she wanted to solve.

— Maybe... — Menno sighed resignedly, but if it weren't for the stranger he wouldn't have known that this flirtatious woman, who didn't seem very intelligent, was actually a mask hiding a powerful mage who at best was his equal in strength, and at worst significantly surpassed him, and the latter option was the most likely, because the level at which she maintained her mana was ridiculously low and only subtle jumps lasting one heartbeat were evidence of her power and self-control. *Clever.* He thought, after all he had been trained to do the same thing despite the fact that he only used magic as a last resort.

— You are fascinating in your own way, I am not surprised that the elves were afraid of you. — Flamme stated, confirming her belief that Menno must have had a really hard life, because how else can you explain his indifference? — I taught Frieren that hiding one's true power is the key to victory, but there are also times when seduction alone is enough, but she lacks passion in this area. — Saying this, she became serious and sat down on a chair that she had taken in the meantime from a nearby tent, hoping that maybe honesty would encourage her companion to confess.

— We are similar in that. In the sense of hiding your true power of not seducing. — He replied and sent two accurate shots.

— Have you never loved anyone? — Flamme asked, clearly intrigued.

— A long time ago. — He replied shortly and knocked down two more targets. He knew that Flamme would not leave him alone, so he decided to give her what she wanted, after all, this knowledge did not pose any threat to him at the moment.

— Did she break up with you?

— No. I had to kill her. — Menno looked at Flamme. — There was no other option.

— Oh! — She gasped in surprise and despite her impassive attitude, she felt that this was a very personal and painful story, but she was still curious about it. — Why?

— She was a magician and just like you she was also very pretty, she helped me many times, but the more she grew stronger, the more she feared the passage of time and inevitable death, she tried everything, every spell she knew and every story or legend that could prolong her life. Nothing worked, until she turned undead, not like she had just crawled out of the grave, she was like she was before only pale and cold as ice. Just because she couldn't die doesn't mean she lived a full life. Because when you know you can't die, you constantly chase new experiences, until you finally reach a point where everything seems boring and monotonous to you, so she decided that maybe when she starts killing, she'll feel something and she was right. She liked being the mistress of life and death, many died at her hand and from a beautiful innocent sorceress she became a monster for whom life meant nothing. I killed her personally, but I lost five companions in the process, two of whom fell for her seductive tricks, which is why I had to kill them as well. I hope this answer is enough for you, because I don't want to go back to this.

Flamme was silent, it was an answer she hadn't expected and it made her think about whether people should be immortal like elves, whether it would overwhelm them and turn them into creatures with hearts of stone, devoid of all feelings, because after all, this fragility of life and transience makes people want to live their lives as best as they can. 

*This will be a good topic for a philosophical debate.* She thought.

Menno slowly started to get into rhythm, but he knew that during the tournament there would be a tournament about concentration, fortunately he had a solution for that, and for now he was quite pleased that despite his fears he remembered quite a lot from archery lessons, or at least enough to hit the target.

— I've seen better. — Flamme stated with disarming sincerity.

— Me too, but this should be enough for the tournament, it has to be. — Menno looked at the fallen targets. — And while I still can, I'll practice.

Flamme wondered what her student was doing now and how much she had grown in strength, because if she believed what Himmel had said, she had become incredibly powerful and probably hadn't stopped there, but something else intrigued her: the rumors that she had found herself a new group of adventurers, which meant that she was still traveling and maybe they would meet, because with her by her side, their task would become much easier.

After a while, Himmel, Fauna, and Milten joined Flamme and Menno.

— And how? — asked Flamme.

— It looks good, although Himmel is not an outstanding rider, Fauna's advice proved helpful and we have a plan. — Milten nodded at Fauna, who was slightly embarrassed by the flattery directed at her. — And with you?

— I think something will come of it and we will not embarrass ourselves in front of all these people.

Menno put his bow and arrows back in their place and joined the others. Then a knight appeared, who at the sight of Milten shouted and spread his hands in a gesture of greeting.

— Milten! How nice to see you! — the knight approached Milten and hugged him warmly. — I heard that you have recovered, I am glad, and these are probably the ones you owe it to? My name is Sir Christian, but Milten's friends can call me simply Christian. — Having said that, he bowed elegantly.

(Christian's appearance)

— I did not know that you had returned to the capital? It's good to see that you weren't eaten by demons.— Milten patted his friend warmly on the shoulder.

— I was lucky, literally. You see, I was sent north with a small army to break the deadlock and help Grant with the demons and the army they had gathered, but before we reached our destination, it turned out that the demons were dead and the army they had had was defeated. Supposedly, it was done by a single elf, and not just any elf, but Frieren, the same one who killed the demon king, they say that the demon responsible for the attack had the Scale of Obedience with him, but its power was nothing compared to the demon slayer. If you think about it, it was a good thing we didn't make it, because I probably would have sent my men and myself to death and eternal slavery. — Christian spat contemptuously on the ground, but his mood quickly returned. - Well, at least we helped Grant clean up a bit, and on the way back we helped people who needed help, nothing special, but still something, and this tournament is a great opportunity to meet old friends and reminisce. I take it you signed up?

— I haven't fought in a long time, so I'll let it go this time. — Milten replied. — But these two will, because let's put it that way, they will fight in the name of my family. — He pointed at Menno and Himmel.

Christian looked at Menno and Himmel.— They are impressive and must have helped you a lot if you allowed them such an honor. — he stated. — This one reminds me of someone. — Christian's gaze stopped at Himmel.

— I don't know if you'll believe me or think I'm crazy if I tell you something. — Milten looked at his companions, who expressed no objection to telling their story.

— We've known each other for a long time and I know you don't have a habit of lying or fantasizing. — He replied. — Tell me. — Christian seemed even more intrigued.

The whole group moved a bit to the side where Milten gave him a summary of who his companions really were and as the story went on Christian was more and more amazed.

— Heroes from the past? — he asked, trying to put it all in order.

— Yes. — Milten confirmed.

— Now I know why you seemed so familiar to me. — Christian turned to Himmel. — For years I have always admired the monument to heroes and dreamed of going down in history myself, but none of my deeds could compare to what you and your companions have achieved and... you probably don't remember me either, but...

— You were that crying child to whom I gave a few wooden toy knights so he would have something to dream about, and a few years later I watched the same older boy lead a drill at the monument to heroes.

Christian smiled warmly and with emotion in his voice replied: 

— I didn't think you would remember me, those wooden knights and the stories you told me 35 years ago inspired me to become a knight and help the defenseless. Your mission is noble and I will gladly help you as much as I can, but...

— You can't, because it wouldn't be right, especially since you're a knight. — Menno stated, who had managed to learn a bit about knights, from Himmel's stories and from Sukrus. Both emphasized that their code of honor was very important to them.

— That's it. — He nodded. — By giving in, I could jeopardize my good name and that of my family, and such disgrace is very hard to wash away, even though the cause is just.

— We didn't plan to ask you for anything like that. — Himmel reassured him. — We want to win, but not at any cost.

— It will be an honor for me to fight against the greatest human hero. I don't know if Milten told you, but it is to the group fights that people who take at least 3rd place in previous competitions advance.

— And you, which one are you taking part in? — Milten asked.

— In target shooting. — He announced with unconcealed pride. — I always had a good eye, but knights rarely use throwing weapons, so a tournament is a good time to shoot. — He said, clearly amused by his own words.

— In that case, we will not take up any more of your time, my friend, and see you tomorrow.

— Goodbye and may luck be with you.

After these words, Christian nodded in farewell and went to the shooting range, and the others returned to the city in time for dinner.

— Can we trust him? — Menno asked, stirring his stew with a spoon.

— There are many things to say about Christian, but he is honest to the bone and the only thing he values ​​more than his honor is his loyalty to the king and the middle lands to save them. He would be ready for anything, literally anything.

— So we have nothing to fear. — Himmel stated, finishing his meal.

— That's true, and for now you should rest, because tomorrow is your big day.

— We remember — replied Menno, who was a bit stressed, but didn't show it. He didn't like the fact that they had to put everything on one card, which was the tournament, of course they could sneak into the ball, but if they were discovered, they would definitely be ordered to lock them up, and they couldn't afford that, and because of that they would be fugitives. While that wasn't a problem for him, there was still the rest, whom he didn't want to drag down with him. *Such fate...* He thought, because these were the words he always repeated when things got complicated.

— I wonder... — Himmel spoke, resting his chin on his hands. — If we manage to find this demon or someone who works for him, but as everyone knows, demons always lie, so it will be hard to get any information.

— In that case, it's good that you have me — Fauna replied proudly. — I know the

— Then it's good you have me. — Fauna replied proudly. — I know a way to make a demon tell the truth.

— You are full of surprises my dear. — Flamme nodded in appreciation

— So now all you have to do is win the tournament and find the first of the demons, and then it's all downhill from there, easy. — Menno muttered, who was still not convinced of success.

— Your faith in us is encouraging — Himmel replied sarcastically. — Nevertheless, it's time for bed, because tomorrow is our big day.

— I'll pick you up in the morning. See you tomorrow. — Milten said, finishing his beer and leaving the inn.

After the meal, the others went to their rooms to rest and regain strength before tomorrow, each of them feeling a certain excitement, because this tournament could be the key to the success of their mission, and even if not, the fame they would gain would spread around the world, and then their enemies would have to come out of the shadows and start acting. Hopefully, they would have enough strength and time to defeat them.