Original subtitles

ORIGINAL STORY BY KANEHITO YAMADA / TSUKASA ABE

28 YEARS FROM THE DEATH OF HIMMEL THE HERO

THE GRANZ CHANNEL IN THE CENTRAL LANDS

This place has always been

a dangerous area to navigate by ship.

So all sorts of things wash up here.

Everyone in the village used to

get together to clean it up but...

You ran out of people and this was left alone?

Before, it used to be a beautiful beach

with transparent water.

I know.

Will this do as a reward?

The Great Mage Flamme's book, huh?

Mistress Frieren...

Is this the only grimoire in this village?

Yes.

Okay.

I'll accept your cleanup request.

That grimoire is fake, right?

You've been studying like I told you to.

Good job, Fern.

Books by Flamme are all fake.

This is another poorly made fake.

Why did you accept it then?

There are people in need of help.

I don't think it's just out of kindness.

You're right, this is for myself.

Seems like we're going to be here for a while.

As always, thank you, Fern.

I added one extra on the house.

Thank you.

It's been three months already.

-Have you gotten used to the village? -Yes.

The coast is very chilly this time of year,

so be careful.

It's winter already.

She's still sleeping.

This place is a mess.

I just cleaned it up yesterday.

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

Let's go clean the coast.

It's freezing.

I was thinking...

What?

Mistress Frieren, are you perhaps

a very slobbish person?

Every morning, I wake you up,

feed you, and clothe you.

I'm basically your mother.

I can do it on my own.

But then you would be sleeping until the afternoon.

Yeah.

Well, whatever. I've given up already.

Sorry.

How were you traveling as the party of heroes?

There was nobody to take care of you, right?

I always overslept.

They didn't get mad at you?

They did, just once.

Just once?

They must've been very kind.

They were very tolerant.

Once in a while, Heiter would click his tongue though.

Sorry.

-Hey... -I don't blame you though.

I think they were pretty mad.

How is the cleaning going?

There's about one-third of it left.

Will you make it in time for the New Year's celebration?

Just barely.

Well then, I really hope

you are able to watch the sunrise this time,

Mistress Frieren.

What's the connection between

cleaning the coast and New Year's?

In this village, they have a custom

of watching the sunrise on New Year's Day.

The sunlight reflects off of the transparent ocean

and it's very pretty, apparently.

You didn't see it, Mistress Frieren?

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

I guess not.

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

The water quality is good too.

We somehow finished a day before.

It looks nothing like before.

You're a life saver, Mistress Frieren.

You will participate in the New Year's celebration, right?

Yeah.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Have you gone insane, Mistress Frieren?

You have to wake up before the sun rises.

It's impossible.

I'll stay up all night, so it's fine.

You want to watch the sunrise that much?

Honestly, it doesn't interest me at all.

But that's why I have to check it out.

I don't really understand.

Yeah...

Why didn't you come to the New Year's celebration?

Heiter is so disappointed, he can't get out of bed.

Poor thing.

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

All of you made it, so who cares?

We wanted

you to enjoy it too.

It's just a sunrise.

There's nothing to enjoy.

No, you'd enjoy it.

Why?

Because that's the kind of person you are.

She's sleeping...

She's sleeping! Wake up, Mistress Frieren!

You'll miss the New Year's celebration!

-Mom... -I'm not your mother!

Why do I have to do this?

Thank you, Fern.

It's pretty, that's for sure.

But it's not worth waking up so early.

Himmel doesn't know me at all.

Fern, I'll go back to sleep...

Mistress Frieren, it's so beautiful.

You think so?

It's just a sunrise.

But you look like you're having fun, Mistress Frieren.

Well, that's because you were smiling...

I couldn't have

seen this sunrise on my own.

Of course.

You can't wake up on your own, after all.

THE LAND WHERE SOULS REST

This is your family?

It was a long time ago.

My village was attacked by demons.

What are you doing?

I'm praying.

People go back to nothing when they die.

They go to heaven.

Until a few thousand years ago, most people

believed that you go back to nothing.

And dwarves value tradition.

But I'm skeptical about heaven too.

With the current level of magic,

we can't observe souls after they die.

So we can't prove its existence.

I don't really care, either way.

I agree.

I don't care whether it exists or not.

Is a priest allowed to say that? Are you a corrupt priest?

But even if it doesn't exist,

I believe it should.

Why?

Because it's more convenient that way.

If people try so desperately to live only to become

nothing in the end, that's just not right.

I'd rather believe that

they are living lavish lives in heaven.

I like that better.

It's definitely more convenient.

I guess I'll pray.

Yeah.

‪28 YEARS FROM THE DEATH OF HIMMEL THE HERO ‪THE BREDT REGION IN THE CENTRAL LANDS

Eisen, I came to visit.

That's how you greet someone you see for the first time in 30 years?

It's only been 30 years.

I guess so.

I can't believe you took in an apprentice.

Eisen, is there anything

you need help with?

Frieren, I heard you asked

the same thing to Heiter.

It's still not my time.

How did you know?

Because we wrote to each other.

You're quite loyal despite your looks.

You're too cold, that's all.

And so, is there anything you need help with?

Voll Basin, huh? Brings back memories.

-You've been here before? -Yeah, a long time ago.

She said "a long time ago."

How long ago is that?

Primitive times?

I'm not that old.

So, what are you looking for?

Great Flamme Mage's Notes.

All right...

Most of Flamme's books are fake.

I have a clue.

Heiter compiled Flamme's records

that were preserved in the Holy City

and discovered this location.

Her real notes are somewhere in the Voll Basin.

Frieren, you should know.

That corrupt priest...

He researched that much?

Fine. Let's find a large tree first.

A large tree?

That'll be endless. There are so many.

Well, I guess you have lots of time.

Yeah.

But Fern will get mad, so let's get it done quickly.

Let's search as efficiently as possible.

You've changed.

You never used to

care about other people's time.

Well, Fern is scary when she gets mad.

I see. I'll watch out then.

Mistress Frieren,

there was a large tree

engulfing some ruins in the west.

This way.

Okay.

Hey, why did you decide to search for Flamme's Notes?

I felt pity.

I felt pity

for you and Himmel.

On that day, 30 years ago,

you said that you wished you knew more about Himmel.

Those words are something

you should tell him directly.

They say that Great Flamme Mage's Notes

include records of

her communicating with the dead.

That's just a fairy tale.

Plus, it's not like I want to see him again.

Every magic spell

started out as a fairy tale.

Plus, you want to get to know Himmel, right?

That's why I talked to Heiter.

I knew you were probably feeling regret,

so I wanted to help you out.

Mistress Frieren, the tree and the ruins

are protected by a strong barrier.

Since 1,000 years ago,

I've been in the palm of her hand.

What an unreliable guard.

Not really.

Once this matures,

it will protect this place even after 1,000 years.

You'll be dead by then.

But not you.

One day, you will make a big mistake

and desire to know more about humans.

You want me to know more? You're attention hungry?

That's not it.

I'm telling you to come here when that time comes.

I'll help you out

as the Great Mage

Flamme.

That's Great Flamme Mage's Notes?

Are they real?

They're real.

How do you know?

Frieren was Flamme's top apprentice.

The Great Mage Flamme

is an ancient hero in history books.

Is she seriously from primitive times?

Are there records of her communicating with the dead?

It was kindly opened to that page already.

She knew 1,000 years ago

I would come here?

As always, she's so obnoxious.

"In the northernmost point of the continent..."

...I reached Aureole,

the land where souls rest,

a place which the people

of this world call heaven.

There were many souls gathered there

and I talked to my former comrades.

This great discovery

will advance the study...

"...of souls in leaps and bounds."

Is this true?

Who knows? She was pretty irresponsible.

Heaven does exist.

It's more convenient that way, isn't it?

That's right.

I guess I should believe once in a while.

I wonder where it is, specifically.

One second...

North of the continent, Ende.

-Ende? -Yeah...

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

Why there?

Frieren,

find Aureole and talk to Himmel.

You said you'd help me, right?

You've become crafty, Eisen.

Thanks to Heiter.

Fine. It's not like my journey had a goal or anything.

But it's extremely cold

around the Demon King's castle.

I don't want to go...

She's already losing enthusiasm.

-She fell asleep. -What a carefree person.

So cold... I don't want to go...

She's having nightmares.

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

Ende, where the Demon King's castle is,

is the northernmost part of the continent.

Plus, a lot went down over there.

A lot?

This is a bit awkward.

Maybe it's time to wake her up?

Mistress Frieren!

That didn't work.

Hey, Fern.

Is she a good master?

I wonder...

I don't really know.

She is just traveling in pursuit of magic

and I'm always dragged around.

However,

she does seem interested in learning about

Master Himmel and the others.

Maybe

she just doesn't have much interest in me.

Mistress Frieren only made me her apprentice

because of a promise she made with Master Heiter.

I see.

It's just that, she's a very strange person.

Once we started traveling,

she would give me birthday presents.

Even though she always seems uninterested in me.

I wonder what she's thinking.

She's so strange.

Frieren, you're not staying in the royal capital?

I'll continue traveling.

On your own?

It's easier that way.

You're not going to take an apprentice?

It's better to have someone to talk to when traveling.

It's a waste of time.

Even if I teach them things, they die right away.

Frieren, that's not what interacting with people is about.

It is.

My adventures with all of you

don't even make up one-hundredth of my life.

You understand me, right?

I...

All right! No more gloomy topics!

Today is a joyous day, after all!

Let's drink!

You just want a reason to drink.

You got me.

You're always drinking anyway.

Corrupt Priest.

Fern,

Frieren is a good master.

I guess so.

Eisen, you really won't come with us?

Yeah. I told you before, didn't I?

I'll only be a burden.

Okay.

You remember how to get

to Ende, right?

Yeah. First go to the Wille region,

then pass through Riegel Canyon

and the checkpoint to the northern lands.

Sorry, it will be a long journey.

It took us ten years.

I see...

It's the same journey all of you took

to the Demon King's castle.

That's right.

It was a mere ten-year adventure.

Can I be a strong warrior?

-I will become a ghost. -Mistress Frieren.

-Travelers... -You're always collecting weird spells.

-Why won't you kill the dragon? -May I have a moment?

-You're looking for it, right? -How stupid.

"Phantoms of the dead."

Subtitle translation by: Kiko Morita