Chapter 111 – The Pig, the Monument, the Fool
Robin's declaration rang out boldly. With confident momentum, he turned and strode into the depths of the cave.
Frieren lit a small floating orb of light and followed silently behind him.
Her contribution…?
She had killed one Carrion Lurebird—only to nearly put herself in danger through carelessness.
She had used a magical tool to imitate pig sounds—only to mislead Robin instead.
Truly… embarrassing.
As she walked, Frieren secretly hoped—
Aside from this tiny glow lighting the path, give me one more chance to show what I can do.
At least let me impress Robin properly.
She focused her senses—and immediately noticed something strange about the cave.
There was no trace of monster presence.
"…That's odd. A place like this would normally be a perfect nest for monsters."
Just as she was pondering it, Robin suddenly heard the pig squeal.
"Frieren. Did you hear that?"
"We're close."
Ahead lay three branching tunnels. Using the faint glow of her magic light, Robin crouched briefly, studying the ground.
Hoofprints.
He made his choice quickly.
"This way."
"Wait!"
Frieren suddenly stopped him.
"There's something ahead."
At the same moment the pig's squeal echoed through the cave, Frieren felt something else—a strange magical presence unlike anything she had ever sensed.
"Incredible… I've never felt mana like this before."
"It's almost the opposite of a monster's aura. It's even holier than a priest's magic."
"If I close my eyes… it feels like strands of pale golden silk brushing past me."
"Could it be that this presence is why monsters avoid this cave?"
Robin stared blankly at the white-haired elf smiling with her eyes closed.
"…Golden mana?"
"I don't feel anything at all."
"Of course you don't~"
Finally, Frieren had her moment.
"This mana is gentle, like a spring breeze. Someone like you would never sense it~"
"…Right."
Robin shrugged, apparently uninterested.
"Our job is to catch a pig. No need to waste time on anything else."
Frieren rolled her eyes internally.
You just can't sense it and you're pretending to be cool about it.
So Robin followed the pig's cries.
Frieren followed the strange golden current.
They walked deeper and deeper until suddenly—
Sunlight spilled down from above.
Robin froze.
"Frieren… that's—"
"Yes. I see it."
Before them lay a hidden chamber where sunlight poured through a natural opening in the ceiling.
Beneath the light bloomed a field of white flowers.
And in the middle of it—
The pig lay happily snoring.
Who would have imagined that at the darkest end of a cave, such a peaceful scene would be hidden?
Robin couldn't help but chuckle.
"For a mere animal… it sure knows how to live."
He stepped forward slowly, careful not to startle it.
But Frieren's attention was elsewhere.
The golden mana.
It was strongest here.
Her eyes shifted beyond the flowers—
And there, half-buried in petals and sunlight, stood something ancient.
A stone monument.
Weathered.
Silent.
Radiating that soft, sacred glow.
The pig snored on.
Robin reached for his net.
Frieren stepped toward the monument.
For a moment, their goals quietly diverged.
But the most impossible thing to ignore…
Was the square stone monument standing at the center of the flower field.
Frieren hadn't been mistaken.
That monument was the source of the sacred mana.
"Wait… there are inscriptions carved into it…"
While Frieren was drawn toward the monument, Robin had already taken out a large net and was slowly approaching the sleeping pig step by step.
"I can't read it…"
"Or perhaps… it needs to be deciphered? But how long would that take…?"
"—Pig! Surrender!"
Frieren whipped around just as the pig jolted awake, letting out a tearing shriek—
Only to be caught instantly in the net.
Robin secured it and shot Frieren a proud look.
"Honestly, Frieren."
"What's so interesting about that stone? Come give me a hand."
The pig thrashed wildly inside the net, its strength so violent that even Robin staggered.
"This pig… for some reason… it's insanely strong…"
Frieren immediately raised her staff, preparing to reinforce the net with barrier magic.
But when she locked eyes with the pig—
Something felt wrong.
There was something in its gaze.
And even its body seemed to emit—
—CRACK!
A slicing sound rang out.
Robin's eyes widened in shock as the net in his hands split apart.
He never expected Frieren to cast cutting magic instead of reinforcement.
"Frieren! What are you doing?!"
"Don't talk!"
Frieren's eyes never left the pig as it scrambled behind the monument.
"That's it. I felt it."
"There's mana resonance between the pig and the monument."
"If I'm not mistaken, some kind of spell has been placed on it by the monument."
"And its eyes… it doesn't want to leave this stone. It's almost like… it wants to communicate."
Robin finally snapped.
"Resonance between a pig and a monument?"
"The monument cast a spell?"
"The pig wants to communicate?"
He planted his hands on his hips.
"Frieren, if you're trying to stop me from getting credit for catching the pig first, you could've come up with a better excuse. You don't need to treat me like an idiot."
"Sorry."
Frieren shot back calmly.
"At least when it comes to pigs and monuments… you really are an idiot."
Robin sighed helplessly.
"So now you're just saying nonsense to compete over a commission?"
"Frieren, it's just a job. Do you really have to take it this seriously?"
"I admit it."
"At first, I was being childish."
"But right now, I'm serious."
Her determined expression made Robin hesitate.
She then turned toward the pig trembling beside the monument, crouched down, and approached slowly.
Under Robin's speechless gaze—
Frieren quietly put the pig snout back on.
"Snort snort… grr snort."
The pig's ears suddenly perked up.
"Snort! Grrk snort grr!"
Robin watched, utterly expressionless, as Frieren and the pig "conversed."
When she finally removed the snout, he couldn't hold back.
"So? You understand pig language now?"
"No."
"…Then how were you communicating?"
"I had it answer by nodding or shaking its head~"
Robin let out a dry laugh.
"Incredible. So what did the pig say?"
"It said it doesn't want to leave."
"And it seems… it has something important it wants to tell me."
"Frieren…"
Robin's face tightened in irritation.
"It's one thing for you to make things up. Now you're inventing lies for the pig too?"
Suddenly, Frieren's eyes lit up.
"Give me one month."
"I can prove that neither I nor the pig is lying!"
"…I promised the villagers I'd bring it back within half an hour."
"I'll go explain."
Robin ruffled his hair in frustration. Seeing Frieren refusing to budge, he finally gave in.
"…Fine, Frieren."
"You get one month."