The Hero of the South ｢
Summary
Twenty-nine years after the death of the Hero Himmel, Frieren's Party are in Fabel Village. They receive a request to polish a hero's statue. To Fern and Stark's surprise, it is not a statue of Himmel, but of the Hero of the South. Frieren explains the feats of the Hero of the South, who wiped out the Demon King's frontline forces, killed three of the Seven Sages of Destruction, and ultimately slayed Schlacht the Omniscient.
As they clean up his statue, Frieren recalls meeting the Hero of the South while she was living in the Central Lands. He is unable to convince her to join him, but he tells her his secret: he can actually see the future, and has foreseen he will die in a year. However, he tells Frieren that a young hero will visit her soon and that she will defeat the Demon King with him; he asks her to tell this hero that he, humanity's greatest hero, promises he will blaze a path to the future, even if he doesn't make a mark on history. Frieren finishes polishing his statue and thinks that he has, in fact, made his mark in history.
Plot Details
Twenty-nine years after the passing of Hero Himmel, Frieren's Party is in Fabel Village. An elderly resident requests the party's assistance in polishing the statue of a great hero for the village. Curious about the potential reward, Frieren asks, and the resident offers the spell to scratch one's itchy back which causes Frieren to promptly accept the request. As the party heads towards the statue, Fern notes that Hero Himmel's statues must really exist everywhere, and Stark adds that such work involving attention to detail can be fun. Eager for the job, Stark prepares himself, but Frieren remarks that if the statue were bronze, it could be polished with magic, eliminating the need for Stark's assistance.
Upon reaching the statue, Stark is surprised to find a depiction of a middle-aged, mustached man. Frieren introduces him as the Hero of the South, supposing it's the first time Fern and Stark have heard about him. Frieren explains that, like Hero Himmel, many heroes attempted to defeat the Demon King, with the Hero of the South standing out as the strongest among them. Despite Stark finding the title overstated, Frieren insists it suited the Hero of the South. Frieren delves into the past, recounting the menace of the Seven Sages of Destruction, who controlled vital regions, particularly in the Northern Countries. Frieren reveals that of the seven Sages, the Hero Party only defeated two of the Sages and two others escaped. It was the Hero of the South who vanquished the remaining three.
Frieren adds that the Hero of the South's feats against the Demon King's army were remarkable, as he single-handedly annihilated the frontline troops of the Demon King's army within a year. Eventually, he reached the northernmost end of the Northern Plateau, a crucial point in the army's supply route. There, it is said that Schlacht the Omniscient, the Demon King's confidant with the ability to see a thousand years into the future, confronted the Hero of the South alongside the Seven Sages of Destruction. Despite facing overwhelming odds, the Hero of the South managed to defeat three of the Sages and engaged with Schlacht.
As Frieren continues, the party observes the same story being recounted to children in the village through a puppet theater. Frieren states that numerous nearby areas were liberated from the control of the Seven Sages thanks to that battle. She remarks that the people's faith in the Hero is so strong that it is believed he is still in combat with Schlacht, as his corpse was never found. Frieren then says that the Hero of the South fought against cannibalistic demons, and thinks that it's likely that they ate his body.
With a smile, Frieren begins cleaning the statue, prompting a flashback to her conversation with the Hero of the South. Frieren declined the Hero of the South's request, asserting that she would never be able to defeat the Demon King. The Hero of the South was resigned to Frieren's refusal, expressing the belief that he had no words to persuade the elf. Frieren remarked that he spoke as if he already knew the outcome, a sentiment the he confirmed. The Hero of the South confided in Frieren, sharing that he became the strongest of mankind through his ability to foresee the future. He entrusted Frieren with this secret, trusting that she would never disclose his ability to anyone.
The Hero foretold that within a year, he would face an attack from Schlacht the Omniscient and the Seven Sages at the Northern Plateau that would lead to his demise. He disclosed that, regardless of Frieren's assistance, he had already come to terms with his impending death and the realization that he wouldn't succeed in defeating the Demon King. The Hero of the South then shared another prediction with Frieren, stating that she would eventually join the party of a young Hero who would become the world's savior. Frieren refuted this prediction, finding it difficult to imagine. The departing Hero of the South declared that the mentioned young Hero would profoundly impact Frieren's life upon their encounter. Before taking his leave, the Hero of the South requested a favor from Frieren which she accepted. He requested for Frieren to convey to the young Hero that the Hero of the South, the strongest of all mankind, will definitely cut open a path for him even if his exploits were to be buried and forgotten to history. The flashback ends as Himmel, Heiter and Eisen approach Frieren.
After Frieren's Party successfully clean the statue of the Hero of the South, which is now sparkling, the elderly resident rewards Frieren with the promised spell. The villagers appreciate the clean statue, and as Frieren observes their admiration, she reflects on how the Hero of the South's prediction turned out to be inaccurate. Despite his resignation to being buried in the shadows of history, he has undeniably left his mark, as he is remembered fondly by the villagers.
Characters in Order of Appearance
Locations
- Fabel Village
- Forest in the Central Lands (in a flashback)
Battles and Events
Battles
- The Hero of the South vs. Schlacht the Omniscient and the Seven Sages of Destruction
Events
- Frieren's Party cleans up a statue of the Hero of the South in Fabel Village
- Frieren recalls meeting the Hero of the South in the past
Objects of Interest
Spells
- Spell to scratch the itchy parts on your back
- Spell to polish bronze statues (mentioned)
New Tools
- The Hero of the South's swords
Chapter Notes
- The Hero of the South wields two swords