【Coupling Column】Vol.69 Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

Haaaaaa...... These two are just...... precious. That word really fits, but because of that, their relationship is also bittersweet, isn't it?

To put it very simply, there was once a Demon King. The hero Himmel gathered companions to defeat this Demon King, successfully did so, and the world became peaceful. Frieren is an elf mage who was one of Himmel's companions...... The story begins several decades later in a peaceful world, after Himmel passes away from old age.

Frieren, whose lifespan is vastly different from that of humans, regrets not having spent more time interacting with various people, including Himmel, after he passed away in his old age. Determined not to let this regret end as just regret, she embarks on a journey to see the world.

And the memories of Frieren and Himmel are portrayed in flashbacks throughout Frieren's journey......

......If the present-day Frieren, who is starting to understand human emotions little by little, had the same interactions with the past Himmel...... I wonder if their relationship and the story would have been different. But I think their relationship is beautiful precisely because it can never be altered again...... They had a bond that was less than love, yet undeniably strong.

These two are currently traveling together with Frieren as her companions!

They joined Frieren's journey partway through, and they share the common experience of losing their families early on and being raised by members of the hero's former party! Stark is quite timid, but he's kind and considerate of those around him. On the other hand, Fern is not easily intimidated and is serious, but a bit careless. However, among the three members of their traveling party, she's the one who takes care of everyone and is the most attentive, so they get along really well.

And! It seems like the two of them are gradually starting to see each other as the opposite sex as the story progresses......!! I'm really looking forward to seeing how their relationship develops!

As I mentioned earlier, these two were members of the group that went to defeat the Demon King. Heiter is a human, but he was a very powerful priest who also supported the party and often played the role of the straight man (since the party had a lot of laid-back members).

That said, Himmel and Heiter didn't meet during their journey, but have been friends since they were young. It seems they weren't the same age, but when Heiter heard that Himmel was going to defeat the Demon King and decided to join him, it shows the strength of their bond. I mean, when you hear that your childhood friend is going on a journey to defeat the Demon King, you must really trust and care about them to decide to go along! It was because of this deep trust and bond that peace was preserved in the world, I think.

I think they had a very good relationship. Even after Himmel passed away first, Heiter continued to live peacefully and had a great influence on many people. Both characters have passed away now, but...... I believe they were bound by a bond strong enough to support each other and save the world!