Twenty-nine years after Hero Himmel’s death, Frieren and her party arrive in Fabel Village. An elderly villager asks them to polish a statue of a great hero. Frieren asks about the reward and is offered a spell that scratches an itchy back, which is more than enough to get her to agree. As they head to the statue, Fern notes that statues of Hero Himmel really are everywhere, while Stark says this kind of detailed work sounds fun. Stark eagerly gets ready to help, but Frieren casually mentions that if the statue were bronze, she could just polish it with magic and wouldn’t need him.
At the statue, Stark is shocked to see it’s not Himmel, but a middle-aged man with a mustache. Frieren introduces him as the Hero of the South and assumes Fern and Stark have never heard of him. She explains that many heroes tried to defeat the Demon King, and that the Hero of the South was the strongest among them. Stark doubts the title, but Frieren insists it fits. She then explains the threat of the Seven Sages of Destruction, who once ruled key regions, especially in the Northern Countries. According to Frieren, her party only defeated two of the Sages, while two others escaped. The remaining three were taken down by the Hero of the South.
The Hero of the South and the seven sages
Frieren explains that the Hero of the South achieved incredible feats against the Demon King’s army. In just one year he single-handedly wiped out the Demon King’s frontline forces. He eventually reached the northernmost part of the Northern Plateau, a key point in the army’s supply route. There he was confronted by Schlacht the Omniscient, the Demon King’s closest confidant who could see a thousand years into the future, along with the Seven Sages of Destruction. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the Hero of the South defeated three of the Sages and battled Schlacht.
As Frieren continues the story, the party notices a puppet show in the village retelling the same events to children. Frieren says that many nearby regions were liberated from the Seven Sages because of that battle. She adds that people still believe the Hero of the South is fighting Schlacht since his body was never found. Frieren then mentions that he fought cannibalistic demons, and believes they most likely ate his remains.
Smiling, Frieren begins cleaning the statue, which triggers a flashback to her meeting with the Hero of the South. He asked for her help, but Frieren refused, saying she would never be able to defeat the Demon King. He accepts her answer, saying there was nothing he could say to change her mind. Frieren notes that he spoke as if he already knew the outcome, which he confirms. He then reveals to her that he became the strongest human because he could see the future, and he entrusts Frieren with this secret, believing she would never tell anyone.
The prophecy
The Hero of the South tells Frieren that within a year Schlacht the Omniscient and the Seven Sages will attack him at the Northern Plateau, an event that will lead to his death. He explains that even with Frieren’s help he has already accepted his fate and knows he will not defeat the Demon King. He then shares another prophecy, saying that Frieren will eventually join the party of a young Hero who will save the world.
Frieren rejects the idea, unable to imagine it. As he leaves, the Hero of the South says this young Hero will have a major impact on Frieren’s life. He asks her for one favor, which she accepts. He wants Frieren to tell the young Hero that the Hero of the South, the strongest of mankind, will cut open a path for him even if his achievements are buried and forgotten. The flashback ends as Himmel, Heiter, and Eisen arrive.
Back in the present, Frieren’s party finishes cleaning the statue of the Hero of the South, which now sparkles. The elderly resident rewards Frieren with the promised spell. The villagers admire the statue, and Frieren reflects on how the Hero of the South’s prediction was wrong. Despite believing he would be forgotten, he clearly left an impact, as the villagers still remember him fondly.
The sword of a demon
Twenty-nine years after Hero Himmel’s death, Frieren and her party arrive in Graf Dach’s domain. Stark remarks that it has been a long time since they last visited a large town. Unusually, Frieren says they will leave shortly after resupplying. Stark notices a magic shop, but Frieren shows no interest and reminds him that time is limited. Fern senses that something is off, while Stark points out that Frieren usually stays in large towns for several months.
A butler recognizes Frieren and invites the party to an evening banquet hosted by Graf Dach. Frieren tries to decline by saying they are leaving, but the butler insists, explaining that the Graf wants to repay her for helping save the domain as part of the Hero Party. That night, Frieren’s party shares a meal with Graf Dach. Fern notices that Frieren looks reluctant as she thanks him for the invitation, while Stark is clearly enjoying the food.
Graf Dach expresses his gratitude for Frieren’s help during his great-grandfather’s generation. Frieren immediately asks what he wants. Graf Dach gets straight to the point and reveals that the family’s heirloom sword has been stolen by a demon. Frieren explains to Stark that the same thing happened in the Graf’s great-grandfather’s time, leading Stark to comment that the sword gets stolen too often. Frieren accepts the request and asks for a grimoire in return, a deal Graf Dach readily agrees to.
The demon wielding a sword
Frieren’s party continues chasing the demon. Along the way Frieren complains about the nobles of the Northern Region, explaining that the Graf who rules this land has always been unreasonable. She recalls that the Hero Party was once threatened with imprisonment if they failed to recover the sword. At the time there were no clues to its location, and they eventually found it at the summit of the Schwer Mountains. When Fern asks why demons keep targeting the sword, Frieren explains that it once belonged to a powerful demon, which is why demons are drawn to it. Fern points out that despite the trouble, Frieren still accepted the request. Frieren says it was unavoidable—refusing would make Himmel’s efforts meaningless, and Himmel himself would never turn away. The episode shows the party traveling and camping as they move forward.
The party eventually reaches a ruined village and encounters a cloaked woman. When Frieren asks if she is a villager, the woman claims to be a wandering priest mourning the dead. She says the village was destroyed by a demon wielding a sword, which Frieren immediately suspects is the one they are hunting. The woman leads them to a burial site and explains that the same demon has slaughtered many villages. When she asks them to pray, Frieren suddenly attacks one of the graves, revealing it to be empty and confusing Fern. Frieren explains that the lack of bodies exposes the truth—the woman is the demon with the sword. The demon reveals itself and claims the killings were necessary for survival, but Frieren rejects this reasoning. The fight is brief, and Frieren quickly defeats the demon using Zoltraak.
Back in Graf Dach’s Domain, the Graf is grateful for Frieren’s help. As they leave, Frieren is glad they got a “nice grimoire.” The grimoire contains a spell to turn red apples into green ones. Which Stark remarks is useless.
