| Introduction |
“ We're only human. Our time is limited. There is no such thing as "someday" in our lives.
—Lernen to Edel, in Chapter 82
Lernen ｢レルネン Rerunen?｣ is a first-class mage and an apprentice of the Great Mage Serie. He is a well-respected figure within the Continental Magic Association as the very first mage to ascend to the rank of first-class after its foundation, and he typically conducts the third stage of the First-Class Mage Exam that is held every three years.[1]
Personality[]
Lernen is a modest and cautious man. Serie remarked that ever since he was a young boy, he has been timid but always reliable.[2] Lernen himself mentions that he was socially awkward and did not know how to get along with most people, a factor that contributed to him being expelled from the ranks of the Empire's Imperial Mages early in his life.[3] However, he is greatly respected within the Continental Magic Association and even among the first-class mages, as he is the first ever mage to ascend to the rank of first-class as well as the longest surviving one. Serie evaluates him highly and usually entrusts him with carrying out the final stage of the First-Class Mage Exam.[1]
Despite his outward manners and self-evaluation, Lernen is actually quite a strong-willed and rebellious person. Even when he was young, he was willing to go against Serie's instructions to wait in order to request that she did not kill Macht and instead let her apprentices seal him, as he wanted to find a way to save his best friend's hometown. Although he says he had lived as long as he has because he always knows when to quit, Lernen is quite willing to take on difficult and dangerous challenges to achieve his goals, such as when he attempts to duel Frieren as a means of leaving his mark on history. He goes to great lengths to make the people important to him happy and fulfil their wishes. He challenges Frieren because he wants to repay the time he has spent as Serie's apprentice by leaving a mark on history as her disciple. He also endangered his life venturing into the Golden Land and confronting Macht in order to secure intel for Denken to grasp the chance of defeating the Sage of Destruction and save his hometown.
Appearance[]
Lernen is a wiry old man who wears a long white robe. He has a mustache.
When he was young, he had light, chin-length hair that was slicked back to reveal his forehead. He was shown to wear attire in darker colors.
Synopsis[]
History[]
Lernen came from a wealthy noble family. When he was young, he was an Imperial Mage in the Empire where he met Denken. Despite their difference in backgrounds, the two quickly got along and became good friends. Due to Lernen's difficulty in getting along with others, he was expelled from his position. Denken had defended him until the end, for which Lernen felt grateful and indebted to Denken for. Even after Lernen lost his position, he and Denken remained in touch. Denken would often share with Lernen stories of his wife, Lektüre.
When the Continental Magic Association was established, Lernen was the first person to qualify as a first-class mage. He became Serie's apprentice and eventually grew to be a powerful and respected mage.
Serie's apprentices seal Macht.
After the Fortified City of Weise was transmuted into gold by Macht, Lernen and his fellow first-class mages at the time escorted Serie as she made to eliminate the Sage of Destruction. However, Lernen and the other apprentices intervened in the middle of Macht and Serie's battle and proposed that they would seal Macht inside a barrier until a way to return Weise back to normal could be found. Serie reluctantly agreed, and her disciples created the Great Barrier of the Golden Land.
Lernen would become responsible for conducting the final stage of the First-Class Mage Exam in Äußerst every three years to pick out the next first-class mages. His test was implied to be very arduous.[4]
First-Class Mage Exam Arc (First Stage)[]
Lernen first appears when Fern and Frieren sign up for the First-Class Mage Exam. Initially, Frieren plans to leave the exam to Fern after realizing that a certification of fifth-class mage or higher is required. However, as Fern tries to stop her from leaving, Frieren then wonders whether her holy emblem might be enough of a qualification. Noticing this, Lernen asks to examine the emblem. After reviewing it, he asks if Frieren intends to take the exam, before allowing both Fern and Frieren to sign up.
First-Class Mage Exam Arc (Second Stage)[]
Though Lernen does not make an appearance for the second stage of the First-Class Mage Exam, he supplies Sense with the bottled escape golems that she provides to the examinees as a failsafe. Sense mentions that the golems are created by Lernen as she hands the bottles to the examinees.
First-Class Mage Exam Arc (Final Stage)[]
On the day of the third exam, Serie gathers Lernen and other first-class mages—Falsch, Genau, and Sense—in her room at the Continental Magic Association Northern Branch. Serie points out that the presence of a particular mage allowed unqualified candidates to pass, to which Lernen clarifies that she is referring to Frieren.
Serie then explains that, as a result, participants have passed who would typically not survive the third exam. Therefore, she decides to conduct the third exam peacefully and asks Lernen if he is comfortable with this change, as he usually oversees the third exam. Lernen agrees and admits that he is not qualified to test Frieren. He shares that he immediately recognized she was suppressing her mana during their initial encounter, before suggesting that her true mana level is comparable to Serie's. Serie praises him for his mana detection, as beside him, only the Demon King has recognized Frieren's mana suppression at first sight. She reminisces that Lernen has been the same modest, reliable, and timid boy since he first became her apprentice and the first first-class mage all those years ago, and laments that because of his age, he will likely never have an opportunity to challenge Frieren despite possibly being able to win against her.
After the final stage of the First-Class Mage Exam concludes, while Fern is receiving her privilege at the Continental Magic Association, Lernen approaches Frieren and Stark, who are waiting for Fern on the streets of Äußerst. Lernen first apologizes to Frieren for Serie's actions, but Frieren tells him it's fine and notes that he is able to see the instability in her mana suppression. She tells him that he is awfully skilled for this era of peace, and Lernen tells her that Serie has said the same thing—that if he had been born in the era of the war against the Demon King's army, he could have made his mark in history. Lernen then explains to Frieren that besides the Great Mage Flamme, all of Serie's apprentices have failed to leave their mark on history. Once he dies, another piece of Serie's existence will be erased, and because of that, Lernen is determined to leave his mark even if it means going down in notoriety for killing the legendary mage Frieren of the Hero Party. He then attacks Frieren with a spell reminiscent of the human-killing version of Zoltraak. Despite dodging into the air[note 1] and blocking with defensive magic, Lernen's spell easily shatters Frieren's defenses and scores a hit on her shoulder. After managing to score a first hit, Lernen then asks Frieren for a duel. However, Frieren rejects him and tells him that there's no need for him to leave his mark on history, as Serie will remember him—despite none of her other apprentices reaching Flamme's heights, Serie has remembered each and every one of their favorite spells, including Lernen's golem magic. Having said her piece, Frieren and Stark walk past Lernen to meet Fern. Lernen thinks to himself that himself and Serie are both awkward mages, before lowering his staff contemplatively.
After the privilege conferment ceremony, the next day, Lernen is seen with Wirbel, Scharf, and Ehre. Ehre is introducing him to her two companions, revealing that he is the first-class grandfather that she told Wirbel about during the first stage of the First-Class Mage Exam.
The Golden Land Arc[]
In Äußerst, Lernen hires second-class mage Edel for an expedition to explore the Golden Land and gather information. He tasks her with restoring the functionality of the Stone Bracelet of Servitude, suspecting it is defective after receiving reports that the last of the Seven Sages of Destruction, Macht of the Golden Land, is still wearing it. Upon arriving in the Weise Region, Lernen leads Edel to the last remaining village that hasn't been engulfed in gold. There, Edel reads the memories of a former citizen of the Fortified City of Weise, who witnessed the ceremony in which Macht was first equipped with the bracelet. They then move to the barrier of the Golden Land.
Before they reach the Golden Land's barrier, they encounter Früh, a second-class mage from the advance party that Lernen had sent to conduct a preliminary investigation. Früh reveals that her group was wiped out in an instant, leaving her as the sole survivor. As Lernen questions why she alone was spared, she begins to turn into gold, fully transforming before Edel can read her memories.
After crossing the barrier and entering Weise, Edel and Lernen are immediately confronted by Macht, leading to a battle between Lernen and the demon. While Lernen fights to buy time, Edel attempts to restore the Stone Bracelet of Servitude. When Macht finds this out, he dismisses their efforts, revealing that their attempts are futile. Edel realizes that the bracelet is not defective, and no additional command can be placed on it except by the one who originally issued it. Understanding the situation, Lernen calls for a tactical retreat and summons a golem as a distraction. Though Macht quickly destroys it, this allows Edel to touch Macht and read a century's worth of his memories at the cost of nearly all her strength. Lernen then summons another golem to carry Edel, along with a much larger and more powerful one to distract Macht as they retreat.
At some point thereafter, Edel and Lernen meet with Denken, who has volunteered to become the new caretaker of the Great Barrier surrounding the Golden Land. Edel shares the memories she retrieved from Macht with him.[5] Afterward, both Edel and Lernen travel back to Äußerst by carriage.[6]
During the journey, Lernen answers Edel's question about why he is so determined to help Denken. He explains that they were close friends long ago, and now, as old men nearing the end of their lives, he wants to help Denken see the colors of his hometown once again. When Lernen asks if Edel thinks Denken made his decision too late, she agrees. Lernen acknowledges this, but adds that as humans, their time is limited, and there is no "someday" in their lives. Both he and Denken failed to realize this until they grew old, and now that they have reached the point where any day could be their last, they both finally realized that all they have is now, leading Lernen to want to do whatever possible to help Denken restore Weise.
Relationships[]
Serie[]
Lernen is one of Serie's many apprentices. He was the first mage to ascend to the rank of first-class mage. Serie always saw the potential in Lernen and is pleased when he is able to see the instability in Frieren's mana restraint. However, she expresses disappointment that because of his limited lifespan, there are heights he will never be able to reach, as in the end he still isn't able to sense Serie's own mana restraint. Lernen cares deeply about Serie and is considerate of her long lifespan. He expresses regret that because he lived in a more peaceful era, he will be unable to ever make his mark on history, and thus upon his death another marker of the Great Mage Serie's life will disappear. In order to create a legacy for himself so that Serie will not be left alone and lonely in the future, he is willing to challenge the legendary mage that defeated the Demon King, Frieren, to a duel to the death. According to Frieren, Serie is awkward and incapable of expressing her feelings honestly—even if Lernen never makes his mark on history, Serie will remember him anyways, showing that Serie reciprocates Lernen's care.
Denken[]
Lernen and Denken have been good friends for many decades. Even though they came from very different backgrounds[3] they got along well, and they would both listen to each others' qualms and support one another. When Lernen was ousted from his position as Imperial Mage, Denken was the first to come to his defense. Though this ultimately was for naught, as Lernen was still ousted from his position, Lernen has remained deeply grateful to Denken all this time, and resolved to one day pay his friend back.
Ehre[]
Lernen is Ehre's grandfather. They seem to be on good terms, as Ehre brings up Lernen casually in conversations, and he makes the time when she wants to introduce the other members of the thirteenth party to him after the conclusion of the First-Class Mage Exam.
Edel[]
Lernen has great faith in Edel's abilities, going so far as to choose to hire her for her mental magic services and bring her to the Golden Land to confront Macht. He also treats her like a granddaughter as he buys her treats from the bakery before missions. Despite the difference in their age and experience, he encourages Edel to ask the questions she is thinking, even if they may be considered rude. He considers Edel a braver mage than himself.
Frieren[]
Lernen admires Frieren and respects her. He refers to her formally, and is the only one shown to recognize the Holy Emblem that Frieren possesses. Despite the respect he holds for Frieren, he challenges her to a duel to the death as he wishes to earn notoriety in some way so as to not be forgotten by history, thus ensuring that one of the marks of Serie's existence will not be erased.
Abilities[]
Lernen is an incredibly powerful and accomplished mage whom Serie considered capable of defeating Frieren.[7]
- Mana detection: Lernen has excellent mana detection. He is capable of seeing the instability in Frieren's mana in a single glance, a feat previously only accomplished by the Demon King.[8]
Lernen uses a bottled golem to defend against Macht.
- Golem magic: Lernen can create a variety of sturdy and strong golems that can be used for varying purposes, such as nullifying dungeon traps, healing, and rescuing examinees from grave danger in the First-Class Mage Exam. Additionally, they can act as shields or battle aids, as demonstrated by the golem used during Lernen and Edel's confrontation with Macht in the Golden Land.[9]
- Bottled golems: Lernen is able to contain his golems in bottles, and the golems can be used for their defensive and healing qualities upon breaking the bottle. These bottled golems are exceptionally strong. They are capable of breaking walls in the Ruins of the King's Tomb that even Denken's Catastravia cannot pierce, can effortlessly block Sense's hair drills, and are able to heal serious injuries with no lasting damage.
- Unidentified offensive magic: A Zoltraak-like spell Lernen used to attack Frieren. It is black in color, suggesting it is the human-killing version of Zoltraak, and is capable of easily shattering Frieren's defense magic. Lernen can fire off several beams of the spell at once, such as in his battle against Macht of Golden Land.
Manga Appearance[]
| Chapter 77: A Thunder of Dragons | Appears |
| Chapter 78: Lake Korridor | Absent |
| Chapter 79: The Great Tor Canyon | Absent |
| Chapter 80: Holy Snow Crystals | Absent |
| Chapter 81: The Golden Land | Flashback |
| Chapter 82: Diagoldze—The Spell to Transmute All Creation into Gold | Appears |
| Chapter 83: The Stone Bracelet of Servitude | Flashback |
| Chapter 84: Daredevil | Memory |
| Chapter 85: Malice | Memory |
| Chapter 86: Discussions | Absent |
| Chapter 87: Affection | Absent |
| Chapter 88: Solitär | Absent |
| Chapter 89: Guilt | Absent |
| Chapter 90: Glück | Absent |
| Chapter 91: Onstage | Absent |
| Chapter 92: The End of Weise | Absent |
| Chapter 93: The Great Barrier | Memory |
| Chapter 94: Analysis | Absent |
| Chapter 95: Nameless Great Demon | Absent |
| Chapter 96: Master and Apprentice | Flashback |
| Chapter 97: Observation | Absent |
| Chapter 98: Retribution | Absent |
| Chapter 99: Offense and Defense | Absent |
| Chapter 100: The Fundamentals of Mages | Absent |
| Chapter 101: Breakthrough | Absent |
| Chapter 102: A Tie | Absent |
| Chapter 103: Time for Retribution | Absent |
| Chapter 104: A Visit to Her Grave | Absent |
| Chapter 126: A New Mission | Absent |
| Chapter 127: Retrieval Mission | Flashback |
| Chapter 128: Magic Special Forces | Absent |
| Chapter 129: Shadow of the Empire | Absent |
| Chapter 130: Beneath the Water's Surface | Absent |
| Chapter 131: Escape | Absent |
| Chapter 132: Chase | Absent |
| Chapter 133: Silver Coins | Absent |
| Chapter 134: Trace Back | Absent |
| Chapter 135: Prelude | Absent |
| Chapter 136: Reunion | Absent |
| Chapter 137: Repel | Absent |
| Chapter 138: Traitor | Mentioned |
Anime Appearance[]
Trivia[]
- According to Serie, Lernen's favorite magic is creating golems.[10]
- Lernen is German for "learn."
- Lernen ranked the following in the official popularity polls:
- 28th in the first popularity contest.
- 64th in the second popularity contest, where multiple votes per character were counted.
- In this same contest, Lernen ranked 66th when counting only unique votes (one vote per character per person).
Notes[]
- ↑ Anime-only addition.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Manga: Chapter 57 (p. 4).
- ↑ Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Manga: Chapter 57 (p. 7).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Manga: Chapter 82 (p. 11).
- ↑ Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Manga: Chapter 57 (pp. 3-4).
- ↑ Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Manga: Chapter 77.
- ↑ Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Manga: Chapter 82 (p. 9).
- ↑ Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Manga: Chapter 57 (p. 8).
- ↑ Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Manga: Chapter 57 (pp. 4-7).
- ↑ Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Manga: Chapter 85 (pp. 16-17).
- ↑ Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Manga: Chapter 60 (p. 11).