Chapter 102.5: Seduction Technique
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Although Fern looked angry, the purple-haired girl resembled a puffed-up pufferfish, which was unexpectedly adorable.
This sight made Ash sigh in resignation. With a casual gesture, he took out Sein's purse and tossed it next to the man still sprawled on the ground.
"…I've been talking for so long, and it's been useless, but this kid gets mad and suddenly he listens?" Sein stared at the purse in disbelief, doubting his own eyes.
"Because Ash has always doted on Fern~," Frieren said with a chuckle, shaking her head. However, when she turned to Sein, her expression shifted into something far more serious.
"Sein."
"What?"
"...I really hate you. So, I've decided I'm going to get you to join us, even if I have to force you."
"—What? Why? That's too weird, isn't it? And... what's going on with your team?"
Sein, alarmed by Frieren's sudden declaration, looked at Ash and Fern for confirmation. But all he saw was Ash patting Fern on the head.
Fern, who had initially looked awkward, now wore a sweet, innocent smile. The atmosphere between the two was oddly harmonious.
For a moment, Sein was thoroughly confused. What was the deal with Fern, who was supposed to be taking care of these two? And what kind of strange dynamic existed between them?
Still, after they left, Sein quietly returned to the tavern. Bitter tears of defeat stung his eyes as he begrudgingly put on the clothes that the village chief had stripped from him.
Alone in the cold night, he looked up at the vast sky, exhaled a puff of smoke, and eventually made his way back to the church, his head full of unanswered questions.
---
Sein could never have anticipated it, nor could he comprehend how Ash was so proficient at cards, especially for his first time playing.
But Fern and Frieren had their suspicions. Based on their knowledge of Ash, it was easy to guess—he had most likely cheated.
Under normal circumstances, Ash probably would have lost early on. But failure? That wasn't in his nature. Given the absurd speed Ash had demonstrated when taking down the mountain master, it wouldn't be surprising if he had used that same speed while playing cards with the villagers. Openly cheating would have been child's play for him.
If anything, it would have been strange if he hadn't crushed everyone. Even a seasoned gambling king wouldn't stand a chance against that kind of hand speed.
As a warrior standing at the pinnacle of "humanity," Ash's participation in a simple card game with villagers could only result in one outcome—bullying, as Fern had pointed out.
Normally, no one would think to gamble against such a formidable figure, but...
"Master Ash, honestly... what am I supposed to say to you?" Fern muttered, her initial anger fading as Ash affectionately patted her head. Yet she couldn't help but feel conflicted, watching Ash so calmly admit to using his speed to cheat.
Ash, who should have been an extraordinary figure, had not only stooped to playing cards with villagers but had also openly cheated.
And now? He lay quietly on his bed, pulling the quilt over himself and pretending to sleep. Even as Fern tried to scold him, Ash remained unbothered, offering no response.
In the end, Fern could only sigh, remind him to brush his teeth before bed, and return to her own room to pack her luggage.
Frieren, however, stayed behind. She was still sitting in the chair by Ash's bed, swinging her legs idly. After a long pause, she looked at him and then, without warning, raised her legs and slid her cold feet under his quilt. She pressed them directly onto his stomach.
"Wake up. Fern's gone, and I have something to tell you," she said casually.
"Are you even polite?" Ash grumbled, pulling the quilt tighter around himself. "If you have something to say, just say it. Who shoves their feet into someone else's bed? And—"
"—I took off my shoes, and I washed them before bed," Frieren interrupted, completely unbothered.
As soon as Ash opened his eyes, he began to complain, but before he could finish, Frieren, expressionless, shot back with a single retort.
Her words silenced him for a moment. Then, with a deep sigh, he shifted to lie on his side, staring at her with a serious expression.
"Although I want to commend you for taking off your shoes, I must say that your lack of common sense remains incredibly rude."
"Really? But didn't you once say that friends shouldn't fuss over trivial matters? We've known each other for thousands of years, haven't we? After all, when you first woke me up, you just—"
"—Very good! Let's set that topic aside for now—you win!" Ash sat up abruptly, cutting her off. He seemed desperate to change the subject, his voice tinged with exasperation. "Let's discuss whatever it is you wanted to talk about!"
"What? Feeling guilty all of a sudden?" Frieren, though unusually slow-witted, could roughly understand his thoughts after all their time together.
But now wasn't the time for teasing. She left her feet tucked in his bed for warmth, her gaze locking onto his. Speaking slowly, she said, "That guy Sein… let's not debate whether he can be a partner, but I think he should become an adventurer."
"…Because you see your past self in him, don't you?" Ash, still lying on his side, opened the quilt and cast another glance at her small feet clad in black tights. He decided not to comment further and instead sighed, resting his chin on one hand. His tone turned casual: "It's precisely because you see your past self in him that you don't like him. That's why you had that inexplicable 'same-race hatred,' isn't it?"
"Huh? How do you know that?"
"…How many years do you think we've known each other?" He smiled faintly, yawned, and lay back down, closing his eyes as if to avoid looking at her, someone far too familiar to him. "Maybe I know you better than you know yourself."
"Really? Well, that's a possibility… Though I'm a little annoyed you figured me out," Frieren muttered, her tone dripping with feigned disdain.
Yet beneath her words, a soft smile played on her lips. Her voice shifted, turning playfully provocative, yet inexplicably gentle: "Don't underestimate me. I might not be as slow as you think."
"…How do you know?"
"You're hiding something from me—something very important."
"…You think so?"
"I do. But I won't press you. I'll wait… because you're my most important friend." Frieren gazed at him, her faint smile meeting his eyes as they opened again.
"That's a little surprising," Ash admitted.
"Take it as a pleasant surprise. And… until the day your life comes to an end, I'll wait for you to tell me everything."
---
On what seemed like an ordinary night, Ash and Frieren shared a rare moment of honesty—though it was only the tip of the iceberg.
The next morning, however, Frieren appeared as though nothing had happened. Perhaps feeling embarrassed by her candid words the night before, she acted as if the profound conversation had been nothing more than a fleeting dream.
With her usual energy, she pulled both Fern and Ash into the festivities of the Harvest Festival, all while lobbying Sein with unrelenting enthusiasm.
Despite being a priest who indulged in drinking, eating meat, smoking, and gambling, Sein turned out to be surprisingly diligent in the village. He helped prepare decorations, assisted farmers in picking vegetables, and took on various other odd tasks without complaint.
The Drunken Priest, Sein, was busily preparing for the Harvest Festival, and he asked Ash and Fern to join him in the work. However, before they could settle into their tasks, Frieren dragged them away, recruiting them for her own efforts while constantly trying to persuade Sein to join her cause.
Despite Sein's attempts to dissuade them, it was futile. He couldn't ignore the dreams and hopes shining brightly in their eyes—dreams he himself had once harbored. Those looks, full of unwavering belief in a brighter future, stood in stark contrast to his current self.
Their youthful enthusiasm was like that of old friends who had never been worn down by the hardships of life. It was so dazzling, he found it hard to face.
Yet, among the three of them, Ash was different.
Ash didn't possess the same shining dreams or lofty hopes as Frieren and Fern. Even as they worked together, Sein couldn't help but recall the strange feeling of dissonance he'd sensed when Ash first left the church. It had been fleeting, almost illusory, but it left him wondering why Ash felt so out of place there.
Ash stood apart in more ways than one. Unlike Frieren and Fern, whose eyes sparkled with adventure and ambition, Ash didn't embody the carefree spirit of an adventurer. Though he acted with a free-spirited demeanor, there was an underlying tension in him, as if he were always braced for battle.
His self-discipline was unmatched—he practiced tirelessly every day. This stark contrast to Sein's own lifestyle left the Priest feeling a tinge of shame.
Being around the three of them gave Sein an odd sense of displacement. They felt like completely different kinds of people, each with their own unique energy and atmosphere. And yet, Frieren and Fern seemed to trust Ash more than anyone else.
This inexplicable trust sparked Sein's curiosity about their pasts, but no matter how much time passed, he never got any answers.
Similarly, Sein's steadfast refusal to join Frieren left her with no clear solution.
After much deliberation, one evening, Sein found himself watching Ash practice magic by the river near the church. Frieren, sitting nearby, suddenly nudged him.
"You and Sein seem to get along surprisingly well. You should have some idea of how to convince him to join us, right?"
Ash glanced at her briefly before replying, "He likes big sisters."
"I already knew that," Frieren said, crossing her arms. "But he's just like you—he refuses to acknowledge me as the older sister. I'm obviously older than all of you… It's weird."
She tilted her head in confusion, clearly unable to grasp their perspective.
What's so hard to understand? Ash thought, sneaking a glance at her petite figure and flat chest. He couldn't help but sigh internally, but before he could voice his thoughts, Fern, who noticed his reaction, had to suppress a laugh.
Oblivious to their thoughts, Frieren simply shrugged off her confusion. She stood abruptly, her expression suddenly resolute, as if she had reached a conclusion.
"There's no other way. Even though I don't really want to do this, it's the only choice I have left."
"...Judging by how you phrased that, I can already tell it's not a good idea," Ash muttered.
"Trust me! I'll show you my charm as a big sister~!" Frieren declared with a confident smile.
Ash, however, was unimpressed. He covered his face with his hand, shaking his head with a sigh. "I can already imagine you losing all your dignity in the years to come."
"What are you talking about, Master Ash?" Fern asked.
"You'll understand soon enough," Ash replied, his tone laced with resignation.
"Hmph!" Frieren puffed out her cheeks in mock annoyance, but she didn't let it bother her. Instead, she led the group toward the river near the church, her determination unwavering.
---
After waiting by the river for a short while, Frieren finally spotted her target.
Frieren quickly emerged from the bushes, calling out to the Priest who was heading into the church.
"—Sein!"
"Huh?" Sein turned around warily, assuming she was up to some new trick. What he didn't expect was what happened next.
Frieren brought her right hand to her lips, pursed them, and blew a kiss in his direction, finishing with an exaggerated "chu~" sound.
For a moment, the air seemed to freeze.
It took Sein a few seconds to process what just happened. He turned to Ash with a blank expression and asked, confused, "What is this person doing?"
Ash, visibly embarrassed, rubbed his forehead, trying to shield his face from the awkwardness. "...As you can see, it's supposed to be a flying kiss."
Meanwhile, Frieren stood proudly with her hands on her hips, wearing a smug expression that betrayed no self-awareness. "Hehe~"
Sein grimaced as if he had just swallowed a fly. "I see… but why on earth would you suddenly blow me a kiss?"
"To put it simply," Ash replied, his voice flat with resignation, "she's trying to show off her charm and convince you to join us on your own accord."
The sheer absurdity of the situation made Ash want to dig a hole in the ground and disappear.
Sein's face twisted further in discomfort, and he waved his hand dismissively. "——I'm begging you, take this child away. Quickly."
Ash sighed deeply, sharing the sentiment. "...I already planned to." He grabbed Frieren by the back of her collar and turned to leave, trying to salvage what little dignity was left.
However, just as they began to walk away, Ash noticed Fern standing nearby, her face flushed red and her mouth covered. Her reaction caught Ash off guard.
"...What's wrong with you?"
Fern stammered, her voice filled with admiration. "F-Frieren-sama… so mature! So sexy~!"
"H-Huh?"
Ash froze, momentarily dumbfounded.
The child I raised turned out like this? Should he call Fern innocent or something else entirely? Ash couldn't decide. Instead, he felt an impending headache creep in.
Am I the only normal person here? Ash couldn't help but question his reality.
Meanwhile, Frieren, being dragged backward, stroked her chin thoughtfully. "That's strange… It worked so well before. Himmel even fainted when I did it, but Heiter, Eisen, and Ash didn't react at all…"
Ash let out a long sigh and muttered, "...Have you ever considered that you might've been deceived?"
But Frieren shook her head confidently. "Master said those who are too young are useless, which means—"
"I'm not young, after all!" Ash cut her off, exasperated. "You look like a little girl, so you've got no right to call others young. Honestly, it's weird anyone would fall for your trick in the first place!"
"Wait a minute!" Frieren exclaimed. She used her agility to break free from Ash's grip. With renewed determination, she puckered her lips again, kissed her left hand, and blew him a kiss—this time from an uncomfortably close distance. Once again, she added an over-the-top "chu~" for good measure.
"..."
Ash froze, utterly unresponsive.
"Ah-ha! So it was a matter of distance! This unprecedented closeness even left Ash speechless!" Frieren beamed triumphantly.
But her smugness didn't last long. Less than three seconds later, Ash broke free from his daze, raised a fist, and landed a light punch on her head.
"Ow! What was that for?!" Frieren crouched down, clutching her head in pain.
"I'm sorry," Ash replied flatly, his expression deadpan. "I felt insulted and acted on impulse."
"...You don't even sound like you're apologizing!"
"That's because I'm not sincere. Honestly, I feel better after hitting you."
"You bastard—!"
Frieren fumed, ready to retaliate, but Ash shook his head in exasperation.
Without waiting for her to react, he walked away, heading toward Sein, who was still standing nearby, rubbing his temples as though contemplating how to escape this group of misfits.