Chapter 78: Childhood Recording: Pufferfish-like: The End of Hightower
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After Frieren joined the large family living in the cabin in the woods, greatly raising the household's average age, the peaceful years began to drift by.
As spring turned to autumn, Fern's hair gradually grew from shoulder length to her waist.
But this winter, the snow outside the window was overwhelming, piling up thick on the ground. The wind outside continued to howl—fast and low—and Ash's heart felt as cold as the winter air.
"...Such a sensible and well-behaved child. Is she now going through a rebellious phase?" Sitting in the rocking chair, Ash felt lonely and sad, especially with the child he had raised now actively avoiding him.
Frieren, huddled close to the fire to absorb as much warmth as possible, glanced over and confirmed:
"You were gone for half a year this time... Feen must have grown distant from you. You're clearly not an elf, yet you seem to understand children even less than I do."
"Is that so?"
Though the fireplace was crackling with warmth, the sight of the child he had raised becoming cold and distant left Ash feeling as if his heart had frozen over.
Nearby, the old man sipping tea rolled his eyes at the conversation but didn't bother to correct anything.
Fern, who was standing nearby, glared at Ash with puffed-up cheeks in silent protest. When Ash looked over, she turned away with a little huff, refusing to say a word, as if she wanted to keep her distance.
It seemed impossible for adults to fully understand a child's moods. Perhaps this was the generation gap? Despite feeling a pang of regret, Ash still reached out, gently ruffling Fern's hair out of habit.
Though she had plenty of reasons to be annoyed with him, Fern didn't resist the gesture, and her expression softened unconsciously.
Even though she had long decided not to pry into Ash's affairs to avoid adding to his burdens, his sudden disappearances still left her worried. Under his gentle touch, she couldn't help but ask:
"—Master Ash, why do you always leave?"
"Well... I have a lot of things to take care of."
"What, are you going on dates or something?"
"Dates?" Hearing such a suggestion from Fern, Ash was taken aback, and then a gentle look of amusement appeared on his face, as if realizing she was growing up. "Now, you actually know about dating."
"Lady Frieren said that Master Ash has 'vulgar desires' and is always trying to watch shooting stars with women... Is this true?"
"No, no, no! That's not vulgar at all, is it?" Ash shook his head in exasperation, turning to glare at Frieren with clear displeasure. "You're really teaching this kid some nonsense, huh?"
"I didn't say anything vulgar," Frieren replied, waving her hands in mock innocence.
"Heiter!" Ash called out.
"What are you looking at me for?" Heiter shrugged, shaking his head. "I don't think it's vulgar. Isn't this part of a man's romance?"
"Exactly! Not vulgar at all!" Emboldened by his ally's support, Ash straightened with confidence. "Fern, don't think like that! Don't stain my noble soul with such dirty thoughts."
"..." Fern ignored him, turning to Heiter with a dissatisfied frown. "...Lord Heiter...!"
With that disapproving look, Heiter immediately changed his tune and pointed the finger at Ash instead. "I was only kidding. Actually, yes, it is quite vulgar. As a man, you should avoid such behavior."
"Master Ash! Did you hear that? Lord Heiter, the bishop, said so! Reflect on yourself and correct your mistakes immediately!"
Fern, who had suddenly turned from an enemy to a friend, puffed up her cheeks like a pufferfish and righteously demanded that Ash change his ways, leaving him dumbfounded: "Is this really my fault?"
"Of course!"
"Haha… I suppose it's only natural that, as children grow up, they become a little more rebellious and a little less friendly."
Ash didn't argue with her but instead quietly took out a treasured magical item from his pocket. He infused it with a bit of magic, and suddenly, a recording of young Fern's voice filled the room:
"—If it weren't for Master Ash, I would've died on the roadside! It was Master Ash who gave me hot meals and a clean bed! He gave me a home! He was there for me whenever I felt uneasy…!"
"—Wait, wait a minute! W-What is this?!"
Fern, who had been puffing up her face, quickly recognized her own voice and, red-faced, rushed forward to try and snatch it away. But Ash stood up and dodged her attempts, all while sighing with feigned regret: "The young Fern was so sweet and always said she loved me the most, but the current Fern… Oh, I guess I miss little Fern."
"—When did you record this?! Please, hand over that weird thing—now!"
"Nope~"
"I…I'm really angry!!"
"I won't give it to you, even if you're mad! It's my spiritual support! Losing it would be like losing my soul!"
...
Even when Fern threw herself at him, standing on tiptoes in a desperate attempt to grab it, Ash did not give in and happily continued playing it until the recording reached its end. Defeated, Fern clenched her fists and puffed up her young face, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and continued to glare at him.
To be honest, her expression was rather cute and not intimidating at all, so Ash had no intention of compromising and even proudly showed off his treasured item to Frieren.
Frieren couldn't help but nod approvingly, "You really have some precious stuff there. I never thought the usually cold Fern could have had such an adorable phase."
"That's right~"
...
The two of them happily continued chatting together, but the price of their teasing was that Fern turned her back with a pout and ignored them both for the entire night. Even the next day, Heiter did not intercede on their behalf, leaving the two of them to apologize to her one after another.
Yet, even after both apologies, Fern only forgave Frieren, still holding a grudge against Ash, who stubbornly refused to hand over the recording or explain further. As a result, Fern maintained a cold war with him for several days, ultimately forcing Ash to decide not to use his "winning item" so easily again until a truly critical moment.
...
In truth, it wasn't that Ash wanted to withhold what he did—he simply often failed to clarify his actions properly.
Apart from visiting the Magic City, most of the other places he traveled to included the Royal Capital and the Demon King's Castle.
Within the Demon King's Castle resided two great demons: the Corrupted Sage and the Bloody God of War. One could teach him advanced, innovative magic, while the other offered instruction in martial arts.
Moreover, the two of them were extremely powerful, and if they weren't careful, they could stir up considerable trouble outside the castle walls. If Ash didn't go there regularly, it would be difficult to keep the situation fully under control. And, of course, Ash also sought to improve his own skills, which motivated him to make frequent trips to the Demon King's Castle.
If Ash didn't visit the Demon King's Castle regularly, countless towns and villages around the world would suffer. Qual, while an intense researcher who rarely left his studies, was relatively low-risk. But Rivale, a berserker, constantly sought worthy warriors to battle, even planning a visit to Warrior Village to find a challenger capable of facing his most powerful attacks.
He ultimately decided against it, though, as a more promising opponent was anticipated. Fortunately, Rivale's focus remained on the Demon King's Castle without proclaiming himself the Demon King, sparing the world from greater trouble.
Over time, however, the cozy, harmonious atmosphere of the woodland cabin began shifting toward a heavier, more solemn tone, largely due to Heiter's declining health. His coughing fits grew more frequent and echoed even in the quiet of night. While magic could heal external injuries, it was powerless against disease and aging, something even Fern had come to recognize. The signs were unmistakable: Heiter's life was drawing to a close.
One day, after Heiter had stumbled and been confined to bed for recovery, a concerned Fern couldn't help but ask Frieren anxiously, "Lady Frieren… Is there no progress on that magic book? Can't we speed things up a bit?"
Frieren seemed to hesitate, caught between saying something and holding back. "I think that book's magic might be…," she paused, then shook her head. "Never mind. Don't worry—I'll do my best to speed up."
Meanwhile, in Heiter's room, Ash sat beside the bed, arms crossed, observing his old friend with an unreadable expression. Heiter, bedridden and needing rest, looked back with a familiar smile.
"After this, that child will depend on you," Heiter murmured.
"Isn't it a little early to start saying your goodbyes?" Ash replied.
"…But it probably won't be long now."
Ash exhaled quietly. "Fair enough."
"Forgive me."
"For what, exactly?"
"For… a lot of things." Heiter's eyes closed slowly, his expression calm. Instead of fear, he seemed filled with a deep nostalgia, holding onto memories he was reluctant to release.
In the days that followed, Fern dedicated herself to practicing magic, driven by the promise she'd made with Heiter in Ash's absence.
She poured his energy into offensive spells, targeting the rocks along the cliffside of the mountain's back edge. Her goal was clear: to establish herself as an independent magician and allow Heiter—who had become like a grandfather to her—to pass on peacefully, knowing his legacy was secure.
Realizing he likely wouldn't live much longer, Heiter began wondering if he should reveal the truth to Frieren—that he and Ash had orchestrated a bit of a deception to secure her presence as Fern's mentor.