Chapter 95: Are friends such inconvenient things·Life becomes painful only when there are fantasies?
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"Ah? Oops…!"
Although Frieren was over a thousand years old, she reacted with the flustered energy of a child when Ash's playful tattling caught her off guard. She jumped up from the bed, hastily trying to hide the biscuits behind her back.
However, Fern, who turned her head instinctively, spotted the crumbs and remnants immediately. Her expression darkened as she scolded sternly, "Lady Frieren!"
Caught red-handed, Frieren had no defense. Instead, she lowered her head sheepishly, like a child caught misbehaving. However, she couldn't resist glaring at Ash. "…You're plotting against me again!"
"It's all your fault for eating in bed," Ash replied smugly, clearly enjoying his success a little too much.
But Fern turned her glare on him next, her tone sharp. "Master Ash, you're no better!"
"…Did I do something wrong?" Ash blinked, feigning innocence.
"You're a grown man, but you still act like a child! You say strange things, teach bad habits, and embarrass us in front of the villagers. How do you think this makes us look?"
"If someone can be corrupted so easily, maybe the problem lies with them, not the teacher?" he quipped back without missing a beat.
"Master Ash!"
His quick retort left Fern momentarily stunned, her anger wavering. Frieren, who had been silently observing, burst into laughter. "From now on, you'll have to wash your own underwear~"
"Ah… Well," Ash muttered, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Come to think of it, there are no clouds tonight. Tomorrow's weather will definitely be nice, don't you think?"
Desperately trying to change the subject, he turned to gaze out the window, pretending to admire the sky. But his attempt at distraction was doomed to fail.
"…"
Fern remained unfazed. She simply puffed her cheeks, pouted, and stared at him silently, her unwavering gaze growing heavier with each passing second. Her quiet, intense disapproval was far more suffocating than any argument.
Ash glanced at Frieren, who looked thoroughly entertained by his predicament, her smirk only adding to his discomfort. He could feel his scalp tingle under the oppressive atmosphere and resisted the overwhelming urge to flee. Experience had taught him that running would only make Fern angrier.
Just as the tension reached its peak, a voice called out, saving him from his predicament.
"—Excuse me, Ash… uh?"
The village chief's eldest son, Hugh Toltz, stood awkwardly at the door. As he took in the scene before him—Ash standing by the window, Frieren lying on the bed with a smug grin, and Fern glaring like a disappointed mother—his face betrayed his confusion. After a moment of hesitation, he carefully asked, "Am I interrupting something?"
"No, no, no! You're just in time!" Ash exclaimed, practically leaping at the opportunity for escape. "It couldn't be better timing!"
"Eh? Is that so? I could come back later if—"
"It'll be too late if you leave now!" Ash interrupted, striding over and placing a firm hand on Hugh's shoulder. "You had something to talk to me about, didn't you?"
"Uh… It's about what my father said earlier. Are you really okay with it?" Hugh asked hesitantly.
"Don't be so polite! We're friends now!" Ash declared, throwing an arm around Hugh's shoulders and giving him a hearty pat.
"But… didn't we just meet?" Hugh replied, looking genuinely perplexed.
"Nonsense! In my eyes, you're already a friend!"
"That's… quite an honor?" Hugh managed, his tone uncertain, though he nodded politely.
Ash was already steering him toward the door, eager to make his escape, when a cool, emotionless voice rang out from behind him.
"Please wait a moment, Master Ash," Fern called, her tone flat but her words carrying a weight that made Ash freeze mid-step.
"What? I can't go out with my friends?"
"...Friend?" Fern's piercing gaze locked onto Ash's, as if trying to see through him. "So, what's your friend's name?"
Ash hesitated, but quickly tried to deflect. "I'm not saying anything bad about you, Fern, but do friends really care about names? Can you honestly remember the names of all your friends?"
"I only have two friends—Connie and Rabinie. Of course, I remember their names," Fern replied sharply. "And it was because Master Ash stubbornly wanted to leave that I was separated from them."
"Oh... I'm so sorry..."
The mention of the past made Ash feel a pang of guilt. Embarrassed, he wanted nothing more than to escape the conversation.
But Fern wasn't finished. She stepped closer, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. "And? What's this friend's name?"
"Are friends supposed to be this complicated?"
"Are we even still friends if you can't name one?" Fern shot back, her voice calm but pointed.
"It's just a friend I haven't had the chance to get to know well yet... Is that not okay?"
"Of course not."
"Well... uh, his name is Mond," Ash said hastily.
"...That's a name you just made up, isn't it?"
"I'm sorry... I was wrong."
Though he tried to wriggle his way out of the situation, Fern's unyielding gaze left him no choice but to bow his head in defeat.
He expected her to scold him further, but to his surprise, she sighed softly.
"Ah... never mind. Since Master Ash has admitted his mistake, I won't say more. Just be careful when you go out," Fern said, her voice softening. She straightened his clothes, her expression surprisingly gentle. "And don't get your clothes dirty, okay?"
"Ah, okay. I understand..." Ash nodded quickly, a mixture of relief and confusion on his face, before following Hugh Toltz out of the room.
But as they walked, Hugh couldn't stop glancing back at Fern. His expression was a mix of curiosity and disbelief. Was she acting like Ash's mother? Or... his new wife?
Meanwhile, Frieren, still lying on the bed, rolled onto her back and muttered, "As expected, Fern dotes on Ash but is only strict with me. Isn't that blatant favoritism?"
"Please, don't say weird things!" Fern huffed, trying to maintain her stern demeanor. "That's because Lady Frieren never learns!"
"...I have learned!" Frieren protested.
"Then tomorrow morning, can you wake up and eat breakfast on your own? Or at least get up after being called once? Comb your hair by yourself? Wash your face? Tie your hair?"
"...There are no clouds tonight, so tomorrow will definitely be a good day, right?" Frieren suddenly said, gazing out the window in a clear attempt to change the subject.
"Why are you copying Master Ash now?" Fern sighed, exasperated. She shook her head and gave up on further lecturing. After all, nothing had changed despite years of trying.
---
Village Road Under the Moonlight
Hugh Toltz walked alongside Ash, his face still marked with hesitation and curiosity. Every so often, he glanced at Ash as if trying to muster the courage to say something, yet remained silent.
Ash noticed Hugh's hesitance and couldn't help but take the initiative to say, "Mond, if you have something to say, just say it."
"I'm sorry, Master Ash. I'm just... a little curious. No, I mean, you have a very nice wife."
Ash froze for a moment, caught off guard. "That's not right. Fern is the descendant of a friend of mine."
"Eh? Is that so? My apologies, I thought..." Hugh Toltz trailed off, realizing his mistake. Still unable to fully grasp the fact that Ash was over 90 years old, Hugh immediately bowed his head in apology.
"Alright, don't worry about small things like that. Your father asked me to guide you, so let's get straight to it now, Mond."
"Actually... my name is Hugh Toltz."
"That's too long. It's hard to remember."
"Ah, I'm sorry—"
"Relax, it was just a joke. Do young people nowadays not understand jokes anymore?" Ash asked, sighing exaggeratedly.
Hugh gave an awkward smile, unsure how to handle Ash's casual demeanor. The contrast between this strong, easygoing man and the stern figures of the village left him feeling slightly out of his depth.
But Hugh quickly steeled himself. Taking a deep breath, he drew his sword under the moonlight and fixed his gaze on Ash.
"...Let's begin, Master Ash. It doesn't matter if you taint my pure whiteness."
Ash raised an eyebrow, tilting his head. "I get that you mean the cloak, but that sounds a bit... strange."
"Strange?"
"Yeah, and why 'taint' it?"
"Because this cloak symbolizes the pride of our village and the strength of its greatest warrior. But rather than remain humbled by its purity, I hope you can stain it with filth. That will push us to strive for greater heights," Hugh said, his tone firm and resolute.
Ash frowned slightly, feeling that the sentiment was admirable, but the phrasing was undeniably odd. However, rather than dwell on it, he waved dismissively and said, "Alright, let's get straight to it."
"...You're not going to draw your weapon?" Hugh asked, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes.
"I don't need it."
"Really?" Hugh looked visibly disheartened.
Sensing the mood shift, Ash softened his tone slightly. "I can tell you haven't killed anyone before. In fact... you've probably never even left the village, have you?"
"That's right. Monsters occasionally appear around here, so I stay to protect the village. If something happened while I was gone, it would be a disaster," Hugh admitted earnestly.
"Fair enough," Ash said, nodding. "But if you want to improve, you'll have to leave this place and see the world. Of course, it's just my advice." Then, as if to lighten the mood, he added, "By the way, I'm different from you. I'm used to fighting humans and humanoids, so don't hold back. Just come at me."
"Then... I won't hold back!"
"Good. Bring it on."
Hugh took a deep breath and charged, sword raised, but the battle quickly turned into a one-sided affair.
Even though Ash deliberately restrained himself, slowed his movements, and matched Hugh's physical fitness, the young man's lack of experience in fighting humans left him woefully unprepared.
A series of dull thuds echoed through the night as Ash's precise punches landed. Hugh stumbled and fell into a muddy puddle, splashing water everywhere. His once-pristine white cloak was now covered in grime, almost unrecognizable.
Bruised and battered, Hugh struggled to stand, but his body refused to cooperate. The sword he'd clung to earlier had disappeared somewhere in the chaos.
As Hugh lay in the dirt, feeling the sting of defeat, he couldn't help but be reminded of the frustration he felt when sparring with his elders as a child. The earthy scent of the soil mixed with the night wind filled his senses. Yet, as he looked up at the bright moon hanging in the sky, an unexpected laugh bubbled up from the depths of his heart.
"Haha! Haha! Awesome... Truly awesome! I'm still far from being strong... still far from reaching the heights of this world's best!"
Despite knowing his opponent had held back significantly, Hugh found his defeat oddly exhilarating. The overwhelming disparity between them only fueled his fighting spirit.
As Ash's figure receded into the distance, Hugh turned his gaze after him, his eyes filled with admiration and longing. He regretted not being able to meet Ash in his youth and prime. Resolving to share the joy of this hard-fought battle with his brother upon returning, he clenched his fists with renewed determination.
---
The next day, with no tourist attractions, magical texts, or ancient ruins to explore, the trio decided not to linger in the village. Despite the chief and villagers' efforts to convince them to stay, they bid farewell with some regret and headed off toward their next destination: visiting the dwarf warrior Eisen.
During their departure, Fern couldn't ignore the intensity of the villagers' gazes trailing behind them. Uneasy, she muttered under her breath, "That's great, Master Ash. The people here seem to adore you. There are even girls who don't mind that you're over ninety years old—it's really something!"
"What's so great about that?" Ash replied, his tone light but tinged with exasperation. "They're only attracted to my looks. No one cares about my inner self. How could I be happy with something so shallow?"
Fern, however, seemed unconvinced, and Ash, noticing the girl's unhappiness, attempted to lighten the mood with a joke.
But Frieren, as always, was quick to cut through the tension. With an expression that said, What nonsense are you spouting now?, she bluntly declared, "If they knew your true, dark nature, no matter how strong you are, those girls who admire your strength wouldn't give you a second glance."
Ash raised an eyebrow at her bluntness. "That's nonsense. I'll have you know that, despite appearances, I'm incredibly gentle and adored by children. There's probably someone out there secretly in love with me."
"It's impossible, Master Ash. Just give up," Fern interjected without hesitation. Her tone was unusually firm, and when she glanced sideways at Ash, her expression was unusually serious, as if she truly believed what she was saying—and wanted Ash to believe it, too.
Ash groaned dramatically, holding a hand to his chest as though gravely wounded. "You were so sweet and innocent as a child... How did you grow up to be so cruel and ruthless?"
"Give up," Fern repeated flatly.
The exchange left Ash muttering under his breath, thoroughly dispirited. Frieren, finding the situation amusing, patted his shoulder with a knowing smile. "Life becomes a lot more painful when you cling to unrealistic fantasies, Master Ash."
"Oh, and I suppose you're some kind of expert on this, huh?" Ash retorted.
Frieren gave him a sidelong glance before leaning closer and whispering, "I do understand. For example, I thought Fern was the cutest child ever when she was little. But now? Look at her—so serious and scary. It's tragic, really..."
At that moment, both Ash and Frieren, inexplicably united in their shared sentiment, sighed heavily in perfect unison.