Chapter 98: Don't Want to Be Treated as a Child·
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After a simple farewell, the group departed under Eisen's watchful gaze.
Ash and Frieren glanced at Fern, who was swaying happily ahead of them like a penguin, and couldn't help but exchange a smile.
"It would be nice if Fern's mood could always stay this cheerful," Ash remarked.
"Ash," Frieren said seriously, "please don't make her angry along the way. I really prefer a happy Fern."
"That's what I wanted to say," Ash replied, looking exasperated at the elf's earnest advice. However, as he turned his gaze back to Fern's cheerful figure, his expression softened. "Still… I have to admit, growing up has its perks. Well, I'd say my teaching has been pretty effective!"
"Shameless as always," Frieren scoffed, a note of disdain in her voice. "For the record, it's me and Heiter who are doing most of the teaching when it comes to Fern."
"True, but I'm the one who met her first and spent several years with her."
Frieren shot him a disapproving glance. "You dare bring that up? That time was practically a nightmare for Fern." She crossed her arms. "And don't forget, you even wanted to find someone else to 'throw her away to.'"
"…You're exaggerating. I was simply trying to find someone who was better suited to care for her than me."
"Better suited? You mean abandoning her?"
"That's not fair. Despite my flaws, you can't deny that there were some precious memories between Fern and me. And besides, it wasn't abandonment—it was an effort to secure her a better future."
Frieren was unmoved, delivering her next line like a well-aimed arrow. "Fern told me that as a child, she hated being left alone at home."
Ash winced, unable to hide his guilt. "Uh… well… I'm sorry. B-But!" he quickly added, "overall, you have to admit that I had some positive influence on her, right?"
Frieren raised an eyebrow. "Like how you scare her when you're angry?"
"Hey! That is definitely not my fault!"
The conversation, which had started on a cheerful note, somehow devolved into Frieren listing grievances against Ash. While Ash often had the upper hand in their debates, this was one area where he couldn't argue back. His guilty conscience only made his attempts at defense feel half-hearted.
Before long, the three of them paid their fare and boarded a carriage heading in their direction.
Not long after, both girls fell asleep, leaning unconsciously against Ash.
Fern rested deliberately against him, half-lying on his side, her breathing steady as she slept soundly. Despite the bumpy ride, a small, serene smile graced her lips, as though she were lost in a sweet dream.
On the other side, Frieren—who had slid into a less graceful position—was sprawled awkwardly, her face scrunched in discomfort. Occasionally, she muttered strange phrases in her sleep:
"…It's so cold… The north… I hate it… I won't… go…"
Ash shook his head, laughing softly at her unconscious complaints. "Still afraid of the cold, as always," he murmured.
Their destination wasn't just in the north; the entire northern continent, which spanned over half the world, was primarily a plateau. The temperatures there were far colder than in the southern and central regions—an unfortunate reality for someone as sensitive to cold as Frieren.
"Poor thing," Ash said lightly, stroking Fern's hair with his left hand and Frieren's with his right.
However, his moment of indulgence was brief. Closing his eyes, he shifted his focus inward and began practicing his magic.
As for matters of national development—which should have been a source of worry—Ash knew he could rely on the capable nobles and ministers who had pledged their loyalty. So long as there were no major upheavals and the kingdom continued its peaceful growth, those concerns could remain in the background for now.
When it came to those troublesome matters, Ash could only carve out moments of temporary peace for them before hurrying northward, aiming to resolve issues within a month each time.
After all, with both Frieren and Fern in tow… well, if Frieren had her way, it wouldn't be unusual for them to linger in one place for a year or two. Of course, with Ash present, such delays were unlikely unless they embarked on an extended northern journey.
---
The carriage moved at a steady pace, and two days later, the group arrived at a canyon known as Riegel.
Passing by a small village near the canyon, they noticed a stone statue prominently displayed in the village square. It was unmistakably of Eisen.
Fern stared at the statue, recalling the villagers' words while they had been purchasing supplies. It all seemed hard to believe.
"…I heard that when Lord Eisen passed through here, he defeated a Red Mirror Dragon. But didn't he say he was already old?"
"Even if he's old, he's not that old," Frieren corrected matter-of-factly, though she seemed indifferent to the statue and the tale behind it.
At that moment, Fern turned to Ash with wide, curious eyes. "Lord Eisen said you're stronger now than he was in his youth. Does that mean… you could defeat a dragon with martial arts too?"
Ash chuckled lightly. "Well, there are many kinds of dragons. But weaker ones, like the Red Mirror Dragon, are pretty easy to handle."
"Wait… there are weak dragons?" Fern asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.
"Of course. The Red Mirror Dragon is mostly known for its high magic resistance. Beyond that, it's just a dragon that can fly, engage in melee combat, and breathe fire. Plenty of warriors can handle it. The truly terrifying ones are species like the Imperial Prison Dragon. They can breathe fire too, but they also possess immense magical power, reverse detection abilities, and incredibly fast flight speeds."
Ash's tone was casual, but the mention of the Imperial Prison Dragon drew a visible reaction from Frieren. She couldn't help but sigh.
"The Imperial Prison Dragon? While the Red Mirror Dragon's strong magic resistance makes it tricky, it's slow and incapable of magic. I could probably manage it after a few tries. But the Imperial Prison Dragon… if you ever encounter one, just run. Even Eisen, in his prime, could do little more than flee."
"Is it really that dangerous?" Fern asked, her voice growing softer.
"Absolutely," Frieren replied without hesitation. "So, if you ever come across one, you run immediately. Understood?"
Fern squirmed slightly, embarrassed. "…But I wouldn't even recognize one. I don't know the difference between dragons at all."
Frieren's concern made Fern feel out of her depth. Compared to Ash and Frieren, she was painfully inexperienced.
"I figured as much," Ash said with a knowing smile, pulling a Monster Encyclopedia from his bag. "At night, Frieren can read you The History of Magic, and I'll read you the Monster Encyclopedia. How does that sound?"
"No way!" Fern protested, her voice sharp with indignation. "I'm not a child! What kind of scene is that—parents reading their child to sleep?"
"I don't mind," Ash said with a shrug.
"I don't mind either," Frieren added, entirely serious.
For reasons Fern couldn't quite grasp, the two seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement on the matter. Her earlier cheer quickly soured as she huffed in annoyance, striding ahead to avoid them entirely.
"…Look, she's upset again," Frieren said, shaking her head helplessly. "This is your fault."
"My fault?" Ash echoed, incredulous.
"Of course. Even I know Fern doesn't like being treated like a child… even though she is one."
"Ah, she was so cute back then…" Ash sighed dramatically.
"For once, I'll agree with you on that," Frieren muttered.
---
As the elders of the group, their interactions were no different than when Fern had been in high spirits just moments earlier.
As the girl they had watched grow up stomped off in a huff, Ash and Frieren merely exchanged knowing glances. In an odd moment of unspoken understanding, they silently followed her, shaking their heads and sighing as memories of an irretrievable past resurfaced.
---
The group crossed the canyon in a lighthearted, playful manner and passed through the final checkpoint connecting the central kingdoms to the northern territories. Soon, they found themselves in the lands of the northern countries, closest to the center.
---
One morning, shortly after leaving the Central Kingdoms, Ash sat on a fallen tree trunk, deep in his magic training. The calm was broken by Fren, who suddenly cried out while cooking breakfast:
"—Master Ash! Master Frieren is awake!!"
The rare outburst made Ash open his eyes in mild irritation.
Before he could respond, Fern rushed over, grabbed him by the arm, and said with uncharacteristic urgency, "Master Ash! You have to praise her properly this time!"
"...Why would I do that? That old...baby—just ignore her~" Ash began, reflexively muttering a complaint before catching himself mid-sentence. Realizing he was dangerously close to breaking one of Frieren's taboos, he abruptly stopped and glanced at her warily.
Luckily for him, Frieren, still half-asleep, seemed oblivious to his words. She blinked groggily, clearly not yet fully awake. Relieved, Ash forced a smile and quickly changed the subject:
"Fern's right. It's rare for you to wake up early. Such an occasion definitely deserves a reward!"
Uncharacteristically gentle, Ash began to massage Frieren's shoulders.
Fern, observing this unusual behavior, hesitated briefly before deciding to hold her tongue. Instead, she picked up the vegetable soup she had prepared, carefully blew on a spoonful, and brought it to Frieren's mouth as if feeding a child.
Frieren, however, accepted the gesture with a clear conscience. After chewing on the leafy greens and swallowing the soup, she looked up at Ash with an expressionless face and stated flatly:
"You said it again… add half a time."
Ash froze mid-massage, his shoulders slumping. "…Haven't I been massaging your shoulders? And you're still adding more time for half a slip? Aren't you being a little vindictive here? It's been a thousand years! Shouldn't this have reset by now?"
"No way. Because of you, I haven't had a proper night's sleep for half a century," Frieren retorted, her tone calm but carrying a weight that made Ash wince.
Though Ash had apologized countless times for the incident in question, her lingering resentment was unmistakable. He couldn't help but wonder if she'd still hold it against him after another thousand years.
Fern, curious and slightly puzzled, looked between them and asked, "You haven't slept properly in half a century? Lady Frieren, what exactly happened?"
"Ah, that was a thousand years ago," Frieren replied nonchalantly, savoring the experience of being fed as she continued. "Let me ask you, Fern—if someone you were close to suddenly disappeared one day, and you had chosen to sleep instead of accompanying them, only for them to vanish for a thousand years, how would you feel?"
Fern's expression darkened as she realized what Frieren was referring to. "…Is this about the time Master Ash was sealed? If so, you must have felt incredibly guilty," she said, her voice tinged with sympathy. Turning to Ash with a serious expression, she added in a chastising tone, "—Master Ash, you need to reflect on your actions and apologize to Lady Frieren again!"
Ash raised his hands defensively. "No… that was a force majeure situation, wasn't it? And I've already apologized so many times!"
The sudden alliance between the two women made Ash instinctively shrink back, even considering hiding behind Frieren to escape Fern's accusing gaze.