Frieren 76

Title: Frieren’s Great Shock

While wandering through the central countries, Frieren happened to pass through the Holy Capital. After a moment’s thought, she decided to visit her old friend.

Though she wasn’t certain whether her friend, who should be over a hundred years old, was still alive.

However… before she could find her destination, she got lost in the forest on the city’s outskirts. But before she could consider using flight magic, she met a child carrying a basket.

And when she mentioned she was looking for Heiter’s house, the seemingly aloof child surprisingly said she was a guest there and even led her to the forest cottage.

But… before seeing Heiter, Frieren instead saw a figure that, despite over twenty years having passed, still made her feel deep longing, sitting in a lounge chair in the yard.

This unexpected figure left her frozen in place. Frieren stared blankly, unable to react for a moment. She even wondered if she’d been hit by a mental attack.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Ash, sitting in a new rocking chair, enjoying the sun and reading a book, heard footsteps and thought Fern had returned.

He instinctively hid his wine behind his back. But when he looked up, he was slightly startled: “Wow, Frieren… rare to see you.”

“Is this lady a friend of Ash-sama?”

Fern, who had guided Frieren, heard this and felt a bit curious. But she also noticed Ash’s unusual behavior and quickly stepped forward with a slight pout.

She immediately snatched the wine from behind him. The usually expressionless girl said with a flat, serious face: “Heiter-sama said, even if it’s good stuff, don’t overdo it. One glass a day at most. You also promised me you’d try hard to live until we can solve that magic book and until I grow up.”

“Uh, well…”

“So? What’s this lady’s relationship with Ash-sama?”

“Well, it’s a bit complicated. Hard to explain. But maybe a friend?”

Though Ash felt a bit embarrassed being scolded by a child in front of his friend, he tried hard to brush off the unease.

Ash looked at the elf “girl” he hadn’t seen in ages. He got up from his lounge chair and greeted her with a smile: “Long time no see, Frieren. You look… very shocked.”

“Ah, uh…?”

Frieren, with an extremely odd expression, nodded blankly. But her brain was slightly frozen, making it hard to speak properly. Her mouth even hung open, unable to close for a long time.

During this, she unconsciously tilted her head sharply. The suitcase in her hand also fell to the ground unnoticed.

Her comical appearance truly made it hard not to laugh.

Ash walked forward silently, touched her soft chin with his hand, and lifted it to help close her mouth. His other hand rested on her head, stroking the silver hair he was familiar with, straightening her head.

And though Ash was kindly helping his old friend, Fern stared expressionlessly. Her words sounded like a reprimand: “Ash-sama, what are you doing?”

“What am I doing? Helping her close her mouth. What if an insect flies in? As for her head, I was worried she’d sprain her neck.”

“…But why, after all that, are you still touching her chin and hair?”

Fern stared intently at Ash’s hands, still stroking Frieren’s chin and head, looking very busy. The expression on her still-innocent face was also quite odd.

But Ash said seriously: “By the way, Fern, you might not know. I once had a fluffy pet. It would obediently show its chin for me to touch.”

“What does that have to do with what you’re doing now?”

“Don’t you think her standing there obediently basically means she agrees, or even expects me to do it?”

“I don’t think so… And treating a guest like a pet, isn’t that bad? Please stop quickly.”

Fern couldn’t take it anymore, pulling Ash away from Frieren.

Because she also realized… Frieren was starting to come to her senses. Her initially confused eyes were now turning into suppressed anger.

For Ash’s safety, Fern tried hard to pull him away. Besides scolding him, she was also afraid Ash might get bitten by this unfamiliar elf.

During this, Frieren slowly pieced her thoughts back together. She snapped out of her shock, wondering why a friend who somehow was still alive had suddenly appeared at another friend’s house, who should also be near death.

Recalling his earlier treatment, she felt justified in being angry before asking questions. But…

As she stepped forward with disheveled hair, the cottage door behind Ash suddenly opened. Another familiar figure appeared in her view.

The hunched figure made Frieren forget her anger, stunned again: “…No way, right?”

Heiter, hearing the commotion outside and thinking Fern was arguing with Ash, hurried out. He widened his eyes upon seeing who had come: “…Frieren? You came to visit me?”

“So you’re still alive too, drunken priest.”

“Haha, you guys are so heartless. Why do you say stuff like that the moment we meet? Are you hoping we’re dead?”

Though it should’ve been a moment to be upset, Heiter burst into laughter. He pushed the door behind him, gesturing for them to come in and talk.

Frieren looked a bit awkward, frowning. She glanced at Ash and defended herself: “Not like that. But… I was hoping Ash would just die already. Every time he’s supposed to be dead, he’s weirdly still alive. It feels so strange. And… with that attitude, even I’m a bit annoyed.”

“I told you, I was just concerned about your chin.”

“No way. You definitely just thought it was funny!”

“Caught, huh? I feel… a bit embarrassed~”

“…Pretending. You think I don’t know you after all this time?”

Frieren replied with a disgusted tone. But she also found Ash’s fake embarrassment, as he scratched his head, annoying and didn’t bother pursuing it. She picked up her suitcase and quickly walked inside.

At that moment, Fern couldn’t help asking curiously: “Is she really your friend, Ash-sama?”

“…What’s up?”

“She can make an elf feel like she’s known her for so long. Ash-sama really is over a hundred years old.”

“That’s why you should be gentler with me. After all, I’m old. If I get too excited, I might have a short life, you know?”

(Though in reality, a hundred years is nothing for an elf.)

Though Ash thought this, he still pretended to look frail, with no intention of correcting the misunderstanding.

But his words made Fern show a slightly pouty expression: “I want to be gentler too, but Ash-sama sometimes acts so recklessly…”

“Yeah, yeah, my fault, my fault~” Ash didn’t mind. He pinched Fern’s cheek and quickly followed Frieren.

He left Fern standing alone, feeling anxious and wondering how to find a balance to be gentle yet stop him from acting recklessly.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

In this autumn, at an age where he was barely holding on, having two old friends visit his home made Heiter look very happy.

Though old, with slightly trembling hands, he still let Ash and Frieren talk. He went to the kitchen to prepare food and drinks.

Though letting a hundred-year-old man do that might seem improper, everyone there, except Fern, was older than him, and they were long past being awkward. Naturally, no one competed with him.

But Frieren, having just set down her suitcase, propped her chin on one hand at the dining table, staring at Ash with an displeased look. She hadn’t forgotten the earlier incident.

At that moment, Fern brought tea for her and Ash. She then obediently went to the kitchen to help.

This made Frieren glance at the little girl and unable to resist asking: “Who’s this child?”

“My great-granddaughter.”

“…Great-granddaughter? No wonder. Hmm… wait, great-granddaughter? Grand—! Pfft—!! Cough cough! Cough!!… Cough cough!!!”

Frieren had just picked up her tea. But as she took a sip, her brain slowly processed the words. Shocked, she instinctively wanted to say something loudly, but being too excited, the tea went down the wrong pipe.

The bitter tea made her, for the first time in her life, so shocked she spat it out. She coughed incessantly, hitting her chest in pain.

“…Whoa, that’s a bit much. Though I expected she’d be shocked, I didn’t think she’d actually spit it out~”

In front of Ash, who was prepared, a light blue diamond-shaped shield appeared, perfectly blocking the tea. This let him happily sip his tea while watching the elf across from him suffer, choking with a comical expression.