Frieren 75

Title: The Elf’s Visit

After his plan was thwarted by Heiter, Ash finally gave in.

Once Fern finally smiled and slept soundly in her bed, that night Ash drank through the night to vent his frustration.

But unexpectedly… Heiter, a lifelong drunkard, only poured wine for him and didn’t drink a drop himself.

“What’s with you? Too stingy to drink your own wine? Trying to make this your apology?” Ash slammed the wine glass on the table, glaring at the smiling old man before him.

“No way, I’d love to drink, but…” Heiter had initially planned to drink heartily with his friend in the end, thinking it wouldn’t hurt.

But now he licked the corner of his lips, swallowing hard to resist the temptation, shaking his head in refusal: “After all, drinking constantly at this age might shorten my life.”

“No… you’re over a hundred years old and still care about that? Besides, even if you died now, it couldn’t be called a short life.” Hearing this, Ash felt he was being lied to again.

This made Heiter give a wry smile: “Actually, just now, I decided to quit drinking.”

“…For real? Back then, no matter how much I persuaded you, you never considered quitting. You even said you’d rather be killed than stop drinking. You said it was fine to be killed by a demon in a labyrinth while drunk, as long as you drank the day before, you’d have no regrets.”

“That was then, now… maybe because I’m old?” Heiter picked up the wine glass, took a deep breath, then let out a long sigh: “Indeed… I lied to you. For that, I owe you an apology.”

“So? Punishing yourself by quitting drinking? I don’t think you’d stop for that.”

“Of course not.”

“…Still a drunken priest in the end.” Ash couldn’t help complaining. This guy wouldn’t even pay such a small price and outright denied it.

But Heiter ignored him. He just looked at Fern’s bedroom door from afar and said slowly: “Maybe because I’m old, my heart’s gotten softer. I also really want a child, and maybe I’m afraid of being lonely after retiring? Though you’ve only stayed here for half a year, Fern, so understanding it hurts my heart, feels almost like my own granddaughter in my eyes.”

“…So you really want to be my dad?”

“Don’t interrupt when I’m being serious.” Heiter retorted but then showed a guilty expression, saying frankly: “I know this decision isn’t good for you… so I’ll try to live as long as I can. During that time, I’ll help you care for this child.”

“Quitting drinking now—will that really help?”

“Who knows? But if possible, I want to live until this child can be independent. That way, you’ll be more at ease later. And when it’s time to part, Fern will accept it better, right?”

“…You’ve been a bishop too long; your ability to lie with a straight face has improved, huh?” Hearing this, Ash just clicked his tongue and shook his head: “After interacting for so long, how could I bear to completely leave this child?”

“Oh, by the way, I have a gift too.” Heiter dodged the question, smiled, pulled a magical device from his pocket, and handed it over.

“This…?”

“A magical device that can record voices. I recorded that child’s confession. How about it? Pretty valuable, right~?”

“This… hmm!”

Pausing briefly but unable to resist the temptation, Ash nodded and slipped the pocket-watch-sized device into his pocket.

Though he felt he was being tricked. After all, if he listened to it too often, it’d be harder to tell Fern they had to part.

But if he played it for Fern when she was grown… Ash couldn’t even imagine how funny that’d be!

Just thinking of that scene made him unable to resist wanting time to pass faster. He reluctantly agreed to this trick.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

After deciding to settle down, Ash occasionally still went north, but he spent most of his time here.

After the two talked, the invisible distance between them slowly faded. Fern also grew closer to him than before, but…

“Ash-sama, I think drinking too much is bad. Heiter-sama’s quit drinking, please learn from him quickly!”

One morning, as Ash drank and read a book, Fern looked a bit angry. She snatched his wine, puffing her pink cheeks at him.

“…Don’t be like that. This is one of an old man’s rare hobbies. If you take it away, what’ll I do? And someone once said wine’s the leader of a hundred medicines. A little drinking’s fine, right?” At the end, Ash deliberately glanced at Heiter, who nodded reluctantly since he’d said it before.

This made Fern show a shocked expression: “Really? Then… just a little, okay? Heiter-sama too. I hope you both stay healthy.”

The little girl honestly expressed her feelings, touching Heiter but also making him a bit awkward. Meanwhile, Ash got his wine back.

And Fern, seeing Heiter didn’t move, obediently poured him a glass and handed it to him. It touched Heiter but also felt like he’d dug his own grave.

But he could only resist the temptation now, standing to head to the kitchen: “I-it’s time to cook. Fern, let me teach you.”

“Cooking…? Okay! Please teach me! But drink this wine first.”

“N-no, this…”

“What’s wrong?”

“Uh… I…”

Heiter stammered, unsure how to refuse. He kept looking at Ash for help. But…

Just as Heiter had done before, Ash completely ignored his gaze, casually crossing his legs and reading his book.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Such peaceful, quiet days passed for a year and a half.

Fern had unknowingly turned nine. Her body had grown taller than before… though she was still a child.

But one day, when she was nine, Fern, who went to gather mushrooms, returned earlier than expected.

Beside her, somehow, was a silver-haired elf girl with long ears, staring at her blankly.