Frieren 67

Title: Searching for a Caretaker

Considering a child’s physical endurance, and even though humans could now use flying magic, their magic drained energy quickly. Even Frieren couldn’t fly for long.

Thus, to maintain secrecy, despite Fern being a child, Ash didn’t fly with her continuously.

He traveled by carriage along the way… then, when Fern fell asleep at night, he quietly sealed her, turning her into stone.

Then, carrying the extremely hard stone, he flew at a suitable speed, crossing mountains and rivers. In just a month, he arrived in Äußerst.

“…So the northern continent is this close? It only took a month by carriage.”

Every time she woke up, she was on a different carriage, and Fern, always sleep-deprived, looked at the bustling city ahead, shivering in the cold. Her sleepy eyes were filled with surprise.

But that was natural—she hadn’t noticed anything wrong during the journey.

Ash casually replied: “Because this is just the Kingdom of East, relatively close to the south among the northern countries. And you were already near the central countries before, so of course, it’s not too far.”

“The Kingdom of East…? I’ve heard of it from passing merchants.”

“Hey~ You’ve heard?”

“Over the past hundred years, this kingdom has grown more prosperous, gaining momentum to challenge the empire, emerging as a new power among other nations?”

Though she didn’t know what an empire was, Fern recounted what she’d heard.

Her words made Ash instantly smug: “Impressive, right?”

“…I don’t know, seems impressive.”

“That’s the spirit!”

(All my hard work managing state affairs over the years wasn’t for nothing.)

Ash’s face beamed with pride, his heart filled with a sense of accomplishment.

Over the years, he had implemented a series of modernization reforms suited to the region. Of course, he didn’t introduce democracy in this era. Instead, he strengthened central authority, but local systems saw significant changes.

He even used Aura to annex two neighboring kingdoms, achieving peaceful conquests.

In the process, he taught long-lost agricultural magic he’d learned from a drunken elf a thousand years ago. He trained a group of agricultural mages, making his country the first among others to overcome famine.

As his nation grew wealthy and its people strong, he formed a magic knight corps. Ash spared no expense training organized mages and knights, who showed achievements rivaling the empire’s main forces in conflicts with neighboring countries.

Though Fern didn’t know the details, even children in the distant south knew of his accomplishments. This made Ash want to brag more, but…

“What’s up?”

Fern, expressionless, seemed uninterested in the kingdom.

This left Ash feeling deflated. He shook his head and walked ahead: “…Nothing. Anyway, let’s go in.”

“??” Fern tilted her small head in confusion but quickly ran to keep up with his steps.

Soon, they arrived at a house Ash occasionally used when staying in Äußerst… it wasn’t a noble’s mansion.

After all, if a house was too big and no one cleaned it, it felt like living in ruins.

So, it was just a relatively nice, ordinary house with only three rooms, only one of which was actually used.

“It feels… like it hasn’t been used in a long time?”

As Fern touched the tea table with her fingertip in the living room, she frowned slightly at the dust on her hand.

Ash ignored it and opened his bedroom door: “…You’ll sleep with me in this room for now. Tomorrow, I’ll have someone come clean.”

“Okay.” Fern nodded slightly. She peeked curiously, looking at the room with little furniture—just a simple bed and blanket. She asked curiously: “Is this Ash-sama’s house?”

“You could say that.”

“You could say?”

“I don’t have a fixed home.”

“I see.”

To Fern, this “evil mage” had too many secrets… at least, many things she didn’t understand, but she didn’t ask further.

Instead, she was very understanding, immediately entering and awkwardly trying to air out the blanket.

“No need, I’ll do it. Tomorrow… no, I’ll have someone else do it later.”

“It’s fine. I’m free right now.”

“…Suit yourself then. I’m stepping out for a bit and will be back before night.”

“Okay, be careful.”

Ash didn’t know how to interact with kids, scratched his head, and left. The obedient child behind him lowered her head expressionlessly, watching him go.

After Ash disappeared, Fern looked around, rolled up her sleeves, and began busying herself with unfamiliar housework.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Meanwhile, when Ash arrived at the Continental Magic Association, he remembered that Serie was staying in Strahl, teaching her first-class mage disciples.

Ash quietly approached and asked each one if they’d adopt a child… After all, it’d be better for a human to raise her than a demon like him.

If someone was willing, he’d even cover lifelong care costs. Unfortunately… the first-class mages weren’t keen on raising kids.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

As evening fell and people dispersed, Ash looked at Serie above and asked bluntly: “Serie, don’t you plan to raise a child? It must be lonely being alone, right?”

“You… what nonsense are you spouting?” Serie’s face showed an expression like she was looking at an idiot: “Me, raising a human child? Do you want me to deal with their death?”

“…Really no way?”

“If you know the answer, don’t ask.”

“Had to try. Though the chances were slim, maybe you’d change your mind.” After saying that, Ash couldn’t help adding: “By the way, you adopted Flamme back then, didn’t you? The kid I saw has decent magical talent. You really won’t consider it?”

“Flamme was just a whim. I don’t plan to raise another.” Serie rejected without thinking. She looked at him and sneered: “But you, suddenly wanting to help an orphan. That’s not like you.”

“What’s weird about that? I’m not as ruthless or cold-hearted as you. Of course I’d help a kid who might starve or die on the streets.”

“Ruthless and cold-hearted? Really? That’s how you think of me?”

“…Just kidding, don’t take it seriously.”

“It’s fine, I won’t. But now’s a good time… Let me see your progress again!”

As Ash showed a wary expression, Serie’s smile turned menacing.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

The subsequent events were unsurprising.

Though he was no longer the old Ash, he once again faced Serie’s “unreasonable” violent assault in Strahl.

Of course, it wasn’t purely violence. Over the years, Serie always wanted Ash to take over. In the process, she deliberately made her subordinates indebted to him… so Ash could rise smoothly in the future.

With that in mind, when Serie wanted to renovate the area, she’d choose to attack Ash when he spoke carelessly. Of course… she might attack even if he said nothing.

Then, dancing lights, flying debris, collapsing beams, and a ruined temple all happened simultaneously at this Continental Magic Association branch.

In this decennial chaos, older mages had already fled. The slower ones… had to be saved by Ash.

After Serie’s barrage, the targeted area was truly reduced to rubble.

Amid the smoke-filled sky, in front of Ash, forced to crouch while supporting a collapsing wall, stood a trembling mage.

Ash, his face bloodied, shielded her, ensuring she was unharmed. But when he looked at the girl below, he showed an annoyed expression: “What’s with this… By the way, Sense, you should have the strength to protect yourself, right?”

“No… I can’t! My hands and feet are shaking…”

Sense, with long brown hair, looked like a young girl, her age a mystery, and usually expressionless. But now, she showed unconcealable fear.

Though Ash’s warm blood dripped onto her face, making her eyes tremble slightly, Sense still couldn’t move.

At that moment, Serie’s dissatisfied voice came from behind the smoke: “Sense, are you still worthy of being a first-class mage?”

“…That’s because you’re too strong and accidentally let this kid feel your mana, right?”

“But you felt it too. Why could you not only escape but also protect others in the process?”

Serie glanced at Sense, who couldn’t hide her trembling, and showed disgust. She left with, “Though you became a first-class mage, this is as far as you go,” and walked away.

Such a dismissive attitude made Sense unexpectedly lower her head sadly, feeling deeply struck.

This made Ash, forced to clean up Serie’s mess, push the collapsed wall behind him with one hand. Amid the loud noise, he wiped the blood from his face and crouched beside Sense: “Don’t take it too seriously. Though Serie’s sharp-tongued, she actually acknowledges your ability… Otherwise, she wouldn’t have made you a first-class mage.”

“Really…?”

Though she said that, Sense’s face still showed unconcealable unease. But her gaze toward Ash unconsciously revealed admiration and longing.