'Even if things are like this now, will they really still be alive in the future? Will anyone still remember you?', Kraft felt a bit reluctant to keep saying such things at a time like this.
The two elves chatted about the goddess as they gradually made their way back to the small hut not far away.
"Putting everything on a being you don't even know at all, does that really mean anything? Well, even if I wanted to rely on something like that, I couldn't anyway, and I don't need anyone else's praise to begin with," Behind them, Ash muttered to himself. As casually as kicking a watermelon, he smashed the monster's skull beneath his foot, then stood there covered in blood, calmly watching the two of them walk away.
For him, the best way to avoid being forgotten was probably to let the people he knew live for a long, long time.
Unfortunately, the biggest obstacle to achieving immortality for humans now was not entirely a lack of magical research.
Though that was indeed part of it, even if the research were sufficient, it still wouldn't matter, because those things were the goddess's privileges.
Just like holy scripture magic, time magic, and anything related to life itself, all of them were monopolized paths. At least according to the records, if heaven truly existed, then those souls all belonged to the goddess. Preventing death would not be any different from opposing the goddess directly.
And precisely because of that, in order to gain enough capital to stand against the goddess, he had long since used the system to make wishes with the souls he had harvested on the battlefield, converting them to strengthen his physical limits.
———
After discussing the matter of the goddess with Frieren for a while, it was time for Kraft to part ways with the three of them.
"I don't think this is goodbye forever. Let's meet again in a few hundred years," With a calm smile, Kraft took a deep look at Frieren, then turned and walked away.
Faced with a long-lost member of her own kind, Frieren merely nodded lightly, appearing especially indifferent.
This made Fern, who had received the pendant from Kraft, thanked him, and seen him off enthusiastically, unable to hold back from lecturing her, "It's such a rare chance to meet someone of your own kind. Lady Frieren, you should at least say one last thing, right?"
"Forget it, Fern," Ash casually reached out, habitually placing his hand on Frieren's head, shaking the small figure slightly as he explained in her place, "For elves, this kind of parting from people has happened who knows how many times already. If it's not someone important, it's hard for Frieren to feel much emotional fluctuation."
"Thanks for explaining for me, Ash. But I've told you many times already, don't touch my hair. Could you please show me at least a little respect?", Frieren glanced at him with an annoyed look, slapped away the rude hand, then stood to the side fixing the hair he had messed up.
Hearing his explanation, Fern grew curious, "So Lady Frieren being cold toward people is because she's lived too long?"
"Not entirely. There are elves with good personalities too. It's just obvious that she belongs to the bad kind."
"That might be true, but, Lord Ash, because you always treat Lady Frieren so casually, even after knowing each other for so many years, the two of you are always arguing."
Ash had just finished answering when Fern, while agreeing, also ended up lecturing him without realizing it.
Hearing this made Frieren very happy. She lifted her chin proudly, ready to kick him while he was down, but at that moment Fern turned her head and scolded her as well, "Of course, Lady Frieren too! Your personality should be improved a bit!"
"Ah! Yes!"
The smile that had just appeared on Frieren's face instantly turned into embarrassment.
With two people whose personalities were both far from good, Fern already found it hard enough just to lecture them.
While crossing the mountain range, she acted like a worried old mother, taking advantage of moments when no one was around to keep educating the two of them.
The two of them had long since gotten used to it, lowering their heads and traveling in silence. After all, if they didn't respond, the lecture would end faster.
As for why they didn't argue back... Fern was basically not wrong. Ash, who hoped Fern would grow into a good child, naturally had no intention of sophistry, and Frieren was simply used to being scolded.
However, before they could cross the mountain range, night had already fallen.
———
[Night]
Wrapped in their blankets, the three of them huddled together inside a rough fortress that Ash had temporarily built by using magic to raise the ground.
Fern was on the left next to Frieren, and at Fern's request, Ash was on the other side next to the cold-sensitive Frieren, allowing her to fall asleep peacefully with a look of comfortable enjoyment.
The firewood crackled in front of them, occasionally sending up sparks, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere.
With no outsiders around, sharing a room with a gentle mature woman and a big shorty should normally have been something to be happy about. Unfortunately, one was Frieren and the other was Fern, leaving Ash without even the slightest excitement as he quietly closed his eyes and went to sleep.
———
The next day, he very casually dragged up Frieren, who was still drowsy. After all, they needed to leave the mountain range as soon as possible, where snowstorms still cropped up from time to time even after the cold wave had passed.
However, they hadn't been walking for long when Frieren, who had been fed by Fern and was half-asleep while following them, started swaying as she walked and soon collapsed face-first into the snow.
At the same moment, the sky that had only just cleared the day before began to release a raging flurry of goose-feather snow once again. The blizzard, unexpectedly, had only stopped for one day before returning.
"Sigh! When is this girl ever going to truly wake up early?", Ash turned back to look at the petite girl who was quickly being buried by snow. He sighed lightly, walked over, and casually lifted her up from the snow in his arms.
This scene made Fern frown, "Lord Ash, at times like this it's enough to just carry her on your back. And it's precisely because you keep picking her up like this that it's bad for Lady Frieren's growth! You're making her habitually lazy!"
"Wait, why are you talking like I'm spoiling a child? She's already over a thousand years old. No matter how much expectation you place on her, she's not going to grow anymore."
Ash shook his head helplessly, gave Frieren in his arms a little shake to knock off the snow, then sighed toward Fern's somewhat unhappy gaze, "In the end, wasn't my back reserved for you? Rather than letting you two mages trudge along slowly, it's more convenient for me to carry you. Or what, are you planning to switch places with Frieren this time?"
"Eh? M-me?", Fern instinctively wanted to refuse, but noticing that Frieren in his arms had curled up into a ball and seemed to be sleeping quite comfortably, she couldn't help feeling a bit envious. Hesitating, she said, "I-if Lord Ash really doesn't mind... is it okay?"
"Of course."
He nodded with a light smile, then turned around and squatted down.
After waiting just a moment, that familiar feeling, intense yet gentle, warm and moist like spring water, softly enveloped his back once more.
He didn't say anything, just felt the warmth pressing in from both front and back, and unconsciously quickened his pace through the wind and snow.
This time, on this familiar yet unfamiliar white wasteland, the people who were isolated from the world yet closely connected became three.
Even with one in his arms and one on his back, Ash remained agile, skimming over the snow like a swift swallow. His speed even surpassed the pace the three of them usually traveled at together.
And during this rapid passage, Frieren gradually slept more comfortably. Occasionally, she would open her sleepy eyes while mumbling in her dreams, and with a lazy, trusting demeanor, lightly point out directions, guiding Ash through the raging blizzard.
Before noon had even arrived, a village hidden deep in the mountains gradually appeared before the three of them.
Though it should have only been a village, this snow-covered settlement deep in the mountains displayed a scale and defensive strength beyond imagination.
A ring of stone walls surrounded the outskirts. Though not towering, they were exceptionally solid, making the entire village resemble a miniature fortified city.
Inside the walls, many stone watchtowers had been built, clearly showing that the residents here placed great importance on security and had made thorough preparations.
Only after reaching the vicinity of the village did the wind and snow gradually subside. To avoid drawing unnecessary attention or misunderstanding, Frieren and Fern tacitly leapt lightly down from Ash's back.
Crossing a small bridge and passing through the gate guarded by several soldiers dressed as hunters, a pink-haired young girl appeared in everyone's sight.
She stood not far away, her clear, water-like eyes sparkling with curiosity and innocence, as if filled with interest and anticipation toward the arrival of these three outsiders.
"You've finally come, Lady Frieren," The young girl stood on her tiptoes, trying to make herself look taller. When she noticed Ash, she showed a surprised expression, "And... Lord Ash! You're really still alive. Welcome back to the Sword Village~"
"What? You know me? And those clothes," The outfit on the pink-haired girl looked oddly familiar, making Ash curious, "Are you the current village chief?"
"Yes, I am the forty-ninth generation... hereditary, that is. By the way, your magic recordings are also hereditary. I've always been able to see them in the living room," As she said this, the petite village chief bowed respectfully, "Although Lady Frieren was very excessive, clearly saying she'd come in fifty years but never showing up, you came twenty years ago and helped us a great deal. Thank you very much!"
"I was just passing by. Don't mind it."
"Even so, you're amazing! More reliable than Lady Frieren, stronger than Lady Frieren! If I weren't already old and married, I'd want to marry you! Really, Lady Frieren is just too much!"
As the petite village chief said these strange things, and while Fern stood dumbfounded, she suddenly changed her expression at the end and explained, "Those were the last words of the village chief before last, my grandmother." [T/N: LMAO!]
"I-is that so? I thought...", Fern patted her chest and let out a sigh of relief.
As for Frieren, who had apparently been criticized quite a bit in those last words, she looked completely unconcerned, "We did make an appointment, but I also said it wouldn't be a problem if I came eighty years later."
"But an appointment is an appointment! And besides... Lord Ash came even without an appointment. How could you do this?"
"But as a village that has protected the Sword of the Hero for generations, defending yourselves should be easy enough, right?"
"Even so, a promise is a promise!", The petite village chief looked troubled and turned to Ash for help, "Lord Ash, could you also say something to her?"
"It's useless. If her laziness were that easy to fix, she wouldn't still be this lazy."
Even when asked for help by a cute young girl, all he could do was squat down, pat the village chief's head, and instead persuade her to give up on a meaningless pursuit.
And it was hard for him to say that the reason he had come before was actually because he wanted to try breaking the barrier of the sanctuary where the holy sword was stored.
At this point, Fern, who had been silent at the side, couldn't help but ask, "Lord Ash, what kind of promise are you talking about? And this village is..."
"Oh, you didn't know? It's just like Frieren said earlier. This is the village that guards the Sword of the Hero. In the sanctuary nearby. Which is actually just a nearby cave, there's a sword said to have been bestowed by the goddess. That sword attracts monsters who fear it and want to destroy it, so Frieren agreed to come once after half a century."
"But the one who came in the end was Lord Ash. As expected of Lord Ash. You're really gentle," Listening to him, Fern unconsciously smiled with pride, as if she weren't just praising him, but herself a little as well.
But after she finished speaking, she thought about it more carefully and couldn't help feeling confused, "Wait, something's not right. Lord Ash, I remember..."
"From the past until now, heroes throughout history have all tried to pull out the Sword of the Hero, but no one has ever succeeded."
"N-no... In the stories I heard, the hero Himmel should have had the Sword of the Hero, right?"
"That was made up."
"Huh?"
"Those in power like to create gods, so they fabricated a perfect Himmel. It's that simple," He casually exposed the difference between stories and reality, leaving Fern silent and unable to quite understand the meaning behind doing that.
At this moment, Frieren teased Ash while looking at him, "That's surprising. You actually came here specifically to protect this village... did you take a liking to the village chief?"
"When I came, she already had one foot in the grave."
"When she was young, I remember she was quite good-looking?"
"True," He nodded subconsciously in agreement.
But as soon as those words left his mouth, Fern, who had just been praising him, instantly turned and glared, "Lord Ash!"
"I'm joking. Don't make such a scary face!", Ash shrugged helplessly, then looked at the petite village chief who was observing him, "Anyway, since we're here, there've probably been more monsters around lately. I'll clear them out for you while I'm passing through."
"Thank you~ Lord Ash! Just like Grandma said, you're really kind and gentle," Hearing this, the petite village chief immediately beamed with joy and pounced over, hugging him happily.
He accepted it without hesitation, patting the pink-haired girl's head, "Good girl~ Good girl~"
Normally, the two of them looking so close should have seemed quite heartwarming, but Fern, standing to the side, said coldly, "Lord Ash, although I think it's unlikely, please allow me to confirm something."
"What now, that scary expression again," Ash looked over cautiously, revealing a wary look as he positioned the village chief behind himself.
"You wouldn't be interested in ch!ldren, would you?"
"I'm just a bit friendly with kids. What kind of weird things are you thinking? I never did anything to you before, did I?"
"Thinking carefully, when I was little you were quite cold, but at critical moments you were very gentle."
"Don't take things out of context. Even now, I haven't actually been cold to you, right?"
The strange argument made Frieren and the village chief watch with great interest, as if observing something amusing from the sidelines.
And in the midst of that, they soon arrived beside the cave known as the sanctuary.
Quite a number of wolf-shaped monsters had already gathered around, and upon noticing the outsiders' arrival, they surrounded them all at once.
"Since Lord Ash likes the village chief so much, I'll leave all of this to you alone," Fern, sounding a bit sulky, pushed him forward.
"Kids these days, honestly. Sigh!"
He sighed helplessly, but the instant the wolf pack surged forward, he charged straight at them.
Fern, who had said she didn't want to bother with him but was actually still a bit worried, prepared to provide support. But in reality... before she even lowered her staff, she saw a scene that left her dumbstruck.
Ash shot forward like a fired shell, never even drawing his blade. Relying purely on his fists and feet, he swept through the pack of demon wolves as if entering an empty field.
Those demon wolves, known for teamwork and whose large numbers were enough to terrify most adventurers, were as fragile as paper before him. Every blow of his fist, whether it struck a hard skull or any other part, caused it to explode instantly.
The scene before her was the most direct illustration of an overwhelming gap in strength, like children playing, yet carrying unquestionable destructive force.
The crushing disparity made the demon wolves tremble in fear, all resistance becoming futile. Only the lucky ones could even let out a mournful long howl before dying.
And soon, they abandoned the senseless encirclement altogether and fled in all directions.
This was also the first time Fern had ever seen monsters retreat so decisively.
Perhaps this was the greatest difference between mages and warriors. Mages possessed powerful wide-area killing ability and strong attack power, but their bodies were like fragile porcelain, always leaving an opening to be seized.
But top-tier warriors, once in combat and with magic power coursing through their bodies, were practically invulnerable. Not even dragons could bite through their flesh, leaving monsters with no chance at all.
So aside from slaughter, she could think of no other word to describe the scene before her.
Like monsters and demonkind alike, the creatures left no corpses after death, only traces of battle. The pure white snow became pitted and uneven, with nothing but churned earth flying everywhere.
Even the blood splattered on Ash's body lost its form and gradually dissipated after its owner's death.
As if none of it had ever happened, leaving behind only a snowfield restored to silence, yet still in disarray.
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