The Carriage

A flash of cold light, and all things were born.

The Giant Lion's blood splattered across the ground, its body reduced to countless chunks of flesh. Above the road the carriage traveled, a cloud layer split apart, letting sunlight fall onto the magic tome Frieren was looking at.

"Senior brother, what kind of magic was that?"

Frieren asked curiously. Li Yan tossed the Holy Sword back into his backpack, looking a little sleepy as he yawned and replied, "That was a Normal Attack, not magic."

Flamme looked at the clear road ahead with satisfaction and drove the carriage onward. Frieren nodded thoughtfully and swung her staff, copying Li Yan's earlier movement, seemingly hoping to unleash a Normal Attack as powerful as his.

Li Yan leaned back against Frieren's small, frail shoulder and began drifting off to sleep. Frieren gazed thoughtfully at his backpack. Her senior brother had just used that sword to deliver such a powerful blow.

After quietly glancing at her sleeping senior brother, Frieren slipped her hand into Li Yan's backpack, searching for the Holy Sword that could cut through the clouds.

Hearing the movement in the carriage, Flamme glanced at Frieren in puzzlement. Seeing her curious expression, Flamme's lips curved upward slightly. The Holy Sword was not something just anyone could lift. Without its own approval, it was impossible to lift.

Before long, Frieren found the sword Li Yan had used inside the backpack. Curious, she tried to draw it, but no matter how hard she pulled, the blade seemed stuck in its scabbard and would not come out at all.

No matter how she adjusted the angle, the blade stayed completely still, as if glued in place. She tried looking for a mechanism on the scabbard and pressed everything she could find, but still got nowhere.

When she tried to take out the whole sword, it felt like a mountain weighing a thousand tons. Frieren strained with all her might, even using both hands, but after a struggle, she finally gave up and let go.

Just as Flamme thought Frieren was admitting defeat, Frieren picked up her staff and used magic to move objects. But no matter how she channeled her Mana or increased its output, the entire backpack seemed fixed to the carriage.

"Darn it, how can I not lift it?"

Frieren puffed out her cheeks and unleashed all her Mana. The burst of Mana sent the backpack's straps floating into the air, but the backpack itself remained in place.

"How can this be? It's just a sword."

Frieren stared in bewilderment while Flamme covered her mouth and snickered. Even if Flamme unleashed all her Mana, the backpack would fly up, but the sword would certainly stay where it was.

If her master unleashed all her Mana, perhaps she could move it a fraction. In any case, anything was possible if it had never been tried.

"Frieren, that's the Holy Sword. Only your senior brother can draw it. Use that little head of yours."

Flamme offered a kind reminder.

"My senior brother?"

Frieren looked at the sleeping Li Yan, gently lifted his arm, and guided his hand to the sword hilt inside the backpack. With just a light pull, the Holy Sword came free, sliding readily out of its scabbard.

"Senior brother's hand is amazing."

Frieren watched in surprise. The moment the Holy Sword came out, she felt a sudden sense of satisfaction.

After seeing the sword's true appearance, Frieren guided Li Yan's hand to set the Holy Sword down in the carriage. She eagerly reached out to touch it with her little hand, only to discover that the hilt she had lifted so easily before was now like a boulder weighing ten thousand jin. She could not lift it at all.

"How could this happen?"

A flicker of agitation appeared on Frieren's little face. Her little hands prodded the Holy Sword from every angle, but for all her efforts, the Holy Sword was like a monk deep in meditation, paying no attention to her many attempts to entice it.

"Take this, you bad sword."

Frieren grabbed Li Yan's arm and again guided his hand to touch the Holy Sword. Meeting its true master, the Holy Sword was like a simp and was easily lifted.

"Mm-hmm, you bad thing, I lifted you, didn't I?"

Frieren's lips curved upward slightly as she controlled Li Yan's arm and swung the Holy Sword around, having the time of her life.

"Honestly, she's still just like a child."

Flamme shook her head gently, a fond smile crossing her face.

Once she grew tired of playing with the Holy Sword, Frieren guided Li Yan's arm to put it back in its scabbard, then tossed it back into the backpack. Although she could not wield it herself, swinging it around with her senior brother's arm had satisfied her curiosity.

Frieren picked up the magic tome she had set aside and plunged into the ocean of magical knowledge. Flamme looked back at her, a gratified expression appearing on her face.

That night, after arriving at an inn in a town along the way, Li Yan yawned as he ate the inn's food. He had slept all day and was a little confused about the time.

They had taken two rooms, one double and one single. Flamme and Frieren shared the double room, while Li Yan, being a boy, had a room to himself.

It was an ordinary room with a large bed, an ordinary table, and an ordinary wooden bed frame. There was no lavish decor, only plain wooden boards still bearing the marks of age.

He had not yet finished his daily training, so Li Yan placed the magic tome on the floor and read it while doing push-ups. Doing two things at once was a little harder, but he was already used to this routine.

In this state, his understanding of magic had already improved considerably. As an immortal, developing in every aspect was inevitable. His physique and magic were for keeping himself alive, while training in medicine and mental willpower would have to wait and see whether he had time to hone them later.

After completing his daily exercise, Li Yan wiped the sweat from his body and bathed in the bathroom. Looking at the chilly, quiet room, he felt a detached sense of unfamiliarity.

In the past, Flamme would always sit by the bed and gently dry his hair with warm-air magic, then hold him as they fell asleep.

Thinking of his age, Li Yan scratched his head and sat on the edge of the bed to read his magic tome. He looked down on everyday magic that was unsuitable for combat, so he had not mastered much of it.

There was a soft knock at the door. Li Yan got up and opened it in confusion. Outside stood Flamme, wearing a white T-shirt. She yawned and ruffled Li Yan's damp hair, a faint smile appearing on her lips.

"I knew you wouldn't have dried your hair, A Yan."

Flamme entered the room and sat in the middle of the bed. A warm breeze flowed from her hand, gently drying Li Yan's hair.

"Godmother, why did you come over? How's junior sister?"

Li Yan asked curiously. The feeling of Flamme gently stroking his head was especially reassuring.

"Your junior sister fell asleep. You know what her sleeping posture is like."

Flamme spoke with a frown, then added, "She sleeps too much like a child, even though she's already so grown up."

The corner of Li Yan's mouth twitched, and he gave an awkward smile. Whenever he slept in Flamme's arms, that was what a real child's sleeping posture looked like.

[PS: I read this chapter once, and something just feels off. It's like I'm writing smut. Any brothers here understand what's going on?]