The Alden Family's Request

What did it feel like to have your heart stirred?

Everyone had their own answer.

Was it a piece of writing that seemed impressive at first glance, though you couldn't understand why,

but that you suddenly understood years later?

Or was it that classroom during the lunch break,

when you weren't asleep,

and quietly raised your head to look at someone,

only to find that person looking at you too?

Or was it a single sentence, a single moment?

And what about regret?

Was it the relieved smile that came after you understood that piece of writing?

Or was it the step you never had the courage to take?

Or was it a memory you could now revisit only on your own?

The Northern Lands.

Outside the fortress city of Frisch.

Rienta's party had just emerged from the forest.

A vast city appeared before them.

During their earlier chat, Fern had learned that they had already traveled more than halfway to the Magic City of Äußerst.

Looking at the towering walls drawing ever closer, Fern was filled with emotion.

"We're finally halfway there? It's been such a long journey."

By now, Frieren had gradually come to understand what time meant to humans.

If the subject was magic, she could talk to you about it enthusiastically for a whole day.

But Fern's words left her at a loss.

It had only been a few months since they left Graf Granat's Domain.

After a moment of silence, she said, "Anyway, let's head into the city and restock our supplies."

The group walked slowly along the road.

Suddenly, a voice called out.

"Hey, you there."

"?" Rienta looked toward the voice.

A carriage unmistakably belonging to a noble appeared before them.

Two people stepped out: a noble wearing an eyepatch in the lead, followed by a butler.

The two completely ignored Rienta and the others and slowly approached Stark.

After scrutinizing him for a while, they suddenly began feeling him up.

"Huh? What are you doing? What are you doing?"

Stark was bewildered, unsure what was happening.

After examining Stark's body, the noble said seriously, "Nice build, and your face isn't bad either."

"Come back to my mansion with me."

Rienta was somewhat shocked. The scene before him felt oddly familiar.

It was like a scene where some spoiled young master forcibly carried off a man.

Didn't something seem off?

But the noble had no intention of explaining. He took Stark by the arm and led him toward the carriage.

The other three stood bewildered by the roadside.

The butler came over and said to Frieren, who was leading the group,

"My apologies, everyone. We mean no harm. We'll explain when we reach the mansion."

Frieren didn't refuse. She had been to this city before.

She gave Rienta and Fern a reassuring look.

The group followed the butler into another carriage.

The Alden mansion.

Everyone took a seat in the reception room.

"What's your name?"

The noble seemed to have eyes only for the red-haired young man before him.

"Stark," Stark replied weakly.

Frieren was annoyed at being completely ignored. "Lord Alden, your behavior is causing us a great deal of trouble."

"Oh? You know me?"

Only then did the one-eyed noble look at Frieren in surprise.

Frieren looked at the noble impassively and said, "This is the mansion of the Alden Family, one of the three great knights of the Northern Lands, isn't it?"

"I remember your grandfather was a tough man too."

The one-eyed noble didn't understand what she meant by saying his grandfather was a tough man too.

"What are you talking about?"

"Regardless, I'm speaking to Stark right now."

Frieren was getting angry too. "Stark is the vanguard of my party."

The one-eyed noble looked straight at Stark. "Stark, do I need your mother's permission to speak to you?"

With a noble on one side and his own elder on the other, Stark didn't dare offend either of them.

All he could do was say quietly, "Please don't fight..."

Rienta, too, looked at the one-eyed noble in annoyance.

Seeing the atmosphere grow tense, the one-eyed noble sighed and chose to state his purpose outright.

"I have a task I'd like to entrust to Stark, and I'll pay him accordingly."

"How utterly dull." The noble's attitude had greatly annoyed Frieren. She stood up and said, "Stark, we're leaving."

Rienta and Fern immediately stood up and followed Frieren.

Seeing this, Stark rose as well. "My lord, I'm sorry."

With that, he hurried after them.

Just as the group was about to reach the door,

the one-eyed noble called them back.

"Wait."

After weighing his options, the noble finally backed down.

He came over to them and said in a somewhat stiff tone, "My attitude just now was less than courteous. Please forgive me."

For a noble, admitting fault was already an enormous concession.

Frieren gave a slight nod. "So, what is this request?"

Seeing Frieren relent, the one-eyed noble breathed a sigh of relief.

He led them to a large portrait in the corridor.

Fern was surprised to find that the person in the portrait looked remarkably like Stark.

The one-eyed noble looked at the portrait, his tone softening in a rare display.

"Stark, where are you from?"

Somewhat puzzled, Stark replied, "The Warrior Village in the Klee Region of the Central Countries."

"I see. My family came from that village as well."

The one-eyed noble explained to the group, "The portrait is of my eldest son, Wirt. He was not only the family heir, but also this city's hero."

Frieren didn't much care for beating around the bush, so she asked directly, "And does any of this have to do with your request?"

This time, the one-eyed noble didn't snap back at Frieren for interrupting him.

Sounding somewhat downcast, he said, "A month ago, we fought a great battle against the demons. Wirt and a demon general killed each other. Only my butler Gabel and some of my trusted men know about it."

After they had seen the portrait, the one-eyed noble led them back to the reception room.

On the way,

Frieren asked, "So what do you want Stark to do?"

"Frisch is a key defensive point in this region. Until we've replenished the troops we lost, we absolutely cannot allow morale to fall."

The one-eyed noble spoke softly, as though he didn't care at all about his eldest son's death.

Rienta understood now. The noble wanted Stark, who looked just like his eldest son, to play the role of his son.

Sure enough, the one-eyed noble continued, "Stark and Wirt look practically identical. Once he's been properly dressed and groomed, outsiders won't be able to tell them apart."

"In three months, a social gathering will be held here. The powerful and influential people of this region will all attend. When that happens, we need to show them that Wirt is still alive and well."

After thinking for a moment, Frieren asked, "What's the payment?"

"Ten Schtrahl gold coins."

Rienta wasn't short of money at the moment, but seeing that Frieren looked ready to accept, he spoke up. "You'll have to add ten grimoires."

"Five."

"Deal!!"

Rienta looked at Frieren with a smug expression.

Frieren was somewhat shocked. She had only wanted one.

Stark, the one the request concerned, suddenly said, "Wait a minute! How could I possibly do that? And what about the scar on my forehead?"

He had just seen that Wirt's hair was slicked all the way back in the portrait.

The one-eyed noble already had an answer for that. "We've already been spreading word among the public that Wirt is recovering from his injuries. Your scar can be treated as a glorious battle wound."

Rienta and Fern had already begun discussing which grimoires they should choose once the request was complete.

Fern patted Stark on the shoulder helplessly and said, "Lord Stark, good luck."

After traveling for so long, she was somewhat tired too. This was a good chance to rest for a while.

"That's so mean..."

Seeing that Frieren's party no longer seemed inclined to refuse, the one-eyed noble breathed a sigh of relief.

Although the payment was somewhat more than he had expected.

He said to the butler, "Gabel, you're in charge of teaching him noble social etiquette."