Fern: A Good Listener

The next day.

The First-Class Mage exams have all concluded.

However, the relevant procedures and the privileges granted to First-Class Mage by Serie have not yet been completed.

So they have to stay in Äußerst for another day.

Rienta was studying grimoires related to barriers at the inn.

Frieren went to browse the magic shops in the city.

Fern, wanting to relax, took Stark to buy some snacks.

Inside a pastry shop.

Fern had been standing in front of several different desserts, hesitating for quite a while.

It's not because we don't have enough money.

They had actually just had lunch not long ago.

Instead, when Rienta heard him say he was going to buy some snacks,

They actually said something like, "Be careful not to eat yourself into becoming 'Fat Lun'."

Snort.

That wretched Rienta.

"Fern, haven't you made your choice yet?" Stark couldn't help but ask.

"Hmm... then let's choose this one."

Fern points to one of them.

"Jisan, I want this."

But another hand was pointing at the pastry.

The two exchanged a glance and recognized each other.

Dunkel, standing behind Laufen, stroked his beard after witnessing this scene.

He then invited Fern and Stark to have afternoon tea together.

They also bought several kinds of snacks.

The four of them sat down in a pavilion, with various kinds of snacks laid out on the table.

Laufen had already picked up a pastry and started eating it.

Dunkel noticed that Fern and Stark were still somewhat reserved.

As the eldest of the four, and also the one who was treating everyone.

He then said, "Don't be shy, eat as much as you like."

"When I was young, I didn't have many opportunities to eat sweets."

"Thank you."

After thanking Dunkel, Fern also picked up a pastry and ate it contentedly.

As for gaining weight or anything like that...

She already had a better solution.

This scene left Stark somewhat bewildered.

Dunkel reached out and pushed the plate of snacks toward Stark.

He said, "Young man, why don't you have some too?"

"... Um, thanks a lot, old man."

Stark then took a pastry from the plate.

Then he quietly approached Fern and asked in a low voice:

Who is this?

Fern introduced, "This is Lord Dunkel, the Court Mage."

After finishing his introduction, he casually picked up his teacup and started drinking.

"Court Mage..."

"Isn't that a nobleman?!"

Stark, realizing what had happened, rubbed his hands awkwardly.

He said to Dunkel, "Um, I'm sorry, I was a little rude just now."

Dunkel smiled and said, "It's alright, I came here as a mage."

"I'm so sorry, I even had to entertain someone I've never met before..."

"Don't worry about it, I have nowhere else to spend my money anyway."

Upon hearing this, Stark was taken aback and said, "You can't be so broke that you have nowhere to spend your money, can you?"

Fern asked with some surprise, "Yes, for example, using it on your grandson or something..."

Dunkel sighed almost imperceptibly.

But Fern was the one who helped him pass the First-Class Mage exam.

He was also willing to tell Fern about some of his past experiences.

He said, "I have no children. My wife passed away when I was in my twenties."

Fern and Stark were taken aback.

Dunkel explained, "My wife's health wasn't very good to begin with; she was the eldest daughter of a noble family on the Northern Plateau border who lost in the political struggle."

"At that time, I desperately needed wealth and power. I couldn't think of any other way to save her."

"Shortly after my wife's death, Serie established the Continental Magicians' Association under the banner of 'privileges'."

That was also the first time I had ever felt such a profound sense of powerlessness.

"How ironic. I can now even influence the entire country."

After saying that, Dunkel looked at Fern and said in a deep voice:

"Fern, to me magic is nothing more than a tool in political struggles."

"Could you please pass on a message to Frieren for me?"

Before Fern could answer, Dunkel continued, "Thanks to her, I've forgotten how interesting magic is."

"I greatly admire Frieren, the mage who led the heroes, and that's what motivated me to become a mage myself."

Fern smiled slightly and said softly:

"Perhaps Lord Dunkel should go and tell Frieren himself."

"I think Lady Frieren will be very happy too."

"That's true..."

On the street.

Frieren walked down the street, completely satisfied, carrying the magic book that was almost as tall as everyone else.

"As expected of the Magic City of Äußerst, I can actually buy so many precious magic books here."

"It's a real shame Rienta isn't here."

Just then, the sound of things scattering came from behind.

Frieren looked in the direction of the sound and saw an old woman who had accidentally knocked over a basket full of items.

I was just about to go help.

"Hey, grandma."

"Is it okay to just put these in this basket?"

Wirbel used magic to put all the scattered items back into the basket.

Seeing this, Frieren sat down on a bench nearby.

He began flipping through the magic book while waiting for Wirbel.

This magic allowed her to hear Fern say about it.

Really.

After helping the old woman, Wirbel sat down next to Frieren.

"Shouldn't we just ignore that kind of situation?"

Frieren said calmly, "I hesitated for a moment too."

"... Just a little bit?" Wirbel looked at Frieren with some surprise.

He said, "That's quite surprising. I thought it was something from the companions of the hero Himmel..."

Frieren looked at Wirbel and asked, "What will happen to Himmel's companions?"

Seeing that Wirbel did not answer, Frieren continued to flip through the magic book in her hand.

He said, "I should say I'm the one who's surprised."

"During the first round of exams, you planned to kill Fern and the others, didn't you?"

"Fern and I complained about it."

"You're the kind of guy who'd kick a stray dog away."

"..."

Wirbel smiled wryly and said, "I am often told that."

"I just wanted to scare them during the exam."

"However, it would be better to kill one of them."

After saying that, Wirbel paused, then said calmly:

"I'll do anything to protect my hometown."

"My reason for wanting to become First-Class Mage is simply to gain [privileges]."

"Once I learn powerful magic, I can kill even more demons."

"However, even if it has nothing to do with my hometown, I will still try my best to lend a helping hand to those in trouble."

Frieren was a very attentive listener.

Seeing that Wirbel suddenly stopped speaking and turned to the next page of the magic book in his hand.

And at the opportune moment, he asked, "Why?"

Wirbel glanced at Frieren beside her.

He said softly:

"My hometown is on the northern border, where many legends of the hero Himmel are told."

"Conquer the Tower of a Thousand Mirrors, and battle against one of the Seven Sages of Destruction, the Undying Beze, and the Imperial Dragon."

"When I was a child, I really loved these kinds of adventure stories, but the grandparents in the village rarely talked about these heroic deeds."

"The stories they told were all about how the hero Himmel repelled the demons who attacked the village, or how Himmel had served as a guard for merchants, and so on."

"There's even a story about Himmel helping with the luggage."

"They're all just trivial matters, right?"

Having said that, Wirbel smiled and looked at Frieren, seeing that she had no reaction.

He continued, "'That's incredibly boring,' that's what I thought at the time."

"But the old man telling these stories seemed genuinely happy."

"Until the death of the hero Himmel."