The Lie You Told About Waking Up Early (Part 2)

"Oh! Although it's not like a multigrain pancake, it's still quite delicious."

Galan tried a bite of the Luv Omelet on a whim and found it surprisingly delicious.

At that moment, my appetite was greatly stimulated, and I started eating rice.

Lia was still debating what to eat, but in the end she gave up and ordered the same thing as Galan.

They took a bite of the omelet at the same time, and the flavors of the sauce and ingredients surged in their mouths, constantly stimulating their taste buds. At that moment, they both felt as if they were in heaven.

It's not that it's really that delicious, it's just that the group hasn't eaten anything since they had breakfast at Zack's farm that morning.

When a person's stomach is empty, even eating leftover cold food can feel like a state banquet, let alone a steaming hot, delicious-looking pancake right in front of them.

"Speaking of which, Himmel seems to have mentioned before that he likes Luv Omelets."

Watching the two of them eat and cry in a comical manner, Frieren seemed to suddenly recall the past. She poked her head out from among the three plates of pudding in front of her, her mouth gurgling incessantly, and her words were indistinct.

There were still crumbs of pudding around her mouth; she had clearly eaten to the point of oblivion.

I was completely absorbed in the pudding.

Lia had made this kind of pudding before, but the ones from this shop seemed to look even better.

"Frieren, what are our plans after this?"

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

When Galan asked her a question, Frieren looked puzzled.

"You can't stay here for long, can you? Aren't you supposed to keep traveling?"

Galan devoured the last bite of the omelet, then licked the bits off his fingers.

Seemingly feeling that this was a bit uncivilized, and not wanting to leave such a barbaric impression on Lia, he quickly licked his lips, then casually rested his chin on the back of his hand and started talking to Frieren, intending to ask about the next arrangements.

"Well, we're still a bit far from the next big city, so we won't be staying too long."

She pinched her chin with her fingers, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Well, I'll probably stay for less than a year. I also want to see if there are any Grimoire left over from the early days of the empire."

Less than a year?

Galan was somewhat dumbfounded, seemingly not expecting that Frieren's "not long ago" was actually measured in years?

Can someone explain the Elves ' concept of time?

No.

That's been a year!

If I stay here for a year, I'm afraid I'll develop an attachment to this place.

In Galan's memory, he had lived in Rogley for about four or five years, but he felt as if he had completely put down roots there.

Many people often go out to work in other places, and eventually choose to settle down there if conditions permit.

A large part of the reason is that during the time they worked there, they developed an affection for the region and gradually integrated into this place, making it difficult to leave.

"Really?!"

Galan felt it was necessary to teach Frieren about the human concept of time.

"A year is a very long time for me! I might turn into an old man with a full head of white hair in a year."

"Is it really that exaggerated? Doesn't a year go by very quickly?"

Frieren was puzzled. She pushed aside the empty plate, pulled the remaining plate of uneaten Mekur Pudding in front of her, put down her silver spoon, and took a large bite.

"I've been with Himmel for ten years, and he hasn't turned into a white-haired old man."

"Well—anyway, we still have a long way to go, right?"

"... Hmm, it seems like a year is no different from a few days for Frieren, so it's not convincing at all."

Galan had no choice but to bring up his current tight schedule.

"Including this past year, we have four years left. Considering all the possible situations we might encounter along the way, staying here for even a year seems like too little time, doesn't it?"

"That seems to be the case."

Seeing her waver after putting the pudding in her mouth, Galan pressed her advantage and decided to personally arrange the rest of the trip.

"Right? Then let's do as I say, get up early tomorrow morning to prepare supplies, stay here for a few days, and then set off again!"

"Mmm~"

For Lia, it didn't matter where she went, as long as she followed Galan.

Although Frieren didn't insist on staying for another year, she showed a distressed expression after hearing that she had to get up early the next day.

The pudding in my mouth no longer tasted good.

"Hmm - if we're in a hurry, then we're in a hurry. Do we really have to get up early?"

The morning sunlight climbed up the tightly closed window, and soft light seeped in through the cracks, illuminating the Elf master and his apprentice.

In her sleep, Lia always felt a heavy weight on her lower abdomen, as if a soft little mountain was pressing down on it.

In the morning light, she struggled to break free from her dream, her brows slightly furrowed, and she opened her eyes wide.

She immediately discovered the true nature of this "little mountain." Frieren rolled off her bed, the blanket fell to the floor, half of her body climbed onto the bed, and she was drooling as she lay on her stomach.

Lia reached out and rubbed her blurry eyes, then gently nudged Frieren's head twice, trying to wake her up.

Frieren's only reaction was to let out two soft moans, as if protesting against Lia's actions.

Then, restlessly twisting its body and moving its head, it found a more comfortable position and fell fast asleep.

... Frieren?"

"Frieren... you're pressing down on me..."

"Frieren..."

1

Despite calling her name several times, Frieren showed no sign of waking up.

Those faint snoring sounds were the only response Leah received.

Her fingers gripped the edge of Lia's bed, pulling Lia's blanket tightly as if she wanted to rip it off and cover herself with it.

"We agreed to get up early today... It feels like it's almost noon... But Galan still hasn't woken up, and didn't even come to wake us."

After all that commotion, Lia was almost fully awake.

She looked at Frieren was fast asleep there, and after a brief moment of thought, a flash of inspiration appeared in her eyes, as if she had come up with an idea.

She then tugged at her own cheek, and after confirming that the force was just right, she grabbed Frieren's cheek without hesitation.

... Hmm? Hmm-soft forehead!"

Under Lia's relentless pinching of her cheeks, Frieren finally reacted. She whimpered and clung to Lia's hand, much like a child who didn't want to get out of bed in the morning but was dragged out by her mother.

However, relatively speaking, at this time, Lia was playing a kind mother like Sanae Furukawa in "CLANNAD," rather than a ruthless character like Misae Nohara in "Crayon Shin-chan."

If she were playing Nohara Mi now, Frieren's buttocks would surely be bright red right now.

"Frieren clearly older than me, how can she sleep in like a child?--"

But I really can't get up!

"So, Frieren's promise to get up early yesterday was indeed a lie?"

Frieren was on the verge of tears. "I never said I wanted to get up early!"