Spring Comes to the Old Hometown

The harsh winter of the Northern Frontier has finally completely receded, and a warm breeze, carrying the fresh scent of earth and tender buds, caresses the winding mountain road leading south.

The snow along the roadside melted, forming babbling brooks, and tiny green shoots emerged from the withered meadows. Even the wind blowing on our faces felt gentler.

The group of five walked with a lighter pace than usual in winter.

On this day, Frieren was still being carried on Lowell's back. Her silver hair swayed slightly in the warm breeze. She squinted her emerald eyes, as if enjoying the long-awaited warm sunshine, or perhaps half-asleep. Her cheek unconsciously rubbed against the back of Lowell's neck as she found a more comfortable position, her breathing even and long.

Clearly, after having breakfast, she resumed her routine of traveling and sleeping.

They can take a nap anywhere.

In the afternoon, after crossing a mountain ridge covered with new greenery, a tranquil village nestled in the embrace of a valley came into view.

Smoke curls from chimneys, the fields are neatly arranged, and the faint sounds of children playing and dogs barking can be heard carried on the wind.

As the group approached the village entrance, they saw an old dwarf with white hair and beard, short and stocky, sitting on a tree stump with his back against a weathered boundary stone.

He wore a worn-out but clean old suit of armor, his helmet at his feet, his wrinkled face with eyes that seemed half-closed, and he held an old sword about his age with a slightly worn edge in his arms, like a stone statue at the entrance of a village, its edges smoothed by time.

Frieren lifted her head from Lowell's back, blinked her emerald eyes as if she were regaining some clarity, and called out, "Hey! Grandpa Voll! We're here!"

Lupa looked at the old dwarf who seemed like a stone statue, his pink twin ponytails swaying gently in the spring breeze. A hint of surprise flashed in his heterochromatic eyes. She leaned closer to Lowell and asked in a low voice, "Master, this old dwarf... he looks older than Frieren... no, uh, older?" She carefully chose her words.

Lowell looked at Voll, who seemed poised to blend into the background at any moment, and with a slight smile, replied:

"Age-wise, Frieren much older than this guy. But, you can't judge by seniority. This old man is truly frail and nearing the end of his life, while my Frieren," he glanced at the silver-haired head on his shoulder, his tone laced with undisguised favoritism, "Is still very young."

When Frieren heard the word "young," her ears twitched almost imperceptibly. She puffed out her non-existent chest against Lowell's back and patted his shoulder to signal him to put her down.

After landing, she put her hands on her hips, raised her delicate chin towards Voll, and gave a slightly smug, gentle smile, emphasizing again, "That's right! Grandpa Voll! Did you hear me! I am Frieren! Young and beautiful Frieren has come to see you!"

Grandpa Voll's eyelids twitched a few times, and he slowly opened them a crack. His cloudy eyes looked blankly towards the source of the voice, tilting his head as if trying to retrieve something from the depths of his memory. "Ah? Frieren? Oh... I think... I vaguely remember... but then again... I can't quite remember... I'm getting old, my mind isn't working so well anymore..."

Seeing the old man's confused state, unable to even hear what he was saying, Lupa couldn't help but frown slightly, a hint of worry in her heterochromatic eyes. Her voice rose a little. "Um, Grandpa Voll! I say, at your age, why are you still wearing such heavy armor and guarding this place? Shouldn't you be enjoying your retirement? Shouldn't you leave the village guarding to the younger generation?"

Grandpa Voll seemed to finally hear me. He shakily raised a hand to his ear and mumbled to Lupa, "Huh? Little girl... what did you say? Speak louder... come closer... Grandpa's hard of hearing..."

Seeing this, Lupa sighed helplessly, thinking that the old man was really getting old and hard of hearing. Out of respect for the elder, she took two steps closer, bent down, slowed her speech, and said clearly, "Grandpa Voll! I mean—you're so old! You should go home and enjoy your retirement! Don't work so hard anymore..."

However, before she could finish speaking, something unexpected happened!

Grandpa Voll, who had just looked old and frail, suddenly had a glint of light flash in his eyes that was completely out of place with his overall decrepit appearance!

The short, stocky body leaning against the wall suddenly straightened up like a spring that had been holding back for a long time. He swung the old sword in his arms with one hand, and with a heavy, vicious wind, he slashed horizontally towards Lupa's unsuspecting shin with lightning speed! The sword cut through the wind and made a muffled whistling sound.

But almost instinctively, the moment Lupa 'Voll shoulder twitched, Lupa's heterochromatic eyes suddenly contracted, her waist twisted violently backward, and her spear sank downward as if it had a life of its own, the tip of the spear blocking the path that the sword's back was bound to take with perfect precision!

"Clang--!"

A dull thud of metal clashing rang out! Sparks flew everywhere!

Lupa used the momentum to leap back half a step, landing steadily, her pink twin tails fluttering in the sudden movement. Gripping her spear tightly, her heterochromatic eyes sharply fixed on Grandpa Voll, who had returned to his drowsy state after the attack, as if he had only taken a nap. "Hmm? Grandpa Voll, what does this mean?"

Grandpa Voll, having missed his attack, didn't pursue. He simply rested his sword on the ground and let out a hoarse "heh heh" laugh. His previously cloudy eyes were now clearer, looking at Lupa with a hint of approval. "Heh heh heh... Little girl, you're really alert... Even facing an old man like me, you can react instantly and not let your guard down for a moment... You're a powerful warrior."

Upon hearing this, Lupa relaxed her stance slightly, but her eyes still held a probing look. "Of course. My master told me, 'True danger often wears a harmless cloak.' Never let your guard down." Her words were full of trust in Lowell's teachings.

Lowell, standing to the side, touched his nose, as if suddenly remembering something amusing. A playful smile curved his lips as he slowly interjected, "Oh? Anytime? But I remember one morning, when you and Linié were hugging in the room, you seemed quite relaxed, you didn't even notice me come in. I'm telling you, Lupa, that child..."

"Master--!" Lupa's face flushed crimson, all the way to her ears, like a ripe apple. She stomped her foot angrily, interrupting Lowell, her heterochromatic eyes filled with embarrassment and anger. "Don't mention that kind of thing again! That's not... and Linié doesn't understand at all..."

Linié stood quietly to the side, her deep blue pupils blinking as she looked at Lupa, who had suddenly blushed. She seemed not to understand why Lupa was so agitated, but simply tilted her head and quietly munched on an apple she had somehow produced.

Just then, Solitär stepped forward lightly, her pale green eyes sparkling with intense research interest. She carefully examined Voll, her face displaying an innocent, sweet curiosity, and asked in a clear, melodious voice:

"Sir, your behavior is quite interesting. From what I perceive, your life is nearing its end, like a candle flickering in the wind. Yet you remain steadfast, clad in armor incongruous with your age and circumstances. Such behavior is usually linked to a strong 'obsession' or 'commitment.' Could you tell me what sustains you in doing this? Is it because of a certain person, or a certain 'commitment'?"

Voll raised his cloudy eyes and looked at Solitär. His gaze lingered on her for a moment, as if piercing through the surface to see something deeper. He chuckled and simply answered in a hoarse voice:

"Hmm... you are... Demons, right? Heh... but you came with Frieren, so I don't need to worry about you. Why are you guarding here? Yes... it's a promise, a promise to my wife."

"Your wife?" Solitär's eyes lit up, and she pressed, "May I ask about her? Or perhaps see what she looks like?"

Voll's wrinkles smoothed out, revealing a smile that was a mixture of endless longing and serene sorrow. He gazed into the depths of the village, his eyes seemingly transcending time. "She... went over there to wait for me, for a very, very long time."

"Dead?" Solitär tilted her head, her tone devoid of sadness, only pure curiosity. "How long has it been?"

Grandpa Voll's gaze returned to its somewhat clouded state. He shook his head, as if his memories, too, were yellowing and brittle like old parchment.

"Hehe... How long? I can't remember how long it's been. The flowers bloom and fade in the valley... Who knows... I only remember that I have to stay here, guard this village she loves. I have to wait for her to come back. She said she would come back to visit. I have to wait so she won't get lost. Or... wait for me to go find her."

After listening, Solitär's pale green eyes gleamed as she seemed to process the information quickly. She nodded slightly, a satisfied smile spreading across her face, as if she had obtained a valuable sample. "Is that so... I understand. Humans... How interesting."