A Brief Rest on the Journey

A slightly worn-out open-air carriage moved slowly along the country dirt road. The wheels made a rhythmic, slight creaking sound as they rolled over the uneven surface. The fields beside the road stretched into the distance, and the air was filled with the scent of grass and earth.

Looking out, there are endless fields and distant mountains, the sky is clear, and a few wisps of thin clouds drift by leisurely. It is a peaceful afternoon during a long journey.

Ta-da! Ta-da!

Frieren sat on one side of the carriage, her body swaying gently with the movement. Her long silver hair was slightly disheveled, her emerald eyes were half-closed, and her long eyelashes fluttered from time to time, clearly struggling against a heavy drowsiness. Finally, she tilted her head and naturally leaned it against Fern's shoulder beside her.

Fern, who was gazing absently at the distant scenery, felt a weight on her shoulder and stiffened slightly. She turned her head and looked at her master's unguarded sleeping face. A hint of helplessness, and perhaps a little embarrassment, flashed in her pale purple eyes.

She hesitated for a moment, then gently shook Frieren's shoulder.

"Lady Frieren... it's uncomfortable to sleep like this."

"Mmm..." Frieren made a muffled nasal sound, not waking up at all, but instead seeming to have found a more comfortable position. She slid down Fern's body and rested her head directly on Fern's closed legs, turning into a complete lap pillow position. She snuggled in, finding a stable spot, and her breathing quickly became even and long.

Fern's body stiffened.

She looked down at her master, who was sleeping peacefully on her lap. His usually expressionless face was now completely unguarded. Fern opened her mouth, but in the end, she only sighed very softly and gave up on waking her.

"Ah, it seems that won't work." Fern's attempt to wake her failed. She muttered to herself, her tone carrying a hint of resigned indulgence. She carefully adjusted her posture, making sure her knees were level so that Frieren could sleep more soundly.

Lowell, sitting opposite, witnessed the entire scene.

His eyes, hidden beneath his dark hair, narrowed slightly. His gaze lingered for two seconds on the lap where Frieren rested her head, which belonged to Fern, before subtly shifting away to look at the passing shadows of trees by the roadside. The corners of his mouth noticeably turned down, and a barely audible hum escaped from his nose.

The carriage continued on its way, with only the sounds of hooves and wheels.

After a while, Lowell broke the silence as if casually starting a conversation, his voice low so as not to disturb the sleeping person. "Fern."

"Yes, Lord Lowell." Fern raised his head.

"Frieren, is she a good mentor?" Lowell asked, his gaze still fixed on the view outside the window.

Without hesitation, Fern's pale purple eyes revealed a gentle certainty. "Of course." She looked down at Frieren, who was sleeping peacefully on her lap, and said calmly, "Although Frieren can be quite worrisome and slow-witted at times, she always remembers to prepare a gift for my birthday. Even though she initially said that taking on a disciple was just to have someone to take care of her..."

She smiled slightly as she said this, "But thinking about it carefully, if simply 'taking care' could earn one the complete instruction of Great Mage, the price is far too easy. The line of people wanting to join would probably stretch from Ende to the Southern Islands."

Her gaze shifted to Lowell: "You were the same. Back then, my parents were worried about my future. The Continental United Academy was renowned, but its admission requirements were high. Paying tuition would be a heavy burden for us, a minor noble family. Until your envoy arrived and informed us that I could attend for free... At that time, my parents were finally relieved and very grateful."

Upon hearing this, Lowell turned his head, a somewhat lazy smile on his face, "Actually, it's not that complicated... The academy also takes in many orphans and commoners who don't have outstanding talents. It's just that we need a respectable explanation to make the noble lords who funded it feel that it was worth the money, and it looks better on our face."

"It's more appealing to them to believe 'I spent a fortune to send my child to a place teeming with geniuses' than to let them know that their money might be supporting many nameless orphans. After all, vanity is a motivator... Nowadays, they've even started comparing their children's grades at school, as if not getting into a prestigious academy makes them inferior."

Fern chuckled softly, "Lord Lowell, you... are very..."

"Haha, don't worry about the wording, adults are always dirty." Lowell laughed nonchalantly. "If you want their money, there are always these roundabout ways, but I prefer to call it 'operation.' After all, we haven't treated them unfairly. With this level of educational resources, charging tuition is only fair. Many of the foolish sons from noble families can at least become useful people."

At this moment, Frieren was resting her head on Fern's lap, stirred and groggily woke up, rubbing her eyes. Her emerald eyes were still sleepy as she looked around blankly and mumbled something.

Lowell looked at her as if she had just woken up, then turned his face away, leaving her only with his profile.

Frieren blinked her sleepy eyes, somewhat puzzled. "Huh?"

Fern glanced at Lowell, then looked down at the newly awakened Frieren, nodded knowingly, and explained in a calm tone, "It seems that Lord Lowell was a little envious because you were resting your head on my lap just now."

Frieren blinked, taking a moment to understand the sentence. Then, with an air of "I can't do anything with you," she lazily yawned.

"What... one at a time."

She slowly got up, moved to Lowell's side, and naturally rested her head on his lap. After adjusting her position, she sighed contentedly and closed her eyes again.

Lowell paused for a moment, then relaxed. He looked down at Frieren, who had fallen asleep again on his lap. The feigned displeasure on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a slight smile, and even his eyes softened with a hint of warmth.

Seeing Lowell's expression instantly brighten, and then looking at the already sleeping Frieren, Fern smiled slightly.

The wheels continued to creak, carrying the three people slowly towards the end of the field.