The Mountain Cabin

The gale, carrying dense snowflakes, lashed the continuous mountain ridges like countless cold whips.

As far as the eye could see, all that remained was a chaotic, unsettling gray-white. The wind swirled the snowflakes, howling mournfully as if it wanted to devour all warmth and sound in the world.

A semi-transparent, shimmering circular shield stubbornly held open a small, relatively calm area, keeping out the fiercest wind and snow.

Lowell, Frieren, and Fern trudged through knee-deep snow. Although the protective shields blocked the direct wind and snow, the temperature remained very low.

"Ugh... It's so cold... I really want to go to another dimension to sleep..." Frieren buried her face even deeper into her thick scarf, her emerald eyes squinting in the wind, and a fine layer of white frost forming on her silver hair.

"Damn, Frieren, you'll become pampered if you never suffer. Right now, you still have Lady Lowell's protection against the wind, so it's nothing." Fern's voice came through the wind and snow, as calm as ever.

Lowell maintained his protective shield, a few snowflakes landing on his dark hair, quickly Melt tiny water droplets. He glanced at the almost identical snowscape around him and clicked his tongue softly.

"But... it's really hard to walk." Frieren stopped, trying to figure out her direction, her voice a little uncertain. "Hmm... I think I'm lost. But I remember there should be a small house nearby."

Upon hearing this, Fern sighed softly. She knew her master all too well. "When was the last time you were here?"

Frieren looked up at the gray sky, pondered for a moment, and then gave an answer that made Fern's eyelids twitch, "Eighty years ago?"

Fern: "..." I really shouldn't have had too high expectations.

Lowell didn't seem to mind, and smiled, "Let's go, we can't find a better direction anyway, let's just treat it as a walk."

The three of them trekked for a while longer through the wind and snow. Just as Fern was beginning to worry that they might have to spend the night in the freezing cold, a small black dot appeared in the snowstorm. As they got closer, it turned out to be a rather sturdy-looking little wooden cabin.

"Great!" Frieren's eyes lit up slightly. "Looks like we're in luck. There's someone's magical aura inside... Let's go in and warm up." She said, and was about to step forward.

Fern quickly grabbed her. "Lady Frieren, please wait a moment, at least knock on the door first."

"Oh." Frieren readily complied, walked to the wooden door, knocked, and then, without waiting for a response, habitually pushed it open. The wooden door creaked open.

The room was dimly lit, but bright enough to see clearly: an Elven race male, facing sideways to the doorway, shirtless and revealing his muscular physique, wearing only trousers, was rhythmically performing squats. Around his neck hung an ancient-looking badge— Proof of the Holy Staff. With each squat and rise, he emitted a deep, powerful counting sound.

"Ninety-seven, ninety-eight, ninety-nine... Good! Not bad! Really good! My body is warming up!"

Frieren blinked, seemingly oblivious to anything amiss, and said naturally, "Excuse me..."

Before she could finish speaking, Fern's expression changed slightly. He quickly grabbed her by the back of her collar and pulled her back from the doorway, slamming the wooden door shut with a bang.

"Lady Frieren," Fern's tone was firm and unwavering, "Something's not right here. Let's go."

Frieren stumbled from the tug, but once she regained her balance, her emerald eyes were filled with pure confusion. "Why?"

"Because there's a pervert inside."

Just then, the wooden door was pulled open from the inside.

"Oh dear, I didn't expect to be mistaken for a pervert..." The one who opened the door was the elven man inside.

Fern still wanted to leave, pulling on Frieren's arm. "Let's hurry up and go..."

The elf noticed Frieren's long, pointed ears. "Wait, are you an elf?"

Frieren turned around and noticed the elven pointed ears on the emblem.

In the end, the three of them went inside the cabin. It was much warmer inside than outside. Fern used magic to light the fireplace, and the flickering flames raised the temperature inside again, dispelling some of the awkwardness.

Several people sat around the fire. Kraft, with a hearty smile on his face, said, "It's been about three hundred years since I've seen any of my kind. I thought the Elven race were almost extinct."

"No, there are quite a few more, Serie, Minusi, Millialdai..." Frieren corrected in a flat tone.

Kraft then looked at Fern: "Thank you, young lady, for your fire was a great help. Otherwise, I would have had to continue relying on squatting for warmth." He smiled sheepishly, "I'm a monk, and the fire I carried with me after crossing the mountains accidentally went out."

Frieren nodded, a look of understanding on her face. "I see, I see."

Fern's expression remained somewhat subtle. "... Completely incomprehensible."

Lowell nudged Frieren with his elbow and chuckled softly, "Frieren, what do you know? You look so knowing."

Frieren glanced at him and mumbled in an even softer voice, "You said before that when the mood is right, you have to say something, even if it's just pretending to understand..."

Kraft seemed used to this reaction, smiled nonchalantly, and formally introduced himself, "I am a monk, Kraft."

"Frilian, the Frieren."

Fern nodded politely, "Fellow mage, Fern, Lady Frieren's apprentice."

When it was Lowell's turn, he smiled and casually began, "Former Demon King, now a free spirit, Lowell."

"Lord Lowell?" Fern looked at him with some surprise, not understanding why he suddenly revealed this identity; usually, he would hide it.

Lowell met her questioning gaze and smiled casually, "There's no need to hide your identity from this guy."

Upon hearing this, Kraft laughed heartily, "Oh? This... Mr. Sanren, have you heard of me?"

"I've heard a little about you. The holder of the 'Proof of the Holy Staff' is the monk Kraft, who supposedly saved the world. Some even say you're a teammate of the Goddess." Lowell's tone was calm, yet he pointed out the key point.

Kraft's laughter grew even louder. "Hahaha, it seems you really are no ordinary person. But the idea of Goddess being her teammates is pure fabrication. My dream is to see the Goddess after I die. Anyway, thanks to you all! Otherwise, this monk who's not good at starting fires would really be frozen solid in this snowy mountain."

The fire crackled, bathing the hut in a warm, orange glow. Outside, the wind and snow continued to rage, but inside, the biting cold was temporarily kept at bay, leaving only the crackling of Burning firewood and the quiet, thoughtful breathing of the group. Fern, observing the varied expressions on their faces, breathed a sigh of relief. Although the start had been unexpected, at least they had a place to stay.