Ordinary Happiness

The group emerged from the food street and strolled leisurely back along the stone path, dampened by the night mist from the lake. A breeze swept across the lake, carrying its unique moisture and gently carrying away the lingering warmth and aroma of food from their clothes.

Kanne and Rabiñe stopped at the first fork in the road.

"Then let's go back to the hotel," Kanne said.

"See you tomorrow." Rabiñe crossed his arms and nodded briefly.

"Okay, see you tomorrow."

The remaining people were Lowell, Frieren, Fern, and Ubel, who walked slowly beside them with his hands behind his head.

After walking for a while, Lowell raised his hand to touch his stomach and let out a satisfied sigh.

"Ah--I'm so full, I feel so happy."

Fern turned her head to look at him, her pale purple eyes filled with a hint of confusion.

"Hey, is this happiness?"

Lowell smiled; the lines of his profile were soft in the darkness.

"What, don't you feel happy?"

Fern thought for a moment and answered very seriously.

"Hmm... if I had to say, I did feel a little happy. But it was just a regular dinner party, so I wouldn't call it 'very happy'?"

Her tone was calm, as if she were stating an objective fact.

Lowell blinked, his lazy smile deepening.

"Hmm... Haha, I'm just easily satisfied. And..."

His gaze casually swept over Ubel beside him, finally settling on her feet.

She was still wearing those pristine white cotton socks, which looked exceptionally clean in the glow of the night.

"Speaking of which, Ubel," Lowell said casually, as if discussing the weather, "You're still wearing those socks. They were a gift from her when you were little, aren't they too small?"

Ubel paused almost imperceptibly.

She didn't immediately reply with her usual teasing tone. In the darkness, the smile on her face faded slightly, her purple eyes gazed into the void ahead, and her tone was unusually calm.

"Well... if I had to say, the size she gave me when she gave it to me wasn't a child's size. Surprisingly, it fits me perfectly now."

Her voice was so soft it almost seemed to melt into the night breeze.

Lowell looked at her and asked again, his tone still casual.

Are you happy?

Ubel looked up, his usual faint smile returning to his face, but there was something different in his eyes.

"Certainly."

Fern blinked, looked at Ubel, then at Lowell, her pale purple eyes filled with pure confusion.

"Eh... what do you mean?"

Lowell looked away, put his hands back behind his head, and strolled off with leisurely steps.

These are cotton socks.

Fern: "So?"

Lowell turned to look at her, with a knowing look that said, "You're a lucky girl."

"Fern is a nobleman's child, so she probably doesn't know much about it. 'Cotton' is considered a luxury item these days, and most families can't afford it. Ubel used to only wear linen socks, and that was only because her sister was a tailor, so she dressed better. Among the children in the village, there were plenty who ran around barefoot."

He paused, then continued in a steady voice.

"These cotton socks that Solitär gave Ubel when she saved him from the bandits were probably the first 'luxury' thing she ever owned."

A night breeze swept across the lake, bringing a damp coolness.

Ubel responded, his tone returning to its usual lightness, but if you listened carefully, you could detect a very faint trace of nostalgia.

"Yes. Although those socks were too big for me at the time and didn't fit properly, the softness and warmth they provided... it was truly something I'd never experienced before."

As she spoke, she lifted one foot, looked at her white cotton socks in the streetlight, then put it down and continued walking.

Fern walked silently, her pale purple eyes lowered, looking at the few wisps of green grass sprouting from the cracks in the stone path illuminated by the lamplight.

After several seconds, she spoke softly, her voice filled with contemplation and a belated realization.

"Um... so..."

Lowell smiled and continued her sentence.

"So, being well-fed and warmly clothed is a great happiness in itself, Fern."

He paused, his gaze shifting to Frieren, who was walking quietly beside him. Her long, silvery hair shimmered in the night, and her emerald eyes gazed calmly ahead, as if the conversation had nothing to do with her, yet also as if she had heard it all.

"Furthermore, there are other reasons why I feel happy..."

His voice was lower, carrying a sense of matter-of-fact composure.

"I have you all by my side. Like Frieren, who has been with me for a thousand years, I can feel every moment that being with her is happiness; every time I wake up and see her, I feel at peace and think that today is really good."

Upon hearing this, Frieren turned to look at him, her emerald green eyes blinking.

Then, she put her hands on her hips, puffed out her non-existent chest, raised her chin slightly, and showed a hint of smugness on her face.

"Hmph~ I really am very charming."

Ubel chuckled softly beside her, her green ponytail swaying gently in the night breeze.

"Yes, yes, the very charming Frieren," she said with a familiar teasing tone, "You must take good care of yourself. If something happens, the world might be destroyed."

Lowell chuckled twice, put his arm around Frieren's shoulder, and naturally pulled her closer to him.

"Haha... How could that be? With me here, Frieren can't possibly get hurt."

He spoke casually, but the certainty in his words was as if he were stating a truth as simple as "the night will break."

Fern looked at the two people walking side by side ahead, then at Ubel beside her with a smile on his lips, and finally turned his gaze to the calm and deep lake in the distance.

She nodded slightly.

Yes, that's right.

The sound was very soft, dissipating in the damp night breeze of Oysast.

It was already late when I got back to the hotel.

Only one magic lamp remained lit in the lobby, and the night watchman was dozing off behind the counter. The group tiptoed up the stairs.

The corridor was quiet, with only the sound of their own footsteps and the soft rustling of their clothes.

At the doorway, Ubel stopped and waved to the three of them, a familiar, enigmatic smile on his face.

Goodnight.

"Good night." Lowell nodded.

Frieren blinked too. "Goodnight."

Fern bowed slightly. "Good night, Miss Ubel."

Ubel turned and walked briskly toward her room at the other end of the corridor.

Lowell pushed open the door.

The room remained as tidy as when they left. The window was half-open, and the night breeze caused the curtains to billow slightly before falling back down.

Fern went to the bathroom as usual to prepare hot water and toiletries.

Frieren kicked off her shoes, stepping barefoot onto the soft carpet. She walked a few steps to the window, leaned out to look at the sleeping city and lake, her long, silvery hair slipping from her shoulders.

"The evenings in Oysast are quite beautiful," she said softly, as if talking to herself.

Lowell walked behind her and followed her gaze. A few scattered lights looked like pieces of gold carelessly dropped onto a black velvet cloth. Further away, the sleeping city and the silent silhouettes of the surrounding mountains lay out.

"Yes, it's not bad," he replied, reaching out to tuck the strands of hair that had blown onto her cheeks by the wind behind her ears.

Frieren turned her head to the side, then turned around, her emerald green eyes looking at him.

Lowell.

"Um?"

"What you just said..." She paused, as if organizing her thoughts, "... I don't think I've ever really thought about that before."

Lowell smiled, his fingers sliding down her hair to her shoulder, and gently pinching it.

"Because for you, it's a very natural thing, like breathing."

Frieren thought for a moment and nodded.

"Maybe," she said, "But now I think you have a point."

Her tone remained calm, but Lowell knew it was a serious agreement from her.

"Lady Frieren, the hot water is ready," Fern's voice came from the bathroom.

"Kindness."

Frieren responded, glanced at Lowell again, and then turned to walk towards the bathroom. She stopped at the door and turned back.

Lowell.

"Um?"

"You should wash up quickly too. Get some rest early tonight."

After saying that, she went into the bathroom without waiting for a reply and closed the door.

Lowell stood there, listening to the faint sound of water and Fern's soft voice coming from inside the door, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up.

He stood by the window for a while longer, until the night breeze brought an even deeper chill, before turning around, walking to the bedside, sitting down, and taking off his coat.

After a while, the bathroom door opened.

Frieren emerged wearing a soft white nightgown, her long, silvery hair cascading wetly over her shoulders, the ends still dripping. The steam made her cheeks slightly flushed, and her emerald eyes appeared exceptionally clear under the lamplight.

Fern followed behind her, holding a dry towel.

"Lady Frieren, please sit here, let me dry your hair."

"Um."

Frieren sat down in the chair in front of the dressing table, obediently letting Fern wrap her hair in a towel and gently rub and dry it. She squinted her eyes, her expression relaxed, like a cat being stroked.

Lowell looked at her, then at the diligently busy Fern, and a sense of peace and warmth filled a deep part of his heart.

He stood up and went into the bathroom.

When he finished washing up and came out, Frieren's hair was already half-dry, softly draped down her back. Fern was carefully combing the ends of her hair with a comb, his movements gentle and practiced.

The room was quiet, with only the soft sound of a comb running through hair and the distant, indistinct sounds of the city outside the window.

Lowell walked to the bedside and sat down, looking at them.

After a while, Fern put down the comb and let out a soft breath.

"Alright, Lady Frieren. This way it won't be knotted tomorrow morning."

"Yes, thank you for your hard work, Fern."

"Eh," Fern was clearly taken aback, "Although I'm happy that Lady Frieren said so, I still don't want to."

"Oh, it's not like I'm thanking you."

Frieren stood up, stretched her neck, and then turned to look at Lowell.

"Sleep?"

Her question was direct, and her eyes were clear, without any ulterior motives, as natural as asking "Have you eaten?"

Lowell nodded and patted the spot next to him.

"Sleep."

Frieren walked over, climbed onto the bed naturally, crawled under the covers, lay down against the wall, wrapped herself up, leaving only her fair face and silver-white hair exposed.

Fern finished tidying up the bathroom, walked over, and bowed slightly to the two of them.

"Well then, Frieren, Lady Lowell, goodnight."

"Goodnight, Fern," Lowell said.

"Goodnight," Frieren's voice came from under the covers, a little muffled.

Fern walked to his small bed on the other side of the room, took off his robe, changed into his pajamas, lifted the covers and lay down, reaching out to turn off the magic lamp on the bedside table.

The room was plunged into darkness, with only the faint moonlight filtering through the window and the reflection from the distant lake outlining the blurry shapes of the furniture.

Lowell lay down next to Frieren, and through the blankets, he could feel the subtle warmth emanating from her body and the familiar, light scent of herbs.

He turned to face her.

In the darkness, Frieren's emerald eyes glowed faintly as she quietly watched him.

"Lowell," she whispered.

"Um?"

"I'm very happy today."

Her voice was soft, but clear in the quiet room.

Lowell reached out from under the covers, found her hand, and gently took it. Her fingertips were slightly cool, but her palm was warm.

"Me too," he said.

There was a few seconds of silence.

"Frieren."

"Um?"

"To be able to have a meal with you and Fern, to take a casual stroll, to chat about nothing important, and then to lie down like this and get ready to sleep..." He paused, feeling the warmth of his palm and the steady breathing so close to his face, "... I feel incredibly happy."

He spoke slowly, and each word was pronounced clearly.

Frieren's fingers twitched slightly in his palm before she gripped it back.

"Hmm," she responded, then added after a couple of seconds, "Although it sounds quite ordinary."

Lowell chuckled softly, a slight vibration emanating from his chest.

"Yes, it's very ordinary," he said, gently tightening their clasped hands. "But what's ordinary is often the best."

Frieren thought for a moment, then gave a soft "hmm" in agreement.

Then, she snuggled closer to him, gently resting her forehead on his shoulder, and closed her eyes.

His breathing gradually became steady and long.

Lowell listened to her regular breathing, felt the warmth in her hands and the weight on her shoulders, and closed his eyes as well.

Outside the window, Oysast sank into a deeper sleep.

The lake was calm, reflecting the starry sky and the city lights that slept peacefully.