The Morning Sun

The morning light filtered through the tent fabric, casting a hazy, grayish-white glow.

Fern lifted the tent flap.

A blast of cold air swept in, carrying a few fine snowflakes.

"My lords, it's time to get up."

Her voice was steady and exceptionally clear in the quiet morning.

Inside the tent, Frieren was completely sunken into her sleeping bag, with only her silvery-white head and the tip of her nose showing. Hearing a sound, she stirred and slowly lifted her face slightly from the warm fleece.

Her emerald green eyes were still half-closed, and sleepiness clung to her eyelashes.

She pouted, puffed out her cheeks, and spoke in a sticky, drawn-out voice.

"Just five more hours of sleep..."

Fern stood in the doorway, motionless, seemingly wanting to pull back Frieren's blanket.

"Be careful not to freeze to death!"

Lowell had already sat up beside her, rubbing his messy, sleep-grown hair. Hearing this, he reached out and nudged Frieren's shoulder.

"Frieren, it's time to get up."

His voice was hoarse from just waking up, but he seemed to be in good spirits.

"Frieren, look outside!"

Frieren closed her eyes and burrowed her head deeper into her sleeping bag.

"I won't look..."

"I remember you said this view was beautiful," Lowell continued, poking her exposed cheek with her finger. "It would be a shame to miss it."

Frieren's eyelashes trembled.

She paused for two seconds, then reluctantly and slowly opened her eyes a crack. Her emerald green eyes were still misty as she blankly turned to the light filtering through the tent door.

"... kindness?"

She uttered a mumbled syllable.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, her eyes widened, and the drowsiness within them quickly faded.

"Oh!"

She sat up abruptly from her sleeping bag, her silver hair sticking out in all directions.

"That's the one!"

She scrambled out of her sleeping bag, not even bothering to fix her hair, and followed Lowell out of the tent.

Fern stepped aside, watching his master's disheveled hair and thick coat as he rushed out, and gently shook his head.

She also stepped out of the tent.

Methode and Liletta were already up. Methode was heating a kettle with magic, and smiled gently when she saw them come out. Liletta stood a little further away, gazing in the direction of the depression.

The little Snow Wolf was curled up beside the embers of the extinguished campfire. Hearing the noise, it raised its head, blinked its blue eyes, and trotted to follow Fern's feet.

The group walked to the edge of the depression.

The rising sun was climbing over the distant mountain ridge, painting the gray sky with a soft, gradually changing golden-red hue.

The light fell into the depression.

The light shone on that exposed vein of Holy Snow Crystals.

The Crystallize refract the morning light, bursting forth with delicate, ever-changing rainbows. It's not a dazzling brilliance, but a clear, flowing shimmer, like a Frozen aurora spread across the snow. The light leaps and flows among the crystal clusters, constantly changing its color as the sun rises higher.

"This beautiful scenery, though I long for it but cannot have it... I can still invite you all to enjoy it together, "Lowell, feigning profundity.

Fern watched for a while, his pale purple eyes reflecting the flowing light.

"Lord Frieren."

She said softly.

"The Holy Snow Crystals under the morning sun are so beautiful."

Frieren stood beside her, also gazing at the scene.

A small smile curved her lips upwards, and her emerald eyes shone brightly.

"Yes."

She paused, as if recalling something.

"I've been here once before. Back then, Ruby even used her photo-capture magic to take several pictures of this scenery."

"But this beautiful scenery will probably be completely exploited by humans. It's a bit of a shame."

She tilted her head slightly.

"But it's also part of a changing situation."

She raised her hand, her fingertips tracing a few simple arcs in the air. Magic flowed, and a transparent barrier of light silently unfolded above the mineral vein, covering the entire depression before disappearing into the air.

"The barrier is set up."

She lowered her hand.

"Let's go back."

The scene shifts, and the group has returned to the adventurers' camp.

The man who had issued the commission was still standing inside the tent. When he saw them return, a smile appeared on his face.

"Thank you very much. This request hasn't been accepted for a long time. After all, that monster is far too powerful."

He took a bulging money bag from his pocket and handed it over.

"This is your payment."

Lowell took it, weighed it in his hand, and then naturally turned around and handed it to Frieren next to him.

Frieren caught the purse, weighed it in her hand, then raised her eyebrows and gave a satisfied smile.

"That's quite a lot."

After she finished speaking, she stuffed the purse into the inside pocket of her coat, turned around and jogged towards the camp market, her silver hair swaying behind her.

"Eh, Frieren-- "

Before Fern could finish speaking, Frieren had already disappeared into a tent filled with miscellaneous items.

The man looked in the direction Frieren had run off in, smiled, and then turned back.

"That way," he continued, a hint of relief in his voice, "Will protect the mine."

Fern turned to look at him.

"Protection. Aren't you doing this for mining?"

The man's smile faded slightly. He straightened up, his expression becoming serious.

"No."

He shook his head.

"I am a local adventurer. The scenery of the Holy Snow Crystal... was the reason I decided to become an adventurer."

He looked toward the depression, though he couldn't see anything from there.

"While Holy Snow Crystals can be used to make potions, there are alternatives, although their effects are far inferior to Holy Snow Crystals..."

He withdrew his gaze and looked at Fern.

"But I believe we shouldn't continue this reckless mining."

He nodded slightly.

"Thank you again. Thanks to you all, I was able to protect the beauty of my hometown."

Lowell listened with his arms crossed, then nodded.

"Yeah."

He didn't say much, just waved casually.

"They're gone."

After saying that, he turned around and walked in the direction where Frieren had disappeared.

Fern looked at the man's face, then at Lowell's back, and nodded slightly.

Thank you too.

After she finished speaking, she took the little Snow Wolf and followed Lowell.

Methode and Liletta then left as well.

The man stood there, watching them walk away until their figures merged into the flow of people coming and going in the camp.

Fern took a few steps and looked around.

Where is Frieren?

Lowell didn't stop walking; he gestured forward with his chin.

"I remember her saying she had something she was interested in..."

He hadn't finished speaking.

A curtain was lifted from a nearby kiosks selling general merchandise, and Frieren emerged from it.

She was holding a clay-colored, open-topped magical artifact jar in her arms. Inside the jar were two old scrolls tied with leather ropes, and it was unclear what else was inside.

A satisfied smile graced her face, her emerald eyes crinkling; she was clearly in a good mood.

Fern's gaze fell on the things in her arms, then swept over the ridiculously high price tag on the wooden sign at the entrance of the tent.

She took a soft breath.

"Lord Frieren."

Her voice was steady, but the last syllable was drawn out slightly.

Prices here are ten times higher than outside.

Frieren tightened her grip on the jar. She blinked, her smile unchanged, but her gaze flickered away for a moment, and a slightly guilty little pout appeared on her lips.

"This is an extremely precious magical artifact..."

She tried to explain, speaking softer than usual.

Fern looked at her without saying a word, just watching quietly.

A few seconds later, Frieren's shoulders slumped slightly, and she lowered her head a little while hugging the jar.

"... Hehe."

She tried to get away with being cute.

Fern pouted slightly. "I actually guessed this would happen, and I was planning to hide half of the reward... I didn't expect Lady Frieren to take it and run away..."

A short sigh quickly dissipated into the noisy air of the camp.

"Hmm, it seems I'll have to keep taking on more commissions."

As she spoke, she turned and walked towards the large tent where the commissions were being issued. Her steps were steady and without hesitation.

The little Snow Wolf trotted along beside her.

Methode smiled and followed.

Liletta also turned away in silence.

Lowell walked over to Frieren and reached out to ruffle her sleepy, uncombed silver hair.

Let's go.

His tone was tinged with a smile.

"I'll take on a few more commissions and buy you even more valuable magical tools."

Frieren raised her head, her emerald green eyes brightening.

"Um!"

She nodded vigorously, hugged the jar and scroll even tighter, jogged to catch up with Fern's back, and then naturally reached out and put her arm around Fern's shoulder from behind.