Fern

Biodata

Power Progression

Background

In a chapter labeled a possible timeline, Fern was born to a minor noble family in the Southern Lands. When she was four, Minusi, the Rebellious Witch, destroyed their country. Her family settled in a remote village, but an attack later killed her parents while Fern hid in a cellar. After burying them, she nearly jumped from a cliff; Heiter found her and took her in 202.

Heiter recognized Fern’s magical talent, made her a wooden staff and taught her the basics. When Frieren visited, Heiter asked her to take Fern as an apprentice. Frieren initially refused to take her traveling but agreed to teach her while translating a book for Heiter. Fern trained until she could pierce a distant rock, hoping to reassure Heiter that she could stand on her own. Heiter and Fern said goodbye before his death, and Fern left with Frieren 202.

Appearance

As a child, Fern had a round face, almond-shaped eyes and short dark-purple hair. By fifteen, her hair had grown long, and she wore it with her familiar red ribbon 202 208.

• Eyes: Pale violet 208.
• Clothing: A fitted black coat over a white dress, with walking boots 208.
• Expression: Usually composed; she noticeably puffs out her cheeks when angry 208.

Personality

Fern is polite, observant and diligent. Even as a child, she worked hard at magic to live up to her parents’ expectations. She later told Sense that she also continued studying because she liked seeing Frieren happy 202 206 270.

Practical and protective, Fern handles much of the party’s shopping and regularly looks after Frieren’s meals, sleep and hair. She is willing to scold her master, but takes caring for her seriously 208 228 234. Fern also values independence and dislikes being treated as a child 232.

Abilities and Skills

Ordinary Attack Magic

Fern specializes in fast, precise magical attacks. Frieren said Fern’s attacks were faster than her own and taught her to compress mana to increase penetration 214.

• Defeated a secret realm’s guardian by firing a concentrated beam through an opening in its eye 228.
• Bored a smooth, person-sized passage through a rock wall without unnecessary damage 264.
• Excelled at medium- and long-range suppression and precision strikes during the First-Class Mage exam 249.
• Struggled when the Sword Demon adapted to her barrage and closed to sword range; Lowell intervened before a follow-up strike landed 333.

Defensive Magic

Fern uses honeycomb-patterned barriers to block attacks. She has maintained an all-around shield, though doing so is tiring and consumes substantial mana 211.

• Blocked a concealed mana beam in mist after Frieren warned her; Fern said she could not have detected it in time herself 354.
• Combined barriers with evasive movement against monsters on the Northern Plateau 344.

Mana Perception and Concealment

Fern can detect extremely small mana fluctuations. Serie recognized her ability when Fern noticed fluctuations in Serie’s suppressed mana 285.

• Frieren considered Fern exceptionally good at concealing her presence, even compared with Frieren herself 202 239.
• Used concealment and long-range precision attacks against a flying Demon in mist, though the sustained effort exhausted her mentally 357.
• Her perception can be disrupted: she failed to sense Macht through the Golden Land’s gold and overlooked nearby Sein while distressed 372 425.

Other Magic and Knowledge

• Flight Magic: Fern can fly and use bursts of mana for short evasive movements 307 333.
• Everyday magic: She knows Bird-Catching Magic, fire-starting magic and See Through Clothes magic 249.
• Weight-control spell: Ruby taught her a spell that prevents weight gain; after Fern ate, her body became unusually warm. Lowell suspected the spell converted food into heat 341.
• Ancient Elvish: Frieren required Fern to learn it so she could read spellbooks 347.

Equipment and Keepsakes

• Wooden staff — Made by Heiter; Fern continued to care for it 202 325.
• Family locket — Contains an image of Fern with her parents, made by a passing mage. She treasured it after their deaths 202.
• Butterfly hair ornaments — Gifts from Frieren and Lowell for the tenth anniversary of her apprenticeship, including a silver ornament and a crystal butterfly 208 325.
• Birthday gifts — An embroidered bag from Sein and a purple bracelet from Lowell 224.
• Mage’s robe — Made from specially treated magical fabric with spell resistance 338.

Relationships

• Frieren — Fern’s master and traveling companion. Fern refused Serie’s offer to teach her, affirming that she was Frieren’s disciple; Frieren later called Fern one of the most important people in her life 285 365.
• Heiter — Took Fern in after her parents’ deaths, taught her basic magic and arranged for Frieren to train her 202.
• Lowell — A traveling companion and sparring partner. He regards Fern much like his own apprentice and worries about her safety 234 301.
• Serie — Recognized Fern’s exceptional mana perception and offered to teach her. Fern declined but passed her interview 285.
• Ruby — Taught Fern the spell that lets her eat without gaining weight 304 341.
• Methode — A fellow traveler who is openly affectionate toward Fern and Frieren. Fern has reacted warily to her attention, though she also sought comfort from Methode after hearing about a group of dragons 358 362.

Story Role

• Apprenticeship anniversary: In Balum, Fern followed Frieren and Lowell as they secretly looked for a way to celebrate her tenth year as Frieren’s apprentice. They gave her butterfly ornaments over dessert 208.
• First-Class Mage exam: Fern prepared in Oysast with Frieren and Lowell, fought using basic magic under Frieren’s instruction, and passed Serie’s interview 234 247 285.
• Northern Plateau: Fern gained combat experience against powerful monsters, including a giant earth monster, a five-headed python and a giant bat. She agreed to help clear monsters near a Travelers’ Home 344.
• Imperial Capital: Fern patrolled with Frieren during National Day celebrations while the group watched for a hidden enemy. After Red Hair was poisoned, Fern’s distress affected her focus; Frieren pointed out that she had failed to notice Sein approaching 412 425.
• Impersonation: Capella Emerada Lugunica posed as Fern and claimed not to know Frieren before attacking Lowell. The apparent memory loss belonged to the impersonation, not Fern 459.