The Strength to Stand on Her Own

Heiter nodded with a smile.

"I don't believe in the Goddess because she definitely exists or doesn't exist, but because she symbolizes holiness, compassion, justice, and kindness."

"If she doesn't exist, I'd still be willing to believe in those things. If she does exist, that would be wonderful. I'm sure I'll go to heaven, right?"

A confident smile appeared on his face as Heiter placed the Holy Scripture and a notebook on the table, looking pleased with himself.

Puzzled, Dugu Qing sat down in the chair by the desk, unsure why Heiter had drawn him into such a long conversation.

We barely know each other, do we?

"I'm old. The magic I deciphered from the Holy Scripture is of great importance, and it must not be lost. This notebook contains my life's work. Please accept it!"

Heiter looked at him with an expression Dugu Qing couldn't understand.

"This gift is too precious. I won't let your life's work go to waste. I'll carry it forward and make it flourish."

Solemnly, Dugu Qing accepted the notebook and the Holy Scripture with both hands.

Two years later, in the twenty-fifth year of the Xinshi Era.

Dugu Qing was sixteen, and Fern was fifteen.

At sixteen, Dugu Qing had delicate features, a tall, slender figure, and white hair that reached his waist. His bearing was sacred and ethereal, like an immortal's.

He seemed like an immortal who had stepped out of a world of myth, peerlessly graceful and infinitely charming.

Fern was fifteen, with a delicate, gentle face and skin as fair as jade.

Her rich, deep-purple hair was long, smooth, straight, and glossy.

Her deep, amethyst eyes were as clear as water, bright and limpid.

Her shapely figure was dignified and graceful, with a quiet charm all its own.

The two trained together and ate together.

Walking down the road, they looked like a golden boy and a jade maiden, a perfect match who brought out the best in each other.

Deep in the forest, atop a cliff.

Fern held up her wooden staff, her straight bangs dancing wildly in the wind, and an unwavering light of hope shone in her cool, beautiful eyes.

The Magic Circle activated once more, blooming for the thousandth time, as it had in the years before.

Mana converged into a single line, crossed the vast expanse of sky, and exploded with a roar against the cliff on the other side.

The boulder shattered with a crash.

The goal she had pursued for years was finally achieved.

A cheerful symphony rang in Fern's ears, and a radiant smile spread across her face.

Excited, she ran up to Dugu Qing and wanted to throw herself into his arms, but held herself back.

"Dugu Qing, did you see that? I've gotten stronger. From now on, I can stand on my own."

Fern was so happy that she bounced up and down like a girl who knew nothing of the world.

Dugu Qing looked at Fern, so different from her usual self, and comforted her. "Now that's more like an innocent, carefree girl, Fern! Before, you were too sensible—so sensible it was heartbreaking."

The smile vanished from Fern's face, and her soul trembled. So he's been paying attention to me all along, too!

That's wonderful, wonderful.

Fern's soul flew into the sky and danced carefree among the clouds.

Countless feelings shone in her eyes like stars.

"Good. Heiter will be especially happy when he finds out."

Holding the Grimoire said to contain Immortality Magic and Resurrection Magic, Frieren jumped down from a tree branch, looking as cool and detached as ever.

Heiter's house.

The three had just returned home when they found Heiter collapsed on the floor.

They carried Heiter to bed and carefully checked his condition.

Frieren cast Diagnostic Magic and examined him several times, but found nothing wrong with him.

Just then, Heiter's eyelids fluttered, and he slowly woke.

"Frieren, I'm fine. I've just grown old. Like every other human, I was bound to reach this point."

Acceptance and compassion glimmered in Heiter's eyes.

Hearing Heiter say this, Fern's pupils trembled, Dugu Qing's tall figure reflected in her eyes.

That's right!

How short human lives were. In ten or twenty years, a child could grow up, and a beauty would grow old.

But... what about Frieren? What about elves?

They could remain young for thousands, even tens of thousands of years, as though they lived forever.

Humans were born into the world as if all of a sudden, suddenly born and suddenly dead.

A mere hundred years, a little over thirty thousand days.

Beauty, decline, withering.

All their joys and sorrows, their greed, anger, and delusion were contained within that time.

Like an epiphyllum blooming for a moment, a moth flying into a flame, or a meteor streaking across the sky, it was far too brief.

"I'm going to make dinner."

Fern clenched her hands, her heart about to break. The strength drained from her body, and she left in a daze, so lost that she didn't even notice when she knocked over a bookshelf.

"Fern!"

Frieren looked up, sensing something was wrong.

"She's worried about me! Honestly..."

Heiter had seen his share of storms throughout his life, but even he was moved by Fern now.

Just look how gentle and kind Fern is!

I fell over, and she's so heartbroken!

She's so devoted to me. Her devotion is truly moving.

"Heiter, don't worry. Fern broke the boulder across the cliff today. She can already stand on her own."

Frieren spoke to reassure Heiter.

"Mm, I see. Even without me, she'll be able to take care of herself."

Heiter wiped his eyes and asked Frieren to take Fern away and continue adventuring.

He truly didn't want to put any more pressure on Fern by making her care for him and watch him die.

That was too much to bear.

Frieren persuaded Heiter that Fern had prepared herself for everything, and that leaving now would only leave her with regrets.

Heiter came to terms with it and agreed to let Fern stay and see him to his grave.

The painful conversation came to an end.

Frieren tossed the deciphered Grimoire manuscript onto the bed, her tranquil eyes showing a hint of anger.

"But ultimately, there was never any Immortality Magic or Resurrection Magic in this Grimoire, was there?"

Heiter nodded and admitted that he had wanted Frieren to stay, protect Fern, teach her some magic, and improve her ability to live independently.

Frieren had fallen for it, but she wasn't angry. She looked calmly at Heiter.

Heiter pressed his luck and asked Frieren to take Fern with her on her adventures.

When Heiter had first brought it up a few years ago, Frieren had refused on the grounds that Fern wasn't strong enough and would only be a burden.

Now Heiter brought it up again, urging Frieren to agree because Fern could already stand on her own.

Frieren understood that she had been schemed against, but she wasn't very angry.

After all, Heiter would die in a few months or years, while Frieren still had endless time to enjoy.

And getting angry would harm her liver, spleen, stomach, heart, qi, and blood, causing tightness in the chest, headaches, bloating, stomach pain, a poor complexion, acne, and insomnia, while further depleting her heart qi. It simply wasn't worth it.

Frieren calmly accepted Fern and strode away.

Dugu Qing followed Frieren out and asked curiously,

"Frieren, why are you particularly interested in Immortality Magic and Resurrection Magic?"

The sudden question was like a sharp blade piercing Frieren's hazy memories.

Frieren stopped, her eyes clouded, unsure how to answer.

Of course she cared about those spells because of Himmel!

But what exactly was Himmel to her?

A lover? No.

A friend? Probably! But their relationship wasn't purely one of friendship, either.

Frieren herself couldn't untangle the countless threads of her memories or make sense of them, so she could only shake her head vaguely.

"I don't know either."