Magic to Find Out Your Birthday

"Then this Ancient Greek Lyre is yours."

Dugu Qing walked over to the nightstand, picked up the purple lyre, and returned to the doorway.

"Oh, I couldn't possibly."

Though Fern said she couldn't possibly accept it, she swiftly put it away, afraid Dugu Qing might change his mind.

Then she waved and said goodbye with a smile.

The next morning was bright and sunny.

Frieren was still asleep. After bathing and changing into clean clothes, Fern stood on the balcony and gently plucked the strings.

At first, Fern's playing was disordered and lacked any pattern.

She practiced patiently, gradually growing more proficient. The notes became smoother, and the pauses between them grew shorter, forming a rhythm that was pleasant to hear.

"Fern, where did you get that lyre?"

Frieren woke up slowly. She didn't know where Fern had gotten the lyre, but it was exceptionally lovely, elegant and beautiful.

"Dugu Qing gave it to me yesterday."

"Oh, a second birthday present!"

Frieren understood. She lay on her stomach and went back to sleep.

Hearing the word birthday, Fern suddenly remembered that Dugu Qing knew when her birthday was, but she didn't know when his was!

They had known each other for so many years and had never talked about it. That really wasn't right.

She put the lyre in her suitcase, walked briskly to Dugu Qing's room, and knocked gently.

"What is it?"

Dugu Qing opened the door and looked at Fern inquiringly.

"Dugu Qing, when is your birthday?"

"I really don't know!"

Dugu Qing waved his hand in frustration.

Dugu Qing had still been young when Dorothea died, and she hadn't told him when his birthday was.

So, for over ten years,

Dugu Qing had never celebrated his own birthday.

"You don't even know your own birthday, and you've never had a birthday cake. Dugu Qing, you're so pitiful."

Fern looked at Dugu Qing sympathetically, her eyes glowing with intense maternal feeling.

She wanted nothing more than to pull Dugu Qing into her arms and tousle his hair.

"But I was always alone in the forest. I ate whatever I wanted and played however I wanted. I was happy every day, like it was New Year's, so I didn't care about my birthday."

Dugu Qing was easygoing about the things he didn't know.

After all, not everything could be perfect for him.

It was also important to keep hope even when he often found himself lacking things.

"Dugu Qing, when we have time, let's take the Continental Magic Association's exam!"

"Why?"

As a free man, Dugu Qing instinctively disliked exams.

"When I couldn't sleep yesterday, I looked it up in a Grimoire. I found out that if you pass the Continental Magic Association's Level One Mage exam, you can ask the learned Serie to teach you one spell."

Fern held her head high and stood with her chest out, looking exceptionally graceful.

"What does that have to do with me?"

"It does! Serie has lived for thousands of years. Maybe she created a spell that lets people find out their birthdays!"

Fern's imagination was running wild. She really treated Serie like Doraemon, as if she knew every kind of magic.

"All right! It is a bit much not knowing when my own birthday is. Let's find a chance to take the exam, then!"

Dugu Qing agreed.

With more than 130 years' worth of mana, he shouldn't have any trouble with one little exam.

He could treat it as an outing with Fern.

"Fern, get ready. We're leaving."

Frieren's voice came from next door.

Fern nodded. She happened to notice the purple hair hanging over her shoulder and smiled cleverly, taking Dugu Qing's hand.

"Dugu Qing, Lady Frieren gave me a hair clip yesterday. I want you to put it on for me."

"No problem."

Dugu Qing had nothing to pack in his room, so he followed Fern to Frieren's room.

Frieren stood by the window in loose white pajamas, looking languid yet aloof.

It was Dugu Qing's first time seeing Frieren in pajamas. He blinked, tilted his head, and took a good look at the serene calm in her features.

"Don't look."

Fern's eyes reddened with anxiety, and she stood in front of Frieren like an eagle guarding its food.

"Who was looking? She's so skinny and small. What's there to look at?"

Dugu Qing looked away indifferently.

Fern's body trembled, and she turned sideways to look back.

Frieren's body shot up in an instant. She rose onto her toes, charged forward at a sprinter's speed, and kicked.

Her slender, long white leg visibly drew closer.

Dugu Qing chuckled.

It wasn't until Frieren's right foot neared his face that Dugu Qing caught a faint, fresh fragrance.

If my mouth touches her, wouldn't that be the same as...

Dugu Qing thought, This is bad, and hurriedly dodged backward, falling onto the bed.

"That's what happens when you speak ill of a mature big sister."

Having won, Frieren curled her lips in a smug smile, raised her index finger, and pronounced her teasing judgment.

Fern helped Dugu Qing up.

Dugu Qing rose with gentlemanly composure, a smile he couldn't suppress on his face.

"Mature! Big sister! Hahaha."

How did Frieren ever connect herself with those two words? It was too funny.

Hearing Dugu Qing laugh, Fern recalled that Frieren occasionally called herself a mature big sister too. Her eyes narrowed to slits, and she burst out laughing.

"You, you two!"

Frieren was genuinely angry.

If her companion had been Himmel, she would have tugged at her twin tails and wailed on the bed, under the covers, on top of the cabinet... crying for three days and nights until she had let out all her pent-up resentment and grievances.

But now her companions were Dugu Qing and Fern, her students, members of the younger generation.

She could only force herself to endure it, assume the manner of a mature teacher, and be a competent guide.

"Tidy up the room. We're leaving."

Bang.

Frieren slammed the door shut and strode away to eat downstairs.

Dugu Qing and Fern exchanged a glance, composed their smiles, and tidied the room.

Then Fern sat down at the dressing table, presenting her graceful back to Dugu Qing.

Dugu Qing picked up a comb and began at the ends of her hair, working his way up little by little.

Fern's hair was long and purple, soft and silky.

Dugu Qing combed Fern's purple hair and fastened the silver clip at the back of her head.

"That should do it. It looks lovely."

Dugu Qing complimented Fern out of courtesy.

Fern's cheeks flushed slightly, and she nodded, looking full of vitality.

After eating, the three left the city and set off once more along a mountain path.

Wildflowers bloomed and trees grew thick along the path.

Birds sang softly and alighted on the branches.

Fern was in a good mood and suddenly asked,

"Lady Frieren, does our journey have a purpose?"

Frieren's expression was calm.

"No. It's a trip I'm taking for my hobby of collecting magic. But I want to follow the route I took with Himmel and the others on our adventure as closely as possible."

"So it's a sightseeing tour for the elderly."

Dugu Qing spoke with humor and wit.

"Mm!"

Frieren nodded, then her expression froze as she sensed something was wrong.

There were only three people in the adventuring party, and Fern and Dugu Qing were both teenagers.

Dugu Qing was still finding ways to mock her!

Enough was enough.

"Take this!"

Frieren took a club out of her suitcase and charged after him furiously.

Dugu Qing ran, Frieren chased him, and Fern brought up the rear.

The three figures continued north along the mountain road.