The Festival

After that, things settled back into a peaceful routine, and everyone continued living as they had before.

Frieren deciphered the ancient grimoire every day, while also teaching Fern about magic.

Fern's lessons gradually progressed from basic theory to practical application. Besides reading mountains of instructional materials, she spent a great deal of time practicing mana control every day.

Lorenzo continued studying the magic system of this world and began organizing his ideas for the converter in his body. At night, he also observed other celestial bodies to calculate their trajectories.

As for Heiter,

Now that he was free of his illness, he no longer had to spend most of his time recuperating in bed.

Though old age still limited his movements, he could now walk around the house with a cane, and occasionally even made a trip to the Holy City himself.

On the surface, little seemed different from before. The only noticeable change was that there was more alcohol in the house.

Every few days, a monk from the Holy City would come to visit.

They always brought gifts, sometimes food, sometimes precious medicinal herbs, but more often a beautifully packaged case of wine.

It was highly suspected that Heiter had privately used his connections as the former archbishop to have his old subordinates send him all kinds of precious wines from the Holy City to sample. Though he had stepped down, the influence he had gained from his former high position clearly wasn't so easily lost.

Ah, just a little indulgence of power.

Still, perhaps because he wanted to set a good example for Fern, Heiter never allowed himself to get truly drunk despite his love of alcohol. He had at most a few drinks each day.

Even when he came across a rare fine wine, he would simply savor it slowly and put down his glass of his own accord when he'd had enough.

Once, when Frieren picked up the bottle to pour him some more, Heiter reached out and covered the rim of his glass.

"That's enough for today."

Frieren glanced at the bottle, which was still more than half full.

"The old you wouldn't have stopped at a time like this."

"That was then. There's a child in the house now. I can't very well drink myself unconscious every day."

Heiter smiled as he spoke.

Fern had been reading a magic textbook nearby. When she heard their conversation, she quietly glanced at Heiter from behind her book, then lowered her head and resumed reading as if she hadn't heard a thing.

"I think you just want to repair your image."

It was worth mentioning that, thanks to Frieren and Lorenzo's patient teaching and corrections, Fern finally understood that alcohol wasn't some old hero, nor would drinking more of it make someone fight more bravely.

She probably never imagined that the common knowledge Lord Heiter had taught her about life contained such an obvious personal bias.

And so, from then on, Heiter gained a strict overseer for his drinking.

The days passed one after another, until a festival arrived...

"The Saint Lomiu Festival?"

At breakfast, Heiter suddenly asked whether they wanted to attend the celebration being held in the Holy City the next day.

Lorenzo put down his cup.

"What festival is that?"

Heiter explained:

"Legend has it that many years ago, the Holy City suffered a severe famine. Saint Lomiu opened all the church's granaries and distributed all the food intended for offerings and reserves to the people, saving many lives. Later, people made the day of his passing a festival to commemorate his good deeds."

"Is that true?"

Lorenzo asked Frieren.

"I think there really was someone like that, but there have been so many saints throughout the continent's history. Some were famous, while others are only commemorated in certain regions. I'm not quite sure what Saint Lomiu actually did."

Frieren replied.

"In any case, the Saint Lomiu Festival is a major celebration held in the Holy City once a year."

Heiter continued:

"The church gives free bread and hot soup to everyone who comes to the celebration, and stalls line both sides of the streets."

"Besides food, there are goods from different regions, performances, and magic items. At night, festival magic lamps are lit throughout the Holy City."

"That sounds lively. Let's go together."

Frieren was interested at once.

"I won't be going."

Heiter said.

"You're not going?"

Lorenzo was a little surprised. Heiter was the one who had suggested attending the celebration, yet now he was saying he would stay home.

"If I showed up in the Holy City then, I'd certainly attract some unnecessary attention."

Heiter gave a helpless smile.

"Then I'll stay and keep you company, Lord Heiter."

Fern said after a moment's hesitation.

"No need. You've never been to the Saint Lomiu Festival, have you?"

Heiter declined.

"But..."

"My health is fine now. Nothing will happen if I'm home alone."

Heiter reached out and patted her head.

"Since you have this rare chance, go and see it with Frieren and the others. After all, you don't know what a festival is like until you've attended one yourself."

Only then did Fern nod slightly.

"I understand."

Heiter smiled in satisfaction. Then, as though he had suddenly remembered something, he added in a very casual tone:

"Oh, right."

"Remember to bring me some of the Saint Lomiu Festival special brew when you come back. It's only sold during the celebration. I haven't tasted it in ages, and I do miss it a little."

"That last part was the point, wasn't it?"

Lorenzo looked at Heiter suspiciously, while Fern narrowed her eyes outright.

"Of course not!"

Heiter denied it at once.

"The main purpose is for you to experience the traditional culture of the Saint Lomiu Festival. As for the special brew, I just happened to remember it and mentioned it in passing."

"You just happened to remember it?"

"Of course."

"What does that wine taste like?"

"It has a faint fruity aroma when it first touches your tongue, followed gradually by the rich flavor of a long fermentation. The herbs grown specially at the monastery are added during brewing, so it also leaves a very distinctive fragrance."

Heiter answered without a moment's pause.

"It's best kept in a cellar for about two years. Any less and the flavor isn't mellow enough. After five years, though, the aroma of the herbs slowly fades..."

His voice grew quieter as he went on. He really did look a little guilty.

"So archbishops are also responsible for studying how long best to store wine."

Lorenzo couldn't help commenting.

"A-after all, church affairs cover many areas."

That wasn't convincing in the slightest.

"At most, we can buy two bottles."

Fern said without hesitation.

"Fern, you should know that this wine won't go bad even if it's kept for several years..."

"One bottle at most."

"All right, two bottles it is."

Heiter immediately accepted the original terms. It seemed the archbishop was still quite accurate in judging the situation. If he had kept talking, forget two bottles—he probably wouldn't have gotten even one in the end.