"..."
"..."
The next day, as the morning sunlight gently spilled across the land and the bustling sight of "a thousand sails racing across the water" once again appeared on the boundless sea, Frieren and Fern finally arrived at a grand estate built on a cliff overlooking the ocean, a few kilometers north of the trading city of Balrum.
Actually, they had spotted it from afar half an hour earlier: a luxurious seaside estate, like a brilliant pearl set into this tranquil cliff far from the hustle and bustle. Facing the ocean, surrounded by lush greenery and flowers in full bloom, it was an extravagant sight.
But now that they were close, it was even more astonishing!
"Wow—!"
Fern stared at the beautiful estate before her, at the steps and the flower-filled gazebos down by the sea. Her eyes widened, and her face was full of surprise and amazement.
After marveling at it for a while, she couldn't help exclaiming:
"Lady Frieren!"
"Are we sure we're in the right place?"
"That most, most, most, most... most amazing Arcane Archmage is really this rich?"
"Look! Look!"
"This estate is so luxurious it's almost ridiculous!"
Overcome with excitement, she spoke while gently tugging at her teacher's sleeve, making no effort to hide her disbelief.
"..."
Frieren was just as astonished.
Standing beside Fern, she stared at the estate with an expressionless face, only nodding woodenly at the exclamations of her attendant and apprentice.
It took her a long while to react. At last, she sighed in her usually calm voice, with a rare note of surprise:
"We're probably in the right place. It has to be."
"But honestly, I never expected it to be this luxurious..."
"It's certainly not what I imagined an Archmage's home would look like."
As she spoke, she