() A Mild Lesson (1)
Memories always stirred up feelings of regret, sorrow, and even pain. So that night, after they had finished shopping and sightseeing, Frieren, Ilena, Annie, and Fern left the little town that had given Frieren so many less-than-sweet memories.
After leaving the Lant region, whose climate was relatively pleasant, the magic carriage soon entered the Leoab Hills, which were likewise known for their mild climate.
After all, the people of the Northern Kingdoms weren't stupid. The high-altitude mountains, bitterly cold regions, and plateaus that were buried in snow and ice as soon as winter began were hardly places anyone would want to settle.
From the floor-to-ceiling windows of the expanded sitting room inside the carriage, the rolling green hills of the Leoab Hills could still be seen. Their green blanket swayed in the breeze like gentle waves across the earth, while sunlight streamed through scattered clouds, bringing a lazy warmth both inside and out.
Winter had just begun. Though it was already very cold outside, it hadn't snowed yet in the Leoab Hills. Perhaps that was because of a magical barrier, or perhaps the mountain ranges and terrain blocked the cold winds?
Whatever the reason, in another month or so, the cold air would sweep in for good. By then, perhaps this place would soon turn into a vast, white expanse of snow and ice, just like those high-altitude mountain regions.
Of course, none of that mattered.
What mattered was this: that afternoon, when Annie rubbed her sleepy eyes and came staggering out of the bedroom in her slippers, clutching her teddy bear Tibbers like a lazy cat that hadn't had enough sleep, she found a peculiar sight in the sitting room:
Frieren and Fern, who were usually more diligent than the other, had each claimed