"Hah—"
"Master, move a little more. Higher."
"Like this?"
"Mm. That position is much more comfortable for me."
New Era of Xin - 21 Years Before
Northern Countries · Huyvia Mountain Range
Guter carried the exhausted Serie on his back as he continued climbing along the rugged mountain path.
Sometimes, because his climbing movements were too vigorous, Serie on his back would inevitably slide down a little.
Thus, after climbing a certain distance, Guter would pause briefly and let his master readjust her position before continuing onward.
At times like this, when they had to cross mountains and ridges at high intensity, the powerful physical capabilities of a warrior were displayed to the fullest.
According to Serie's original estimate, the two of them would have needed to spend one or two nights camping in the wilds of the Huyvia Mountain Range before reaching the mountain relay cabin.
But with Guter's help, things were entirely different. There was a very good chance they could reach it successfully in the latter half of the night.
Since camping in the wilderness could not guarantee good sleep anyway, after a brief hesitation, Serie agreed to the plan of having her disciple carry her once she was too exhausted to walk, traveling day and night.
Along the way, aside from a temporary stop to rest in a forest clearing beneath the noon sun, Guter's steps had not paused for even a moment.
As a result, the time they actually arrived at the mountain cabin was even earlier than expected.
Bending down to set his master from his back, Guter stepped forward and pushed open the cabin door.
Fortunately, no one was staying in the mountain cabin at the moment. The previous guest had also cleaned the place thoroughly before leaving, even leaving a bottle of water on the table with a slightly wilted bouquet of flowers inside.
"Was it a female adventurer? So thoughtful and romantic."
Standing in the middle of the cabin, Guter opened the magic-tool suitcase and took out both his and his master's bedding and blankets, spreading them over the cabin's rug so they would sleep warmer at night.
Just as Guter was finishing making the beds, Serie entered from outside, with a faint trace of magical fluctuations still lingering around her hand.
Seeing this, Guter closed his eyes and sensed it.
"I see. Master set up a barrier around the mountain cabin that only affects Demons and monsters. No wonder you were gone so long."
While Guter marveled at this, Serie had already used magic to light the fireplace inside the cabin.
As the dry firewood occasionally crackled, the cabin quickly grew warm.
"I'm going to sleep. You should rest early too."
After reminding her disciple, Serie hung her coat on the cabin's coat rack and slipped beneath her blankets to rest.
Guter, who was not sleepy for the moment, pulled over a chair and kept watch beside the fireplace, staring blankly into space in the warmth.
It seemed this mountain cabin was the one that had appeared in the story, wasn't it?
Of course, Guter meant the cabin where Frieren's group met the monk Kraft in the actual story, not the one where Feren "healed" Stark after he caught a fever.
As for why Guter could be so certain—
Besides the location, the biggest reason was that this cabin did not have the big bed used when that young couple had "healed" each other.
"Why did I suddenly think of that?" Guter shook his head with a bitter smile and tossed that lewd fan-made clip out of his mind.
After sitting beside the fireplace for a while longer, the overheated blood and energy from climbing the mountain under such a load gradually settled into a calm equilibrium.
"Crackle, crackle, pop, pop."
The wood in the fireplace continued to make soft noises from time to time, but they were not grating. Instead, they were a kind of white noise that soothed the mind.
After all, the sense of security brought by a campfire came from biological instinct.
In this warm Hearth Home, surely they could get a good night's sleep tonight.
With that thought, a wave of drowsiness rose in Guter's mind.
After taking off his coat, Guter slipped into his own blankets. He silently wished the sleeping Serie beside him good night, then soon fell into a deep sleep as well.
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