Frieren: Serie's Apprentice

[Sinseki Era - 21 Years Prior, Early Winter]

[Northern Nations · Tiek Region]

It had been over two months since teacher Serie met with her dwarven old friend.

Gut, sleeping in the refuge cabin, shivered from a sudden gust of cold wind. After sitting up from the ground, he gradually recalled in the darkness what had happened in recent days.

Since that day when he accompanied his teacher to Ronny Magic Equipment Shop.

Master craftsman Ronny, after examining the staff Gut presented, marveled at the excellent materials while also noting there was considerable room for improvement.

Whether adding materials to the staff itself for better effects, or making personalized adjustments based on Gut's usage scenarios—both were feasible operations.

The staff's own crudeness actually left plenty of refinement space for the latter.

And because they abandoned the originally ordered staff in the shop, according to regulations, the customer needed to pay Ronny Magic Equipment Shop a penalty fee.

Serie hadn't planned to save this money, but unexpectedly, the duty manager waived it after learning of the situation.

His only request was to personally experience this staff in Gut's hands.

As the shop operator, he wanted to know what kind of work would make customers abandon their store reservations for alternatives.

Only when brilliant, dazzling sword light burst forth from the magic staff in his hands did the manager fall into long silence.

All the dimensional comparisons he had planned in his mind seemed to have lost meaning under this sword light.

"It's not an unfair loss."

The manager smiled with understanding, withdrew his magical power, and respectfully returned the staff to Gut.

Afterward, to wait for Master Ronny's staff optimization work period, the teacher-disciple pair stayed in Holy Capital for over half a month.

Meanwhile, siblings Hafka and Sola took this opportunity to return home to their family.

When the siblings returned from the Royal Capital, brother Hafka had already resolved the issue of the siblings leaving home together to travel, bringing back several large carriages full of jewels and a large stack of deeds and rental contracts.

How did Gut, an outsider, know these details?

Because on the very night the siblings returned to the Holy Capital, Gut received a family banquet invitation from Hafka.

After attending the feast at the mansion they rented, the siblings actively brought Gut to the courtyard to view their harvest from returning to the family.

Brother Hafka pointed to those several large chests of treasure, saying that to thank his senior brother for saving his sister from villains, he was willing to let Gut freely choose one carriage load as gratitude.

Although shocked speechless by Hafka's generosity at the time, Gut ultimately didn't accept, instead asking about the siblings' future plans.

From Hafka's words, Gut learned the siblings planned to stay by Lady Serie's side from now on, even settling in Äußerst, an important stronghold city of the Continental Magic Association in the northern nations.

Due to information asymmetry, Gut found the siblings' choice quite difficult to understand.

Being able to so readily abandon their past and start new lives in a strange city wasn't like choices noble children would make.

Gut had thought noble members like Hafka would leave first after learning skills from his teacher, returning to their homeland to enjoy the wealth and status their noble identity brought.

But unexpectedly, he wanted to actively establish deeper connections with his teacher and Äußerst.

Moreover, from Hafka's words, it seemed he meant he didn't want to return to his homeland afterward.

Simply... just like junior disciple Lernen, who had been stripped of noble status and expelled from the Imperial Capital.

"What about these treasures you brought back?" Gut pointed to the several carriage loads piled in the siblings' courtyard.

"Carrying these things on the journey from Holy Capital to Äußerst isn't very realistic."

"Exactly." The siblings looked at each other, then Hafka told Gut:

"Senior brother, besides expressing gratitude, I invited you here for these reasons."

"Besides the carriage load we promised to give you earlier, we're willing to freely donate the rest to teacher Serie to support Continental Magic Association Headquarters operations in the Holy Capital."

Facing the siblings' sudden display of goodwill, Gut pondered instead.

"Giving these to teacher is quite a good investment."

"What about you two? You'll need to live in Äußerst—won't you keep some for yourselves?"

"We already have!" Girl Sola replied playfully, taking out a large stack of papers from a nearby cabinet and waving them in her hands.

"And we have these—some deeds and shop rental contracts. Though we're not sure how much income they'll generate, according to brother, it's enough for us two to live on."

"I see."

Gut repeatedly pondered the girl's phrase "brother says it's enough for us two to live on" in his mind, combined with Hafka's attitude of wanting to cut ties with the past and live in a new place, suddenly realizing something.

Taking advantage of sister Sola organizing the deeds, Gut approached this junior disciple and quietly asked in his ear:

"Hafka, between you and your sister, could it be..."

"Senior brother, my sister and I are the same as you and your teacher."

After receiving affirmative confirmation from Hafka, Gut's expression paused, then he nodded: "I understand."

"I'll tell teacher Serie about your donation intention and give you a reply later."

The next morning, when Gut delivered breakfast to his teacher, he told her about this matter.

However, the result was slightly beyond Gut's expectations—the elf didn't hesitate or ponder at all, immediately agreeing.

She arranged for Gut to notify Association staff after the meal to negotiate with the Hafka siblings, and after verifying donation amounts, directly warehouse them for Association operating funds.

The elf, taking small bites of her sandwich, probably noticed the confusion on her disciple's face and took the initiative to address the matter.

"You're puzzled why I accepted so readily, right?"

"Exactly, teacher." Gut confirmed. "I thought with your strong personality, you wouldn't easily accept donations from disciples."

"Could it be the Continental Magic Association has recently had operating fund problems?"

"You're overthinking."

The elf pouted unhappily and explained:

"I can accept without concern only because this donation means nothing to me."

"Even if Hafka's life encounters changes after reaching Äußerst, or something happens making him want to withdraw this donation, I can return it locally without burden."

"Precisely because I can return it anytime, accepting it naturally requires no concern."

"Tsk—"

Gut nodded, sighing: "Teacher really is quite a remarkable wealthy woman."

"Hmph~ hmph~"

After receiving her disciple's praise, the elf hummed proudly but also encouraged her disciple:

"With your talent, as long as you're willing to strive, you won't lack assets either."

"Really?"

Gut lightly questioned, silently placing both hands on the elf's shoulders and neck.

"What are you doing?"

Ignoring his teacher's question, Gut's nimble hands began moving, roaming over the elf's tender shoulders and neck.

Shortly after, Serie was supporting herself on the table with both hands, rendered speechless by comfort.

"Teacher, I don't want to work hard anymore."

"What I'm doing now is my striving."

Several more days passed, and good news came from Master craftsman Ronny's side.

Both the targeted upgrades to the staff itself and personalized modifications based on Gut's combat scenarios were complete.

The moment he gripped it, Gut personally experienced the staff's tremendous transformation.

If previously it was merely standard equipment anyone could use, now it had completely become "Gut's shape"—whether swinging and slashing or casting magic, there was a wonderful sense of harmony.

After expressing gratitude to Master Ronny again, the teacher-disciple group reached the day to bid farewell to the Holy Capital.

On departure day, familiar people and Association staff came to the city gates to see them off.

Whether Holy Capital Bishop Heiter or middle-aged Hero Uncle Himmel, all stood among the farewell crowd. Even the coachman uncle who often transported Gut and the elf to and from the Association was driving the carriage taking them out of Holy Capital.

Actually, according to previous plans, Himmel would also travel with everyone again.

After all, upon learning of that deciphered Time Travel Magic, this hero had been eager to go near Chino Mountain Gorge in the Northern Highlands, find that Goddess Monument, and carve the deciphered magical characters for future Frieren.

But unfortunately, he received an urgent summons from His Majesty the King a few days before departure, saying a powerful great demon near the coastal Trading City Warm was attacking fishermen going to sea.

According to local knight brigade members who had fought it, this great demon practiced magic related to controlling water sources. To prevent further deterioration, His Majesty had to request the hero's intervention again.

Perhaps the demons were also targeting this transition period between old and new kings—recent attack frequencies in various places were several times higher than usual.

Therefore, with the original system unable to cope, they had to frequently request this trump card hero to suppress threats.

Gut understood Himmel's responsibilities, so he didn't continue inviting the hero uncle, instead embarking on a new journey with his teacher and junior disciples.

The group traveled over mountains and through forest gorges until they returned to the Schwer Mountains.

Unlike the late summer and early autumn season when they came, the current season had reached winter.

Winter in the Schwer Mountains was arguably its most dangerous season.

Two different air currents from the northern and central nations collided here, mixed with moist air brought by coastal winds, converging between these mountain ranges.

This caused the Schwer Mountains to frequently experience strong winds and significant rainfall and snowfall.

Large-scale rainfall and snowfall already significantly affected journey progress, and when accompanied by strong winds, they formed natural barriers ordinary adventurers couldn't overcome.

And this was indeed the case.

In violent blizzards, human visible range would be reduced to an extremely weak degree. Once direction was lost, adventurers faced rapid body temperature loss, then eternal sleep in these mountains.

Just as in battles between humans and the Demon King's army, the greatest casualties weren't caused by enemies but by this northern winter.

However, facing this season of gradually falling snow, Serie didn't choose to have everyone wait in Count Granat's Territory below the mountains for winter's end, but instead led everyone to risk crossing the Schwer Mountains while early winter snowfall was still relatively light.

After all, according to annual patterns, the mountain snow season wouldn't gradually subside until next summer.

Even with an elf's long lifespan, she didn't plan to waste half a year here.

Fortunately, teacher Serie was quite reliable.

Not only did she never lose direction with her extensive magical perception range, she even considered girl Sola's weaker physical constitution, using Flame Magic to continuously circle around her and everyone, constantly dispelling environmental cold.

Shortly after sunset, the group successfully reached a mountain refuge cabin, lit a fire inside, set up cooking pots, and began recovering strength and replenishing energy.

Leaning by the window inside, Gut drank scalding meat soup from his bowl, listening to junior disciples chatting and joking around the fire—even the wailing wind and snow outside seemed much quieter.

Under teacher Serie's leadership, this winter crossing of the Schwer Mountains hardly qualified as an adventure.

Just as Gut was lost in thought, the indoor conversation suddenly became quiet in an instant.

Hastily focusing toward the fire, fortunately nothing was wrong—the teacher who had led everyone forward during the day was now sleeping by the warm fire.

At this moment, bright crystal seemed to hang from the elf's mouth corner, appearing very obvious in the dancing firelight.

After noticing their teacher sleeping, the disciples also quietly stopped discussing.

Unfortunately, before Gut could approach to put the elf to bed, the traveling girl had already done everything, making Serie's bed and carrying her into it.

Seeing their teacher sleep, everyone also made their beds, planning to rest early and prepare physically for tomorrow's mountain climbing.

However, Ross, the last mage to pass his teacher's examination, didn't act but summoned his magic staff and leaned against the cabin door.

"Ross, what's this about?"

Gut asked this junior disciple with confusion.

"Night watch."

Perhaps because they were still unfamiliar with each other, or possibly just because Ross had a cold personality, this new junior disciple always spoke little.

"I see." After understanding his intention, Gut removed a ring from his ring finger, waved it before this junior disciple, and said:

"Teacher has established defensive barriers and warning magic outside—no need for night watch."

"Oh, I understand."

Still a brief sentence. After speaking, Ross spread his bedding beside Hafka and lay down.

As for Gut, he naturally slept beside Serie.

Girl Sola guarded the teacher's other side.

Thus, the night sky gradually deepened, and indoor breathing sounds of varying rhythms began one by one.

However, in his sleep.

Gut always felt a python-like suffocating sensation, as if something was gradually draining his body heat.

Until the indoor fire extinguished, until indoor warmth was no more, until a cold wind swept through the room.

Gut shivered and awoke from his sleep with a start.

The culprit causing his heat to be gradually drained was now close at hand.

Looking at his teacher who had gradually rolled over in sleep, wrapping his blanket around herself, Gut sighed helplessly.

Even knowing the culprit, what could he do?

He could only forgive her.

So sleepless Gut, looking at the deep night sky outside, entertained himself by recalling recent events.

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Powerstones?

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