Frieren: Attribute Hero Chapter 102: The Fairy of the Lake

The group chose a beautiful, sunny day and set off.

According to the map, the barrier lake was nearly half a day's journey from their cabin. To make sure they could return before dusk, they had deliberately woken up early.

Of course, Frieren strongly opposed the idea of getting up early.

But the minority obeyed the majority, and her objections were invalid.

Crunch, crunch—

The sunlight had slightly lted the surface of the snow, forming a thin brittle layer of ice. Every step produced a crisp cracking sound.

Kraft and Stark walked at the front. Both of them seed unusually interested in fishing.

Fern walked in the middle, occasionally turning back to glance at the wobbling Frieren.

Shane deliberately stayed at the rear, just in case the elf girl accidentally buried herself in the snow.

"Shane, Frieren, co look at this!"

Up ahead, Stark's voice rang out.

Shane looked up and saw an enormous circular frozen lake appear before them.

It resembled a smooth jade plate, glowing faintly turquoise beneath the sunlight as fragnts of light shimred across its surface. Snowy mountains stood silently in the distance, their reflections perfectly mirrored by the ice. It was as if heaven and earth had folded together here, both above and below painted in pure white and pale blue.

One could only imagine how beautiful the lake must have been before it froze over.

Even Frieren was drawn in by the scenery, her sleepiness gradually fading.

"Look, there's a stone monunt here."

Fern discovered the tip of a stone tablet poking out from the thick snow by the lake. Everyone worked together to clear away the surrounding snow until the monunt was fully revealed.

The carvings and text on it had weathered with ti, but they were still legible.

"It seems to tell the legend of the 'Fairy of the Lake.' Thanks to the fairy's blessing, the people here enjoyed favorable weather and abundant harvests. Every year, they held a harvest festival in celebration."

An image of the "Fairy of the Lake" was carved into the stone. Though blurred by ti, they could still vaguely make out a beautiful long-haired girl wearing a wreath woven from water plants. A thin veil draped over her body, and silver bells adorned both her wrists and ankles. Her expression was serene, her gaze compassionate.

"Sounds like she was a very beloved fairy," Fern remarked.

Shane looked across the frozen lake. "It's hard to imagine there used to be villages here."

Kraft smiled faintly.

"Several thousand years ago, the Schwer Mountains were still lush forests. There were fertile fields and farmland here, with countless villages scattered throughout."

"Later, the climate gradually changed. Over a thousand years ago, the region beca completely covered in snow and ice year-round. Humanity slowly migrated south, and this eventually beca an uninhabited snowfield."

"Several thousand years ago..."

Everyone couldn't help but sigh in amazent.

Ti truly was sothing miraculous.

The ice covering the lake was extrely thick.

Based on his ice-fishing experience from his previous life, Shane carefully selected a suitable location and marked the spot where they would break the ice. Then he tied a long rope around Stark's waist, extending the other end back to the lakeshore.

"You're seriously letting go out there alone?!"

"With ice this thick, only your battle axe can break through it."

"What if I fall in?!"

"That's what the rope is for. Relax, we've already got experience treating hypothermia. Your life won't be in danger."

Stark stared at Shane in utter disbelief.

Listen to those words... was that really sothing a person should say?!

"Co on, believe in yourself."

'How is this sothing I can solve just by believing in myself?!'

After screaming internally several tis, Stark resigned himself and stepped onto the ice, stopping at Shane's marker. Just as Shane had said, he really was the most suitable person for breaking through the ice.

The others waited quietly by the shore.

Then they saw Stark raise his battle axe with a roar.

Boom!

The axe slamd into the ice, instantly blasting open a massive hole. The trendous impact sent a pillar of water spraying several ters into the air.

At the sa ti, a terrifying crack spread outward from the hole toward the center of the lake.

Shane cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted toward Stark, "Jump around a few tis and see if the ice's structural support got damaged!"

"..."

Stark obediently hopped a few tis in place.

The ice showed no abnormalities.

Only then did Shane relax and let everyone step onto the frozen lake.

Judging from the opening, the ice had to be at least over a ter thick. Sure, there were cracks, but it should still be safe enough.

Thinking that, Shane dumped a huge bag of bread crumbs into the water through the opening.

Sure enough, it wasn't long before fish began gathering, lured by the scent.

Shane wasn't in a hurry. He waited until enough fish had gathered before pulling the longsword from his waist and lightly tapping the water's surface.

Bzzzt—

An electric current instantly surged into the lake.

Every fish fighting over the bread crumbs imdiately flipped belly-up. In an instant, the hole beca packed with floating white fish.

Kraft was dumbfounded.

Whether it was Shane's miraculous "oversized backpack" or his "electroshock fishing," both greatly deepened Kraft's understanding of what a sage was capable of.

"Looks like we'll have more than enough food for the next few months."

Stark and Fern happily hauled fish onto the ice, piling them one after another into a dense mound. The freezing temperature naturally preserved them.

Just as everyone was cheerfully packing the fish away—

Crack... crack...

The sound of shattering ice suddenly echoed across the lake.

It happened far too quickly. In the blink of an eye, the sound had already reached beneath their feet.

"Not good!"

Shane shouted a warning, but everything happened in an instant.

Splash! Splash!

Before anyone could react, they all plunged into the freezing lake water. Although Shane had sensed the danger, even he wasn't faster than the collapsing ice.

The mont he fell into the water, he imdiately tried to activate [Dual Blade Style · Ominous Change] to leap back onto the ice.

But sothing in the water instantly grabbed his leg.

The others experienced the sa thing.

Frieren and Fern attempted to fly out of the water, but clearly couldn't. A mysterious force beneath the lake dragged them downward, subrging most of their bodies imdiately.

The situation was extrely dangerous.

"Grab hands! Don't separate!"

At Shane's warning, everyone hurriedly grabbed the nearest person. Hand in hand, they struggled to stay together.

Then—

A golden light suddenly illuminated the bottom of the lake.

The pulling force around their feet intensified even further.

Without hesitation, Shane activated Goddess's Barrier, enveloping everyone inside it.

Whoosh—

Wrapped within the barrier, the group transford into a massive bubble and was dragged deep beneath the water.

As the bubble descended, a magnificent palace appeared before them.

Countless gemstones were embedded into the palace roof, while the walls were forged entirely from golden bricks, radiating dazzling brilliance.

At the center of that radiant light stood a beautiful young girl.

She wore a wreath woven from water plants, a translucent veil draped over her body, and silver bells decorated both her wrists and ankles. Her expression was peaceful, her gaze compassionate.

Shane's heart jolted.

It was the "Fairy of the Lake" recorded on the monunt.

Facing the group, the fairy gently spoke:

"Welco ho, my children."