"Be honest—do you actually rember the way or not?"
Shane plopped down on the ground, glaring at Frieren with a face full of resentnt.
Frieren stood at the crossroads, hesitating. She clearly rembered it being here… so why was there suddenly an extra intersection?
"That's strange. I clearly rember there wasn't a crossroads here not long ago…"
"How long ago is 'not long ago'?"
"About twenty years."
"…"
Shane let out a long, deep sigh.
Twenty years. Truly 'not long ago' for an elf— near half a lifeti for a human.
Talking to long-lived races like you really is impossible.
Whatever. At a mont like this, he'd have to rely on his [Great Luck].
He casually picked up a stick from the ground, carved a mark on one end, then walked to the center of the crossroads and tossed it high into the air.
'Oh Goddess of Luck, please guide us to the right path.'
Thud.
The stick landed, the marked end pointing toward the road on the right.
Shane dusted off his pants and started walking without hesitation.
Frieren looked at him skeptically. "Isn't this a bit too careless?"
"No, you don't get it. This is called the guidance of Luck. Let's go. This path is definitely correct."
Half an hour later…
They were still wandering in circles in the forest.
Leaning against a crooked, dead tree, Shane panted heavily from exhaustion.
Beside him, Frieren handed him another stick that looked just like the previous one.
"Want to try again?"
"…"
This ti, he was completely out of ideas.
Wasn't this supposed to be [Great Luck]?! Is this attribute watered down or sothing?!
Just as the two of them fell into confusion, a timid voice ca from behind them:
"…Are you looking for sothing?"
Shane turned around.
A little girl stood behind them.
She had short purple hair, with a red ribbon tied at the back of her head. Her large eyes matched her hair color. She wore a black coat and black boots, with a white dress underneath.
Her gaze was timid—she looked extrely shy.
Shane recognized her instantly.
It was Fern as a child!
Little Fern held a basket full of freshly picked mushrooms, looking at them curiously.
Saved!
"We're looking for Archbishop Heiter's house. Could you show us the way, little miss?"
"Oh, so you're guests. Then please follow ."
With Fern leading the way, the forest—once like a maze—suddenly beca clear.
In no ti, they arrived at a small wooden house painted purple.
Shane glanced at the color of the house, then at Fern's hair, and couldn't help but chuckle inwardly.
That Heiter really dotes on her.
Who else would paint their house purple…
Pushing open the door, they found the interior simply furnished.
Heiter was already very old. Sitting by the fireplace with a thin blanket over his knees, he was dozing with his eyes closed.
Hearing the door open, he smiled and greeted Fern.
"How was it today? Did you gather a lot? Did you et any cute little animals?"
His voice was gentle and kind.
Fern stood on tiptoe, placing the basket of mushrooms on the table before walking over to him.
"I picked so mushrooms today."
"And, Mr. Heiter, there are two guests here to see you."
"Oh?"
Hearing this, Heiter opened his eyes, put on his glasses, and slowly turned his head.
When he saw that it was Frieren, his face lit up with joy.
"Ah, Frieren… I thought I'd never see you again in this lifeti…"
His expression was filled with the weight of ti.
Frieren, however, seed completely unfazed and dropped a shocking line:
"So you're still alive, you corrupt priest."
Shane was stunned.
Is this how the Hero Party communicates?!
By the fireplace, Heiter burst into laughter. "Dying freely and without regrets isn't such an easy thing, you know."
Then his gaze shifted to Shane beside Frieren, and he smiled.
"You must be Mr. Shane."
!!!
Shane was startled.
"You know ?"
"Hahaha, I heard about you from a great ascetic priest. He said you were traveling together with Frieren."
An ascetic priest…
Shane frowned. Who? When did he ever et such a person?
Wait!
Could it be…
"That's right—the one you t in the forest outside Gostan City, Mr. Beryl. By the ti I received his letter, he had likely already departed for the Goddess's realm. He was a great priest. His interpretations of the Sacred Scripture are a priceless treasure to humanity."
Heiter slowly walked over to the table and invited Shane and Frieren to sit.
"He was very grateful for your help."
Hearing this, Shane felt a bit ashad.
"I only delivered a manuscript for Mr. Beryl. I can't really call that help."
Heiter shook his head.
"Sotis, companionship itself is a form of help."
"In the final monts of his life, it was you who listened to him. To him, your companionship was a precious treasure."
Shane recalled the ti he spent with the old priest in the study—copying annotations and organizing manuscripts together. The old man had been genuinely happy back then, always smiling.
So his presence back then… had actually helped him.
That was good to know.
At that mont, Frieren took out two bottles of wine from her luggage.
They were the special cocktails Shane had found—brewed from Glowcap Mushroom.
"I found two bottles of good wine in the southern lands. I heard that drinking it lets you see the Goddess. I was planning to offer them at your grave… so, how about a drink now?"
"See the Goddess after drinking it?"
Heiter's eyes lit up for a mont.
But he quickly waved his hand. "No, I've already quit drinking."
Even as he said that, his gaze unconsciously drifted toward the bottles in Frieren's hands.
Shane could tell—the temptation was strong.
But he still held back.
"Quit drinking?"
Frieren didn't believe him.
"You're the 'corrupt priest' who drinks wherever you go. Burping over the Holy Scripture was a regular occurrence. And now you suddenly want to behave? Isn't it a bit late? The Goddess won't forgive you that easily."
"Hahaha…"
Heiter laughed happily.
Then he turned his head and looked at the small figure of Fern busy in the kitchen, his eyes filled with affection.
"Things are different now, Frieren."
"I'm not alone anymore. I have to take responsibility for my body."
Following his gaze, Frieren also looked toward the small purple figure in the kitchen.
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