Frieren's head was spinning.
Her usually calm and composed deanor had completely crumbled. A deep crimson flush spread across her cheeks, reaching all the way to the tips of her long, delicate elf ears. Her breath was unsteady, and her slender hands rested against Hozuki Nozomi's chest in a feeble attempt to push him away.
But Nozomi held her tightly, showing no intention of letting go.
What Fern had experienced earlier, it was now her turn as the master.
She had no idea how much ti had passed.
By the ti she regained her senses, her strength had already been drained. The overwhelming sensation left her entire body weak, her breathing ragged, her normally pale complexion now flushed with an embarrassing shade of pink.
"Hnn…!"
She felt his warm breath brush against the side of her neck before a pair of mischievous lips pressed against her smooth, snow-white skin.
Frieren's body shuddered involuntarily, and she hastily pressed her hands against his head, trying to push him away. "D-Don't… My mana has already stabilized…"
But Nozomi, as shaless as ever, rely buried his face against her, taking in her scent with an indulgent sigh before tilting his head up again, closing the distance between them once more.
His lips barely grazed the edge of her elongated ears.
"Ah—!"
A startled cry escaped her lips as she jolted, imdiately covering her ears with both hands and glaring at him with an indignant flush. "You… you pervert!"
Nozomi chuckled. "Sorry, I was just curious. Miss Frieren's ears are really cute."
"Even if they are cute, that doesn't give you the right to touch them so casually!" Frieren huffed, her golden eyes burning with embarrassnt. She raised a small fist and punched him lightly on the shoulder.
Fortunately for Nozomi, she didn't enhance the strike with magic—otherwise, he might not have lived to see the next sunrise.
"My bad, my bad." He grinned shalessly. "But you can't really bla . Any guy would feel moved when holding such a cute Miss Frieren in his arms."
Frieren sighed in exasperation, giving him another push. But when she realized he wasn't budging, she simply gave up and let him be.
anwhile, Fern, who had been lying quietly to the side, continued to feign sleep.
Her face was equally flushed, her breathing uneven. However, knowing that her master had ended up in the sa situation as she had, she felt sowhat comforted.
After all, her greatest fear was that Frieren would eventually leave her.
Elves had an incredibly long lifespan—far beyond what humans could even fathom. Fern had always known that their ti together was fleeting, and that one day, Frieren would continue her journey alone.
She had trained tirelessly to beco a capable magician, to prove that she could stand on her own. But deep down, she dreaded the day Frieren would deem her strong enough to part ways.
If staying with Nozomi ant that Frieren would remain by her side longer… then perhaps, just perhaps, she wouldn't mind if their relationship developed further.
But still…
Why did it make her feel so sour watching Nozomi get close to Frieren?
===============================
Nozomi, sensing that the elf magician wasn't pushing him away anymore, simply smirked and remained silent. However, his arms stayed wrapped firmly around her waist, making it clear that he had no intention of letting her go.
Frieren noticed his movent, and her already restless heart grew even more uneasy.
Her rational side scread at her to maintain her distance. As a long-lived elf, she had learned ti and ti again not to grow too attached to short-lived humans. The pain of losing a companion—a pain that would linger for centuries—was too much to bear.
She had already lost count of the number of tis she had outlived those she cared about. The longing that built up over a thousand years of solitude…
She didn't know what kind of person she would beco if she allowed herself to indulge in such emotions again.
Even with Fern, she had always maintained a level of emotional detachnt, convincing herself that she was rely a ntor guiding her student. She was careful, deliberate, and kept her feelings at arm's length.
For so long, she had pretended not to notice the depth of Fern's attachnt to her.
For so long, she had convinced herself that this was for the best.
But now, Frieren felt sothing terrifying welling up within her.
With an urgent push, she tried to create distance between them. "Hozuki Nozomi, it's getting too warm. My mana issue is resolved, so you should leave."
"But I'm exhausted," Nozomi replied lazily. "Miss Frieren, can't I just rest here for the night?"
Frieren hesitated. "I have a rejuvenating potion in my bag—"
"No way! Those potions are rare, aren't they? No need to waste one on ," he interjected smoothly. "Besides, how am I supposed to sleep after drinking sothing like that?"
She faltered, her brows furrowing. Wait… What am I even saying? Have I lost my mind?
As she struggled to formulate a better response, her apprentice suddenly mumbled in a sleepy voice, "Why don't you just hold Frieren instead? She's always the coldest one at night…"
The room fell into stunned silence.
You're pretending to be asleep way too obviously!
Frieren turned toward Fern, who had now conveniently buried her face into the pillow, and puffed out her cheeks in frustration.
Are you still my apprentice?!
How could you betray like this?!
Nozomi's lips curled into an amused smirk. His arms tightened around Frieren's waist as he whispered, "Well, with here, Miss Frieren won't be cold anymore."
Frieren turned bright red, too flustered to respond.
His embrace really was warm…
But sothing was scary. She felt uncomfortable.
Nozomi felt the sa way, but if he wanted to deepen their connection, he had to endure it. He needed Frieren to get used to his presence, his warmth. Either way, he had no intention of leaving tonight.
"You know, Frieren and Fern already belong to ," he suddenly declared.
Frieren blinked, then shot him a sharp glare. "Excuse ?!"
"What? I'm just stating the facts."
"What kind of ridiculous logic is that?"
"Alright, let's break it down, Miss Frieren," Nozomi said, as if explaining sothing completely rational. "The treasure chest in that dungeon room belonged to , right?"
"...That's true," she admitted, albeit cautiously.
"And you two were inside that treasure chest when I opened it, correct?"
Frieren hesitated. "Well, technically—"
"And since I opened the chest and received the reward, doesn't that an you were part of it?"
Her face instantly turned crimson. She wanted to refute him, but the logic—twisted as it was—had a certain maddening coherence to it.
"S-Stop talking nonsense!" she sputtered, crossing her arms.
Fern, lying beside them, rolled her eyes. "You sure are shaless, Nozomi."
She had to admit, though—his argunt wasn't entirely baseless. She and Lady Frieren had been trapped inside that treasure chest, unable to escape. Their magic reserves had been running low, and if Nozomi hadn't arrived when he did, they would have been dood.
Silence stretched between them for a long mont before Frieren finally spoke.
"I can't deny that you saved our lives..."
Nozomi smirked. "Then how about this—" he leaned in, voice lowering just slightly, "—be my wives. Both of you."
Frieren: "..."
Fern: "W-Wait, what?!"
Nozomi chuckled at their flustered reactions, especially when Frieren finally responded with an exasperated sigh.
"Fern can, but I can't."
Fern: "...Excuse ?!"
Nozomi couldn't help but laugh, but his amusent faded as he gazed at the elf before him. His expression softened, and he gently pressed a kiss to her lips—just a fleeting mont of warmth.
"I get it, Frieren. I know I'm asking for too much." His voice was uncharacteristically serious. "But I'm not giving up. I'll find a way to keep you by my side."
Frieren wanted to push him away. She wanted to tell him not to waste his ti. But as she felt the heat of his body, the steadiness of his embrace, she couldn't bring herself to say it.
She had never been in love before.
She had traveled with the Hero and defeated the Demon King. The Hero had harbored feelings for her, but she never allowed herself to understand them. The lifespan of elves and humans was an unbridgeable gap—one she had always avoided crossing. And in the end, the Hero had grown old and passed away, along with the companions who had fought by her side. She had been left behind, immortal and alone.
The priest had entrusted Fern to her, and for the first ti, she had allowed herself to care. To grow attached.
And now, Nozomi's words stirred sothing deep inside her.
Losing him would be inevitable. But...
She trembled slightly as her arms, almost involuntarily, wrapped around his waist. She pressed her cheek against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. A single tear slipped down her cheek.
If loss wasn't inevitable—if she could keep sothing precious—wouldn't she want to hold on?
Nozomi said nothing more. He simply stroked her silken hair, his actions speaking for him.
Fern, face burning, turned toward them, biting her lip. Maybe, just maybe, if Nozomi stayed, then Lady Frieren really would stay too.
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