"Frieren… you…?"
Shichen seriously wondered if he'd heard her wrong. He stared at her in disbelief.
This was her asking that kind of question?
She was actually asking that?!
"What's the problem?" Frieren shot back.
It was the first ti she'd ever seen Shichen react to her like this—and she found it kind of interesting.
When he'd been thinking about it all along.
"It's not that there's a problem…" Shichen said, "but what's gotten into you?"
Given their relationship, they'd long since been able to go "all the way," but he'd never made a move.
And Frieren had never tried to seduce him either.
With her charm, getting Shichen to take the bait would've been ridiculously easy.
After all, it was true that Shichen liked petite girls like her.
They'd just never brought it up outright—sticking to teasing touches, nothing more.
Shichen didn't even understand why he'd kept holding back, but it definitely wasn't because of her size.
She probably wasn't going to "grow up" physically. Thousands of years later, she'd still look like this. Sure, there were ways to alter her body, but that wouldn't really be her.
It would lose the "flavor."
And besides, Shichen didn't want her to change.
So why couldn't he bring himself to take that final step?
If he had to guess… he'd been waiting for this mont—waiting for Frieren to be the one to ask.
"Even if I'm an elf, I'm still a girl. Is it weird for to care about that stuff?" Frieren countered again.
"I an… fair."
"And you bully every day. I'm basically getting used to it. I'm starting to beco… like you."
"…You're even using that line now," Shichen said, shaking his head with an amused smile.
"Makes no difference."
"Sounds like Fern finally got under your skin," Shichen said, calling her out.
"Under my skin? Not a big deal." Frieren denied it with a blank face.
"Oh yeah? Because I rember exactly how much more your emotions have been all over the place lately compared to any other ti."
"Not true," she insisted, righteous as ever.
"You think you can fool ?" Shichen laughed and tugged her cheeks—smooth and springy.
For an "old" girl, her face was absolutely packed with collagen.
"Mm… I'm not fooling you," Frieren stubbornly held on.
"Co on. I know you too well. Your thoughts are practically written on your face."
"No!"
"Heh. You saw how much Fern has changed lately and figured if you did it too, you might have hope, right?"
"No!"
"Stop lying to yourself. I can read you like an open book."
"Ugh!" Frieren finally cracked.
"Heh." Shichen sat on the bed and pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head.
"Frieren. Do you really want it?"
"…Mm." Frieren gave a small nod.
"Is it really because Fern got to you?"
"Not exactly… We could've done it a long ti ago…"
"Did I make you wait too long?"
"Yes! You only ever use your hands to ss with !"
"Then what? If I 'eat' you, maybe I'd only be able to bully you that way."
"No matter how good it feels, you'll get bored eventually."
"…Fair point." Shichen looked at her seriously, lifting her chin so she had to et his eyes. "Can you wait a little longer?"
"Wait longer?"
"Once I've made up with my master, I'll take you apart completely." Shichen stated it like a plan he'd just finalized.
He'd been waiting for Frieren to take the initiative—yet there was still one thing he cared about. If he didn't settle it first, it wouldn't feel "complete."
Frieren was the first familiar person he'd t in this life. So kind of stubborn perfectionism kicked in—he wanted it to be right.
"After you reconcile with your master? How long is that supposed to take?" Frieren frowned.
At their pace, it could easily be another ten years.
Ten years wasn't much for her—or for Shichen—but her mindset wasn't the sa anymore.
Ti wasn't a blur now. She could feel every mont passing. For an elf, ten years stopped being "just a blink."
In short—she was impatient. She didn't want to wait anymore.
And if she had to endure ten more years of Fern "rubbing it in her face," she'd lose it.
"Soon," Shichen murmured, gently stroking her silvery hair.
He lifted his gaze as if he could see far beyond the walls.
"I have a feeling I'll see my master again very soon."
"Flam is seriously sothing else," Frieren complained. "If she's basically forgiven you, why can't she just co reconcile on her own?"
"Heh. You're really in a hurry, aren't you?"
"Yeah. Once I finally decided, it stopped feeling like a big deal. Now I just want to do it. Imdiately."
"Don't beco a little pervert like Fern—no, a little pervert elf."
"Like hell I will!" Frieren glanced at the sleeping Fern and clicked her tongue. "How could I be like her?"
"She looks like a pervert just from her figure."
"Is that so? Then I'll be the one checking if you are."
"Just don't go too far," Frieren warned, visibly uneasy.
She knew her weakness—how small she was. That might be a plus for Shichen, but it was also exactly the problem.
She couldn't handle Shichen getting too excited.
"Scared already?" Shichen teased.
"Isn't that normal? I've never done it before," Frieren said, as if it were obvious.
"In that case, we'll train you a little first."
"Train? What kind of training? You're not doing it again, are you?"
"Relax. Different thod this ti." Shichen turned Frieren to face him and gave her a faint smile.
"What do you an, different thod?"
"Rember when I 'ate' your little feet?"
"You're not going to use—!" Frieren realized instantly.
"Perfect timing. I'm thirsty too."
"No… you… Fern's still here…"
"Don't worry. She won't wake up for a while. And with your stamina, I should be able to quench my thirst pretty fast."
"…!"
Frieren couldn't say another word.
Not long after, soft murmurs filled the room—so tantalizing it made your ears itch.
…
They stayed in that village for three more days before leaving.
It was Frieren who urged it—she couldn't wait to see Flam anymore.
These past few days had left her "dehydrated." She felt like she was about to be sucked dry.
She couldn't keep going like this.
The villagers had confird everything was fine; the road to the next town was passable again.
They thanked them with loads of grain.
Shichen accepted it all. If he refused, the villagers would only feel more anxious.
They weren't trying to freeload. If Shichen took nothing, they'd just worry that they still "owed" him.
It was about peace of mind.
They set off again.
Stark continued as the driver, while Shichen lounged comfortably, holding Frieren and resting on Fern's lap.
During breaks, he coached Stark and helped with training.
Fern cooked sothing simple—stew was the most practical. Two bowls and you were full.
Frieren, naturally, slept in Shichen's arms until Fern finished cooking.
Mostly because Shichen had gotten addicted these last few days—constantly "asking her for water," leaving her a bit weak.
It couldn't be helped: the "divine beast at and soup" was genuinely delicious—and it ca with accompanint.
At night they'd rest wherever they found convenient, then keep moving the next day.
If it wasn't a place where people gathered, Shichen usually wouldn't stop for long.
And so, a quiet month passed, until they finally reached a town—
One that Shichen and Frieren knew very well.
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