When she woke up the next morning, Fern felt a stomachache and heard her belly growl. Her feet were also aching a little. She got up with tired eyes and went to a suitable place to wash her face.
She splashed cold water on her face and took the chance to clean her sweaty, dirty arms.
"But how am I supposed to get there?"
Fern came to the conclusion that Heiter wanted her to seek out the elves. He wanted her to look for Frieren, and also the woman named Serie whom he had mentioned several times.
But how was she supposed to do that?
Fern knew a few things about the World Tree, and she knew how far away it was.
The tree was enormous—so big it could be seen from Orario, though not clearly because of the clouds. But even if it could be seen, it was still far, far away. It was impossible for a child like her to walk all the way there.
On top of needing food and water for the journey, she would also be in serious danger, since bandits roamed the lands.
'What if I ask one of the elves for help? Maybe one of them could take me there. I remember seeing an elf…' Fern recalled the beautiful elf she had seen before. The woman had worn a cloak, but Fern had managed to catch a glimpse of her face and her ears.
Her eyes had met Frieren's, and she had smiled at Fern, which made Fern feel uneasy.
The woman's smile was odd, as if she wasn't used to smiling at all.
'Where was it again? Near the tower, right?'
Still feeling hungry, Fern began walking toward the tree, hoping to find that elf again. She was surely a very strong adventurer—Fern was certain of it.
After several long minutes, Fern reached Babel Tower.
The area was crowded, with many groups from different Familia bustling back and forth.
As she searched for the elf, Fern was suddenly approached by a group of people. Leading them was a beautiful blonde woman with a stoic expression.
Beside her were two bronze-skinned women and a man with animal-like ears and a stern look.
Startled, Fern took a step back.
"Hey, you're scaring her." One of the bronze-skinned women stepped forward.
She was short, not much taller than Fern herself.
"Hey, can I know your name?" the woman asked.
"Fern," she replied coldly.
"Fern… Fern… Never heard that name before. Did you get separated from your mother? We can help you, if you'd like."
'Why are these people being so pushy? This is strange,' Fern thought.
"I don't have a mother, but I'm looking for someone."
"You don't have a mother? What about your father?" Tiona was shocked by Fern's answer and completely ignored the part about her looking for someone.
"Excuse me, I'd better go." Fern said, turning to leave.
Tiona kept staring at Fern's back, then glanced over her shoulder.
"What should I do? Should we really let her go? She doesn't look well…" Wanting to help, Tiona asked Ais for permission.
"Tiona…" Tione sighed and stepped forward. "Ais, Tiona and I will take care of that girl. Could you wait here for a bit?"
"Alright," Ais replied indifferently.
"Tsk." Bete clicked his tongue impatiently.
Tiona and Tione followed after Fern.
Fern noticed them closing in and broke into a run.
The crowd around them grew tense, but since Tiona and Tione were well-known adventurers, people quickly dismissed the idea that they meant any harm.
As she ran, Fern looked back and saw the sisters calmly pursuing her. They weren't even trying. If they wanted to, they would have already caught her.
And then—
Thud!
Fern crashed into the legs of a burly man and fell to the ground.
"Hey, watch where you're going!" the tall, intimidating man barked, turning to glare at her. He huffed and looked ready to rough up the poor girl, but Tiona and Tione quickly stepped in, pushing him aside.
"Hey, are you alright?" Tiona knelt and looked Fern in the eyes, but the girl averted her gaze. "Don't be scared, it's okay. My name's Tiona, and this is Tione—we're sisters. We want to help you."
Grrrr~~
Fern's stomach growled loudly.
Tiona chuckled. "Come with us, we'll get you something to eat."
"Why do you want to help me?" Fern asked, still suspicious.
"I just felt like it. You're so cute~~"
"Cute?" Fern's eyes widened, shocked at what she had just heard.
'They're helping me because I'm cute? What kind of nonsense is that?'
"Shall we?" Tiona asked.
Fern struggled to her feet, and Tiona gently took her hand.
As Tiona squeezed her hand and tried to lead her away, Fern muttered, "I need to find someone." She lowered her head, her body trembling. For some reason, she suddenly felt like crying.
Noticing this, Tiona crouched down and cupped Fern's cheek, wiping away her tears. "It's alright, don't cry. Let's eat something first, okay? After that, I'll help you find the person you're looking for. That's a promise."
"..." Fern met Tiona's determined gaze and felt she could trust her.
Silently, Fern began following Tiona.
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