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After passing through South City for an unknown amount of time, Yulian arrived at a forest.
"I remember, going straight all the way will get you out."
After wandering around who knows how many times, Yulian looked doubtfully at the withered giant tree that appeared in front of him again.
"Demon King, you don't know the way at all, do you?" Frieren lightly sighed and said.
"No, I really remember just going straight along this withered tree!"
Yulian pointed at the withered tree in the middle of the road and strongly retorted.
"Really, I can also testify that it should be going straight along that withered tree."
A quiet female voice sounded, the voice sounding as clear and cool as drinking spring water in summer.
"Frieren!"
Yulian looked at Frieren who suddenly appeared from behind him and was startled.
Silently and without a trace, he didn't sense her at all!
"Long time no see."
Frieren nodded, which counted as a greeting.
The next second, she tilted her small head up and looked strangely at Yulian.
"Are you that surprised that I appeared here?"
It's not strange that you appeared here, but it's terrifying that you suddenly appeared behind me!
Yulian thought this but didn't say it out loud.
"Are you also going to Strahl?"
Yulian quietly covered the Ice and Snow Mark on the back of his hand, and Frieren also tactfully stopped talking.
"I've already gone and come back,"
"Oh, oh!"
"Okay, would you mind pointing out the way to the Holy City?"
"Why are you in such a hurry to leave?"
Frieren quietly looked at Yulian and felt very strange.
Logically speaking, shouldn't friends who haven't seen each other for a while have a heart-to-heart talk and a small gathering when they meet?
Something is wrong.
Frieren lightly stood on her tiptoes and peered around, sizing up Yulian.
"Hey, what are you doing!"
Yulian swayed his body along with Frieren's movements, carefully hiding Frieren's existence.
Muttering in his heart: It hasn't been that long since we last met, how has this "old geezer" become so sharp?
"Well, I just feel it's strange."
Seeing Yulian's resistant reaction, Frieren also didn't press further.
"I haven't asked you what you came here for yet."
Yulian breathed a sigh of relief and, seeing the opportunity, changed the subject.
"Do you have something going on here?"
A voice like a lark's clear song sounded.
While the voice was pleasant and melodious, it also carried a soft and sweet feeling, instantly attracting the attention of the three people.
It was a little girl who spoke, carrying a small vegetable basket in front of her, with short purple hair, and wearing a grey-black robe.
"Um, this," Frieren clearly wasn't very good at dealing with children; she stammered and couldn't say anything, she could only look at Yulian with a helpless expression.
Big sister, I don't know what you came for either!
This look from Frieren made Yulian lose his composure, but it was like a flash of lightning cutting through his mind.
Withered tree, Holy City, Frieren!
Vegetable basket, purple hair, little girl!
"We are here to find someone named Heiter?"
Yulian said tentatively, Frieren was startled, and then nodded vigorously.
After nodding, Frieren again looked at Yulian blankly with a "how did you know" expression.
Yulian naturally pretended not to see, just seriously sized up Fern.
Because Fern was slightly lowering her body, Fern's soft, long, straight short hair at this moment quietly covered a bit of Fern's small face, making her look very well-behaved and cute.
Moreover, Yulian clearly saw that Fern's baby-fat little face currently had a trace of blush, and at the same time as she finished speaking, she lightly closed her lips and bit her silver teeth.
She, who wasn't tall yet, standing in front of the two people at this moment seemed a bit reserved, or shy.
"Looking for Mr. Heiter."
"Then are you guests?"
Fern asked uncertainly, her eyes clearly a bit wary of Yulian.
Fern clearly felt that Yulian had an aura she had never seen before.
"Mm, yes."
"Can you take us there?"
Frieren looked at Fern, secretly guessing her identity.
Heiter's granddaughter?
But Heiter shouldn't be married, then where did this granddaughter come from?
"Please follow me."
Fern nodded, lightly turned around, and taking Frieren and Yulian, walked along the path they had never taken before.
"Tap... tap..."
Footsteps sounded, footsteps ended.
After walking through the forest for a moment, Heiter's two-story house appeared before the three people.
The small courtyard opened up in front of the door also had a small tree Yulian didn't quite recognize planted there.
House, courtyard, a green tree.
Yulian felt his nose sting a little, feeling that everything was so familiar.
Yet everything was also very strange.
"Mr. Heiter, there are guests~"
Fern's soft and sweet whisper entered the house, and soon, a voice carrying a bit of age, but very kind, came from inside the house.
"Frieren, it's you."
"Sizzle..."
"Clink..."
Fern put down the vegetable basket, quietly entered the kitchen, and began making tea.
The sound of the teacup and lid scraping against each other lightly sounded, and Frieren also began her long-awaited reunion with Heiter, a small gathering like a heart-to-heart talk.
"Frieren, do you have something you came to see me about?"
Heiter was wearing a thin cloak, his hair already a bit gray, and his tired yet sharp eyes, after taking a relieved look at Frieren, then shifted his gaze to Yulian at the side.
"And this Sir is?"
"Heiter,..."
"I was passing by the Holy City and came to see you along the way."
Frieren ate the pastry in her hand, a satisfied smile appearing on her face.
"My name is Yulian, Frieren's friend."
Feeling Heiter's gentle and kind gaze, Yulian replied politely.
"Hmm..."
"A long-lived friend..."
Heiter looked at Yulian thoughtfully.
I'm done for, my identity has been seen through again!
Ahhh!
Just as Yulian was shouting internally, Frieren had already generously admitted it.
"Mm-hmm, a Demon friend."
"That's truly incredible."
Heiter said.
Yet Yulian didn't feel any malice from Heiter.
Huh?
This couldn't help but make Yulian feel a bit strange.
He originally thought that if his identity was exposed to the Hero's party and the human world, what he would face would be conflict and battle.
However, Heiter in front of him seemed to tell Yulian with his actions that the reality didn't seem to be like that.
"You, don't you hate me?"
Yulian looked at Heiter hesitantly, this man who had fought against the Demon Race for ten years.
"Hate, why?"
Heiter was instead confused.
"Heh heh,"
"Actually, I really hope that like you and Frieren, all three of us can become friends."
Heiter smiled relaxedly.
"After all, compared to war and killing, if everyone lived and developed together peacefully,"
"that is what I and all humans collectively hope for."
Heiter said this, and Yulian also felt a sense of sudden enlightenment.
Looking at this kind and gentle old man in front of him, Yulian felt tolerance and universal love.
A long-lost warmth was unexpectedly felt from someone he had just met.
Yulian looked at Heiter in surprise.
The latter maintained a smile, making one feel like bathing in a gentle breeze.
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