join p atreon.com/KeyofStars and become a Sequence 9: Reader for dozens of advance chapters for over a dozen fics | Every 100 powerstones = 1 extra chapter
A few months ago, Fern held her breath, focusing, and successfully broke the giant rock with a normal attack Magic.
A few weeks ago, Fern successfully took first place among hundreds of Mages in the third-level Mage examination, earning the title of the youngest and strongest third-level Mage.
A few days ago, Fern's hidden Magic ability was already capable of deceiving Frieren and Yulian.
But just yesterday, Fern bid farewell to the person closest to her in this world—Heiter.
Cold rainwater beat down on the open umbrella, under which stood Fern and Yulian.
Beside them, under another umbrella, Frieren and Flenna stood quietly.
The sky was gray, and the air was uncomfortably cold.
However, compared to the physical discomfort, the passing of Heiter brought an even more unbearable sorrow to their hearts.
Three months, a mere three months.
If Yulian remembered correctly, Lilian's Fountain of Youth water had only barely extended Heiter's life by three months.
For elves and the Demon Race, these three months were undeniably short!
And it was precisely these short three months!
That allowed Heiter to successfully witness Fern breaking through the giant rock.
That allowed Heiter to successfully witness the little girl who had been under his wing take first place in the third-level Mage examination, obtain the third-level Mage certificate, and truly become capable of standing on her own.
That allowed Heiter to see Fern's genius side and finally put his worried heart at ease.
"Fern," On the sickbed, Heiter struggled to lift his right hand and gently stroked Fern's head.
"You've finally grown up..."
With those words, as his dry, aged right hand fell heavily, Heiter passed away from this world!
"Drip!"
"Drip!"
It was the sound of rain, but not entirely the sound of rain.
Teardrops as large as beans continuously fell down Fern's cheeks!
"Grandpa Heiter!"
Fern looked at the gray-black tombstone before her. As memories of the past flooded her mind, she finally couldn't help but cover her face and cry loudly!
Sobbing, interspersed with calls for Heiter.
Helplessness, loneliness—this was separation!
"Rumble!"
A startling thunderclap flashed across the sky!
It was as if the heavens themselves felt sorrow and began to cry loudly along with them!
What had been a continuous drizzle now threatened to turn into a fierce storm!
"We should go, Sir Yulian."
Flenna gently pursed her lips and called out to Yulian.
But Yulian didn't move, nor did he respond.
Memories overlapped and intertwined. Amidst the lightning and thunder, Yulian seemed to no longer see Heiter's tombstone!
But Nico's memorial tomb!
"Nico..."
Tears streamed down Yulian's face like rain. He actually walked out from under the umbrella's protection and knelt weakly beside the tombstone!
"Thud!"
He was a failed Demon King; he couldn't do anything!
It had been decades!
Even though he had preserved Nico's body, Yulian still hadn't found any way to resurrect her!
He couldn't do it!
He couldn't do anything!
Nico, who used to follow him, Nico, who was full of laughter and joy with him, was dead!
He had repeatedly comforted himself, saying it was birth, aging, sickness, death, fate!
But was it really just fate?!
Magic!
Magic, crowned with the belief in power!
Magic, entrusted with the name of miracle!
What kind of Magic would it take to bring the dead back to life?!
And what exactly was the resting place of souls?!
Why did it feel so close?!
Yet forever out of reach?!
"Sir Yulian!"
Flenna shouted, hurriedly pulling Frieren forward, then managed to cover the three of them with the umbrella in her hand.
She herself was exposed to the cold rain.
Cold!
Flenna's pure white dress was already soaked by the rain!
Her beautiful, smooth white long hair, like swan feathers, was also stuck to Flenna's body due to the rain, making her extremely uncomfortable.
But Yulian seemed not to have heard Flenna's words, just staring blankly at the tombstone.
Staring blankly, lost in thought.
Dejected and dispirited!
"Fern, Mistress Frieren!"
Flenna shouted.
"Rumble!"
A terrifying thunderclap suddenly roared!
Followed closely by the howling gale!
Under such terrifying rain, the umbrella was directly blown and bent!
"Magic!"
"Ice House!"
Flenna gritted her teeth and cast Magic. The rainwater surrounding them instantly formed an ice house, protecting them well.
It blocked out the rain from outside, and at the same time, brought absolute darkness.
This Magic was originally intended to trap enemies!
The moment the Magic was cast, endless darkness enveloped the inside of the ice house!
"Magic!"
"Ice Layer Mirror!"
Flenna casually threw down the broken umbrella, spat, and angrily spat on the ground.
With the casting of Ice Layer Mirror, the ice house also became thin and transparent.
Only at the moment a faint light illuminated the inside of the ice house did Flenna breathe a sigh of relief and stare wide-eyed at the three people who seemed to have lost their souls!
Not one of the three wasn't soaked. Their clothes were drenched, and their hair was sticky and clinging to their bodies, a truly sorry sight.
What was strange was, this should be very uncomfortable, right?
The cold, the sticky feeling of clothes and hair—no one should be able to bear it, right?
But two people were standing quietly, and another was kneeling blankly beside the gray-black tombstone, gently stroking it with one hand.
"Heiter is dead."
Frieren wanted to reach out and touch the tombstone, but her hand stopped suddenly in mid-air.
He's dead, what's the use of silently touching the tombstone?
That old man who used to talk and laugh is dead, gone, disappeared.
For the second time, Frieren had a deeper understanding of death.
Frieren withdrew her hand.
Hmm... dead.
"Heiter."
Without the rain, and with the thunder blocked out, Yulian's empty eyes regained a flicker of what could only be described as dim light.
That's right.
Nico had unknowingly been dead for decades.
Now Heiter was also dead.
"I'm sorry, Sister Flenna."
Flenna's gaze was met by Fern.
Fern lowered her head, admitting her mistake.
Yet her tears couldn't stop!
She shouldn't be this heartbroken. Grandpa Heiter had clearly fulfilled his wishes and gone to heaven without any regrets!
But Fern just felt terrible, as if something was missing in her heart?
Heart?
Yes!
It was like a piece of her heart was missing, making her unable to stop crying loudly!
"Sigh..."
Flenna let out a breath, losing her temper, and gently pulled Fern into her embrace to comfort her.
"There, there."
"I know Fern is very reluctant to part with Mr. Heiter, but Mr. Heiter has gone to heaven."
"Someone as good as Mr. Heiter must have gone to heaven!"
Was Flenna truly unmoved by the death of Heiter, her friend?
But!
She had promised Heiter that she would take good care of them!
How could she bury her head and cry loudly, venting her pain, just like them?!
"Sister Flenna!"
"Don't cry, don't cry~"
"Fern, don't cry anymore~"
Flenna gently patted the back of Fern, who was tightly hugging her, a smile on her face as she spoke comforting words.
Yet, tears couldn't help but slide down from the corners of her own eyes.
join p atreon.com/KeyofStars and become a Sequence 9: Reader for dozens of advance chapters for over a dozen fics | Every 100 powerstones = 1 extra chapter