"Come on, cute elf girl. It looks like you're mine tonight."
Fíliya said, extending an inviting hand to Frieren, but she soon received a disdainful look from Frieren.
"Even if you call me cute, I won't thank you."
Frieren said.
"Besides... why do I have to share a room with you? Stark has already hidden upstairs, so can't I just room with Fern? That's how we always did it before."
Fíliya added.
"Hey, you're refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit, huh? I was just teasing you... but now I'm definitely dragging you into the room today."
Fíliya gritted her teeth, as if her pride had been wounded, and pounced directly at Frieren. After pushing Frieren to the ground, she grabbed Frieren's ankles and began dragging her toward her own room.
"Fern! Save me!"
Frieren clawed at the ground with both hands, calling out to her apprentice in terror.
But Fern just watched the scene with a blank expression.
She found it particularly amusing. After all, if Frieren really wanted to resist, the two would have started fighting long ago—and it would be the kind of fight that shakes heaven and earth.
As for this childish cry for help... it could only be considered part of their play.
With that thought, Fern decided to ignore the two and headed straight to her own room.
But before leaving, she left behind one sentence.
"Fíliya, Lady Frieren right after waking up in the morning is very troublesome. She needs help getting dressed and having her hair combed... It's your turn to suffer now."
Fern said with a smile and left the scene.
"Fern! How can you watch your teacher fall into the demon's clutches! Come back! Come back!"
Frieren shouted unwillingly at Fern's retreating back, but Fern clearly had no intention of turning around.
"Hohoho, little cutie, your only ally has abandoned you. What tricks do you have left?"
Fíliya continued to look at Frieren with a mocking expression, but Frieren clearly didn't want to play anymore.
"Enough... can you stop this? It's so embarrassing."
Frieren's cheeks flushed slightly.
"Mm... alright, actually, I feel a bit embarrassed too. Good thing no outsiders saw it."
Fíliya also coughed lightly to cover her awkwardness and quickly released Frieren.
"Come on, let's talk inside."
After getting up, Frieren hurriedly patted her clothes. Fortunately, Fíliya's house was truly spotless, so her clothes didn't get any dust on them.
"Fine, as you wish."
Fíliya chuckled lightly, took the luggage from Frieren's hand, and entered the bedroom with her.
After placing the luggage down, the two sat very tacitly on the same side of the bed's edge. Soon, the room fell into a subtle silence.
"Aren't you going to say something?"
Fíliya probed.
"What do you want to hear?"
Frieren countered.
"Mm, anything? Just say whatever comes to mind."
"Mm... I find it a bit unbelievable, you know?"
Frieren turned her head and looked seriously at Fíliya.
"Huh? Starting with such a profound topic right away?!"
Fíliya covered her face, looking a bit overwhelmed by the favor.
But Frieren just gave her a blank look and continued.
"I just feel... like I'm very close to you. Even Fern doesn't give me that feeling, even though I watched that child grow up."
Frieren said, sinking into memories.
"And... my feelings toward you... are different from Himmel, Heiter, Eisen, and the others? It just feels strange."
Frieren's eyes stared straight at Fíliya. She really wanted to figure out what this girl in front of her truly meant to her.
"Mm... Heiter and Eisen are close friends to you, and Himmel... besides 'close friend,' there's another layer of meaning."
"Another layer? Explain clearly, don't keep me in suspense."
Frieren looked curious and urged her on, lightly elbowing Fíliya.
"Pfft... these things are more fun when you realize them yourself. Having someone spell it out ruins the romance."
Fíliya didn't say it directly, just holding back her laughter with effort.
"Tsk... then what about you?"
Seeing this, Frieren just curled her lip, too lazy to press further, and turned the topic back to Fíliya.
"Me... pretty much a 'frenemy'?"
Fíliya pinched her chin, defining her relationship with Frieren.
"Frenemy?"
Frieren blinked blankly; it was the first time she'd heard the term.
"Mm, the kind where... we attack each other, despise each other, mock each other, but also protect each other, care for each other?"
Fíliya added with a light chuckle.
"Tsk... you're making it even more complicated... can't you sum it up simply?"
"How can it be simple? Human emotions are the most complex thing; how can you just casually sum them up?"
"Mm... that's true."
Frieren could only nod in agreement in the end, then turned her gaze to the bed she was sitting on.
Hm? The bed?
Frieren seemed to suddenly think of something.
"Right, Fíliya, you live alone, right? Why do you have two beds... two bedrooms?"
"Oh? You finally noticed? I thought you'd be even denser, but it seems you've made a little progress. Here's a little praise for you."
Fíliya said, reaching out to pat Frieren's head.
This time, Frieren behaved herself and didn't resist or glare back at Miss Fíliya.
After enjoying it for several seconds, Frieren finally patted Fíliya's hand away somewhat embarrassedly.
"Stop with the antics, answer the question."
Frieren urged.
"Mm... of course, because there's often another person here. When we were little, we even slept together all the time. Later, when we grew a bit, she suddenly found it embarrassing to sleep with me, so she quickly cleaned out the next room and bought a new bed for it, refusing to sleep with me no matter what."
"But when I grew a bit more, I suddenly regretted it. By the time I wanted to sleep with her again, there were no more opportunities... It's truly a wondrous journey of the heart."
Fíliya said, a reminiscent look appearing on her face.
"Pfft... it really is. Do all humans go through this phase?"
Frieren burst into laughter upon hearing Fíliya's words.
"Fern went through it too. One day, she suddenly got annoyed with me..."
Frieren seemed to sink into memories as well. After a long while, she looked back at Fíliya.
"That person must be very important to you?"
Frieren's eyes were very serious.
"Isn't that obvious?"
Fíliya smiled, then controlled her upper body to lean back.
"..."
"...Fern was telling the truth earlier, right? Every morning when I first wake up and am still groggy... I've always been hazy. Fern has always taken care of dressing and combing my hair."
Frieren suddenly changed the subject.
"Hm? So?"
Fíliya looked at Frieren.
"So... can you take care of me tomorrow morning?"
Frieren's gaze was a bit evasive.
"Mm... that depends on my mood tomorrow morning."
___
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