This happened shortly after Aesc joined Frieren's group.
It was an evening when the stars twinkled like pearls scattered across the sea.
Dinner consisted of fish Stark had caught in a nearby pond. Despite the abundance of bones, the meal was decent—certainly better than the dry, flavorless bread they carried.
Although Aesc wasn't particularly fond of greasy food, she wasn't unreasonable enough to deny others their share, especially since Stark and Fern were still growing.
Stark had made a pot of fish soup, while a short distance away, Fern sat under a tree, carefully polishing her staff with a meticulous, focused expression.
The gentleness in her movements made it clear to anyone watching that the staff was something of great importance to her.
Suddenly, a voice broke Fern's concentration.
"Fern."
She blinked and looked up in confusion, her hand instinctively catching the object tossed her way.
It was an apple.
"...Lady Aesc, we're about to eat dinner."
"It's fine, it's just a small apple. Won't spoil your appetite," Aesc replied with a carefree wave.
From Fern's angle, she could see the intricate design inside Aesc's white cloak—patterns of blue and gold intertwining to form a celestial map, deep and mysterious.
"I'm really happy, you know," Aesc said softly.
"Huh?"
Fern looked up, puzzled, and met Aesc's serene gaze. Her eyes, as calm as a still lake, shimmered with warmth.
"The staff I made… it found its way to someone who treasures it so much. That makes me happy."
The staff in Fern's hands had been crafted by Aesc at Heiter's request and later given to Fern.
Fern stared at the staff, her fingers tracing its surface as she became lost in thought.
Meaning is something we bestow upon things.
Value is often given by memories.
The objects we treasure most are those that carry the memories of those we hold dear.
Aesc approached and knelt beside her, her voice as gentle as a spring breeze.
"What's on your mind? Care to share?"
Fern hesitated for a moment before resuming her meticulous care for the staff.
Her words, when they came, were quiet and reflective.
"Lord Heiter saved my life."
"When I was about to take my own life, Lord Heiter told me, 'Dying now would be such a waste.'"
"He said he couldn't understand why he had survived instead of the hero, Lord Himmel. If Himmel were still alive, he would have saved so many more people."
The forest fell silent, the only sound the crackle of the campfire.
"And then?" Aesc prompted gently, her soft smile inviting Fern to continue.
"...Lord Heiter said that one day, he realized something. If he died, everything he learned from Lord Himmel—his courage, his will, his friendships, and even their memories—would vanish from this world."
"'If you have memories that are precious to you,' he said, 'then throwing your life away is a waste.'"
Fern's voice faltered as she lowered her gaze, a wistful expression crossing her face.
"Now, I'm afraid of dying… because I'm afraid the memories I have with Lord Heiter will vanish with me. They're my most precious treasure."
Since joining the group, Aesc had often seen Fern painstakingly care for that staff.
Whenever she polished it, she wasn't just maintaining an object—she was cherishing the time she had spent with Heiter, reliving those treasured moments.
"Before Lady Frieren joined us, Lord Heiter always worried about me. He feared that once he was gone, I wouldn't be able to take care of myself… He was terrified of leaving me behind."
"I don't have strong feelings about magic," Fern admitted. "I don't love it or hate it. I just wanted to ease Lord Heiter's worries, to prove that I could live well even on my own. It didn't have to be magic—it just had to be something that would make him feel at peace."
Raising the staff she had just finished polishing, Fern's eyes glimmered in the firelight.
"Lady Frieren told me that this journey will eventually lead us to the afterlife, the resting place of souls. If that's true, then I might be able to see Lord Heiter again."
"When that day comes, I want to stand tall in front of him, holding the staff he gave me. I want to tell him that I've lived well, that I've created countless precious memories since then."
---
The second round of the First-Class Mage exam had concluded.
The traps and mechanisms in the Abandoned Royal Tomb were unimpressive—nothing remarkable.
What had truly made the tomb infamous for claiming the lives of countless adventurers was the Mirror Demon residing in its deepest chamber.
A relic of the mythic age, the Mirror Demon had no offensive abilities. Instead, it read the memories of those who entered and created duplicates of them, each possessing the same abilities as the original.
The most challenging opponents turned out to be the copies of Frieren and the proctor, Sense. Frieren's duplicate, in particular, struck terror into the other candidates just by standing at the entrance. She was a one-elf blockade.
"Good thing Aesc didn't join us," Frieren remarked as they made their way back.
"If the Mirror Demon had created a copy of Lady Aesc with the same power she used against the Gem Beetle Queen, we'd all have had to smash our magic bottles and forfeit."
"It wouldn't have helped," Frieren replied flatly. "Even with the magic constructs, they wouldn't have saved us. Fern, you don't actually think what Aesc showed during that fight was her full strength, do you? She wasn't even serious."
"...Are you joking?"
"Not at all. Ever heard of Mirror Rain Lake?"
"I've read a bit about it… A massive lake that appeared overnight seventy years ago. Some say it was a divine miracle, that the goddess descended to guide Hero Himmel and his companions. Why bring it up now?"
"Because it wasn't a divine miracle. That was Aesc's doing."
Frieren sighed at Fern's baffled expression.
"We encountered this massive caterpillar-like monster. Aesc screamed so loudly I thought my ears would burst. Then she cast an absurdly overpowered spell… and boom, that lake was born."
"???"
Later that evening, Aesc noticed Fern giving her an oddly suspicious look.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Aesc muttered, glancing in the mirror to make sure there wasn't food on her face.
The third round of the exam had yet to be announced, giving the candidates a brief respite.
Due to Frieren's intervention, many candidates who wouldn't have otherwise survived the second round had passed.
However, this success posed a dilemma for the examiners. If the third round followed traditional methods, a significant number of second-round qualifiers could die—a scenario the Magic Association couldn't afford.
Among the Association's 2,000 mages, only around 600 were ranked Fifth-Class or higher, and even fewer were ranked Third-Class or higher. These individuals were irreplaceable assets.
Still, Aesc had no reason to concern herself with such matters. As a self-proclaimed "dropout," she had decided to spend her day exploring the city, wandering aimlessly without any specific plans.
Just as she was about to leave the inn…
"Aesc! I need your help!"
…And there it was—the unpredictable factor.
Muttering a silent curse under her breath, Aesc turned to face the doorway, her expression heavy with mock annoyance as Frieren stepped inside.
After a brief explanation, Aesc massaged her temples.
"You've upset Fern again? Seriously, Frieren, how many times has this happened recently?"
Frieren fidgeted awkwardly, her fingers poking together in front of her chest.
"...I already said I'm sorry."
It turned out that during their adventure in the tomb, the duplicate of Frieren had shattered Fern's staff—the one Heiter had given her.
When they returned, Fern wanted to repair it. But Frieren, in her usual blunt manner, had suggested throwing it away and buying a new one.
Naturally, Fern was furious and stormed off.
"That's such a childishly petty argument," Aesc muttered, exasperated. "You two really test my patience, you know?"
This family would fall apart without me, Aesc thought grimly.
Understanding Fern's feelings wasn't difficult for Aesc. The staff was a gift from Heiter, a symbol of their bond. But Frieren, with her emotional detachment, couldn't grasp the sentimental value.
"Is this the staff?" Aesc asked, glancing at the bag Frieren brought.
"Yes. Fern mentioned you made it, so I thought you might be able to fix it."
Opening the bag, Aesc sighed at the sight of the countless broken fragments.
"You really know how to give me a headache. Fixing this will be far harder than making a new one."
Still, Aesc's lips curled into a subtle smile as she examined the pieces.
Frieren might not fully understand, but her efforts to make amends showed her own brand of kindness.
"Repairing this will be a long, tedious process… Make sure you treat me to a good meal later."
Frieren beamed. "No problem! I've got plenty of money saved up!"
"Don't get too smug. Fixing the staff is one thing, but you're on your own when it comes to Fern. I'm not solving all your problems for you."
"Wait, what—"
Before Frieren could protest, the door opened.
"Lady Aesc, I wanted to—" Fern paused, noticing the staff fragments in Aesc's hands.
"Is that… my staff?"
Aesc nodded nonchalantly. "Frieren brought it to me and insisted I fix it, saying it was far too important to you to simply throw away."
"Wait, I never—mmph!"
Frieren's attempt to deny Aesc's claim was cut off as Aesc clamped a hand over her mouth.
"Why don't you two go talk things out while I work?" Aesc suggested, ushering them both out of the room.
As she closed the door, she added, "Oh, and Fern—Frieren didn't mean to hurt your feelings. She's just terrible at expressing herself. Let her treat you to some sweets as an apology."
With the room to herself, Aesc sighed and sat down.
"Kids these days… Exhausting," she muttered.
Still, as she began repairing the staff, her thoughts turned to Fern's dedication.
"…It's a good staff. One that's been well cared for."