The carriage wheels clattered steadily over the dirt road, the rhythm a quiet lullaby in the evening air. Inside, Frieren was blissfully asleep, her head resting comfortably on Naru's lap. The horned girl absentmindedly stroked Frieren's long hair, her fingers moving with the kind of practiced ease that spoke of habit rather than thought.
Eisen, sitting across from them, broke the quiet. "Is Frieren a good mentor for you?" he asked, his voice low.
Naru's blue eyes didn't leave the elf's sleeping face. "Yes, she is. Heiter-sama said so," she answered without hesitation. "Even if Frieren-sama calls Naru dumb, hmph."
Eisen raised a brow. "And you're not annoyed by the fact she makes you do all the work? That she's not raising or looking after you… but you're the one raising and looking after her?"
Naru didn't even pause. "Frieren-sama is family to Naru, 'ttebayo. Like Heiter-sama."
The old dwarf leaned back, stroking his beard. "...Can't argue with that, I suppose."
Naru finally glanced up at him, her expression as flat and calm as ever. "Eisen-sama is also family to Naru."
Eisen blinked, caught off guard, before letting out a low sigh. "Damn… making me emotional and giving me a heart attack."
"Naru would never attack Eisen-sama's heart," she replied in complete seriousness.
The dwarf chuckled under his breath, shaking his head.
A few days later, the long journey came to an end. The carriage rolled into familiar surroundings, and Eisen's sturdy, stone-built home came into view. The faint scent of pine and the quiet comfort of a place where time moved slowly filled the air. They stepped down from the cart, their boots scuffing on the dirt path.
The old dwarf pushed the door open, letting the warmth of the hearth spill out into the cool air. "Welcome back," he said simply, though the weight in his voice carried more than the words themselves.
—oOVOo—
A few days passed quietly, the kind of quiet that almost felt suspicious in the lives of people like them. Morning sunlight streamed in through the windows of Eisen's home, catching in the motes of dust that danced lazily in the air. Naru was sitting cross-legged on the floor, peeling an apple with the stiff seriousness of someone trying to master a deadly skill. Frieren sat at the table, eyes drifting over a small, worn map as if it contained the secrets of the world. Eisen, meanwhile, was busy cleaning his sword—a weapon that, despite its age, still gleamed like it had been forged yesterday.
When the apple was finally stripped to its bare flesh, Naru popped the whole thing in her mouth in one bite. Frieren didn't even look up. "It's time to leave," she said, like she was announcing the weather.
Eisen grunted, not lifting his eyes from the sword. "Figured it was coming."
Frieren's gaze slid toward the old dwarf. "You should come with us."
That got him to look up. His brows rose like she'd just suggested he take up dancing in a traveling circus. "Me? I'm too old for that now."
Naru tilted her head, swallowed the apple, and said in complete seriousness, "Naru can carry Eisen-sama."
He blinked at her, skeptical. "You can carry me?"
Without a word, Naru stood, walked over to the corner, and—just to prove her point—hoisted an entire barrel of ale over her shoulder like it weighed nothing more than a pillow. She held it there with calm eyes, the expression of someone casually discussing the weather.
Eisen stared at her for a moment, then snorted. "I'd die faster that way."
Frieren's lips twitched into the faintest hint of a smirk. "We do need a vanguard, though. Naru might be strong and fast, but she can't match the skill and battle sense of a trained warrior."
The horned girl's brows furrowed slightly at the implication, though she didn't argue. "Naru can still punch hard, 'ttebayo."
"Punching hard doesn't help if you don't see the sword coming," Eisen replied, leaning back in his chair. "And I'm not exactly in my prime anymore. My knees would mutiny before we even reached the first checkpoint."
Frieren drummed her fingers idly on the table. "Then who?"
The dwarf set his sword aside, his eyes narrowing in thought. "There is someone… my pupil. Stark. Lives in the Riegel Region." He leaned forward slightly. "If you can convince him, he'd be perfect for the job."
Naru blinked. "Is he strong?"
Eisen gave a low, knowing chuckle. "Strong enough to protect both of you if it comes down to it. Boy's a bit of a handful, though."
Frieren's gaze softened faintly—though with her, "softened" meant a subtle tilt of the head and a less icy tone. "We'll go talk to him, then."
The rest of the morning passed in quiet preparation. Frieren sorted her grimoire and magical trinkets into her battered briefcase, while Naru methodically sharpened her blade. She handled the weapon with a strange mix of grace and blunt practicality, her horns catching the sunlight as she moved. Eisen busied himself in the kitchen, and by the time the sun had shifted toward noon, a rich, mouthwatering aroma had filled the house.
When the food was finally ready, Eisen wrapped several portions in cloth bundles, tying each one with neat knots. The smells that leaked out were enough to make Naru's ears practically twitch. She stood by the table, eyeing the packages with the quiet, disciplined restraint of someone who wanted to dive in right now but had been told not to.
"These are for the road," Eisen said, sliding them toward her. "Thought you'd appreciate something better than dried jerky and stale bread."
Naru accepted the bundles with both hands, nodding solemnly. "Eisen-sama is good to Naru. Naru will guard these with her life, 'ttebayo."
"Just don't eat them all before you're halfway to Riegel," the dwarf muttered, though there was a faint smile in his beard.
The moment of parting came sooner than any of them really wanted to acknowledge. Frieren closed her briefcase with a soft click, slung it over her shoulder, and stepped to the doorway. Naru lingered a moment longer, looking around the cozy home as if trying to commit it to memory. Eisen walked them out to the small stone path, the air crisp and clean with the scent of pine.
"Tell Stark I said he's out of excuses," Eisen said, adjusting the belt of his sword.
Frieren's lips curved the slightest bit. "We'll bring him back in one piece."
Naru looked between them, then stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Eisen's middle. He stiffened in surprise before letting out a quiet sigh and resting a hand on her head.
"Take care of her," he said softly, not specifying whether he meant Frieren or Naru.
"We will," Naru replied, voice steady.
They parted then, the dwarf standing at the edge of the path, watching as the two figures—one small and horned, the other slender and robed—walked away toward their next journey. The bundles of food were secured in Naru's pack, but the warmth they carried wasn't just from the cooking. It came from the knowledge that no matter where they went, there were still people worth coming back to.