Chapter 259: Concern from an Elf
The middle level of the Magic Association tower housed a communal area designated for mages to rest and exchange ideas.
Directly above this level was the residence of Serie and her apprentices. The entrance was sealed by a barrier, meaning ordinary people—and even most mages—could not even dream of going up there.
At this moment, the area was slightly quiet, with no other mages in sight.
Ela walked over carrying a pot of freshly brewed herbal tea and placed it gently on a small round table.
Frieren followed behind her, hugging a paper bag filled with various pastries. Clearly, the two had just returned from a shopping trip to the market.
"Frieren, you have cookie crumbs on the corner of your mouth."
Looking at Frieren, who was chomping down on a cookie, Ela helplessly took out a handkerchief to wipe the crumbs from the elf's mouth. She didn't forget to pour her a cup of hot tea as well.
According to Frieren, she had been born less than a century ago. In Ela's eyes, she was completely a little sister who needed looking after.
Although elves didn't have a clear concept of kinship like humans did, Ela felt she was different from the average elf.
After all, Lord Rhodes was half her teacher, and he had taught her much about human emotions.
While she couldn't fully understand them yet, Ela was slowly beginning to learn.
"Mmh-hmm." Frieren hummed vaguely, lifting her small face obediently, seemingly enjoying the feeling of being taken care of.
Just then, Flamme walked down the stairs from the side.
She appeared to have just finished a long session of research. Fatigue was visible on her face, but her eyes were still clear.
Seeing Ela and Frieren, her steps paused slightly before she walked over to join them.
"Master Flamme!" Frieren swallowed the pastry in her mouth and greeted her normally. She even actively pulled a piece of cake from the paper bag and offered it to Flamme. "This is for you."
Flamme was slightly stunned. Looking into Frieren's eyes, which were so pure they contained no complex emotions, she suddenly felt a pang of envy.
She took the cake and forced a smile. "Thank you. Did you two just return from the market?"
"Mn." Frieren mumbled around a mouthful of cake. "The food here is delicious."
"Sit down first, Flamme," Ela beckoned while pouring her tea. "You look exhausted. Have you been researching magic in the library again?"
Recently, Flamme had frequently run down to the library on the lower levels to study magic, often staying there for the entire day.
Ela had asked her what kind of magic she was researching to see if she could help, but Flamme didn't seem inclined to tell her.
Over time, Ela had given up on the idea of assisting.
Flamme sat down in the chair next to them and shook her head gently. "I am fine. Just consulting some rather obscure ancient grimoires. It is a bit mentally draining."
She took a small bite of the cake. The sweet taste melted on the tip of her tongue, slightly relaxing her tense nerves.
Not wanting to discuss the true content of her research, she steered the topic away. "This cake is really good. Which shop did you buy it from?"
"Right?" Frieren immediately chimed in, opening the paper bag wide like she was presenting a treasure to Flamme. Inside was a dazzling array of cookies and pastries. "It is from a newly opened shop. If Master wants, I have other flavors here too."
"No need, this piece is enough." Flamme hurriedly declined Frieren's kindness.
Although this child was several times older than her, in Flamme's eyes, Frieren was just like a little human girl.
She didn't understand feelings, nor did she know how to process them, so she retained a certain purity about everything.
It was nice.
Ela spoke up from the side. "Indeed. She nearly emptied the counter. If I hadn't stopped her, she probably would have tried to buy the oven used to bake the pastries too."
Her tone carried a hint of amusement and indulgence toward Frieren's childish behavior.
Frieren tilted her head, seemingly genuinely considering the feasibility of the oven. "I was thinking that if I bought the oven back, I could eat such delicious pastries without having to go out."
"How is that even possible?"
Flamme looked at Frieren's serious expression and couldn't help but retort.
Staying with Frieren always unconsciously lifted one's spirits. It was as if she possessed a strange power to make people relax.
"Master," Frieren suddenly remembered something. She took a small packet wrapped in oil paper from her pocket and handed it to Flamme. "I bought these candies at the market. Although the taste might be a bit different from the ones in the village, they are also very good."
This bag of candy was clearly something Frieren had specifically searched for.
Could it be that the reason this child constantly went to the market recently, buying a huge pile of food every time, was just to find candies similar to the ones from her hometown?
Flamme remembered the first time she saw Master Serie and Master Rhodes kiss. To comfort her, Frieren had handed her a candy.
She hadn't expected the child to keep it in mind all this time.
A warm current surged in Flamme's heart. She took the candy and whispered, "Thank you, Frieren."
"You are welcome."
Watching this scene, Ela smiled. "Frieren really likes you. It seems Lord Rhodes made the right choice in having Frieren become your apprentice."
Flamme lowered her head, looking at the bag of candy in her hand, her heart filled with mixed feelings.
The elf's affection was so pure that it made the hidden, perhaps less-than-honorable obsession deep in Flamme's heart feel a twinge of guilt.
A brief silence fell over the three, broken only by the faint sounds of Frieren nibbling on her snacks.
After a while, Frieren seemed finally full. Satisfied, she held her teacup with both hands and took small sips.
Swinging her legs, her gaze landed on Flamme, and she suddenly asked a question out of nowhere:
"Master, are you unhappy?"
Both Flamme and Ela were stunned.
Ela quickly looked at Frieren. "Frieren, what are you saying?"
Frieren blinked, her eyes still fixed on Flamme, and spoke with certainty. "But the flow of mana has changed."
"Before, it flowed with a regular rhythm. But now, it is completely chaotic and disordered."
Elven perception was sometimes unimaginably sharp.
Especially for an elf like Frieren with thin emotions. She might not understand human feelings, but she could intuitively perceive the invisible mana fluctuations emitted by emotional turbulence.
Flamme froze completely.
She hadn't expected the emotions she tried so hard to hide would be pointed out by Frieren in such a way.
She opened her mouth to deny it but momentarily didn't know how to answer.
Ela also looked at Flamme with concern.
She had noticed the changes in Flamme long ago but hadn't found the right opportunity to ask.
Flamme was silent for a moment. Finally, she forced a smile and reached out to gently stroke Frieren's soft hair. "Frieren is mistaken. I am not unhappy. I have just spent too much energy on research lately, so I am a little tired, that is all."
Frieren looked at her seriously for a long while, frowning as if she didn't quite believe it. But eventually, she nodded. "Then, you should rest more."
"Mn, I will."
Ela looked at Flamme and spoke as gently as possible. "Yes. If you have any difficulties, you can tell us. After all, we are all Master Serie's apprentices."
Looking at the pure gazes of the two elves, the taut string in Flamme's heart seemed to loosen just a little.
Although she couldn't speak of her true secret, this concern from the elves still made her feel much better.
"I know. Thank you both."
❃❃❃
⤑ Show your support with Power Stones!
⤑ Unlock a Bonus Chapter every time we hit 200 Power Stones!
❃❃❃
♕ Get early access to 20+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
🔗 https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to open the link!)
💬 Enjoying the story? Drop a review!
Your support really helps the series grow—thank you