Frieren: Reincarnated As a Demon

Chapter 130: Frieren's cognitive bias [2]

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Fern stared at Ash with inexplicably dim eyes, her voice trembling as she asked, "Master Ash... what did you do with Master Frieren just now?"

"I didn't do anything," Ash replied, confused.

"No! You just indirectly kissed Lady Frieren!"

Though her eyes were dim, as she spoke, Fern's voice became increasingly faint, her face turning red. "This… this is simply! It's no different from a direct kiss! How could you do this?"

"…I think there's a big difference. After all, when you were little, didn't I also…" Ash tried to ease the tension with a casual tone, but Fern interrupted emphatically, "Absolutely not! I've always eaten by myself!"

"Hmm… now that I think about it, you're right," Ash admitted.

When she was younger, Fern had been so obedient it made people feel sorry for her. But now, looking at the girl whose figure had developed unconsciously and who was fuming in anger, Ash couldn't help but sigh.

This sigh, however, touched Fern's sensitive nerves.

"Master Ash! Why are you looking at me and sighing at a time like this?" she asked, her tone tinged with grievance. Annoyed, she forced him to look at the companion sitting across from them.

"Frieren…" Ash called out, hoping for help.

"Oh, this pudding is so delicious~" Frieren replied, pretending not to notice. She kept eating her pudding while looking at the menu, already thinking about what to order for dinner.

This told Ash he couldn't rely on her in the slightest. Ignoring Ubel's amused gaze, he made up his mind. After a moment of thought, he placed his hands on Fern's shoulders, forcibly pushed her back, and straightened her posture. Then—

"—Ah! What are you doing?!" Frieren's dissatisfied voice rang out as Ash snatched the menu from her hand and handed it to Fern instead.

"Anyway… why don't you order something first? I'll treat you, anything is fine!"

"I don't need that… Hey, this…" Fern, initially resistant, caught sight of the prices on the menu and frowned. "…It's not my birthday, so why go to such extravagant lengths?"

"I have money," Ash replied simply.

"That may be true! But I'm already an adult, and it's not right to rely on you for something like this…! And how many times do I have to tell you—stop treating me like a child!"

Fern, unusually stubborn when it came to independence, refused to spend Ash's money even if it meant using her own. The earlier dissatisfaction she'd felt now seemed to grow again.

At that moment, Frieren glanced at the menu and suddenly said, "Birthday? Now that I think about it… isn't it almost Ash's birthday?"

"Huh? Is that true… ah, it is!" Fern, who had been preoccupied with exam preparations, froze momentarily before realizing the truth.

Ubel, surprised by Fern's reaction, teased, "Hey~ Fern actually forgot Ash's birthday? I thought you'd been counting the days and waiting for it this whole time!"

"…Because every time Master Ash celebrates his birthday, he disappears without a trace…" Thinking of this, Fern turned to Ash with a resentful look. "I've never… really never celebrated Master Ash's birthday once…"

"It seems so? But I've celebrated his birthday before," Frieren said nonchalantly, clearly surprised as she mentioned her own experience.

At her words, Fern turned her indignant gaze to Frieren. "Lady Frieren, are you bragging to me?"

"Why would I brag about something like this…?"

"Is this the privilege of the strong?"

"I really don't understand what you're saying… don't look at me like that…"

Fern's strange dissatisfaction, as if she saw Frieren as a competitor, left the elf thoroughly confused. In the end, she looked at Ash for help.

But as always, Ash proved completely unhelpful in situations like these.

…

…

Once the meals for the four of them were served, the slightly tense atmosphere finally began to ease.

An extra-large sundae and two small cakes made Fern temporarily forget her earlier frustrations. Typically expressionless, she now wore a girlish smile that seemed entirely out of character.

"Hehe~" Frieren, sitting in front of an absurdly large steak, also seemed to let go of her worries. She unconsciously raised the corners of her mouth as she prepared to dig into her meal. Meanwhile, Ubel, sitting nearby, had three desserts identical to Fern's.

"…You really like to imitate others," Ash muttered, clearly annoyed. Ubel twirled her spoon with a smug grin and replied, "I've realized the more I imitate others, the harder it is for people to pick up on my scent."

"…Then why don't you try imitating Frieren?" Ash gestured toward the massive mountain of steak in front of Frieren.

Ubel glanced at the mountain of meat, which must have weighed at least 20 kilograms, and gave a strange expression. "That much… if you actually ate it all, wouldn't you die?"

"…What? You're so rude. This amount of food wouldn't kill anyone," Frieren retorted, shooting Ubel a brief glare. She sighed lightly before picking up her knife and fork, cutting into the steak with practiced precision. Taking a bite, she even praised the flavor.

Watching her, Ash propped his chin on one hand and sighed. "Ah… this is nothing."

"What? Ash, do you have an opinion too?" Frieren asked, squinting at him.

"Not really… I've just always wondered why dwarves don't drink and why elves eat meat like crazy. What's going on?"

"How long are you going to hold onto these outdated ideas about dwarves drinking and elves being vegetarians?" Frieren replied, her tone laced with annoyance. Once he finished speaking, she promptly ignored him, treating him like someone who was hopelessly misguided.

Ash sighed again but refrained from saying more, feeling slightly disillusioned at how reality didn't match his expectations. His gaze wandered across the table, and he sighed again, this time heavier.

"Why aren't there any decent pretty girls? All I see are weird ones," he muttered, his eyes falling on the trio sitting before him.

"Master Ash, this is a public place. I'll refrain from saying much," Fern said, setting her spoon down and delicately wiping her mouth. Though her tone remained composed, there was a hint of restrained annoyance. Staring at her dessert, she added casually, "But since you've already said something so rude, you'd better explain yourself properly when we get back."

"No… when I say weird, I'm definitely not including you, Fern," Ash clarified quickly.

"Does that include me?" Frieren asked, looking up from her steak with an expressionless face.

Fern jabbed Ash sharply with her elbow and whispered, "Lady Frieren is going to get upset. Fix this quickly—it's your responsibility."

"…"

Why do I have to deal with this just because of one sigh? Ash thought as he took another bite of beef. The rich flavor spreading in his mouth only served to amplify his inexplicable frustration.

At that moment, diners at a nearby table began discussing recent national affairs. Their words caught the attention of the magicians at Ash's table, who fell silent and listened intently.

The diners spoke of how the kingdom had recently stationed three new legions at the border fortress near the magic city. These elite troops, equipped with high-quality protective magic gear, were made up of heavy infantry and both light and heavy cavalry.

The relationship between the Empire and the Kingdom of Ester was already strained, with small-scale skirmishes occasionally breaking out in the border regions. Although both sides had exercised restraint thus far, the sudden increase in military forces seemed likely to escalate tensions further.