2

Twenty Years since Himmel's Passing

Teufel was not sure why, but her mother had dragged their journey through the central provinces, the two of them did not even bother passing through the Holy City Strahl as her mother was seemingly intent on looking for Heiter.

While Freiren took the lead for the journey, as she usually did, Teufel herself walked beside her mother to her left, in the midst of jotting down a few notes into her pad of paper.

The little Half-elf carried on her back a few luggages that looked a little too much and too big for her size, but through the wonders of various magic spells her mother taught her, Teufel was able to lug around enough supplies for her journey.

Frieren of course opted to stick with her suitcase of luggage she used to lug her things around with a single hand, but for Teufel, she wanted to optimize the spells of lightweight and minor gravity spells to their utmost usefulness.

There was a time when Teufel asked her mother if there were specific gravity spells that focused on attacks, such as creating a field around one's enemy to flatten them to death, and Frieren responded that there was in fact one.

Let it never be said that her mother knew more than one way to kill a demon, but often chose lower tier spells on top of keeping her mana concealment spell up at all times.

When asked why she kept her mana concealed to such a degree at all times, Frieren explained to her daughter that it was a lesson and order from her Teacher to keep her mana down, as to fool any and all demons whenever Frieren dealt with them.

It was also that day that Frieren ordered her daughter to do the same, and to be frank, Teufel saw merit in the act to beguile a species that sought the destruction of others.

Back to the matter at hand though, as Taufel walked beside her mother, she adjusted the pack on her back with a little haft, and continued her brisk walk with her mother Frieren while reaching back and slipping her notepad and pencil into a side pouch of her backpack.

As Frieren herself approached a scraggly looking old and dead tree, she looked up at in confusion, "I think….we are lost…" she remarked, while looking side to side.

Teufel however gave her mother a flat sideways look, "I think we missed the path to Heiter's many times ago." she stated plainly.

Frieren blinked a few times, before turning her head to look down at her daughter, "Then…why didn't you say anything?" she asked with a tilt of her head.

Teufel thumbed at the nearby bushes, "Cause we're being followed," she explained, while the sound of the nearby bushes ruffled before a young girl slowly walked out, prompting both mother and Daughter to turn and greet the child.

"Hello…" The young girl greeted the two with an innocent look, while holding a basket of mushrooms. "I thought you two were lost…and well…" the young girl then looked at Teufel with a curious gaze, "I wasn't sure if I should have approached you or not." she remarked.

Teufel was about to speak to the girl on how she should speak to strangers so easily, but her mother beat her to the punch by stepping forward and asking the girl, "Well, now that you're out and approached us, do you perhaps know where a man known as Heiter lives?" she asked earnestly.

The young girl smiled a bit, but not by much in way of expression as she stared at Frieren, "I see, so you two are visitors." she stated, before turning to leave, "If you follow me, I can lead you there." she finished saying, while she began to lead the way.

"Great!" Frieren expressed kindly, and followed the girl, with Teufel coming in tow.

Heiter's Home

"I'm a bit surprised you're still around, you corrupt priest." Frieren commented in a frank but jesting attitude towards her former party member, who was now a very old man. The two of them were currently in one of the main rooms of the priest's house, as the elf herself sat near a table while the Priest busied himself putting some wood into the fireplace for the coming chill of fall weather.

"Haha." Heiter chuckled warmly as he chucked a small log into the fireplace, "Well this old bag of bones has a few more time left in it…" he remarked back to Frieren, and turned to look at her, "Just wish I had more in me." he digress as he finished chucking one more log into the fireplace, before making his way to the table that Frieren sat it.

While the two former party members chatted on various matters, within the kitchen room, Teufel had busied herself making something with roasted beans she acquired through an expensive trade. The girl, who introduced herself to Teufel, Fern, was in the process of making tea while using a stool to stand over the island counter.

Teufel, who had just pulled out a few things from one of her suitcases she had imbued with magic to lighten their load, brought out herself a gadget of sorts that looked foreign to Fern as she finished brewing Tea for Heiter and his guest Freiren. "What's that stuff?" she asked innocently, while placing two tea cups onto a plate for her to begin pouring tea into them.

Having to use her levitation spell to reach over the island counter, since Fern was using her own stool, Taufel was in the midst of taking out her own kettle, before looking at Fern with raised brow of interest. "Oh, this?" she asked Fern, while gesturing at the odd looking device, and received a nod from fern.

Teufel smiled a bit thinly, "A rather…costly item I managed to get my hands on, it's supposed to help drip boiled water through these roasted beans after I grind a measured amount of them." she explained to the young girl, as she began the process of brewing her own coffee in a very elaborate way.

Using various intricacies of magic and mana stones, Teufel was able to make herself coffee; the effort of casting fire was easy, and acquiring clean waters was just as well, but finding the supply of the exotic bean known as koffee was very taxing on her funds.

Teufel supposed trade was just not prevalent enough for it to be a common commodity; at least chocolate was more widely traded at the very least.

"Oh." Fern commented back with a nod as she finished pouring tea into two teacups, "Does it taste good?" she asked.

Teufel shook her hand with a simple smile, "Not really, it has more of a bitter taste, but it's great for early mornings, and the flavor it provides when served hot." she answered.

"Hmm…" Fern mused, "...can I try some?" she asked, before reaching to grab the plate of teacups to serve Heiter and his guest fresh tea.

Teufel shrugged in response, "I suppose I could part with an additional cup to serve for you." she answered.

Fern smiled back before taking off to serve the tea, "Thanks!"

Later

"AAAAHHHH, BLAST BLAST, BOOM, BOOM! BLOW IT ALL UP!" Screamed Fern in hyper active mode, her eyes bloodshot, while she held her staff Heiter gave her as a present. Gone were the build up shots she attempted in causing a hole to be blasted through the far off rock, instead, Fern opted to fire off countless low mana cost shots down at the ground far below to work off the energy she felt buzzing in her body.

In the back, Frieren looked on with a flat look, while Teufel expressed a surprised expression.

"...you're not allowed to give children koffee any more." Frieren stated plainly, before tilting her head, "Although, now I wonder if that koffee boosts mana reserves…she's been going at this for an hour now." she remarked.

Teufel however slowly glanced at her mother with a certain look, "How was I supposed to know the quiet child would change personalities!?" she asked with a wide eyed look. "I was only being a kind guest in sharing my supply of koffee!" she refuted.