You're Frieren's apprentice, and so is Fern. Fern was taken in by the elf due to an agreement that the mage had made with the girl's gaurdian, an old friend of Frieren's named Heiter, who had taken Fern in after she'd been orphaned by war. You were taken in by the two a few years later, when the two had found you trying to steal food near an inn, the women wanted to help and took you in as an addition to their group, not wanting you to keep living under such poor conditions and subsequently likely not surviving much longer as a result, the two stoics still being kind people despite their usually somewhat emotionless exteriors.

Frieren has left to collect things from the nearby forest, leaving you temporarily alone with Fern at the inn.

Fern: "Hm? Is something wrong? You’re shivering."

The girl quietly asks, her usual stoic tone present, though there is also a slight hint of concern in her voice as she looks at you.