"How could that be! And besides, every time I come here I basically go straight to the Magic Association, and it's in the core district! Ordinary mages can't even get in, how would I have the chance to act like a thug!"
"Sigh! So you really wanted to act like a thug?"
"That was just an example! Don't interpret it from some weird angle, okay?", Ash was close to losing it. He directly reached out and pressed his hand onto Kanne's head, smiling without warmth as he threatened her, "You'd better explain yourself clearly and restore my innocence. Otherwise, I'll show you just how annoying this old man really is."
"Don't mess up my hair! You perverted old—huh? My body feels so, so heavy?"
She tried to raise her hand to swat him away, but the abnormal gravity made her unable to move for a moment. Even her legs began to tremble.
"I'm a gentle old man, so I won't get angry right away. But I also believe in gender equality. So, if you don't want to be thrown into the river for a bath, then please explain clearly in front of my junior how you slandered me."
"Ugh!", Facing his threat, Kanne looked extremely unwilling. Gritting her teeth, she said, "You... back then you arrogantly demanded that my friend... Fern leave this place!"
"Fern? Friend? Leave?", Ash racked his brain for a moment before suddenly nodding in realization, "Ah! Now that you put it that way, I remember. Back at the Magic Academy, Fern seemed to have two pretty close friends? I think they even came over to my house? But... have we met?"
"You might not know me, but I know you. Because Fern showed us your photo."
"That ancestral photo?"
"And... when she dropped out, you showed up too... I'll never forget," Kanne looked like she wanted to bite someone, "That careless expression on your face!"
"Is that so? But didn't you just recognize me now?"
"Th-That's because... who knew you wouldn't change at all after so many years?", Kanne showed an embarrassed expression for a split second.
Ash didn't tease her further. He withdrew his hand somewhat helplessly and casually patted her head.
"Alright, alright. That was so many years ago. Let the past stay in the past. I'm not holding it against you, so don't keep dwelling on it either."
"You're not qualified to say that... but...", Kanne smoothed her hair and stared at him warily, "Has Fern come back?"
"She's back. Just go straight to my house, if you still remember where it is."
"Of course I do. I'm not like you, you annoying old man!"
As she said that, Kanne made a face at him before quickly running off, clearly planning to head to his house directly. That gave him a faint sense of foreboding.
Ash didn't really mind being made faces at by a kid, but, watching the girl run toward his house, he couldn't help stroking his chin in worry, "I suddenly don't really feel like going home for a while."
"Why?"
The strange remark made Sense, who had been quietly listening at his side, show a puzzled expression.
"Because she'll definitely tell the kids at my house that I was with you."
"And what's wrong with that?"
"I left on the excuse that I had something important to deal with."
"Is that so?"
Sense widened her eyes slightly, looking surprised. That in turn made him a bit confused, "What were you thinking?"
"Lord Ash thinks eating with me is important," Sense answered without hesitation, then looked at him as if to confirm, "Did I misunderstand again?"
"Well, it's not entirely a misunderstanding."
Facing his cute junior's worried gaze, Ash could only smile helplessly and nod, placing his hand on her fluffy head.
Going out to eat together was important. At first, though, he had planned to tidy up his house and cover up the signs that he had been there. But saying something that would hurt her feelings didn't seem like a good idea.
He was just a little worried about what would happen when he got home. But since he was already out, and there was a cute girl beside him, the other things weren't that big of a deal. He could set them aside for now. That was how he thought at the moment.
However...
"Lord Ash, why are you always touching my hair?"
"Because it's the perfect height," He gestured with his hand. The girl in front of him was like an armrest, exactly the right height to pat on the head.
That made Sense's mood a little complicated. Before she could say anything, Ash spoke first.
"By the way, I've said this before. Girls should take care of their hair a bit more diligently. When was the last time you washed yours?"
"It's quite long, so it's not easy to deal with. But I did wash it yesterday."
"It's this long and you really washed it yesterday?", Slightly surprised that she actually took care of such long hair, he unconsciously lifted a strand and brought it close to his nose to smell it.
Sense's mouth opened slightly at once, and she instinctively stepped back two steps, "W-What are you doing?"
"Just checking the smell. It's just hair, right? What's wrong?"
"It is just hair, but somehow... it feels a little embarrassing."
"It's fine. It smells like flowers. Not unpleasant at all."
"Because I added flower petals when I washed it," Seeing him look like he was trying to comfort her, Sense couldn't help lowering her head and speaking softly, "It's not just about the smell... Lord Ash, you're even stranger than I am."
"No, I do understand that girls have a sense of modesty," Ash, who had sharp ears, instinctively explained when he heard that, "But in a way, I did watch you grow up, didn't I?"
"If meeting occasionally counts, then that would be very irresponsible. And... you're not my guardian!", That unique interpretation made Sense sigh quietly in her heart again, "After all, even my father wouldn't do this."
"Then how about I become someone closer to you than your father?", Ash suddenly interrupted her thoughts again, his tone carrying both seriousness and teasing.
"What do you mean?", Sense's voice carried a bit of surprise and confusion, "Do you want to... build a deeper relationship with me?"
"Haha! Don't think in that direction. I just said it on a whim. I'm not plotting anything."
"Figures. You're always like this... so unpredictable!"
Sense replied softly. Even though she had expected it, confirming it again still made her let out an almost inaudible sigh.
At this point, she wouldn't get angry. They had known each other for over ten years, after all. She was already used to his personality.
Even so, no matter how long she had known him, whenever she stood beside Ash, her usually calm heart would always be stirred by his playful words or actions, sending ripples across its surface.
Strangely enough, for someone like Sense, who usually gave the impression of being dull and expressionless, she didn't dislike this feeling at all.
———
As agreed beforehand, Ash led Sense into a nearby restaurant and fulfilled his promise to treat her.
At the table, he patiently explained the magical formula he had proposed two years ago. Under his explanation, those complex and exquisite theories became vivid and easy to understand.
Yet Ash couldn't help feeling a bit puzzled, 'Over the past two years, has Sense really never tried to study this formula in depth?'
'Or at least, she could have asked Serie, who is always by her side, right? No, she and Serie don't get along that well. Maybe it is normal that she didn't ask.'
Though a bit puzzled, he quickly set those thoughts aside and began sharing recent events with her.
The conversation naturally extended to the field of magic and Serie's current situation.
While guiding the discussion skillfully, Ash even secretly wondered whether he could slip into Serie's private library safely without running into her.
Just like that, in the blink of an eye, night had deepened. The restaurant was even about to close. Ash settled the bill as promised and then accompanied Sense on the way home.
Halfway there, Sense suddenly stopped and turned her gaze toward Ash, who was casually observing the surroundings.
"Lord Ash, I've always had a question."
"Hmm? What is it?"
"Why do you insist on walking me home every time after nightfall?", There was a trace of confusion in her voice.
"Because you're a girl. Walking alone at night is always a bit unsafe."
"I may not be as strong as you, but I'm still a First-Class Mage," Sense tilted her head like a small bird, "And, close combat is actually one of my strengths."
"Not that kind of danger. Honestly, you're selectively knowledgeable."
"Out of everyone, I don't want to hear that from you," Sense let out a small breath.
"I know what you mean. But the danger I'm talking about isn't just physical," Ash smiled lightly and answered casually, "And the desire to protect someone has nothing to do with how strong they are."
"I don't understand."
"You'll understand when you grow up."
"How old do you think I am?", Sense pressed her lips together slightly, seeming sensitive about the word "grow up."
"You're definitely younger than me."
"That may be true, but I'm not... sigh!"
Sense wanted to say something more, but in the end she only let out a soft sigh and gave up arguing about it.
The two walked along the nearly empty streets late at night. It wasn't long before Sense's home came into view.
"By the way, what I said earlier wasn't entirely a joke," Just as Sense was about to head toward her house, Ash suddenly spoke again. His strange words made her stop, a trace of confusion flashing in her eyes.
"What do you mean?"
"I want to become someone closer to you than your father," Ash had a smile on his face, but there was a faint seriousness in his words, "It was a sudden thought, but if you run into any trouble, you can tell me anytime. Because I truly want to be closer to Sense."
"Eh?", The unexpected follow-up left Sense a bit stunned. She slowly turned around, her eyes full of confusion and doubt, "Why?"
"Why does there have to be a reason? I just said what I was thinking."
"You really are someone impossible to figure out."
Sense looked up at him with her usual emotionless eyes, as if she were thinking about something. In the end, the corners of her lips curved up slightly, and her gaze softened a great deal, "But I don't dislike it."
After saying that, she turned around again and slowly walked into her courtyard under Ash's gaze.
The guard at the entrance stepped forward to greet her. She silently turned once more and gave Ash a slight nod of thanks before finally entering the courtyard and disappearing behind the door.
However, when she looked up, she unfortunately met her mother's bright, spirited eyes.
Her mood, which had been quite good just now, instantly turned gloomy. After looking at her, her mother's gaze quickly shifted to Ash in the distance. Sense could already predict the kind of conversation that might follow.
As for Ash, after noticing Sense's mother, he simply responded with a gentle smile and a wave before quickly leaving the scene.
———
The moment Sense stepped into the hall, she saw the expected scene.
The energetic noblewoman who had rushed downstairs in big strides, her mother, was waiting eagerly for her return. Especially when the topic turned to Ash, her enthusiasm became even more obvious.
"Sense, you came back with Lord Ash today? What did you two do? Why didn't you invite him in for some tea? That's far too impolite."
The hidden meaning in her mother's smile made Sense sigh inwardly once again.
She knew very well that ever since she had casually revealed the lord's attitude toward Ash, the atmosphere at home had quietly changed.
In this strictly hierarchical world, even though mages possessed extraordinary power, they still lacked sufficient status in front of nobles.
But she was different from ordinary mages. She was also a junior whom Ash took special care of. That made her position here somewhat unusual.
Even the local lord, that count, had treated her family differently after learning of her relationship with Ash.
All of this stemmed from the seemingly simple, and actually not that complicated, relationship between her and Ash.
Even Sense, a core member of the Magic Association, only realized that Ash was more than just a mage when she saw the count showing him extreme respect at the reconstruction of the Magic Association more than ten years ago.
'What kind of person is Lord Ash exactly? Could he be a prince?', This doubt had lingered in Sense's heart for a long time. She had wanted to ask several times, but Ash clearly had no intention of telling her, so she didn't press it.
Even though she was curious about his identity, it never affected how they interacted. At least, she usually appeared whenever Ash did. It was simply because staying by his side felt comfortable and reassuring.
But, her family didn't think that way. After Ash once visited their house and her father noticed that the lord's attitude toward him had changed, her father had tried to inquire indirectly, only to be warned not to pry.
Yet under those circumstances, her parents seemed even more eager to arrange some kind of marriage alliance. After all, who wouldn't want to climb higher?
Besides, her age had always made her parents anxious. As a marriage candidate, Ash was more than suitable. Naturally, they wanted to push things along.
'But if you think about it, it's obvious, right? Who would be interested in someone like me? Lord Ash probably just sees me as a child.'
Facing her mother's constant questions about progress, Sense glanced sideways at the reflection in the floor-to-ceiling window. She looked small like a child, and had even caused Ash to be misunderstood today. She let out yet another silent sigh.
Ash had only been back for a day, but by now she felt like she had sighed more than she had in the past year.
———
Before heading home, looking at Sense's luxurious mansion, Ash couldn't help feeling a bit envious.
Even though he had more money and more properties, wealthy nobles in such prosperous regions clearly didn't have as many worries as he did. They could eat, drink, and enjoy themselves happily every day.
"If I fail, maybe relying on Sense wouldn't be such a bad choice."
Looking at the brightly lit noble residence, he sighed lightly. The thought was quickly replaced by a self-mocking smile. Without hesitation, he turned around and truly left.
[🎉 Shoutout to Asriels, LN and Slashdog for joining p@treon. Thank you very much.🤗]
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