"What do you mean that? Stopping halfway like that feels awful, you know?"
"I'm sorry, Lord Ash… I do want to say it, but now isn't the time. Still, one day, I will definitely tell you."
Fern unconsciously glanced at him, her eyes carrying a complicated look, because she didn't know if she could really help Ash.
She understood that Ash had always been trying hard, but she didn't know whether she was qualified to stand by his side, or whether she had the right to convey her feelings.
But her words made Ash recall something. He didn't press further, only reminded her softly, "You're human, and the time humans have is limited. A human's short life doesn't have a 'one day.'"
"That doesn't sound like something you would say, Lord Ash."
"It's not. I heard it from a friend."
"That person must have some regret they couldn't fulfill, right?", For some reason, Fern felt a strong resonance with those words, and an inexplicable sense of urgency arose in her heart.
"Probably."
"I hope it can be fulfilled."
"I think so too."
Whether it was Lernen or Sense, they were both people he knew well, and his friends.
And he sincerely hoped that his friends, and the people around him, could all live their lives properly, without regrets.
———
After that topic ended, the walk to the bedroom became quiet.
Fern seemed to be thinking about something, her head lowered the whole time. But halfway there, she suddenly parted her lips slightly, "Lord Ash, you're always very gentle and reliable to the people you know. Everyone trusts you a lot."
"Is that so?"
"But a long time ago, and even now, you've said more than once that we must be wary of demons… right?"
"Did I? But what about it now? Besides Frieren, even you are saying this?", Ash stopped unconsciously and looked at the girl beside him in confusion.
Fern clenched the hem of her skirt and slowly raised her head, revealing a faint smile that somehow looked like she might cry, "I am an evil mage. That was the first thing you said when you introduced me, right?"
"Bringing that up now… what's wrong?"
"You're a demon, yet you're different from most demons, so you kept saying that, hoping I would stay wary of demons, right?"
"Probably."
"If that's the case, when that 'one day' comes, won't you be very lonely?"
"That line… why does it feel so familiar?"
Those familiar words stirred something in Ash's heart. Fragments of the past slowly surfaced like mist.
It was as if he crossed the barrier of time and space, vaguely seeing the figure of his earliest friend from that distant era, the shadow of someone long gone seemed to overlap with Fern's figure.
"Now that I think about it… I think her name was… Cassie?", In a daze, he recalled a name he had long forgotten.
"Cassie?"
"A long time ago… your ancestor's name," Ash smiled faintly, with a trace of melancholy.
"Cassie… is it?", Fern murmured the name softly, her heart filling with complicated emotions, "Is it because of this ancestor that you adopted me?"
"At first, yes. She was my very first friend," There was a faint bitterness in Ash's voice, though he still forced a small smile.
"You… forgot? About that person? And even… her name?"
"Sorry…"
"I'm not blaming you, because… it must have been a long time, right?", Fern's gaze became unexpectedly gentle, as if she could see straight into his heart.
But at this moment, that gentleness made him uncomfortable. He could only turn his eyes away, "More than five hundred years, I guess."
"I see. I'm sorry, Lord Ash."
"For what?"
"For letting you be alone for so many years… If my ancestor knew, she would definitely feel sorry too, right?", Fern raised her hand and gently patted his head.
"What is there to apologize for? I don't feel anything about it. Whether it's Cassie or you, there's no need to apologize. If anything, this way of apologizing is something I'm seeing for the first time."
"How could that be? At the beginning, wasn't this how you comforted me, Lord Ash?"
"That's because back then you were like a block of ice… I didn't know what to do," Bringing up old matters again, his face only showed helplessness.
"I'm sorry, Lord Ash...."
"What now?"
"I just wanted to say it."
'...to make you take care of someone whose life is so short.'
Fern couldn't say those words. The other things she originally wanted to say were swallowed back down as well.
Even so, she gently held onto one of his fingers, unable to let go of the warmth within reach, and the feeling in her heart, one that had been there for a long time.
During their conversation, Frieren had actually woken up long ago. She wanted to fall back asleep, but couldn't, and missed the chance to open her eyes. She could only keep them shut and pretend to sleep, while being troubled by the atmosphere.
'What do I do? Why do I suddenly feel like I've become unnecessary? This atmosphere… it feels awful!'
Listening to their voices, Frieren felt like she had a mouthful of sand, an inexplicable gloom and bitterness filling her.
Unfortunately, she had no choice but to hear everything until the end.
As for why she felt gloomy and bitter? That was simple, she didn't like bitter stories. [T/N: Me too girl, me too.]
And listening to their conversation, she had a feeling that there might be another story that would end in the same bitter way… and that, she disliked even more.
———
They weren't taken back to the annex, but instead to a room within the palace.
Late at night, alone in the room, after they had all left, Frieren slowly sat up from the bed.
Recalling their conversation, she unconsciously showed a helpless smile and let out a soft sigh.
"Just like Fern said, no matter his identity, Ash is still Ash."
That story seemed to have some deeper meaning. It was a bit hard to understand, but she didn't feel like understanding it right now.
But at least, Ash's true nature hadn't deceived her. Realizing that was already enough for her.
As for the rest, it would be fine to talk about it later. That's what she thought.
———
At the same time as Frieren stared blankly at the moonlight outside the window, on the other side…
In Ash's room, in the middle of the night, there was an uninvited guest.
Aura stood at his door with her arms crossed, staring at Ash, who was drinking alone, with displeasure, and as usual spoke bluntly with arrogance, "I hate that human."
"Fern is a good kid," He replied casually without even looking up.
"I know. That's why I hate her."
"Why?"
"When that 'one day' of humans arrives, are you going to attend her funeral? In the end, you're a demon, and that human is just a human. No matter how many words overlap, the two races can never truly coexist. You're just making yourself suffer."
"Making myself suffer… is it?", He raised his head slightly, a bit surprised.
That gaze made Aura visibly irritated, "What's with that look?"
"I never thought there would be a day when you'd say something like that."
"Hmph! I'm just pretending to behave for now. It's just a strategy to get you to hand over that mind-control magic."
"Since you were spying from the side just now, you should be able to tell. That's not magic. And you don't look obedient at all. Also—"
"Only magic can explain her stupidity," Aura cut him off, insisting on her view.
"I thought you'd improved, but you still speak just as harshly as ever."
"What?"
"Nothing. Just saying."
Ash didn't say anything more. He just shook his head lightly and looked back at his wine glass.
Seeing him like that, unmoved, made Aura feel an indescribable irritation.
She stood there for a while. Seeing that Ash had no intention of paying attention to her at all, the frustration inside her flared like dry wood catching fire.
But in the end… she simply left, slamming the door, carrying with her a restlessness and annoyance she didn't even understand herself.
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