The three of them immediately started arguing over something ridiculous.
Only Sophia stood to the side with her mouth slightly open, unsure what to say.
All three of them possessed Deadly Sins.
But they also possessed Virtues.
In other words, while they all had flaws in their personalities, they also had good sides.
So... didn't that make her the worst one?
She only had the title of Jealousy.
"But why is it that when it's finally my turn, these weird people have to butt in? It's just like a daughter bringing her boyfriend home, only for her mom and great-grandmother to insist on joining them and refuse to leave..."
Though Sophia reflected on herself for the briefest moment, jealousy quickly won out again.
She began tearing at a handkerchief while glaring jealously at the two girls who were practically like her adoptive mothers.
Normally, Ariel would probably have gotten angry at that.
This time, however, she merely shook her head, walked over, patted Sophia on the shoulder, and spoke like an elder.
"I don't actually object to you two. After all, we watched you grow up and personally raised you into this strange girl. With my influence, Shiro's rather unusual way of thinking, and Ash constantly spoiling you, it's only natural that things turned out this way.
"But if nobody steps in now, what do you think will happen?"
"Then I'd get to stay with Mr. Ash every single day! Twenty-four hours a day, never apart!"
Sophia answered without thinking, her face filled with longing, completely unaware of the problem.
"And that's exactly the problem. You've already spent all these years with him. If this relationship keeps developing without any restraint, it'll definitely create even bigger problems. Your dependence is far too strong, and that's not good. You may have nothing to do all day, but he has his own responsibilities and problems. He can't let a clingy girl like you stick to him all the time. At least not yet. Or are you really satisfied with becoming someone who's all appearance and no substance, someone who only knows how to satisfy her own selfish desires..."
Though Ariel usually acted like a cheerful girl, on this gloomy day... perhaps because she herself had grown as well, she rarely displayed the dignity of being the oldest among them and launched into a merciless lecture.
She went through every issue Ash normally found too embarrassing. or too soft-hearted, to mention.
Combining them with Sophia's jealous nature, she analyzed each one coldly and critically.
Sophia's face alternated between red and pale.
Though she was unwilling to accept it, she obediently listened from beginning to end.
Ariel had always been kind, especially toward those close to her. She was caring, considerate, and always looked after others.
But no one expected that day to unfold as it did.
It was almost as though she'd rehearsed it beforehand.
Her sharp lecture left Sophia completely dispirited, her head hanging low in dejection.
Anyone who saw her would have found it hard not to pity her.
That afternoon, after being scolded into complete confusion, Sophia slowly hid behind Ash, as though his back were the safest place in the world.
Yet children needed someone to play the role of the strict mother if they were to grow.
Though it pained him, Ash gritted his teeth and gently pulled Sophia out from behind him, making her face Ariel and confront the things she needed to change.
Because of that, something extremely unusual happened the following day.
For the entire day, Sophia didn't cling to Ash at all.
She barely spoke a single word.
It wasn't until the third day that she once again lay across Ash's lap seeking comfort.
Even then, she remained deeply troubled, still thinking about Ariel's lecture.
For someone as talkative, clingy, and childish as Sophia, such a quiet and gloomy mood was almost unprecedented.
For Ash, however, it gave him a rare opportunity to calmly study all kinds of magic.
As for the reincarnators, they were nothing more than insignificant clowns and weren't worth worrying about.
Still, considering Shiro's feelings, Ash released the teacher and the students, allowing them to head to the human kingdom and begin new lives.
To be safe, he also asked the crown prince to have people discreetly keep an eye on them to prevent any problems.
As for saving the world... with Gulie standing in their way, the task had reached a complete deadlock.
It wasn't because Ash lacked a sense of responsibility.
Gulie's obstruction simply made it impossible to move forward.
After all, when your opponent was a god, and one who was supposed to have been your ally, there was no easy way to proceed.
Ash knew the only thing he could do for now was continue studying and strengthen himself.
He focused especially on spatial magic.
Once he eventually left the system behind, his control over space would likely decline significantly.
Although he learned quickly, mastering magic itself wasn't easy.
Only after leaving the underground labyrinth did he realize just how difficult spatial magic actually was.
The talent system automatically adjusted the skill point requirements.
Most spatial mages spent their entire lives learning nothing more than teleportation, serving as little more than chauffeurs for the upper class.
Beyond that, they possessed almost no combat ability.
———
The days that followed were fairly peaceful.
He worked hard every day, improving himself in every possible way.
In his free time, he would gently pat Shiro's head, feeling warm inside as he watched her various expressions.
He would occasionally tease Ariel and enjoy watching her pretend to be angry.
Sometimes he even deliberately bullied Sophia a little, enjoying their unique way of getting along as the days passed leisurely.
But while life appeared peaceful, the state of the world grew increasingly dire.
He tried negotiating with Gulie, hoping to convince him to abandon his naive desire to achieve his wish without making any sacrifices.
But Gulie's resolve was stronger than he'd expected.
Autumn gradually passed.
Heavy snow covered the Demon King's castle and the surrounding world in pure white.
One winter night beneath a moonlit sky, Ash gathered Shiro, Ariel, and Sophia in the reception hall on the upper floor of the Demon King's castle.
The cold night wind drifted in through the window, stirring their hair but unable to disperse the heavy atmosphere.
Looking at the three girls who had stayed with him for so long, Ash's eyes were filled with reluctance.
After taking a deep breath, he slowly spoke, "I've been thinking about this for a while. Faced with the current situation of this world, and with Gulie standing in our way... I think... I may have to leave this place and search for a way to break the deadlock."
The moment he finished speaking, panic flashed through Shiro's usually calm eyes.
She instinctively grabbed his sleeve.
"Where are you going? Isn't there any other way? Can't we think of something together?"
She wanted to go with him too.
But although she had become a god, she still hadn't mastered her own power.
All she could do was hope he would stay.
Ariel also put away her usual playful smile and looked at him seriously.
"When you leave... when will you come back? The outside world is full of unknowns. Isn't it too dangerous for you to go alone?"
Sophia threw herself straight into his arms, hugging him tightly.
"I don't want you to go! What am I supposed to do if you leave? You promised you'd always stay with me! If you're leaving, then take me with you!"
Ash gently patted their backs.
His heart was filled with mixed emotions.
How could he bear to leave them?
But the fate of the world and everyone's future forced him to make a decision.
If he stayed here much longer, the world might be destroyed before he found a solution.
There was no hope here anymore.
He had to search for new possibilities in another world.
Time also flowed differently in different worlds.
There, he could slowly continue researching magic.
If he stayed here, he'd waste far too much time.
"I don't want to leave either. But if I stay, all we can do is watch the world be destroyed. Shiro isn't suited to leaving right now, and Sophia and Ariel... both of you are too deeply tied to the system through your abilities. We don't know what would happen if you suddenly left. I'm the only one who's suitable for this."
He comforted them while gently explaining his reasoning, smiling as he repeatedly promised that nothing would happen to him.
The night grew deeper.
The wind grew colder.
Yet no one moved.
As though simply remaining there could stop time itself and prevent their parting from ever arriving.
But dawn would eventually drive away the night.
And the time to say goodbye could never truly be avoided.
When the first rays of morning sunlight fell across the rooftop, Ash gently eased Sophia out of his embrace, then took Shiro's and Ariel's hands in turn.
"Wait for me. I'll definitely come back before the snow melts."
Leaving those words behind with a smile, he used the assistance of this world's system together with his own system, sacrificing countless souls while combining it with the spatial magic he had studied to open a dark rift in space.
Under the girls' reluctant gazes... he waved without looking back, stepped into it, and disappeared from this familiar world.
Only the slowly closing rift remained, along with the girls' lingering worry and reluctance, drifting in the wind for a long, long time...
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