But she clearly looked like she hasn't lived past ten yet, even younger than Ariel, and she was tiny as well... Yet even the way she spoke was quite vulgar.
Ash had barely finished complaining when she, crossed her arms and spread them out in a condescending pose before snorting, "What!! You think just because you're Ghislaine's lo... lover, I won't dare beat you up?"
"Small body, big voice," Ash silently pushed away the sweaty woman in front of him and looked at the girl with the corners of his mouth raised.
"You're the young lady Ghislaine mentioned, right? Aisha? No, Eris, right? You're not very big, but you've got quite a temper. And you look pretty spoiled too."
"What! Do you have a problem with me?"
The moment he said that, Eris became openly furious, as if she were about to explode. Her expression darkened as well.
"Of course I do. For example, if you don't mind, could you keep your voice down a little?"
"This is my house! What's wrong with me being loud?"
"I think respecting your elders is very important."
"You're so annoying!"
She had held herself back for Ghislaine's sake, but now Eris had completely run out of patience. She raised her hand and punched him in the stomach.
However, the man's cry of pain she expected never came. Before she could even touch him, Ash's figure vanished in an instant. The next moment, he had grabbed her by the back of her collar and lifted her up like a chick, even showing her to Ghislaine with a speechless expression.
"Ghislaine, is this girl an idiot?"
"No. The young lady is just rather willful."
"Is that so? But.... what kind of elementary-school delinquent girl is this?", Ash shook her dangling from his hand helplessly. Somehow, he felt like she was another dream crusher, just like her master.
She was clearly supposed to be a white-stockinged girl. Though he had no idea why white stockings existed in this era, a normal white-stockinged girl should be innocent, sweet, delicate, soft, cute, and wife material, like Sylphie.
To be honest, he had originally wanted to be gentle with her too. But looking at the Eris in his hand, who was baring her teeth and constantly struggling with all four limbs as if she wanted to bite him, his expression became just as disgusted as it had been a few days ago when he was carrying Ariel. It was as though he were holding a piece of noncombustible trash, and his distaste was obvious.
"They're both white-stockinged girls, so how did this one end up so..."
"What are you talking about?", Ghislaine frowned in confusion, "The young lady is quite cute. Isn't that description a little too much?"
"Cute?"
In astonishment, Ash slightly pulled his hand back, giving her an opening. She actually planted one foot against his stomach, used the momentum to climb up, and skillfully wrapped her hands and feet around his arm.
She even twisted Ash's arm as hard as she could, seemingly intending to break it, while laughing proudly.
"What kind of skill is bullying someone smaller than you? I'll make you understand the price of looking down on me today! Just so we're clear! Even if I cry, I won't stop!"
Ash glanced at Eris, who was clinging to his arm like a monkey. Since he still had her clothes in his grip and hadn't let go, her clothes were now a complete mess, yet she was still facing him with her butt. The expression on Ash's face became extremely strange, and he couldn't help repeating himself.
"This girl... is cute?"
"Of course. Compared to how I was as a child, doesn't the young lady have a very young-lady-like air about her?"
"Ha, haaa... Now I'm suddenly curious what you were like as a child."
With an expression that clearly said he didn't know what to say, he spoke while using Eris like a towel, wiping the sweat off himself that had gotten on him when the strong woman had hugged him earlier.
Ash's actions were really treating a girl like she wasn't even human, while Eris's own actions were also completely lacking in ladylike behavior. She hardly even qualified as feminine.
This should have been a scene that deserved plenty of commentary, but Ghislaine merely watched his actions in confusion. Not only did she not stop him, she didn't even make any comment. Her tone remained calm as she said, "Actually, when I was young, I was very violent. Whenever I was in a bad mood, I would take it out on others or destroy things, like a monster."
"That sounds pretty... Then how did you become like this?"
Ash looked surprised as he wiped himself with Eris and asked.
"It was all thanks to my master."
"That vulgar old man actually had a talent for taming beasts?"
"Because I couldn't beat my master," Ghislaine even showed a faint smile when she spoke of it, "Thinking about it now, that really was an interesting childhood."
"Uh... Was it really interesting?"
He didn't quite understand. He also used Eris to wipe the back of his neck with her hair.
As soon as he finished speaking, he casually swung his hand without the slightest hesitation.
The convenient "towel" in his hand instantly flew out like a disposable rag after being used, accompanied by a startled "Uwaa!"
Bang!
Eris was thrown directly against the wall.
Yet... Even after that, she still slowly stood up like an evil spirit, letting out pained whimpers.
She refused to give in at all. She exhaled hot air filled with anger, glared fiercely at him with a murderous expression, and let out a chilling growl.
"I will absolutely never forgive you!"
"What can I say? She's really your disciple. She's reached the point where she's ridiculous enough to be interesting."
"See? I told you she's cute," Ghislaine proudly crossed her arms and raised her head, a faint smile appearing on her face.
"No... You still call this thing cute?", He looked the fierce, evil-spirit-lik up and down, genuinely unable to find anything cute about her.
"Didn't you say she was interesting too?"
"At most, I was trying to praise her for being physically tough and having strong willpower," Ash wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said helplessly, "Besides, that was just a social courtesy. No matter what, when it's a friend's son, daughter, disciple, or whatever, you have to find something to praise them for, right?"
"You don't have to be so polite."
"I don't want to either... Ah, this little thing is pretty energetic. Being tough and energetic is probably her only two good qualities, right?"
Before Ash could finish speaking, Eris charged over and swung her little fist at him, only for him to press one hand against her head while continuing to talk.
The girl charged forward without hesitation, but her head was instantly forced downward. With a casual push from him, she stumbled past him.
"Damn it! What do you think I am? You actually used me as a rag! Just you wait, I'll beat you to a pulp!", Eris roared, hurriedly stopping and turning around to charge at him again.
However... the result didn't change at all.
Ash casually pushed her head aside again, and her entire body once again lost control and brushed past him.
No matter how many times she tried, the result was always the same. The poor little girl was practically like a bull waiting to be slaughtered, being toyed with by a matador.
Forget touching Ash, she ended up exhausted and panting heavily instead.
On her final attempt, she even lost her footing and fell to the ground. She didn't intend to get back up either, simply lying there without a shred of dignity while panting so hard she could barely catch her breath.
Seeing that there was nowhere suitable to sit, Ash simply sat down on her back. He also rather casually patted her head and praised her to Ghislaine.
"As expected of your disciple. She's got quite a lot of perseverance."
"Is that so? But that's probably something she already had herself. It shouldn't have anything to do with me, right?"
"I was just saying it casually. And by the way, that's another kind of social courtesy."
"I see. Social courtesy really is profound," Ghislaine stroked her chin and swished her tail, looking as though she were thinking about it.
Eris struggled hard, but after failing to get up, she slapped the floor and loudly called to Ghislaine for help.
"Ghislaine! Stop chatting and save me! You're really just going to watch this guy bully me?"
"Sorry, young lady. I can't beat him."
"Haa, haa? Aren't you a Sword King?"
"Because this guy...", Ghislaine had also heard about the characteristics of the new world power, the Fighting God. Even someone as slow as her understood that Ash, who had been at the Sword Sanctuary, was definitely the monster who had defeated her master.
Besides him, she couldn't think of anyone else.