Chapter 89: Reunion with Fern·You Smell Like Apple!
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If he weren't in such a rush, Ash would have undoubtedly taken the time to teach this outspoken kid a proper lesson.
Unfortunately, the sudden realization of Fern's upcoming birthday had completely derailed those plans. Time had slipped by unnoticed, and he was lucky to have remembered at the last minute.
Pressed for time, Ash reached out, took an apple from Linie's box, and casually slipped it into his pocket. Before leaving, he flicked her forehead lightly with his fingers.
The three-no loli yelped in pain, clutching her head with a wounded expression. Ignoring her pitiful glare, Ash left her with a stern, "Reflect on yourself!" and stepped onto the windowsill outside the study without looking back.
As for everyone's indifferent reaction to his departure, Ash didn't mind at all.
For demons, going away for months—or even a year—was akin to humans taking a brief weekend trip.
Ash had long grown accustomed to this detached perception of time. He sighed at Linie's stubborn personality, shook his head, and leapt out the royal city's window, taking to the skies.
---
With the map he had prepared in advance and the general route of action he had gathered from Frieren, Ash quickly honed in on his targets with precision.
After cutting down countless flying monsters encountered along the way, Ash made his way back to the Central Kingdoms within a week. His destination: a small port city nestled against the mountains and overlooking a picturesque blue coastline.
"—As expected of me! Got it right on the first try," he mused smugly, only for his face to soften into a look of relief. "But… there's really no time to spare. Today's Fern's birthday, after all. If I guessed wrong, I'd miss it entirely..."
The faint scent of saltwater lingered in the city air. The streets were lined with rocky buildings, their roofs painted a cheerful orange hue.
Wandering through a narrow residential alley, Ash's attention was drawn to a familiar figure.
Standing at an intersection, a purple-haired girl stared intently at a departing silver-haired elf with twin ponytails. Her cheeks were puffed up indignantly, giving her the appearance of an adorable pufferfish.
Amused by the sight, Ash couldn't resist sneaking up and giving her puffed cheek a light poke with his finger.
A soft "pffft" sound From her lips as the air leaked out. Startled, Fern spun around, reflexively stepping back and raising her wand defensively.
"—Wait! Wait! Calm down, it's me!" Ash quickly said, raising his hands in mock surrender.
"Ash...?!"
Fern's familiar voice, one he had known since childhood, softened. Her grip on the wand relaxed as she recognized him, her expression shifting to one of joy.
But the relief was fleeting. Her face quickly scrunched up in a pout, and she glared at him accusingly, like a parent scolding a mischievous child.
"What's this? The great Master Ash who loves to lie actually remembered me? Such an honor! Truly, such an honor!"
"Uh... why did you say it twice?"
"Because it's very important!" Fern retorted, her glare sharpening as if to emphasize her indignation.
Ash scratched his head awkwardly, his innocent demeanor doing little to placate her. "Ah~ Even if you praise me so much, I really don't know how to respond~"
"—That's not a compliment!"
"But shouldn't a touching reunion after such a long time include a heartfelt hug?" Ash teased, spreading his arms invitingly.
Fern scowled and folded her arms. "I don't know this irresponsible man! Master Ash can go hug himself!"
With that, she turned on her heel and stormed off down the street, her expression one of exaggerated annoyance.
"...Is this the rebellious phase? Or is she actually mad?" Ash muttered to himself, watching her retreating figure. "She's nearly sixteen already. Humans these days really grow up too fast!"
As Ash followed behind Fern, he couldn't help but mutter softly to himself, loud enough for her to hear.
Although it hadn't even been a full year since his departure, Fern's growth was undeniable. She had surpassed Frieren in height, and her figure, particularly her chest, was... well, impressive. Even if Frieren, Linie, Solitär, and Aura teamed up four-on-one, they probably wouldn't stand a chance against her in this department.
Her waist-length purple hair flowed like a cascading violet waterfall, adding an air of mystery and elegance to her delicate face.
The black robe draped over her white dress, though simple in design, cleverly concealed her curvaceous figure. Yet, ironically, this modesty only added a layer of allure and intrigue.
Time truly flew by. The once snotty, innocent little girl had quietly grown into an impeccable beauty.
In some ways, her growth seemed to align uncomfortably with his preferences—a mature, graceful woman.
However, as the child he had raised began to embody the qualities of a queen, Ash found himself losing the idealized allure of queens altogether. It left him feeling conflicted, even a little heartbroken.
He couldn't help but wonder if this shift in perception would permanently alter his preferences. Just as it was hard for people with older sisters to develop a sister complex, it seemed equally natural for those with younger sisters to avoid similar attachments.
"Ah, the unpredictability of life," Ash sighed, his gaze lingering on Fern's graceful silhouette. Gathering his thoughts, he quickened his pace to catch up, reaching out to gently pat her head with a mix of pride and nostalgia.
"You've really grown up, Fern."
"W-what?!" Fern turned her head sharply, her cheeks puffing out in protest. "You leave without permission and then come back pretending to care about me... Master Ash, you're the worst!"
Though her voice carried indignation, there was a faint softness in her tone, betraying her true feelings.
For a moment, her cold expression did resemble that of a queen. But the child he had watched grow up treating him so distantly? That stung a little.
Fern seemed to notice, her expression softening slightly as she tilted her head. "What's that look for? Are you finally reflecting on yourself?"
"Yes, of course," Ash replied with exaggerated sincerity. "After all, I told you it was something urgent."
"Urgent, huh? Since when have you ever had anything urgent? You're hardly the busiest person in the world."
"Hey now," Ash defended himself, crossing his arms. "Don't look at me like that. I'm genuinely committed to the greater good—working tirelessly for world peace."
"When did Master Ash become such a liar?" Fern sighed, placing one hand on her hip. "You used to be more honest."
"Honestly," Ash replied with a smirk, "I've rarely lied to you since you were little."
"Hmph, I don't believe you. You're just treating me like a child again."
"Wait a moment," Ash interjected, raising a hand to pause her. He adopted a mock-serious tone. "As much as you might deny it, you are still a child, aren't you?"
"—No! People will definitely think we're..."
"Judging by the dynamic, they'd probably guess... a father with his daughter?" Ash teased, chuckling softly.
"Hmm~~!"
Fern's cheeks flushed pink, her embarrassment evident as she puffed them out in protest. The sound she made—half indignation, half helplessness—only added to her charm.
"It seems my maturity and stability still aren't getting the recognition they deserve," Ash mused, pretending to sulk. Yet his eyes held a gentle warmth as he reached out to stroke her cheek. "But honestly, no matter what, seeing you grow up makes me incredibly happy."
"Master Ash... you're always like this... too... too cunning!" Fern stammered, her indignation melting away under his familiar, affectionate touch. All that remained was a mix of shyness and unwillingness.
"Cunning?"
"You disappear without a word and then return acting all gentle..." She huffed, averting her eyes. "Do you think I'm some gullible woman you can fool that easily?"
"Wait a minute," Ash said with a raised eyebrow, smirking at her choice of words. "Did you just call yourself a 'woman'?"
"What's wrong with that?!" Fern's eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms defensively. "Go ahead, say what you're thinking—I won't get mad!"
Her words sounded confident, but her expression, brimming with unspoken dissatisfaction, told a different story entirely.
Ash wasn't a fool. He smiled faintly and nodded, his tone casual yet apologetic. "...It's nothing. It's just that you've grown into a fine young lady. Touching your face like that feels a bit inappropriate now. I'll reflect on it."
Fern's cheeks turned a shade darker as she hesitated, her voice softening. "No... If that's the case, then occasionally... it's not impossible."
"...Is it working again?"
"——Anyway! Hurry up! Lady Frieren's getting too far ahead!"
Her flustered tone made Ash raise an eyebrow in surprise, but before he could say anything, Fern quickly turned away, her expression hidden as she hurried off in Frieren's direction.
Even Ash couldn't help but feel something was odd about her reaction. Yet, given the situation, he shook his head firmly, dismissing his thoughts. Now wasn't the time to dwell on it. He sighed and followed her lead.
---
Fern trailed quietly behind Frieren, who seemed completely unaware of being followed. Her sneaky behavior was clumsy at best, betraying her inexperience at surveillance.
Ash, watching her antics from behind, found it hard to make sense of her actions. Just as he considered calling out to Frieren to put an end to this farce, Fern suddenly grabbed him. She dragged him to the side and pressed him against the wall, her expression urgent.
"What are you doing?!" she whispered sharply, her tone accusatory.
"What am I doing? I should be asking you that." Ash raised an eyebrow. "Honestly, I have no idea why you're sneaking around like this."
Fern blinked, slightly stunned, but then leaned closer, her voice tinged with indignation as she explained, "You should know I'm responsible for managing all the supplies during our travels, right?"
"Well, yeah, that's how it's always been," Ash admitted.
"But!" Fern huffed. "Today, Lady Frieren said we should split up to handle resupplying, which is already suspicious enough. And then—she had this look on her face! I'm sure she's up to no good, planning to buy random, unnecessary stuff!"
"Like what?" Ash asked, tilting his head curiously.
"Like weird bones! Or those ridiculous potions that only dissolve clothes! Completely useless! And they're expensive too!" Fern complained, her tone escalating as she seemed to expect Ash's support.
Ash coughed, trying to suppress a laugh. "No, no... At least the second one is... um, useful? Just thinking about it, well, I suppose it's not... Ah, you're right. It's totally useless. Truly terrible of Frieren to buy something so bizarre. She must have ulterior motives!"
He barely managed to change his words when he caught Fern's icy glare, sharp as daggers. Swallowing nervously, Ash sheepishly clapped his hands and quickly averted his gaze.
"Master Ash," Fern said in a chillingly calm tone.
"...What?"
"——You're bad!" she declared with a stern look, glaring at him as though he were the epitome of irresponsibility.
Ash sighed, scratching the back of his head. "Alright, alright, I'll be more mindful next time..."
"...I don't know anyone by the name of Master Ash," Fern huffed dramatically, turning away in mock indignation. Without giving him a chance to respond, she hurried off to catch up with Fern.
But, as Ash observed, her anger didn't last long.
By the time they spotted Frieren, who had stopped to ask a passerby about dessert shops, Fern was already at Ash's side, grabbing his hand. She leaned in and whispered furiously, "——Master Ash! Look at her! Isn't she the worst? I haven't had dessert in months, and now she's sneaking off to enjoy it alone without telling me!"
"Is... is that so?" Ash stammered, guilt creeping into his voice.
What should he do? He had just indulged in cream apple pie with Linie earlier, not to mention a feast of macarons with Aura before coming here. Meanwhile, Fern had been living in such dessert-deprived misery? He felt a pang of guilt that he couldn't quite shake.
Fumbling through his pockets, Ash searched desperately for something to offer her. Finally, he pulled out the single item he had: an apple he'd taken from Linie earlier. It was still fresh and untouched.
With nothing better to offer, Ash silently handed over the apple.
"Huh? Why are you giving me an apple all of a sudden?"
"...Because it's the only thing I have on me," Ash replied awkwardly.
Fern wrinkled her nose and leaned closer, her expression puzzled. "Why do you smell like apples? Did you eat apples recently and rub the juice on yourself?"
Even though his clothes had been washed, the faint apple fragrance lingered. The proximity made it unmistakable, and Fern's curiosity was piqued.
It wasn't the first time she'd noticed this. Ever since she was a child, every time Ash returned after a long absence, his clothes often carried the subtle scent of apples. Yet, Ash rarely ate apples, making it an unsolved mystery that had followed her for years.
Caught off guard, Ash turned his face away calmly, trying to dismiss the matter without explanation.
However, his evasive behavior only made Fern more suspicious. Her curiosity, now fully ignited, left her determined to find the answer.