"You do not need to be that nervous, just be natural."
The girl's tense attitude made him once again certain that this was not the kind of attitude people in a normal family should have toward each other.
Normally you should gently ease the pain in this traumatized child's heart and then step into her inner world and so on. That is how it should be done so she would not be this restrained.
But whether it was numbness from living too long, or worry that getting too close might be a problem, or something else, this was something he just could not quite do.
Everything he could try, he had already tried. More than half a year had passed and it was still like this, leaving him not knowing what exactly he should do to make this child feel closer to him.
So as he looked at the girl sitting stiffly in front of him, he finally made up his mind, put down the book, and crouched in front of her.
"Fern, you have classes today, right?"
"Yes. There was no special notice, um, is something wrong?", Ash, who was always extremely busy and sometimes could not be seen for three or four days, even for a whole week, was asking this for the first time and showing concern for her school situation, which made Fern feel a little surprised.
"It is nothing, nothing. I just want to go see an old friend. I was wondering if you could come with me?"
"Me?", Fern was a little confused, but she did not think too much about it and agreed anyway, "Of course I can."
"Then pick a suitable time and go say goodbye to your friends first."
"Say goodbye? Why?"
"That guy lives pretty far away, over in the Holy City of the Central Lands."
The answer he gave without even thinking made Fern tilt her head in disbelief.
"But the Central Land is not very far, is it?"
"I was actually thinking of staying over there for one or two years. After all, it has been a long time since we last met. Yeah, something like that," Ash spoke vaguely and casually found a reason.
Because he felt that he should wait until he found a suitable place before telling her the real purpose. That way, at least they would be traveling as a trip, and the journey would be much more relaxed and pleasant.
Hearing such a long span of time, Fern's eyes widened a little, but she still did not voice any opposition and silently nodded.
"I understand. Then today I will go say goodbye."
"Yeah, I will go with you. We will also tell your teacher."
"Thank you, Lord Ash."
"No need."
Being treated so politely by this child all the time made him feel a little uncomfortable, but he also understood it and did not say more.
And in truth, Fern also felt a bit sad. She was reluctant to part with her friends as well, but being so considerate, she did not say anything.
It was worth mentioning that Ash thought the biggest reason they were distant was also because since they met, Fern had never refused any of his requests, even when they were just test suggestions, and she had never made any requests of her own either.
After that, they went to the school together. Saying their goodbyes and taking a temporary leave all went smoothly. Fern said goodbye to her friends, and he just spoke a few words to the second class mage teacher to complete the suspension arrangements.
Of course, thinking about the child's future, Ash was also planning that after they went to the Holy City, he would need to find a magic academy for her to attend.
———
On the carriage—
Compared to a normal child's excitement when leaving the city, Fern just sat there obediently.
Before they even left the city, as they passed through the lively streets, since she had always lived on a quiet street and even the road to her school was relatively secluded, this was a rare time for her to step into the city's bustle.
On the crowded streets, there were dazzling stalls on both sides. The bright colors of meat and vegetables wove together into a vivid scene of everyday life. The shouts of vendors rose and fell one after another, adding some liveliness and energy to the beginning of this journey.
But the crowd and noise made Fern feel a little uncomfortable, and she subconsciously moved closer to Ash.
As the carriage moved on, her gaze was deeply drawn to the silver leaf bookmarks at a roadside stall, and she could not help but stare at them.
When Ash noticed, he thought for a moment and had the carriage stop, then looked at Fern and asked, "Is there something you like?"
"No, I am just a little curious."
"It is fine. Even if it is just as a souvenir, if there is something you like, just buy it."
Hearing him say that, Fern hesitated for a moment before softly answering.
"But... wasting money is not very good."
"Is that something a child should be worrying about?"
"I am sorry," Fern lowered her head dejectedly.
That feeling of being afraid of him was really troublesome for Ash.
"I am not scolding you. Anyway, you should still pick a few things you like."
"But..."
"If you do not pick anything, I will feel even more awkward."
"Then, just one is fine," Fern held her clothes tightly with both hands and hesitantly followed him down from the carriage.
At the stall, she unconsciously looked a few more times at the bookmark, but still chose what looked like the cheapest item among everything.
"This one."
"Is that so? But I think this one is better," He smiled helplessly and directly took down the silver bookmark she had been subconsciously looking at earlier.
This immediately made Fern look like a child who had done something wrong, standing there awkwardly.
That reaction really gave him a headache, so he simply stuffed the bookmark into her hand and rubbed her head at the same time.
"Alright, alright, do not think too much. Is this not very pretty? And as long as you like it, that is what matters, right?"
"Thank you. I-I will treasure it!"
Those words unexpectedly, like warm sunlight, quietly made the uneasiness and anxiety in Fern's heart fade away, replaced by an indescribable warmth and happiness. She could not help but hug the bookmark tightly and nod hard.
In fact, the main reason she was so restrained was because Ash was always busy using work as an excuse, which had taught her from a young age that earning money was not easy.
As for the actual situation, she did not really understand it.
And she had never asked, so Ash naturally never said anything either. Otherwise he would have had to make up reasons again. And so, their understanding became two parallel lines that did not interfere with each other.
But after they got back on the carriage, Ash was still reading his book, while Fern was carefully admiring the silver leaf in her hand.
'She really seems to like it.'
Ash noticed this and could not help but lightly laugh and pat her head. Fern showed a shy smile.
Their understandings were two parallel lines, but unexpectedly they somehow seemed to just barely work together.
———
Crossing mountains and rivers, the two of them arrived at the Holy City without any trouble.
But they did not enter the city. Instead, they wandered in a nearby forest, searching for the small cabin that was said to not be too deep inside.
"Lord Ash, do you really know where that friend is?", Carrying her small suitcase, after walking in this forest for half an hour, Fern's little body was already swaying. She looked around and could not help but say, "I feel like we have already been here before."
"You actually noticed?"
"Was Lord Ash doing it on purpose?"
"Of course. As a mage, having a strong body is also very important," Not being able to find the way and wanting to save face, he just made something up.
Fern sighed and lowered her head.
"That is the first time I have heard that."
"What is with that attitude? Then your teachers must be bad, so you do not know this."
"But the books say it like this, and Teacher Riesz is already a second class mage, only below first class mages. Saying that is really quite rude."
Facing his assertion, Fern looked a little troubled and carefully advised him.
"It is fine out here in the wilderness, but if you say things like that in the city, please try to avoid it, because... people will misunderstand and think you are being jealous."
"Why would I be jealous of a second class ground mage?"
"Come to think of it, you are also a mage. What class are you?"
"Looks like I really have to pay attention to resting. We cannot keep training your body. Let me just fly up and see where it is."
Being Serie's disciple, he had never thought about getting rated in the first place. Suddenly being faced with this question, he felt that if he said there was no need to get evaluated, she would just think he was being stubborn, so he stiffly changed the topic and directly flew into the sky.
Fern could not help but shake her head and sigh.
"So he does not have a rating? Does that mean Lord Ash really lacks magic talent?"
'So in the future I really should avoid bringing up things like this. And... Am I a little too much just now?'
Fern prayed in her heart that Ash would not be hurt by it while regretting her careless words.
As for why she misunderstood him as weak, that was because she felt that Ash's magic power seemed very weak.
Of course, the real reason was simply that as an apprentice like her, she could not see through even Ash's crude concealment technique.
And Ash had never shown off to her. If she did not ask, he naturally would not say anything either. After all, showing off to a child would be pretty empty, would it not?
Still, he never expected that he would end up having his self esteem protected by a child who had not even grown any hair yet. So after ending the topic and flying into the air to find the target, he did not think much and simply landed back down, picked up Fern, and flew to that cabin in the woods.
At this moment, black smoke was continuously rising from the lonely cabin's chimney, clearly showing that someone was cooking inside. The two of them could even smell the aroma of beef stew with potatoes from outside the door.
"That wine and meat monk is drinking and eating again? Looks like we came at just the right time," Ash muttered, happily grabbed Fern's little hand, and stepped onto the stairs, planning to mooch a meal after so long.
Fern, on the other hand, looked a bit worried. After all, they had come from far away and had not even brought any local specialties or anything, yet they were thinking about mooching a meal. Was that really okay?
———
Heiter's retirement residence was a typical western style cottage.
It was called small, but it was not really that small. It looked like there were at least three or four rooms on one floor.
It was not luxurious, but it was far from shabby. It stood there in a simple style, with ivy climbing on the walls, and there was a small attic on the second floor.
There was also an independent well in front of the door, and a simple vegetable garden as well. In autumn, this season of harvest, before Ash knocked on the door, he could not help but turn back first.
Before Fern could stop him, he casually picked a tomato, wiped it, and took a bite.
Seeing this made Fern look full of worry, "Lord Ash, you just picked it and ate it without permission. That is really not good, is it? It will definitely make the owner here angry."
"It is fine, he will not mind. But I really do prefer ripe tomatoes, like tomato and egg stir fry."
"Then do not pick it in the first place," Fern looked troubled by his attitude.
"What are you talking about, Fern? Since a friend grew vegetables, of course you have to taste them right away. Yeah, something like that feeling."
"I am sorry, I cannot understand that at all."
"It is fine. You will understand when you grow up."
"Really?", Fern nodded half believing, half doubting, then looked at their suitcases and could not help but say,
"But Lord Ash, compared to that kind of thing, we did not even bring any gifts. Is it really okay to visit like this?"
"Gifts?"
"What is it?"
Fern looked up in confusion, while he toyed with the tomato and muttered.
"That is strange. I do not remember teaching you these weird, complicated manners."
"This is very basic common sense," Fern unconsciously raised her tone and could not help but add at the end, "Even a seven year old like me knows this."
"No, normally you should not know."
Faced with this child who was acting like a little adult, he felt quite helpless and reached out to rub her head.
But it was not appropriate to scold her, so he casually handed her the half eaten tomato.
"T-this is?"
Fern subconsciously took it and wanted to ask what it was for, but before she could get an answer, Ash had already gone back to the front of the cabin and casually started knocking on the door.
"Heiter! Heiter! I came to play with you, hurry up and open the door!"
"Coming! Coming!"
Footsteps soon sounded from inside, along with an old voice.
The old man, leaning on a cane and moving slowly, soon opened the door. When he saw Ash, his eyes widened and he unconsciously showed a nostalgic smile.
"I thought I had heard wrong. I really did not expect you to come looking for me on your own."
"Yeah, I have some things."
"Haha! Did you not just say you came to play?", Heiter laughed and shook his head. He did not really care about the reason and stepped aside, "Anyway... come in first."
"Then I will not hold back!"
"When have you ever held back with me?"
"That is true," Ash smiled as well, but he did not go inside. Instead, he turned to look at the little girl who was still standing by the vegetable garden, frozen in place and staring at the tomato.
"Fern, stop eating the tomato and come in."
"Yes, I am coming," Fern blinked, ran over, then stopped in front of Heiter and politely lowered her head.
"Nice to meet you, Lord Heiter. I have always heard Lord Ash talk about you."
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