Ash didn't pay it much mind. Leaning back, he propped himself up with both hands on the ground and looked up at the sky.
This world only had one moon, which felt a bit monotonous to him, but he didn't dwell on it and continued speaking on his own, "Actually, I came today to say goodbye."
"Goodbye, huh."
"I've been delayed here too long. I should probably head off to other places soon."
"Is that so?"
"There are some things I'm a little worried about, but letting go is important, so I probably won't be coming back."
"I see."
"Staying too long would make it hard to leave. I have to return to my homeland... I have to set out tomorrow."
"Tomorrow."
"I don't really know what to say. Anyway... you should take care of yourself and be moderate about things. You're a mage, so your body isn't that strong. As for the coat, I have plenty. If you like it, that one in your hands is yours..."
On this restless night, their roles reversed once again.
Usually it was Roxy who fussed over Ash, but today Ash was the one acting like a concerned elder, giving advice to the dazed Roxy and asking her to say goodbye to Sylphie and the others on his behalf.
After all, Sylphie would definitely cry, and he wanted to leave cleanly.
Although Sylphie was very attached to him now, people always grow up and will gradually grow on their own. No one can stay by someone's side forever, and given enough time, she'd surely forget he ever existed.
Ash said a lot, but while Roxy heard it, she didn't quite take it all in.
She was pushed back into her room in a daze and still hadn't come to her senses. Her face still felt hot, and she instinctively buried her head under the blanket, even starting to think about how to die without pain.
Beside her, Sylphie was sleeping soundly, her small body rising and falling with steady breaths, completely unaware of anything amiss, still immersed in sweet dreams. And so, amid the rhythmic breathing, Roxy tossed and turned for a long while before finally drifting off into a hazy sleep.
As for Ash, recalling Roxy's utterly lost expression, he left behind an envelope and enough money to sponsor Sylphie's schooling and buy her clothes. Though he knew in his heart that perhaps after this parting, they would never have the chance to see each other again in this lifetime, he still chose to honor his earlier promise.
After arranging everything, at the break of dawn, when the first faint light appeared on the horizon and the whole world was still shrouded in a hazy silence, he set off alone, leaving this place filled with so many memories without a sound, leaving behind only lingering traces of attachment, drifting faintly in the twilight glow.
———
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the windows into the room.
Feeling the warmth of the sun on her face, the diligent little girl, Sylphie, opened her eyes early.
With a "Mmm~," she stretched her arms above her head and noticed that Roxy, still asleep, somehow had a pained expression on her face.
"Did Master have a nightmare?", Sylphie looked worried, gently nudged her, and whispered, "Master, Master, wake up. The sun's already up."
"Ugh... ughh... I can't go on living..."
Roxy muttered vaguely, shaking her head and refusing to get up. Her words startled Sylphie, who carefully nudged her with a troubled look, "Don't say that, Master. Hurry and get up, okay? You're just dreaming."
"Ahh... seriously... why... Ugh, I know. But... if only it really were a dream..."
After lying in bed for a long while, Roxy ultimately couldn't resist the little girl and was forced to face reality. With a long sigh, she rubbed her sleepy eyes and opened them.
The first thing she saw was Sylphie's innocent little face, and the embarrassment from last night surged back, instantly dispelling her drowsiness. Her face reddening, she sat up and hugged the little girl, letting out a tearful wail, "What do I do, Sylphie! I can't go on living!"
"Wh-What? Master? Did you really have a nightmare?"
"If only it were a dream. Really."
"It's definitely a dream~ Weren't you with me all night? And you were fine before bed, right?"
"That's true, but... but!", She genuinely wished she had slept well last night.
But now, just recalling what happened last night, especially having the "accompaniment" for her... activity seen by the person himself, Roxy lost the courage to leave her room. She only wanted to bury her face in that chest even flatter than her own, to escape reality and avoid the unfilial disciple she'd have to face once she stepped outside.
No... the unfilial one was herself, but this was clearly worse than being an unfilial disciple.
Even now, she couldn't quite understand why she had done such a thing on a whim.
Perhaps she had simply made a mistake that any girl could make?
'This... this absurdity born of impulse, it should be acceptable... acceptable, right? It should be okay? No, it has to be okay!', Roxy reflected inside, yet unconsciously began making excuses for herself, even praying for divine mercy.
But excuses were easy to make; whether they would be accepted was another matter. At the very least, she felt she'd be teased no matter what.
However, no matter how much she didn't want to go out, she couldn't stay in there forever.
Forced by the inescapable reality, she took deep breaths to steady herself before slowly changing clothes under Sylphie's urging.
Then, though she tried to knock herself out by banging her head against the wall to get through today, the sensible child Sylphie hugged her to stop her, foiling that bright idea. Left with no choice, she pushed open the door with a heavy heart.
With her heart pounding, a heavy feeling as if heading to the execution ground, prepared to be reproached or even atone with her life, Roxy slowly pushed open the door and stepped out of the room.
But the situation was completely different from what she'd imagined. The living room was quiet, with no sign of Ash. Even the couple, who would normally have been up earlier, were nowhere to be seen.
And based on her past understanding of Ash, when he stayed over, he would normally be sitting in the living room reading or meditating at this time.
But today, that familiar figure was gone, and the whole house seemed emptier without him.
Sylphie, following behind Roxy, also seemed to notice something off. She looked at the open door of the empty guest room and blinked her big eyes in confusion, "Master, where's Lord Ash? Has he already gone out?"
The innocent voice of the little girl made Roxy's heart skip a beat. The last words Ash had said yesterday, along with vague memories, gradually flashed through her mind, and a bad feeling arose.
Without answering Sylphie, she hurried to the living room table.
On it lay an envelope, with several banknotes pressed underneath it, conspicuous in the morning sunlight.
Roxy hastily picked up the envelope. As she expected, there were several lines written on it, roughly saying that he had to find a way back to his homeland and couldn't keep lingering here, so he had left ahead. He hoped they would take care of themselves from now on.
Sylphie came over, looked at the letter in Roxy's hand, then at the money on the table. Her little face showed confusion at first, but since she couldn't read well, she tugged at Roxy's hem, "Master, what does it say? Why is there money? Did Mom and Dad leave it?"
At first, Roxy had instinctively breathed a huge sigh of relief at not having to face that awkward situation, but now she didn't know how to react.
She couldn't feel happy, instead, she felt very, lonely.
Although she had been prepared when she came to teach Sylphie, this time Ash had left home entirely. Perhaps even letters couldn't reach him anymore, and she didn't know if they'd ever meet again.
This was probably the real farewell, wasn't it? The moment she realized that, she even lost the heart to tell the girl beside her the truth. An inexplicable sadness welled up, accompanied by inexpressible regret.
'Is it because of me? Because I did that to him, it must have disgusted him, right? Even though I'm his master and an underdeveloped washboard, I actually... used my disciple's belongings as... that? Isn't that just completely perverted?', Feeling she had done something terribly wrong to him, Roxy was overwhelmed by endless remorse.
But even though she had done those things, in her faint memories... Ash had still been concerned about her on that final night.
Maybe he couldn't face her, or maybe it really was time for him to leave.
Now, she couldn't tell anymore.
But with chaotic thoughts, staring at the letter in her hand, she felt as if she could see Ash writing those words through the paper, and scenes of their time together kept flashing through her mind.
And all of them, without exception, had now become the most precious and painful memories.
Even at the very end, the most vivid image in her mind was still last night's scene. Her holding her disciple's coat as an accompaniment, caught red-handed by the person himself. All the words she wanted to say finally condensed into one sentence...
"Seriously, I want to die!"
After letting out that unconscious cry, what happened that day... Roxy couldn't clearly remember anymore.
Because Sylphie's parents, who had been hiding nearby, quietly appeared and carefully told the little girl what was in the letter, and the child's cries filled the entire house.
And Roxy stood frozen there, trapped in a vortex of self-loathing and regret, unable to pull herself out for a long time.
Last night, Roxy had merely been deeply shocked, but though she'd gone back in a daze, it didn't seem like a huge problem.
And having known her for so long, Ash didn't think that Roxy, who occasionally made mistakes and had already weathered countless blows like tempered steel, would be too affected by this. At worst, she'd mope for a couple of days and bounce back, right?
Though he'd have liked to see Roxy's amusingly dejected state, he felt she probably wouldn't want to see him for a while, so Ash kindly spared the teenage girl's feelings and didn't go back.