Chapter 166

Chapter 166: Ash's Lover

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"…I don't understand why you would give me an apple at this moment. And even if you're going to give someone something, at least don't give them one you've already eaten, right? I feel like I've told you this so many times."

"This tastes good," Linie replied matter-of-factly, showing no sign of paying attention to his complaints as she handed the apple over without hesitation.

Unable to refuse her so-called kindness, Ash sighed, took the apple, and bit into it reluctantly. The sweet and sour flavor spread through his mouth, but before he could say anything, Linie moved again.

She grabbed the hem of his shirt, wiped her hands on it, then lifted it further to skillfully wipe her mouth with the fabric inside before walking ahead of him without waiting for his reaction.

Ash blinked, utterly dumbfounded. He wanted to say something, but in the end, he just shook his head with a sigh and followed behind her.

Linie wandered through the downtown area, passed through the commercial streets, and even took a quick look at the slums. It was her first time in this city, and although her face remained as expressionless as always, her curiosity was apparent.

Even if Ash couldn't read her emotions perfectly, her small gestures and body language made it clear that she was in a particularly good mood.

While Ash knew a little about this region, he wasn't great with directions and rarely took the time to explore. His busy schedule kept him tied to specific routines, and as a result, he'd barely been to many places in the city. Following Linie now, he realized how insignificant his knowledge felt.

Linie led him through the bustling market and deeper into the winding streets of the city. The paths grew increasingly intricate, making it feel like they were trapped in a maze.

Ash quickly realized she was looking for something, though she didn't say what. To avoid losing her in the crowd, he grabbed her hand, holding it firmly as they moved forward.

Before long, he found himself juggling a surprising number of items. With one hand holding Linie's, the other carrying a large bag of apples, and two floating wooden boxes beside him, he realized these were likely the rations she had prepared for later.

"Master Ash, is this the way back?" Linie asked suddenly, looking up at him with a tilt of her head. "Why do I feel like we've already passed this place?"

"…How would I know?" Ash replied, irritated.

"Master Ash, unexpectedly useless?" Linie teased without missing a beat.

"If you say something like that again, I'll hit you," he threatened lightly.

"I'm sorry, Master Ash. I was wrong," Linie said immediately, her voice calm but her apology automatic, as if she hadn't even thought about it. Her quick admission of fault left Ash feeling strangely conflicted—it reminded him uncomfortably of himself when he had to deal with sincerity.

"…Is this karma?" he muttered under his breath, sighing as he continued leading her.

Before they could leave the winding streets, Ash spotted Kanne on the opposite side of the market. She noticed him almost immediately, her face lighting up as she raised her hand and ran toward him excitedly.

Linie, however, narrowed her eyes. Without letting go of his hand, she poked Ash's waist with her finger and, in her usual calm tone, asked, "Master Ash, this person's companion stepped on your foot yesterday. Can I kill her?"

"No," Ash replied firmly. "That wasn't an attack; it was just a joke or something like that. Girls shouldn't fight over such things."

"…In other words, Master Ash, do you like being stepped on?" Linie asked seriously, her face still blank.

Before Ash could respond, she raised her foot and stepped firmly on his instep. Tilting her head to look up at him, she asked with complete seriousness, "Are you comfortable?"

"…Huh?"

The absurdity of the situation left Ash completely stunned. His mind buzzed, unable to process what had just happened.

Kanne, who had just arrived beside them, stopped in her tracks, her eyes wide with shock. "Uncle… do you like being stepped on?!"

"…How is that possible!" Ash grabbed Linie by the collar from behind, lifting the strange little girl off the ground so that her legs dangled in the air. He stared at her unhappily and scolded:

"Linie, don't step on my feet in the middle of the street and ask such weird questions."

"I'm sorry… I'll pay more attention next time," Linie said, her tone full of guilt as she skillfully lowered her head to admit her mistake.

"…Tell me, what will you pay attention to next time?"

"Have I done something bad before this?"

"You forgot already?!" Ash stared at her incredulously before pinching her face and pulling her cheeks. "If I don't teach you a lesson this time, what will you try next? I told you not to step on me casually—don't you understand such a simple principle?"

"But someone else stepped on you yesterday… Ash-sama, are you playing favorites?"

"Is that the point right now?"

"Should I step somewhere else, then?"

"That's not what I mean!"

Faced with this child who could say the most outrageous things while sounding completely innocent, Ash realized that, despite his scolding, he had no confidence he could actually get her to change.

Kanne hurried over to intervene, gently pushing his hand down. "She already admitted her mistake, Uncle! Stop bullying her and act like an adult!"

"She may have apologized, but she'll never truly repent," Ash grumbled.

"You can't just say that! You have to give kids enough trust. If you keep saying things like that, they're even less likely to change, don't you think?"

As she spoke, Kanne pressed his hand down further, forcing him to release Linie. Then she smiled warmly and pulled an apple from her basket, handing it to Linie.

She gently rubbed Linie's red cheeks and said, "Does it hurt? Big sister will help you. Uncle is so rude, bullying such a cute child like this!"

Linie, who normally wouldn't let anyone touch her—even someone of the same gender—stared blankly at Kanne. Perhaps sensing the other person's harmlessness, or maybe swayed by the kindness and apple, Linie didn't push her away. Instead, she turned her head toward Ash with her usual blank expression and said:

"…Master Ash, this woman is unexpectedly good."

"'This woman'? My name is Kanne. And what's your name?"

"Linie."

"Little Linie~ What's your relationship with Uncle?"

"I'm Master Ash's lover."

"Lover? Yes, lover is goo—lover?! What?!" Kanne froze for a moment, smiling and nodding subconsciously, but as the meaning sank in, she let out a loud scream and spun around to glare at Ash. "—You! What did you do to this child?!"

"…Nothing!" Ash protested, utterly exasperated. "This kid is just bad at introducing herself to people. Wait here for a bit. I need to have a proper talk with her."

Ash wanted to retort that Kanne had been deceived by Linie's innocent appearance, but at this point, he just wore a numb expression. Silently, he took Linie's hand.

"I'll leave you this bag of apples. Just stay here and don't wander off," he told Kanne. Then, without waiting for a response, he took Linie away, determined to stop her from saying anything strange again.

Ash, who had no intention of returning anytime soon, walked away with Linie while giving her a thorough lecture.

However, their conversation didn't last long.

As they turned a corner, they saw an orange-haired girl standing ahead of them with her back turned. She seemed to be waiting for them to come back, glancing around nervously.