Chapter 171

Chapter 171: Ash smells like apple - again

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"——Is it another weird thing? I'll be angry!" Fern snapped before Frieren could finish her sentence. Frieren instantly hid the gift behind her with a swift motion.

Under Fern's scrutinizing gaze, Frieren couldn't help but hesitate, unsure if her gift would pass inspection. To avoid a lecture, she muttered in frustration, "…Maybe I should just make hamburger meat as a gift instead."

"You didn't really prepare something strange again, did you?" Fern narrowed her eyes suspiciously, causing Frieren's scalp to prickle with unease. She forced an awkward smile and quickly changed the subject. "Speaking of gifts, tomorrow is Ash birthday. Why not give your gift to Ash early? I'm sure he'll love whatever you give him."

"But I haven't had the chance. Master Ash seems so busy. He disappeared after dinner yesterday, and he was gone this morning too. Kanne and Lawine were also looking for him earlier for some reason. When I asked them about it, they refused to tell me anything. I really don't know what's going on."

"…Isn't this just how things usually are?" Frieren remarked casually, but her mind quickly returned to her own predicament. She lowered her head, poking her index fingers together over her chest, her expression visibly deflated.

"Anyway, you have plenty of chances. This has nothing to do with someone like me, who's just… hamburger meat…"

"Why are you so down? If you want to give a gift, why not pick something carefully?" Fern asked, exasperated.

"How could that be? It's fun to knead the meat filling… I'm serious," Frieren replied with a self-deprecating chuckle. Though her words sounded dismissive, her expression betrayed her clear disappointment.

Fern sighed, now showing her own look of resignation. While organizing her thoughts, she reached out to gently pat Frieren's head in an attempt to console the elder magician.

"Lady Frieren, I understand your intentions, but you also know that giving a gift isn't a trivial matter—especially when it's for Master Ash. The gift must be thoughtful and appropriate. Most importantly, it shouldn't cause him any trouble." Fern's tone was firm yet empathetic.

"So, if you really want to give a gift, I implore you to think it through carefully and show it to me first. If there's anything inappropriate about it, not only might it embarrass Master Ash, but it could also affect your relationship with him. You wouldn't want that, would you?"

"…He's not that delicate of a person," Frieren mumbled, still looking unconvinced.

"That's not true. When Master Ash is serious, he's actually very considerate and thoughtful," Fern replied confidently.

"Really?" Frieren leaned forward, her expression skeptical, narrowing her eyes at Fern. "Do you truly think so?"

"This… this…" Fern faltered, her confidence wavering. She looked away guiltily before adding, "Fine, I admit, he can be a little willful sometimes."

"See? Even you know!" Frieren grinned triumphantly, her mood improving slightly.

"But!" Fern' quickly interrupted. "At critical moments, he's very reliable. And yes, everyone has moments where they want to break free from constraints. That's only human."

"…So, maybe he would appreciate a unique gift?" Frieren mused aloud, leaning back thoughtfully.

"——No! Absolutely not!" Fern shouted, her voice firm. "Even if Master Ash would be happy with a strange gift, I wouldn't! A poorly chosen gift isn't acceptable, so… no strange gifts!"

Though it would have been easier to let Frieren give her gift without intervention, Fern refused to compromise. She was determined to prevent anything odd from being presented. Even as Frieren sulked, hugging her knees in frustration, Fern remained steadfast, preaching and trying her best to console her at the same time.

.....

Not fully understanding what had transpired while he was away, Ash returned home, sat on his bed, and prepared to take a short rest before gathering his things and leaving to avoid any unnecessary trouble.

However, before he could even get up, the door swung open without warning.

Fern entered the room with an expressionless face, walking up to him and standing still, staring at him without a word. Her tired expression, resembling that of an exhausted mother tending to a baby all night, made him instinctively want to escape. Yet, concerned, he asked cautiously:

"What's wrong, Fern? You look really tired."

"..."

Fern didn't reply. She just stared at him silently for a moment before sitting down next to him. She looked straight ahead, sighed softly, and continued to stay quiet.

This made him even more confused. Growing more cautious, he asked again, "What happened? Did Frieren make you angry? Or..."

"...It's all Lord Ash and Lady Frieren's fault," Fern said, her tone flat as she glanced at him.

"Me? I'm involved too? And Frieren? But we haven't done anything troublesome together recently, right?"

"Lady Frieren wants to… No, wait," Fern started but abruptly stopped herself. Her brows furrowed as she suddenly leaned in closer to him, sniffing at him curiously.

After a moment of thought, her nose wrinkled as her eyes narrowed. She examined him from head to toe before asking, "Why do you smell like apples again?"

"I seem to recall you mentioning this before—"

"Don't tell me you've been helping out at the apple orchard again."

"That's true…"

"This isn't just from helping at an apple orchard, though, is it? The smell is much stronger than before. How many apples did you eat for it to cling to you like this? Do you eat apples as full meals and then rub them all over yourself? And why is there apple juice on your collar? Are you wiping your hands on your collar now?"

Fern puffed up her cheeks in dissatisfaction, twisting the ends of her hair with her fingertips as she glared at him. Her tone brimmed with irritation as she bombarded him with questions.

Ash tried to explain calmly, understanding that the smell was stronger because his clothes hadn't been washed yet. Still, he was a little taken aback by her anger. "No… look, even if I've eaten a bit more, isn't this reaction a little excessive?"

"I don't care! I just feel like you're hiding something from me," Fern said firmly, her intuition warning her that something was amiss. "And there's a girl's… sweet smell mixed in. Tell me the truth—what exactly did you do yesterday?"

"…Actually, I have a relative's child who really loves apples."

"Weren't you sealed 1,000 years ago, unsealed 500 years ago, and then sealed again for another 500 years before ending up here? Where would these relatives even come from?"

"Well… it's a bit more complicated than you think, actually…"

Reluctantly, Ash explained that Linie was a descendant of his sister. While it wasn't entirely accurate, it wasn't a lie either.

He elaborated that his family had grown into a prominent lineage, ensuring the bloodline hadn't been broken. After all, he himself was still alive, which in a way, ensured its continuity.

Ash's family had managed the apple farm a long time ago, but after he disappeared, it was left to his sister's family, who have continued running it to this day.

"...So the child really likes apples," Ash explained.

"But if the kid likes apples, why do you smell like them?" Fern asked, clearly confused.

"Because she likes to rub them on me."

"No... Why? I don't understand at all!" Fern's confusion deepened. "Does she always like to rub apples on others? And, according to what you said, isn't she twelve or thirteen? How can a child that age still act so rudely?"

"Well, my own child is unconsciously like that..." Ash muttered.

Although he often scolded Linie, Ash would unconsciously defend her, giving his expression a subtle softness—similar to how Linie defended Fern when speaking about her.

However, his words earned him a lecture from Fern.

"I've known for a long time that you're very protective of her, but there's no need to go this far, right? Overindulging her isn't good for her growth. It's just like with you and Lady Frieren—you're always defending each other, and I always have to step in and criticize both of you!"

"...Am I being treated like a child?" Ash asked, frowning slightly.

"You are willful," Fern said automatically.

The moment she said it, Fern paused, suddenly realizing that she might not be so different from Ash herself. After all, unless she was upset, she often defended him in front of Frieren, but when they were alone, she didn't hesitate to be harsh.