Bab 76: Chapter 75
Chapter 75: Recording·Fallen's Change·Visiting Elve
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After being schemed against by Heiter, Ash reluctantly accepted his fate.
That night, after Fern smiled for the first time and fell asleep happily, he sat down and drank, venting his frustration. But contrary to his expectations, Heiter—the notorious drunkard who'd spent his life indulging—just kept pouring the wine for Ash without drinking any himself.
"What's this? Are you reluctant to drink? Planning to take all this as an apology?" Ash slammed his glass down on the table, glaring at the old man who merely chuckled in response.
"How could that be? I'd really love to drink, but…" Heiter, who had initially thought about having a grand drink with his friend as a kind of farewell celebration, now merely licked his lips, swallowed, and shook his head firmly. "At my age, drinking too much might just bring me to my grave a bit sooner."
"You're over a hundred years old, and now you're worried about that? Even if you kicked the bucket now, it wouldn't exactly be what anyone would call a short life." Ash rolled his eyes, feeling as if Heiter was making up yet another excuse.
Heiter couldn't help but smile bitterly. "Actually, I just decided a moment ago to quit drinking altogether."
"…Are you serious? Despite all the warnings you ignored in the past? You even told me that it would be better to kill you than to make you quit drinking. You said it didn't matter if you were killed by dungeon monsters as long as you had a drink the day before."
"That was back then. Now… maybe I'm just feeling my age?" Heiter picked up a wine glass, took a deep breath, and sighed deeply. "Yes… I lied to you. I really do owe you an apology."
"So? You're punishing yourself by quitting drinking? Somehow, I doubt you'd do it for that."
"Of course not."
"Still the same old wine-drinking, meat-eating priest, I see." Ash couldn't resist muttering, frustrated at how Heiter wouldn't pay even such a small price without some resistance.
But Heiter ignored his remark, his gaze drifting to Fern's room door nearby as he spoke more softly:
"…Maybe it's just that I'm older and my heart's softened, or maybe I've always wanted a child of my own and am afraid of being alone after retirement. She's only been here for half a year, but that gentle, pitiful Fern is almost like a granddaughter to me."
"…Do you really want to be my father?"
"Don't interrupt when I'm saying something serious," Heiter said, though he smiled at Ash's remark. Then he glanced back toward Fern's room with a slightly guilty look, confessing, "I know that this decision hasn't been exactly fair to you… So I'll do my best to live as long as possible and help you take care of her in the meantime."
"But will it really make a difference if you quit drinking now?"
"Who knows? But if it means I might live long enough to see her become independent, I'd be satisfied. It'd mean less burden on you, too. And whenever the time comes for us to say goodbye, it'll be easier for you to accept, won't it?"
"…You've been a bishop for so long that your lying skills have definitely improved," Ash muttered, clicking his tongue and shaking his head. "We've been together for too long for me to just abandon that child completely."
"Oh, by the way, I have a gift for you." Heiter smoothly avoided addressing Ash's comment, smiling as he pulled a small magic tool from his pocket and handed it to him.
"This is…?"
"I used a magic tool that can record sound. I recorded the child's confession. How about that? It's something worth remembering, right?" Heiter said, smiling.
Ash was silent for a moment, resisting the temptation before he finally gave in. He nodded and tucked the pocket watch-sized magic tool into his jacket.
Though he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being manipulated, he knew that if he listened to it often enough, it would become nearly impossible to tell Fern he wanted to part ways. But if Fern listened to it herself when she grew up… Ash couldn't help but imagine how amusing that scene would be. Thinking about that future made him wish time would move faster, and he reluctantly went along with Heiter's plan.
---
After deciding to settle down, Ash would sometimes travel north, but for the most part, he remained here. The invisible barrier between him and Fern gradually faded after the two of them talked things out, and she grew even closer to him than before. But…
"Master Ash, I think excessive drinking is unhealthy. Master Heiter has already quit drinking—you should follow his example!"
One morning, Ash was drinking and reading when Fern marched over, looking slightly annoyed. She snatched the drink from him, her pink cheeks puffed up in irritation.
"Come on now… it's one of the few pleasures an old man has. What am I supposed to do if you take it away from me? Besides, someone once told me that wine is the best medicine of all. Drinking a little isn't so bad, right?" Ash shot a meaningful look at Heiter, who had once made this very argument, forcing Heiter to nod in agreement.
Fern looked genuinely surprised. "Is that so? Then… maybe just a little is okay. Lord Heiter, I hope you can stay healthy forever."
The young girl expressed herself so openly that Heiter felt both embarrassed and deeply touched, while Ash, in the meantime, managed to reclaim his drink. Seeing that Heiter didn't argue, Fern even poured him a glass of wine and handed it over, leaving Heiter feeling like he'd trapped himself.
But now he could only resist the temptation as he stood up and walked toward the kitchen.
"It's almost time to start cooking. Fern, would you like me to teach you?" he asked, trying to change the subject.
"Cooking? Sure! Please teach me! But… could you drink this glass of wine first?" Fern asked with innocent persistence.
"No, this…"
"What's wrong?" Fern tilted her head, looking at him curiously.
"Uh… I…"
Heiter stammered, unsure how to get out of this situation, even casting a pleading glance at Ash. But Ash, remembering Heiter's prior indifference to his own pleas, simply ignored him, crossing his legs and flipping through his book with a smirk.
---
Time passed quietly, and before they knew it, a year and a half had gone by in this peaceful life. Fern, now nine years old, had grown noticeably taller, though she was still just a child.
One day, while out gathering mushrooms, Fern returned earlier than expected. And beside her stood an elf girl with silver hair and long ears, gazing at her blankly.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone