"Otherwise, why would you give her such a powerful magic golem?"
"Don't make it sound like the golem I gave her was some kind of breakup payment, okay?"
Ash silently put away the pendant, his gaze unconsciously shifting toward Roxy, who was also staring at him. Roxy looked back at him with displeasure and asked, "Why are you looking at me now?"
"Because... you don't look very happy either?"
"Of course not! I'm seriously starting to wonder whether you really did something with that girl..."
Before Roxy could finish speaking, Ash interrupted her.
"Actually, I made that thing a while ago because I was worried it would be dangerous for you to travel alone as a magician, so I spent some time developing it. But now you're here, so... well, if I get the chance in the future, I'll definitely make another one for you."
Ash helplessly told her the truth. At the same time, his hand seemed to have developed a will of its own, slowly passing through Roxy's hat and gently resting on her smooth blue hair.
This unexpected revelation left Roxy momentarily stunned.
"Y-You made it for me?"
"Of course. You're my master, after all. I worry about you, too."
"Oh, oh... I-I see..."
Roxy nodded instinctively, somewhat at a loss for what to do. Her cheeks had turned slightly red.
"What's with that reaction?"
"N-No... It's just... um, I'm a little... embarrassed."
She had originally intended to confront him and make him give up his inappropriate hobbies, only to end up discovering that she was the one being discussed. Roxy unconsciously pressed both hands between her thighs and lowered her head deeply. All Ash could see was her delicate profile and her bright red ears... It seemed that, besides embarrassment, there was also a hint of guilt.
However, before Ash could take the opportunity to tease her a little, Eris suddenly stood up, dissatisfied.
"What's going on with you two? Even though I was the one who..."
"Eris, are you jealous?"
"Wha... W-What are you talking about?! Why would I..."
"Jealous of our bond as master and disciple? And envious because I gave Nona a golem?"
"N-Not at all! Why would I possibly..."
"It's okay. If I get the chance, I'll make one for you, too. After all, you're important to me as well."
Ash smiled as he stood up, placing both hands on Eris's shoulders and making the promise without hesitation.
At that, the anger on Eris's face, which had been full of tsundere indignation just a moment ago, quickly melted away like snow under the warm sun.
Looking closely, one could even see her pouting slightly. Not only was she no longer angry, but she was actually quite happy.
My disciple really is good at dealing with girls! And he managed to handle two girls so easily at once... How on earth did he learn to do that? Is he really not going to get stabbed in the back someday?
Watching Eris get appeased so easily and even obediently let him stroke her head, Roxy was torn between being frustrated with her for being so easily won over and, as usual, worrying about Ash's future.
———
After a relatively peaceful journey, they finally arrived at the capital of the Holy Kingdom of Millis.
They stayed for a few days. During that time, Eris seemed to have rescued a girl, and when she returned, she happily bragged about it to him for a while.
Ash also had a strange experience while drinking at a tavern. He inexplicably sensed someone attempting to invade his mind, but later discovered that the other party seemed to have done it unconsciously, so he merely gave the little blonde girl a slight scare.
As for the people from the Fittoa Region, they had already left with the funds he had provided. Perhaps they had even reached their hometown by now?
And so, their journey continued.
Nothing major happened during this period. The group continued traveling by ship and made their way to the Central Continent.
After passing through beautiful forests and crossing towering mountain ranges, the three of them finally arrived at the capital of the Kingdom of Shirone.
Originally, they had only intended to replenish their supplies there. However...
"Heeheehee!"
On an unremarkable stone-paved road, a short, blond-haired boy with a bowl cut, resembling a comical ball of flesh, was chasing a girl who was screaming in terror. His face wore a vulgar, repulsive grin.
Beside him stood a group of soldiers who looked like puppets. They were the boy's guards.
Unlike the guards of an ordinary bully, however, these soldiers clearly looked down on their master as they watched him harass a girl in broad daylight. Yet, constrained by their positions, they seemed helpless and could only turn their heads and pretend not to see anything.
Ash had to admit that it was an eye-opening experience to encounter a noble whose own guards so openly despised him.
Roxy, meanwhile, immediately rushed forward and shielded the girl behind her. She glared angrily at the boy, who had stopped in his tracks.
"What are you doing?! How can you bully a girl like that?"
"Bully a girl? Fine! If I don't bully her, then I'll bully you instead!"
The boy was Pax Shirone, the seventh prince of the Kingdom of Shirone, infamous for abusing his status as a prince to do whatever he pleased. He looked Roxy up and down, revealing a lecherous grin that made him even more repulsive.
"I like you, princess! Become my woman! I'll keep you as my woman... slave for the rest of your life!"
"Pervert. Go die."
Roxy rejected him without hesitation, her face full of disgust. Her words were unusually sharp for her... though that was hardly surprising when dealing with someone who would say such things.
Ash also couldn't help walking forward. He stared at the boy, who practically had the words vulgar and lewd written all over his face, without the slightest hint of a smile.
"You. Do you want to die?"
"What? Are you this woman's lover?"
"So what if I am? Speaking of which... have you thought about your last words?"
"Hah! Do you know who I am?"
Faced with Ash's provocative words, Pax leaned back with an air of triumph and began to boast.
"You dare defy me, the prince? You..."
However, before he could finish speaking, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in both legs. It was as if thousands of needles were piercing his bones at once, causing him to fall backward uncontrollably.
Only then did he realize, to his horror, that both his legs had been severed.
Blood gushed from the wounds like water from an uncontrolled fountain. Pax's eyes widened, his face filled with terror and disbelief.
He opened his mouth to scream, but the pain was so intense that all he could initially manage was a cry of, "Aaaah!"
Ash didn't care about any of that. He even planted a foot on Pax's face, coldly watching the boy scream like a slaughtered pig before asking in return, "I don't know who you are, but... do you know who I am?"
The surrounding soldiers hadn't even reacted yet. They seemed completely stunned by the scene before them.
Even though he knew full well that the other party was a prince, Ash still had no intention of apologizing. Instead, he brazenly issued a challenge.
His attitude was so overbearing that he seemed even more arrogant than the prince himself. The soldiers, who already despised their prince, were now caught in a dilemma. Among them, the female leader couldn't help shouting:
"Y-You actually dared to hurt His Highness the Prince! Do you know what a serious crime that is? No matter who you are, you..."
"A serious crime? So what? Who can judge me?"
Before she could finish, Ash stopped concealing his presence to any significant degree.
His surging mana expanded in an instant. Everyone present could see the windows of the surrounding buildings creaking ominously. A murderous intent as overwhelming as raging waves instantly swallowed their minds and bodies.
The power shook their senses, while a small amount of the black murderous aura that leaked out pierced straight through their souls, filling them with an instinctive fear. The only reason they didn't scream immediately was that they couldn't make a sound.
Their fear was so overwhelming that they even abandoned control of their bodily functions, trembling slightly against their will.
As for the prince beneath Ash's foot, his whole body shook uncontrollably. Only after Ash reined in his presence did Pax lose control of himself. Then, disregarding everything, he struggled desperately and shouted at the soldiers not far away through a face covered in snot and tears.
"H-Hurry... stop him! Let me go! Kinji! Save me! Y-You... Do you not care what happens to your families? They're still in my hands! Hurry up and do something!"
"...Guh?"
The expression of the soldier commander known as Kinji immediately stiffened. Terrified, she drew her sword and pointed it at Ash. Although the tip of her sword shook uncontrollably, she was still drenched in cold sweat as she said, "H-Hurry up and release His Highness the Prince...!"
"What? Your families are being held captive?", Ash frowned slightly, though a hint of surprise still appeared on his face.
The situation was so unexpected that even he couldn't help clicking his tongue.
Even he had never heard of a prince holding his own guards' families captive before. Just how hated was this guy, and how little did people trust him, that he had to use such despicable methods to control his personal guards?
And why do it so openly? Controlling them in secret would be one thing, but openly threatening them through their families? And these were his personal guards, no less. Wasn't he afraid of suddenly getting stabbed in the back?
Ash felt that the prince's outrageous behavior had shocked him a little too much, but he didn't particularly care.