—What are you doing?
Ash grabbed Violet's wrist suddenly.
Violet's cheeks flushed.
—...I was just thinking about what you said before.
—You mean it would help you?
—...That worries me, but are you really going to leave the academy?
His voice lowered itself.
Ash had a calm expression.
-Of course.
—Why, don't tell me it's because of me?
—It's a nice self-deception, but you are not the center of the universe.
I already had it planned.
Violet watched him for a moment, as if trying to understand his intentions.
No matter how much I looked at it, I couldn't figure it out.
"So, I wonder how you're going to help me."
—We'll discuss that later.
But I can't just ask you to trust me, so for now, I'll give you something you desperately need today.
—The only thing I need now is a place to spend the night.
Violet said.
Of course, even if Ash offered him a place to stay, he planned to turn it down.
She wasn't brazen enough to expect that much.
And I didn't want to go home either.
—That, I will solve it.
By the way, what will you do if your uncle accepts you?
—Still, I have to complete the task my uncle gave me.
It has started to feel like something very important to my life.
Violet said it firmly.
Ash seemed to like that answer, because he looked a little amused.
"Then let me meet your uncle." I'll convince him right away.
──── ∗ ⋅◈⋅ ∗ ────
—We already reached an agreement.
Bullying innocent students in broad daylight, dragging the knights along, would be a scandal to the leader of the knights.
It has also been agreed that the young lady's family will not be informed, so please bear that in mind.
The man named Brown seemed a little nervous.
Gran, Brown, and Ash were standing side by side, looking at Violet.
They look like the cover of one of the magazines Marigold often reads.
Violet thought sincerely.
—I don't like standing in line.
For some reason, when several tall, attractive men are standing together, we look like a group of fools.
Ash said it calmly.
—That's because of our Ash's excessively bright face...
We, the normal ones, are the victims, I would say.
Gran said.
—I have another case, so I'm leaving.
I've been too busy today.
Brown looked at his watch, grabbed his briefcase and left.
"Then let's call a carriage."
Gran stepped forward and was already hailing a carriage.
Soon, the carriage stopped.
Ash held the carriage door and turned around.
—So, where is your relative's house?
──── ∗ ⋅◈⋅ ∗ ────
Cyril was anxious.
He had been running out of the house for several days every time he felt a presence outside.
How hard can it be to insult family and come back?
Why would it take so many days?
I hope that damn Godfrey didn't do anything to my niece.
If she had been locked up, she thought about gathering her colleagues and organizing an escape.
He had only seen his niece a couple of times in his life.
But the memory of walking towards the capital with the little girl, wrapped in a cloth on her chest, was very vivid.
I had no money, and it was painful and difficult.
In every town she visited, she had to swallow her shame and ask for breast milk to feed her.
The most difficult thing was fear.
How he had trembled in case the little girl died.
When he knocked on the door of Godfrey's house and handed him the girl, he felt strangely moved.
"If you kill this girl, I will kill you, Godfrey."
At that moment, he could only make a threat filled with bragging.
But now, Cyril had wealth and connections.
When Violet came to get help, deep down, she felt happy.
-Curse.
What difference does reading this garbage make?
Besides, that Violet girl is already eighteen years old.
They write this garbage and get paid for it?
Cyril threw down the book he was reading for the third time: How to Treat Teenagers: A Child's Emotion Determines His Future.
—Throwing books around the house doesn't help boost employee morale, Cyril.
The clerk, Olive, picked up the book with a blank expression.
—Olive, go and do your job.
—I have sacrificed three hours of my six and a half hours of regular sleep to decorate the room of the young lady who is to come.
That statement also doesn't help boost the morale of a competent employee.
—You never really lose an argument.
—I recommend reading this book two or three more times.
—…You're going to drive me crazy.
Why is this house so like this?
Cyril put his hand to his head.
At that moment, the doorbell rang.
Cyril's shoulders jumped.
—Shall I go out?
Olive said.
—No, I'll go out.
—I'll be in the kitchen until you call me.
Olive nodded and left.
Cyril stood up.
He tried to walk slowly, so as not to seem impatient.
He straightened his clothes and opened the door.
But, unlike what he expected, the person he saw was an unknown young man.
His face was absurdly handsome, tall and slender.
And the energy he gave off was unusual.
Cyril, without realizing it, turned around to check where his sword was.
-Who are you?
Cyril asked with a deadpan expression.
—It's a pleasure to meet you.
My name is Ash Defendeil.
The young man, named Ash, smiled.
—Hello, uncle.
Ash is a student at the academy, like me.
At this moment, Violet poked her head behind the young man and spoke.
Cyril's expression relaxed when he saw Violet.
—Do we even know each other?
Ash asked Cyril.
—If you try to flirt with me, I'll kill you.
I'm not interested in men.
Cyril's face wrinkled completely.
-Don't worry.
Right now I'm pretty busy trying to hook up with someone else.
Ash looked at Violet with a kind expression.
—I'm not interested in word games.
What is the reason for your visit?
Cyril crossed his arms, alternating his gaze between the two.
—I've heard Violet's story.
Ash said with a smile.
—What story?
Cyril asked.
—About the mission he gave him for his mental health.
—I'm sorry for coming without having finished the homework you gave me.
Violet said dejectedly.
Cyril was stunned.
Was that even a task?
He just hoped Violet would teach Godfrey a lesson and leave home.
It wasn't a great plan for Violet's mental health.
"So you couldn't tell Godfrey anything?"
Cyril felt a little disappointed.
Although he had said it without great expectations, he had not said it lightly.
-I will do that.
It is in progress.
Violet looked at Cyril with determined eyes.
—Anyway, given what happened, Violet told me that she can't stay at her uncle's house for now.
So I came to ask your permission.
At that moment, Ash spoke.
—…What permission?
Cyril's voice became grave with a sense of bad omen.
—Permission to live together.
It took Cyril a moment to realize the reality.
The impact of Ash's words was considerable.
—You, what did you just…?
Cyril pointed his fingertip at Ash.
—Coincidentally, the house I'm staying in has enough empty rooms, so I plan to let Violet stay with me for a while.
How else could you describe this if not as living together?
Cyril's hand shook once.
My niece with that kind of pretty face and who seems to have a lot of money?
A man and a woman in the prime of their lives living in the same house?
Despite everything, the fact that Cyril was desperately controlling his emotions was his last pride.
—Ash, we hadn't talked about this…
Violet tried to say something.
But Ash interrupted her gently.
—Don't worry, Violet.
—….
—So it doesn't matter if it takes Violet a year or two to live in her uncle's house.
Isn't that right, Violet?
At that moment, Cyril's patience was exhausted.
—How dare you ruin my niece's reputation!
…To be continued