The girl and Ash stood there, eyes locked through the half-cracked door—both silent, both still. Her gaze was wide, but not in fear. There was sothing more there, sothing unreadable.
Ash shifted his weight, breaking the silence with an uncomfortable cough.
"Excuse ... I’m looking—"
Before he could finish, the door slamd shut with a sharp clack.
Ash blinked, stunned. For a second, he stood frozen, staring at the door.
’Huh... what just happened?’
he thought, still processing.
Then... voices.
Soft. Muffled.
Ash could catch them, though—his senses were honed by his tier 5 Vitalforce, so every sound, no matter how small, cut through the walls with sharp clarity.
A young voice—flustered.
"You guys didn’t tell a cute boy was coming!"
Ash blinked.
’? Cute? No one’s ever called that before... That title usually goes to Kael. Wait—does she... have a crush on ? This is new.’
Another voice joined in, this one more composed, older.
"Don’t tell you slamd the door in his face."
A soft gasp.
"Do you think he’ll hate ?"
The older voice sighed.
"Maybe... but I’ll talk to him. Clear things up."
"Thanks. I’ll go change real quick!"
A pause. Then the older voice, slightly amused.
"Change?"
Before Ash could respond, the door creaked open again.
This ti, it wasn’t the girl. It was a woman—older, her face lined with the weight of experience, but calm, composed. Her posture was straight, the way she held the door revealing a quiet strength. She t Ash’s eyes for a mont before stepping back.
"Sorry about that,"
her tone was sincere.
"My daughter wasn’t expecting any visitors today."
Ash shrugged, his tone neutral.
"Yeah. No problem."
The woman studied him, her gaze lingering just a little longer than necessary. Then her expression shifted—a subtle change, but Ash noticed it. Recognition? Maybe even respect. Or was it sothing else?
"Wait... Who are you?"
"Ash. I’m here to see Guz."
Her eyes widened, just a fraction—barely enough for Ash to notice. But he did.
"Ash Burns? From the Burns family?"
Ash gave a slow nod.
"Yeah."
Her entire deanor shifted in an instant. The casualness lted away, replaced by sothing more formal, warr, but with an edge of sothing... uncertain.
"Please, co inside."
Ash stepped over the threshold, his senses still on alert.
The air inside was warm, the faint scent of stew mixing with the musty tang of old wood. The floorboards creaked underfoot, smooth from years of use. The house was small, but it had a lived-in feel. Cozy, not extravagant.
The walls were decorated with faded pictures and handmade drawings, while a single shelf bore a stack of hand-stitched books. A coat rack stood near the door, holding two jackets—one large, one much smaller. A narrow hallway led deeper into the house, disappearing into the shadows.
In the corner of the room, a low, cracked-leather couch sat beside a table, its surface marked with faded cup stains.
As Ash took another step inside, his gaze landed on her.
A girl—probably around thirteen—sat at the edge of a low stool, her eyes locked on Ash with a look of quiet fascination. She didn’t blink, her wide eyes following his every movent. Her hair was tied in a ssy ponytail, and she clutched a well-worn notebook to her chest like it was sothing precious.
Ash gave her a small nod as he walked toward the couch, trying to ignore the weight of her gaze.
The older woman spoke again, her voice calm.
"I’ll go wake Guz. He should be resting upstairs."
She turned her attention to the younger girl, her tone gentle but firm.
"You—don’t disturb him."
The girl didn’t even flinch. She simply stared at the woman, her voice soft but defensive.
"I haven’t even said anything yet."
The older woman’s footsteps echoed softly as she climbed the stairs, the sound fading as she disappeared from view.
For a long mont, the only noise in the room was the hum of the house—old walls shifting with the wind outside, and the occasional creak of the floorboards. Then, without a word, the young girl stood from her stool and moved toward Ash. Her steps were quiet, unsure, like she was testing the ground beneath her feet.
She sat down next to him on the couch, close enough that her presence was undeniable, but not uncomfortable.
Ash stiffened.
’What the hell...?’
The girl didn’t seem to notice his unease. Her eyes stayed fixed on him, wide and expectant.
"I overheard Mom at the door. You’re Ash Burns, right?"
Ash nodded, unsure where this conversation was headed, his body still tense.
She leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a whisper as if they were sharing a secret.
"Like Ash Burns... Son of the legendary Fla?"
Ash blinked, the word ’legendary’ hanging in the air. He didn’t say anything, just nodded again, unsure how to process the weight of what she’d said.
The girl let out a soft giggle, her small hand reaching out to grab his. Her fingers closed around his, warm and firm. Ash froze, caught off guard by the sudden touch. His mind raced, a thousand thoughts colliding at once.
’What the hell is going on here?’
"Don’t you talk?"
she asked, her voice teasing, like she was enjoying the awkwardness.
Ash stared at her for a mont, still unsure of how to react.
"I... I don’t know what to say."
Her smile deepened, amusent flickering across her face. But then her expression shifted, her eyes darkening just a shade, like the mood had changed in an instant.
"My father always talks about how great your father is. How he saved his life... and everyone else’s. He says there’s no way he could ever repay him."
Ash’s stomach twisted.
’Where is she going with this?’
Sothing about the conversation felt off.
Her gaze held his, intense and unblinking. Ash shifted uncomfortably, the weight of her stare pressing against him. She leaned in a little closer, her voice dropping to a barely audible whisper.
"I would like to offer myself to you... as paynt."
Ash’s heart skipped a beat. His mind went blank.
’Huh? What is she saying?’
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