What if you are reborn as a demon after a funeral?

Besides, he doesn't have that much time to play with the children, so hiring a maid to take care of them wouldn't be very appropriate.

Because...aren't children left behind when their elders are never around? From a physical and mental health perspective, this is definitely not good.

As the last surviving orphan among his friend's descendants, he felt obligated to provide the other party with a suitable and warm family, rather than a cold and impersonal room, and to let them live as a left-behind child.

As a demon who grew up alone, he could somewhat understand similar experiences.

After all, considering the actual growth environment of demons, no matter what the nature of demons should be, what else can they become if they don't grow up to be like wild beasts?

Even for humans, if they grow up alone in the wild from a young age, they probably wouldn't be too different... Therefore, education and companionship after birth are really important.

At least, that's what Ash thought.

The Buried Frilian: A Thousand Years From Now On: Chapter Sixty-Nine - Parallel Lines of Understanding - The First Gift - A Visit to Haita (4K)

The importance of the environment in which one grows up is evident, and if we take the demon race as an example, Aura is a good one.

Someone like Shurahat probably had a good upbringing, which is why he became one of the few who cared about others, even willing to sacrifice for the collective good, in a demon race where individualism was rampant.

Of course... how exactly Shurahat grew into a demon who cared for others and was even willing to sacrifice and dedicate himself is something that is hard to verify; he just had that feeling.

Ash, on the other hand, had to raise the child himself. Not only did he lack the time and energy to manage it, but he also had to worry about Philon being influenced by someone like himself.

Unfortunately, there are hardly any normal people in his social circle, and most of his friends are dead. Asking Awula to help him find them could easily lead to tragedy... At least for now, he doesn't trust Awula at all.

Most of the nobles in this kingdom are basically controlled by Aura. Even if you force her to take care of them, it would be all over if things got out of control.

Therefore, after much deliberation and searching for more than half a year, he still couldn't find a suitable partner in this magical city, so he decided to go to Haita for help.

Despite his previous concerns about whether Haita was still alive, he now had his investigations revealed that Haita had retired and was even surprisingly healthy.

As a highly respected bishop of the Holy City and a former savior, his reputation would certainly be much higher, and the people he knew would be much more serious and reliable.

Of course, the option of leaving it to Haita himself was rejected by him immediately. After all, it was hard to say when that wine-and-meat monk would die of old age, and he was also not very comfortable with him taking care of the child.

If Simmel were still alive, he would be the best candidate in terms of both character and personality. It's just a pity that the goddess didn't seem to like him, and he was the first to die in the team.

"...Although our fate is limited, which is really a pity, I will definitely help you make the right choice. Now you can sleep peacefully."

He gently placed Philon on the bed, covered her with a blanket, and stroked her hair, which was gradually regaining its shine. He secretly made up his mind that even if it took a year or two, he would find a way to get Haita to find a suitable home for the child.

..........................

The next morning.

The warm sunlight shone on her face, causing Philon to groggily open her heavy eyelids. Urged on by the rising sun, she indulged in a rare moment of laziness, stretching and wriggling on the bed for a while before rubbing her sleepy eyes and getting up.

"...Ash-sama is probably not here again today..." She habitually patted her face, then sat down on the edge of the bed and murmured with a hint of loneliness. However...

"No, I'm still here today, for the time being."

"Huh? — Ash-sama?!"

She looked in alarm toward the direction of the sound, only to find Ash, who was always nowhere to be seen, sitting at his desk, flipping through a magic book that she couldn't understand at all.

This made her quickly stand up, tidy her disheveled hair and pajamas, and bow her head respectfully: "Good morning... Lord Ash, is there anything I can help you with today?"

"...Don't be so nervous, just be natural."

The girl's nervous attitude convinced him once again that this was not the kind of attitude a normal family should have towards each other.

The proper approach would be to gently resolve the inner pain of this child who has suffered trauma, and then reach out to her heart; this would prevent her from becoming so reserved.

But whether it's numbness from living too long, or worry about getting too close, or some other issue... he's not quite able to do that.

He had tried everything he could, but after more than half a year, things were still the same, leaving him unsure of what to do to get the child closer to him.

So, gazing at the upright-sitting girl, he finally made up his mind, put down his book, and squatted down in front of her:

"Philen, did you have class today?"

"Yes, there was no special notification... Um, what's wrong?" Ash, who was always very busy and sometimes gone for three or four days, or even a week, was asking this question and showing concern for her school situation for the first time, which surprised Philon.

"It's nothing, it's just that I want to see an old friend. I was wondering if you could come with me?"

"Me...?" Philon asked, somewhat puzzled, but without much thought, she replied, "Of course."

"...Then choose a suitable opportunity to say goodbye to your friends first."

"Saying goodbye? Why?"

"That guy lives quite far away, in the holy capital of the central kingdoms."

His answer, given without a second thought, left Philon tilting his head in utter disbelief and confusion: "But isn't the Central Continent very close?"

"Actually, I'd like to stay there for another year or two...it's been a long time since we last met, um, that's about it." Ash gave a vague and casual excuse.

He felt he needed to wait until he found a suitable partner before explaining his true purpose to her, so that at least they could travel together and the journey would be much more relaxed and enjoyable.

Upon hearing this long number, Philon's eyes widened slightly, but she still offered no objection and silently nodded.

"I understand. Let's say goodbye today."

"Yes, I'll go with you, and I'll also tell your teacher."

"Thank you, Lord Ash."

"No need..."

Being treated so politely by the child made him feel a little uncomfortable, but he understood and didn't say anything.

In reality, Philon was also somewhat disappointed and reluctant to say goodbye to her friends, but being too sensible, she didn't say anything.

It's worth mentioning that Ash believes the biggest reason for their estrangement is that, from the time they met until now... Philon has never refused any of his requests, not even tentative ones, nor has he ever made any demands.

Afterwards, they went to school together, said goodbye, and temporarily withdrew from school. Everything was done in one go. Philen said goodbye to his friends, and he only had to say a few words to his second-level mage teacher to complete the communication regarding his suspension from school.

Of course, for the sake of his child's future, Ash also thought that after going to the Holy Capital, he would have to find a magic academy for her to attend.

..........................

..........................

On the carriage.

Unlike normal children who are excited about leaving the city, Philon just sat quietly on the ground.

Before even leaving the city, while passing through bustling streets... Having always lived in quiet neighborhoods, even the road to school was relatively remote, making it a long-awaited experience for her to step into the hustle and bustle of the city.

The bustling streets were lined with stalls selling a dazzling array of goods. The vibrant colors of meat and vegetables created a lively scene of everyday life, and the shouts of vendors added a touch of excitement and energy to the start of the journey.

The crowd and noise made Philon feel slightly uncomfortable, and he subconsciously moved closer to Ash.

But as the carriage moved on, her gaze was drawn to the silver leaf bookmarks sold by roadside vendors, and she found herself staring at them unconsciously.

When Ash noticed this, he thought for a moment, then stopped the carriage and looked at Philon, asking, "Is there anything you like?"

"...No, I'm just a little curious."

"It's alright, even if you just keep it as a souvenir, feel free to buy whatever you like."

Hearing this, Philon hesitated for a moment before replying softly:

"But... it's not good to spend money recklessly."

"Is this something a child should be thinking about?"

“…I’m sorry.” Philon lowered his head in frustration.

This seemed to stem from a fear of one's own feelings, which put Ash in a rather awkward position: "I'm not blaming you... anyway, why don't you just pick a few that you like?"

"but...."

"If you don't choose, I'll feel bad."

“Then…one will do.” Philon gripped his clothes tightly with both hands and hesitated before following him off the carriage.

Standing in front of the stall, she glanced at the bookmarks a couple more times without realizing it, but still picked the cheapest-looking one from among the many items: "This one."

"Really? But I think this one is better." He smiled helplessly and took off the silver bookmark that she had subconsciously been paying attention to earlier.

This made Philon stand there awkwardly, like a child who had done something wrong.

This reaction really gave him a headache, so he simply shoved the bookmark into her hand and ruffled her hair in the process.

"Alright, alright, don't think so much. Isn't it beautiful? And as long as you like it, that's all that matters."

"Thank you... I... I will definitely cherish it!"

Unexpectedly, these words, like warm sunshine, quietly dispelled Philon's unease and anxiety, replacing it with an indescribable warmth and happiness. She unconsciously hugged the bookmark tightly and nodded vigorously.

In fact, the main reason for her reservedness was that Ash was always busy with work, which made her know from a young age that making money was not easy.

As for the actual situation... she didn't really understand either.

She never asked, and Ash naturally never said anything either, otherwise he would have had to make up an excuse, right? So... their understanding became two parallel lines that did not interfere with each other.

Back in the carriage, Ash was still flipping through books, while Philon was carefully admiring the silver leaf in his hand, seemingly really liking it.

This caught Ash's attention, and he couldn't help but chuckle and pat her head, while Philon gave a shy smile.

—The two people’s understandings, though on parallel lines, seem to be able to barely make sense of each other.

..........................

After traversing mountains and rivers, the two arrived at the Holy City without any major incidents.