If you don't want to just drift through life, you have to go through time.

Truman looked toward the kitchen.

Philon was diligently preparing dinner. She didn't panic or make a scene after hearing Truman's explanation; instead, she quietly prepared and chopped the vegetables.

She was so well-behaved it was heartbreaking.

"Little Philon... is it okay to call you that? Could you come here for a moment?"

"Yes, is there anything I can help you with?"

Philon walked slowly to Truman.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know anything about you and I apologize for neglecting you." Truman extended his right hand to her, smiling, and said, "If you don't mind, would you like to get to know each other again? Hello, my name is Truman, nice to meet you."

He wouldn't say it's none of his business and cut all ties with her. Besides, even if it's none of his business, her connection to Haita deserves respect.

"Okay, Uncle Truman."

"Uncle, Uncle?"

Truman was dumbfounded.

Philon called him "uncle" in a casual tone, which deeply hurt him, as this was the first time he had ever been called "uncle."

"Little Philon, call me brother!"

"uncle."

"elder brother!"

"uncle."

It's impossible to change. This bland, almost stubborn attitude... I don't know where he learned it from.

"No, little Philon!" Truman put his hands on her thin shoulders and said with a little excitement, "Indeed, the me who met you must have been much older, but I'm only 20 now! Even my appearance is very young! Look, Frilian is so old but looks young, you can't call her a stinky old woman, right, Heita?"

"I understand, I understand," Haita quickly chimed in. "She's clearly older than me, but she looks so young. According to Truman, she should be called Frilline the Lolita Old Lady."

Frillie was a little angry.

"Even if it were Truman or Haita, I'd get angry if they called me an old woman. Heh."

As he spoke, he tapped Truman and Haita on the head with his magic wand. The tap was light, even a little light.

The three of them looked at each other.

After a moment of silence, they all burst into laughter.

Philon didn't say anything.

She simply went back to the kitchen and cooked.

"Truman is still Truman, just as he always has... Hmm, Frilian is the same in that respect." Haita chuckled and said, "You two are really great, reminding me of our adventures back then... Oh no, as people get older, they subconsciously start reminiscing about the past."

In this respect, he really is like an old man.

No, in fact he is an old man.

Frillie said again, "You seem to be in such high spirits, how about we have some wine? I bought it especially before I came to see you."

"No need, I've quit drinking." Haita shook his head. "Before, I would definitely have had a great time drinking with you all."

"yes."

"pity."

Frillie and Truman were somewhat disappointed.

"Now you're pretending to be innocent? I don't think the goddess will forgive you."

"I was prepared for this."

Haita didn't care.

However, the three of them picked up their teacups and took a sip at the same time.

Haita asked, "Frilian, what brings you to me?"

"I went to the capital to buy something and came to see you on the way... That would have been fine, but didn't you say before that you would bring Truman to see you if he started acting strangely? So I came here on purpose." Frilian said casually.

So that's what they mean by "by chance" and "on purpose".

Haita suddenly realized.

"I did say that."

"Didn't you say that? Remember that, you stinky monk."

"I'm sorry, my memory does decline with age," Haita smiled, but with a touch of nostalgia. "However, I've never forgotten our adventures back then."

"…Same feeling."

Frillie did not deny it.

Truman could only listen silently, like an outsider.

One person's loneliness, two people's mistakes...

"Besides, I still owe Haita a lot of favors, and I was thinking of coming to repay them. Is there anything Haita can do for me? I'll try my best to help... but forget about the cream puffs."

"Cream puffs?"

"I don't know. Truman said I'd turn into a cream puff or something."

"--Hello!"

Truman slammed his hand on the table, spilling a lot of tea, some of which landed on his clothes. Philon, seeing this, quickly grabbed a handkerchief to help wipe it up.

"Thank you, little Philon."

"……fine."

She shook her head and went back to cooking.

"Hehehe, is that so?" Haita seemed to have seen through everything, but considerately, he didn't continue the conversation. Instead, he asked again, "Frilian, do you take disciples? Philen has the aptitude to be a magician. Could you take her on your travels?"

"I'm sorry, Haita, but I can't agree to that, because she would be a burden to me. You should know the mortality rate of apprentice mages in actual combat, right? I don't want my friend's child, whom I entrusted to her, to go and die." Frilian refused without even thinking.

"What about Truman?"

"As you should know, he's quite special. And even Truman now can fight alongside me. Just before yesterday, we even joined forces to defeat the Black Horned Dragon."

"Yes, I understand."

Haita stopped pressuring her and instead asked her to decipher the spellbook, then led Frilian to the basement.

Truman did not follow.

He only has a superficial understanding of his own magic, let alone the ability to analyze it, so he can only wait here for the two of them to return.

Even though he knew early on what the magic book Haita wanted Frilian to analyze was, he knew it was a waste of time.

Looks like I have to leave.

It is absolutely unacceptable to let him waste several years here.

"...Philen?"

Without him noticing, Philonise stood silently beside him, not uttering a single word. Her taciturn demeanor was truly serene. Truman, who noticed her, was startled.

"What's wrong, little Philon?"

"Uncle Truman..."

"Call me brother."

"Uncle Truman, can you hug me?"

Ok? ? ?

Philen's expression remained unchanged, still cold and calm. If he hadn't been listening, he would have thought he was hallucinating. Besides, Philen wasn't the type to whine or act cute; she would never say something like that! ...That's how it should be normally...

"No, little Philon, you'll get kidnapped by that bad uncle if you say things like that."

"stare…………"

"Yes, yes. Come on."

Truman opened his arms and half-embraced Philon, who buried her head in his neck, feeling something deeply.

"It's definitely Uncle Truman."

"Call me brother."

He corrected it subconsciously.

But what does it mean that Uncle Truman is right?

Before he could even ask, he looked up and saw Frilian and Haita standing on the steps at the basement entrance, silently watching the two embracing.

"That's not how it is..."

"It's alright, Truman, you don't need to explain. I understand that you have special feelings for Philon."

"Wait a minute! I don't know if you misunderstood or said that on purpose, but anyway, wait a minute!"

Frillie's words only made Truman more anxious.