To become a king and a magician

"Looking for me and Melusin?"

Natsukawa Tora glanced at Melusin, who was engrossed in the deliciousness of chocolate beside him.

“I don’t care, and I think it’s fine with Melusin too… As long as you feel okay, that’s fine.”

Should we return to Lentinion today? It was Chen who made the decision. Although she had arranged everything in Lentinion, plans can't keep up with changes. Perhaps something unexpected had happened in Lentinion while the two of them were out.

If Qin wants to return to Lentinion as soon as possible, then Xia Chuanhu will take her and Meilushin back with him. If not, they can stay and deal with Maibu.

“Then let’s stay here,” Ash said. “Thinking about it, we’ve only been away for two days, so there’s no need to rush back. Let’s treat this as a vacation for ourselves and get some rest.”

"I feel like I'm on vacation every day... Well, if that's how you think, then so be it."

“Mab will arrange rooms for us, and someone will come to inform us later. In the meantime, let’s take a walk around this street. This is my first time in the streets of the Royal Clan. Is there anything interesting? Tiger.”

As he said this, he walked forward.

This is probably her first time shopping.

Natsukawa Tora took a slight breath and walked forward with Melosin to walk alongside Ash: "Let's walk and see as we go. We'll discover something interesting by trying different things. By the way, do you want to try some chocolate?"

.......

After that, until night fell and before Maibu sent people to find Xia Chuanhu and the others, Xia Chuanhu took Ash and Melusin for a stroll around the streets outside Edinburgh several times, attracting the attention of a wave of humans and fairies from the royal clan.

After all, Ash's reputation as a savior was well-known even in this remote northern region. In fact, there were many fairies from other clans who had fled from their original clans within the royal clan, and those fairies knew Ash.

Today, however, that savior has actually visited Edinburgh and is strolling peacefully through the streets with a man and a young girl.

"They're just like a couple with a child."

I don't know which fairy mentioned it or when.

Unlike other places, Edinburgh has an example like Maib, where humans and fairies understand concepts like family and marriage. In their eyes, Ash, Natsukawa Torato, and Melusin are like a close-knit family of three.

Then--

"The Savior already has a lover, and even an adopted child—that's the rumor going around now."

Nighttime, inside a restaurant in Edinburgh.

At the dinner table prepared by Maibu to welcome the three Ashes to their new home.

Maibu chuckled and teased Ash, "It's really a joke that's not funny at all. You have a lover and children... that girlish look doesn't suit you at all, Ash who's over 3,600 years old."

"Likewise, you little girl who's two thousand years younger than me." Ash retorted directly with her age without any politeness. "It's just a pointless rumor. If left unattended, it will fall apart on its own. I know my mission very well. I don't have the qualifications to fall in love with someone and spend the rest of my life with them."

"I don't think it matters."

When Mirusin, who was being fed by Natsukawa Torata, heard Ash say this, she immediately spoke up.

"However, Ash is indeed not someone who can become Tiger's wife, because I have already reserved that position. As for lovers, that is fine, since lovers and wives are different species. I can accept Ash as Tiger's lover."

Ash: "......."

Maib: "......."

Natsukawa Torato: "......."

49. You should be completely honest with each other in the bathroom.

Dinner didn't last long; with Maibu and Chen teasing each other and subtly vying for attention, the time passed quickly.

Then, the venue was moved to—

"Gudong!"

Inside the large, steaming public bathhouse.

Since they were going to stay here tonight, and considering that Natsukawa Tiger and the others hadn't taken a bath for two days, the two of them and Melusin took a good bath to relax before going to the room prepared by Maibu.

only......

"Tiger, is this really necessary?"

Looking at the partition that completely separated the bathhouse, Ash, who was soaking in the pool, shouted to Natsukawa Torama on the other side—this was something Natsukawa Torama had just created using his imagination.

The reason is simple.

"You hold Melosin down over there while I remove the barrier, and she's still smashing it, right?"

"..."

Ash watched silently as Melusin stood not far away, smashing the barrier as if digging a hole, and sighed helplessly.

As Natsukawa Tora said, the reason for setting up this barrier was entirely to stop the little dragon, Melusin, from running amok.

When they first decided to go to the bathhouse, the three of them planned to bathe separately, since there was only one bathhouse. They planned for Natsukawa Torata to go first, followed by Mirushin and Ash.

But Meilushin said she wanted to go on a date with Natsukawa Tora.

To be fair, Natsukawa Tora really likes Melishin, but even if he were to take a bath with a girl who looks no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, he would definitely feel quite burdened.

Therefore, he initially firmly refused Melosin's request. But after that, Melosin threw a tantrum, insisting that they shower together, or she would go out and smash Edinburgh to pieces.

In the end, the only option was for the three of them to soak together, separating Melosin with a partition and having Ash help watch over her—otherwise, even with the partition, Natsukawa Tora felt that Melosin would have smashed it open.

In fact, Melusin is smashing it right now, isn't he? If he hadn't been constantly repairing it, the barrier would probably be gone by now.

"I never thought you would care about these things."

"Huh? Why do you say that?"

"Because you had a harem back in the Pan-Human History world, right? I thought you were used to it by now," Ash explained. "I didn't expect you to take the initiative to suggest separating now."

Oh, so that's what you wanted to talk about.

Natsukawa Torato pondered for a moment: "Well... if it's just you, I won't set it up."

"!"

These words left Ash frozen in place.

(What do you mean by "only me"? If it's just him and me, won't he set up barriers? If that's the case, then Tiger is targeting me...)

Tiger, do you like me?

The straightforward Ash asked directly.

Upon hearing Ash's words, Melusin, who had been diligently smashing boards over there, immediately swam over: "What? Tiger likes Ash? Tiger doesn't like me?"

"I didn't say that, Melishin, don't overthink it." Natsukawa Tora quickly explained, afraid that Melishin would tear this place down. The strongest dragon could easily destroy this place. "As for Ash... well, I like it."

"You've had a harem throughout the entire history of humankind, yet you still don't know how to restrain yourself in public?"

“I used to be quite reserved, but I’ve been led astray in recent years, so I’m more straightforward now.” Xia Chuanhu smiled wryly. “However, I’m only straightforward with people I know well. I’ll still be reserved with people I’ve only met briefly or don’t know well.”

(Well, we haven't known each other for very long...)

Ash stopped thinking about this.

Thinking about it carefully, she and Xia Chuanhu had known each other for a long time in a sense.

Xia Chuanhu and his counterpart from the Pan-Human History had known each other for twenty years in the Pan-Human History, and had spent half a year together after arriving here. Meanwhile, he himself had known Xia Chuanhu for three thousand six hundred years, a one-sided acquaintance for so long.

Judging from this, the two must have known each other very well for a long time.

"Then... Tiger, you mean—"

“Let’s not talk about that for now, Ash.” Natsukawa Tiger interrupted Ash. “Right now, you don’t have the time to think about your own things, do you? Saving the fairies, saving Britain… I know you’re focused on all of that right now, so there’s no need for you to be distracted.”

"We'll deal with what you were trying to say properly after everything is over."

"You really are thinking of me, even though I don't remember you being the type to be considerate of others."

Ash's evaluation made Natsukawa Tora's eyebrows twitch. He began to wonder what kind of person Morgan really thought of him. In the Pan-Human History, Morgan always seemed to treat him as a junior, always addressing him as "Young Man" when they met, and occasionally teasing him by calling him "Your Majesty" or "King Arthur".

It seems that when she talks about herself in front of others, she will say "that child".

(To Morgan, I, who am not yet forty, am indeed a child...)

"Splash—!"

The sound of splashing water came from the other side, followed by Ash's voice: "I'm going out first, Tiger."

"Oh, remember to bring Melusin along."

“I know. Let’s go, Melusin.”

"I'm going to Tiger's side! Ash, please don't get in my way—let me go!"

On the other side came the sound of feet scraping on the floor, it seemed that Meilushin had been forcibly dragged away by Ash.

(Phew~~~ They're finally gone.)

Natsukawa Tora breathed a slight sigh of relief.

He was actually quite pleased to be treated as a lover by Meluxin, but as much as he pleased, he decided to postpone things like bathing together, which challenged his moral compass. As he had mentioned before, if Meluxin had a curvy figure, he would not set any barriers.

Unfortunately, Meiluxin is currently flat-chested, both physically and mentally; she's basically just a callow youth.

"Huh? You're all alone?"

Suddenly, a voice came from behind Natsukawa Tora, followed by the sound of water entering the water from the other side.

"Queen Mab?"

“Mab is fine, no need to add the Queen prefix.”

On the other side, Maib said, "But what's with this barrier? I don't remember there being one."

"It's nothing, just a security measure—more importantly, since you're here, I'll head out now."

"Wait."

Maibu called out to Xia Chuanhu, who was about to come out of the water: "Don't rush. Ash should have already told you, right? I have something I want to talk to you about. Since we've run into each other here, let's talk here, so I don't have to go to your place to find you later."

What do you want to talk about?

“Things related to ash,” Mab said. “You should be interested in these, shouldn’t you?”

"indeed."

50. The Stirring Darkness