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

The town where their family lived was a strategic location due to its high altitude, offering a wide field of vision and providing both defensive and offensive advantages, thus often becoming a battleground.

Normally, if the snowfield were lost, the townspeople would evacuate immediately. However, the defeat happened too quickly this time, and the residents did not receive any news. There was simply no time for people to evacuate, which led to a series of tragedies.

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

After Ash explained the situation, the only sound left in the living room/dining room was the crackling of firewood.

After a long while, Haita took two glasses from the cupboard, filled them with liquor, and then drank them in one gulp. Only then, as if testing the limits of his lung capacity, did he let out a long sigh.

"...I understand the basic situation, but you brought this child here, you don't mean you want me to raise him, do you? My health is not what it used to be."

"How about you consider quitting drinking first?"

"What are you talking about? If it were that easy to quit, I wouldn't have been called a 'wine-and-meat monk' all this time, would I?" He had only just brought it up when Haita, an old man, started shaking his head repeatedly as if he were being difficult.

"What's the point of making things difficult for an old man like me now? Besides, alcohol is the best of all medicines. It's because of drinking that I've lived this long, isn't it?"

"...Is it really okay for a bishop to spout such nonsense?" Ash couldn't help but roll his eyes at this strange theory.

"It's alright, I wouldn't say that to someone who would actually believe me... But let's get back to the point." Haita filled his pockets again before teasingly saying, "For someone as heartless as you and Frilian to suddenly contact me, I knew something was up, and now it seems it really is related to that child, isn't it?"

"Wait a minute, are you suddenly launching a personal attack?"

"Isn't that the truth? Because even though I live in different places, I've always kept in touch with Simmel and Aize through letters. Only you two came once in fifty years, and there was no contact between you in between."

"—Indeed! The matter that requires help is directly related to Philon!"

Is that really true? Those guys are surprisingly serious, unlike their appearance. —Ash was surprised, but on the surface he pretended not to hear anything and seriously brought the topic back.

But this made Haita, who had already recovered his kind and benevolent demeanor, click his tongue in astonishment, completely disregarding his image:

"Tsk... It's amazing that you ignored my complaints and now you have the nerve to make demands?"

"Why would an old man like you bother with such trivial matters as me, a young man?" He shrugged, trying to ease the tension.

"Age-wise, you're older than me, right?"

"Who knows?" He said, then changed the subject and sighed softly, a sad expression on his face. "But to be honest, although I'm still in good health, I can't withstand the ravages of time. Of course, I understand... you might not believe me if I say that."

"Really?" Haita raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, but Ash laughed the next moment: "No, it's fake."

"...Really? I understand. Please sit there and don't leave. Wait for me a moment." After a long silence, Haita suddenly stood up and walked into the house.

"what happened?"

"The cane isn't quite right for me. I'll go get a metal one and it'll hurt more when I hit you."

"No... uh, are you serious?"

Seeing the old man pull out a spiked club from the room, Ash was dumbfounded and instinctively rushed out of the room.

But just moments ago, Haita was using a cane, but now he's wielding a spiked club and moving with incredible speed, as if he's about to bleed him to death on the spot.

However, he was forced to stop when he rushed outside and hugged the young girl who was watering the vegetable garden. He instinctively hid the spiked club behind his back, afraid that the child would see such a dangerous thing.

"--What?!"

Suddenly being picked up and placed on his forearm, Philon looked somewhat bewildered as he watched the man rush out the door one after the other.

Even so, when she noticed Haita sweating profusely on his forehead, she still worried about this old man who had suddenly become so agile.

"Lord Haita...you seemed to be running very fast just now. Did something urgent happen? Are you alright?"

"We're just competing to see who can catch Philon first!" Ash said with a smile, casually making up an excuse for Haita.

Philon seemed quite bewildered. This old man and Ash... could they really play such childish games?

Haita could probably guess what the child was thinking, but faced with the child's innocent gaze, he could only force a nod, not wanting to have a bad influence on the sensible child, and forced a stiff smile:

"Haha... It's rare to have an old friend visit, so I can't help but reminisce about my younger days."

"...I see. It's good to have energy."

Philon didn't suspect anything, nodding slightly in agreement. However, she seemed a little embarrassed by being hugged, unconsciously squirming her body and looking up in confusion.

"Lord Ash...now that you've won, could you please let me go?"

"No, look at that guy over there, his shoulders are shaking. He's definitely not reconciled. I need to make him even more reconciled."

"Huh... I don't quite understand, but aren't you friends? Why are you doing this?"

"It's precisely because we're friends that we're kicking someone when they're down."

"Is that so...? It feels...surprisingly understandable?"

Thinking of his friends Connie and Rabine, who were always fighting each other, Philon unconsciously nodded in agreement.

This made Haita, who was watching this, start to worry about how badly he would raise Philon.

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

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

After the two finished and returned to the house.

Feeling guilty, Philon ate the beef and potato stew that Haita had prepared at Ash's instigation. Because of the long journey and the fact that she was still traveling through the forest, she fell asleep in her room early.

Meanwhile, in the living room, Haita, with a suppressed headache, glared at the man in front of her who was drinking her treasured wines and nagging her to prepare braised meat.

If it were anyone else, Haita would probably have told this guy to get lost, but it's Ash... he really can't do anything about it.

But recalling Philon's attitude towards Ash during their brief time together, he tapped the table again and said, "Now I want to talk about serious matters."

"You tell me... listen."

“No…you’re the first person to eat and talk in front of me since I became bishop.”

"That would be an honor."

"This isn't a compliment... Sigh, never mind." Haita couldn't do anything about it. Although he sighed, his usual smile reappeared on his face. He shook his head and said again:

"You should have noticed it yourself, right? The way you and Philon get along doesn't really seem like a relationship between adoptive parents."

“I feel the same way, so I came here hoping you could help me find a reliable person to take care of him.”

"...A reliable person? Can't you do it yourself?"

"Actually, I might really be nearing the end of my life, so I hope you can help me take over taking care of Philon. Or can you really bear to see Philon wandering the streets alone?"

"..." Upon hearing this, Haita frowned and remained silent for a moment, then spoke in a reproachful tone: "...Do you really want to be hit by me?"

"Just kidding, don't get too excited." Ash waved his hand with a smile: "Actually, I just feel like I'm not very good at taking care of Philon."

"Are you trying to shirk responsibility? I never expected you to push your own responsibilities onto others."

"Actually, I also have my own difficulties."

"Are you going to say he's about to die of old age again?" Haita felt he was about to lose his temper.

But Ash put down the braised meat in his hand and finally became serious: "No, this time I'm serious. I just feel like I can't take care of her. After all, you've seen it, haven't you? My relationship with Philon."

"...From what I can tell, that child seems to be holding back something, sometimes being close to you, sometimes maintaining a polite distance that goes beyond what's necessary." Haita pondered for a moment before offering his guess, then couldn't help but ask, "...How long have you known each other?"

"Including the journey we took here, it must have been almost a year, right?"

"...Really?" Haita took off his glasses and rubbed his temples. "...Is it because her heart is too wounded, or because you are irresponsible?"

"The problem lies with me."

"...What exactly is it?"

"Actually, I'm very busy and really can't take good care of her, so she basically lives alone, with only a maid to take care of her at most. So I hope you can introduce someone to me."

"...I think that child will be sad."

"However, this is a solution that is good for both of us."

"We're both doing well... I guess that's how it is."

...........

Haita didn't say much, nor did she ask why it was better for both of them, or express her dissatisfaction with his ruthlessness.

After all, he could probably understand why Ash would have such thoughts.

Just like when their adventure ended and they parted ways in the capital, everyone advised Frilian to take a disciple or something, so that she would at least have someone to talk to on her travels.

But Frilian's answer was: it's just a waste of time, after all, no matter how much you teach, you'll die in the blink of an eye.

That's why he could probably understand Ash's concerns.

So, on the very next day, he began contacting acquaintances in the capital to find a suitable candidate.

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

In the days that followed, people would visit the cabin in the woods from time to time, but... they would come and go, and then leave again.

No matter who it was, Philon was not satisfied, and gradually realized why Ash had brought him here.

But until the truth was revealed... she didn't expose it.

But after seeing off another visitor, she realized that no matter how she tried to escape, the facts would not change.

I have to admit the reality that I am no longer needed.

......

...

...

Chapter 72 Philon: I Don't Want to Be Someone Else's Child

Although Ash and Haita were both trying to avoid letting Philon discover their true intentions, they kept bringing along the children under the guise of inviting guests over, while also subtly inquiring about Philon's feelings towards them, and their feelings towards Philon.

Although they thought they had concealed it well, they underestimated Philon's sensitivity as a former homeless child.

Or rather... the way those people looked at Philon didn't feel like the way they looked at a friend's child.

But the crucial point is that when Ash and Haita went to the Holy Capital together, Philon, who was looking after the house, was tidying up the room when he suddenly noticed that... the guest room drawer that Ash was using was half open.

"...Did Lord Ash forget to close the drawer?"

The drawer, which had been specially locked and kept closed the whole time, suddenly opened today, making Philon take a second look out of curiosity.

She originally intended to just turn it off, but... she accidentally glanced at her and couldn't look away.