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

"...I take back what I said!"

"And you even said I'm a disciple with a bad heart?"

"Because! You are my most... most favorite person!"

Even in front of so many people, Luo Qixi blushed and forced herself to speak her mind, suppressing her shyness.

This made Ash quite satisfied, so he stopped teasing his interesting master and silently waved his hand away.

In an instant, Luo Qixi felt a warm current envelop her entire body, and then her body seemed to undergo some changes.

The once quiet world was suddenly filled with many sounds she had never heard before, and she instinctively knew how to respond to them.

But she didn't reply immediately. Instead, she looked at Ash excitedly, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and gratitude.

"This...this is amazing! Ash, how did you do that?" Loki grabbed Ash's hand excitedly, her voice trembling slightly.

"Are you really going to listen to my explanation? It was unintentional, but you..."

"No need! It'll definitely be complicated anyway! All I need to know is that my disciple is extremely capable!"

The biggest knot in her heart was untied, and she hugged Ash with undisguised excitement, even bursting into tears of joy in the embrace.

So she stayed in the village for a week, enjoying a fulfilling and relaxing time, and even struck up conversations with almost everyone in the village, completely resolving her past inner conflicts.

This not only made Luo Jiali more accepting of Ash, but also made Luo Yin, although still unwilling to admit it verbally, tacitly acknowledge his existence.

When Luo Qixi left the village, her parents saw her off for quite a distance with reluctance.

Ash gave one of the golems he had casually made to Logari so she could use it in case of danger; Loin, on the other hand, looked conflicted as he watched the two leave, but ultimately did not say anything against it.

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

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

The Migrud village was quite harsh, but Loki's parents had long been accustomed to this mundane life and didn't care much, nor did they ever think about moving elsewhere.

Although Luo Qixi wanted to stay here a little longer, she also inexplicably wanted to go outside... Maybe it was because she was used to traveling, and she couldn't get used to the food at home?

However, she made up an excuse, saying that she was full of curiosity about the homeland of Girenau, and although she had been there once before, she wanted to go back again.

"I don't recall you ever having any interest in orc tribes before. All I remember is that the trees were very tall, and there wasn't anything else particularly special about it... I guess the orc-eared lolis were just awesome?"

Ash, who instantly arrived at the edge of the forest through spatial teleportation, gazed at the vast and boundless forest in the distance and unconsciously fell into memories, murmuring softly, "Speaking of which, I wonder how Nona is doing after all these years."

"Nona?" Loki pouted slightly, her tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible jealousy.

"Ah... have you forgotten? The child we rescued from the slave traders, shouldn't he be all grown up by now?"

"...My dad has almost forgotten everything, yet he remembers the child he met while passing by?" Luo Qixi's tone was filled with even more jealousy, making him dumbfounded and shake his head repeatedly: "No, I only met your dad once, but I've been here for several months, even through the rainy season! And..."

"what?"

"...It's okay, it's okay, don't worry about it."

It's strange that he doesn't remember the cute animal-eared loli, but he does remember bullying his father-in-law. — Although he really wanted to tell the truth, reason stopped him from doing so.

Luo Qixi looked up at Ash, her eyes flashing with complex emotions, and finally sighed softly, temporarily setting aside her dissatisfaction:

"However, since you care about her so much, we'll probably run into her when we go to the orc tribe... That would actually be nice."

"Luo Qixi is unexpectedly generous?"

“Of course, how could I be jealous of a child?” Luo Qixi retorted stubbornly.

"That's true...that's true."

Ash didn't say much, but he knew in his heart that his master, who was sometimes a bit absent-minded, must have forgotten... It had been several years since their last visit. Although neither she nor he had changed in those years, the child must have grown up.

But so, urged on by Luo Qixi, the two of them stepped into that great forest together.

Naturally, his former benefactor returned and was given the highest level of courtesy almost immediately.

Unfortunately, the children he used to enjoy petting have all disappeared. The cat-eared loli and the dog-eared loli went to magic university, while the fox-eared loli who was closest to him reportedly gave up magic university and went to study at a nearby magic academy.

Ash initially had some regrets, but that very night...

He had just stepped down from the banquet and was taking a stroll on the outskirts of the core village when he saw... a beautiful beast-girl who was both unfamiliar and somewhat familiar.

The girl's pale golden hair shimmered softly in the moonlight, and her pair of beast ears of the same color trembled slightly, as if tense with nervousness.

She wore a neat white shirt and a black pleated skirt in a preppy style, the hem of which swayed gently with her rapid breathing.

The fluffy fox tail swept uneasily along the ground, causing the wind to stir up fallen leaves, which rustled in the silent night.

Her gaze was fixed on Ash's figure, her beautiful eyes seemed to hold a strange color, her lips were slightly parted as if she wanted to say something, but she hesitated and then pursed them, finally turning into a soft and restrained smile.

“Mr. Ash…” Her voice was soft, yet filled with undisguised joy, the last syllable rising slightly as if afraid of disturbing this reunion: “Long time no see.”

Ash paused for a moment, then vaguely recognized her as the adorable little fox from before, and exclaimed, "...So it really is Nona?"

She nodded, her ears twitching slightly at the sound of her name being called, and a faint blush rising to her cheeks.

"I... I received a letter from Alice saying that you were back, so... thinking that you might come looking for me, I set off ahead of time, and I didn't expect to actually run into you."

Her voice grew softer and softer until it was almost a soliloquy, but her eyes never left him, as if she wanted to make up for all the time she had missed over the years: "You haven't changed at all."

"...You've really grown up, and you're so beautiful, I almost didn't recognize you!"

Ash smiled, somewhat sentimental about how quickly time flies.

The Nona before him was no longer the little girl she once was, but a graceful young woman, brimming with youthful energy. He... smiled on the surface, but in his heart he was truly regretful, even to the point of wanting to beat his chest in frustration.

This means you have to consider the other person's age, and you can't tease them as freely as you would when they were little.

It's rare to find such an adorable animal-eared loli, so how did she grow up into a young woman and start worrying about men's ages?

Compared to Ash's regret, the girl in front of him didn't understand his thoughts at all. She just looked at him with embarrassment, as if she was still troubled by something.

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

A night breeze swept by, lifting a strand of the girl's hair and breaking the brief silence between the two.

Nona, with her orcish sense of smell, clearly detected Ash's emotions. She was startled at first, then blushed deeply, lowered her eyes, and whispered nervously:

"Mr. Ash... how have you been these past few years?"

"good?"

"I've been hearing about your deeds all this time, and I've always believed in you and longed for you. I'm thinking about you all the time, just like I said when we parted... I want to go find you."

She raised her head and, suppressing her shyness, revealed her longing.

Nona has grown up, but for some reason... she doesn't seem to have forgotten what she said when she was little... or rather, a few years ago.

At this moment, what should I say? — Ash was a little troubled, unsure of what attitude to take.

To be honest, it felt a strange heaviness, like the little golden fox pendant this child had once given me, made from her own tail fur.

But the girl in front of him slowly walked up to him, gazing at him silently as if she were looking forward to something. Her tail was still wagging, and her ears were drooping down, as if she was expecting the caress she used to receive.

Surprisingly, time did not create a sense of distance, which relieved him but also made him a little worried about her age. However, after hesitating for a long time, he couldn't help but slowly reach out and touch her head, habitually playing with her furry ears.

A gentle night breeze caressed her, and her ears trembled slightly in Ash's palm. She subconsciously rubbed against his fingers, but then suddenly realized that she was no longer the little girl who could act spoiled without restraint, causing her cheeks to burn even redder.

Nona swayed her body shyly, her voice so soft it almost seemed to melt into the wind: "...Actually, I've been thinking about what I should say if I ever see Mr. Ash again."

Ash paused for a moment, then chuckled, "Aren't you saying all this so well now?"

"Because...because I've practiced so many times," she confessed softly, her tail curling up and then relaxing uneasily. "I even...rehearsed in front of the mirror for a long time beforehand."

Ash couldn't help but laugh out loud at this adorable answer, and Nona, hearing his laughter, immediately perked up her ears and glared at him, embarrassed and annoyed: "Please don't laugh! I... I'm serious!"

"I know, I know." Ash gently ruffled her hair, his tone softening. "I just didn't expect you to care so much."

Nona pursed her lips, her fingers unconsciously gripping the hem of his shirt: "...Because you're my fiancé, seeing each other again definitely means we're getting married...so, so..."

Her voice was very soft, but it made Ash pause slightly.

My fiancé? Me? When? Have I lost my memory? — His smile was slightly stiff, his fingers still hovering on Nona's head, unsure whether to pull them back or continue touching her, as he tried to recall everything that had happened in the past.

Although he had used the child as a pillow, played with it without restraint, and even helped wash its tail, and had unconsciously bitten its ear while sleeping, but...

"A marriage contract...?" He chuckled dryly, trying to defuse the sudden shock with a light tone: "Nona, are you mistaken? I don't recall anything like this happening between us?"

Nona's ears tensed instantly, her tail froze, and she raised her head, a flicker of panic in her eyes, but she quickly pursed her lips stubbornly.

"...Mr. Ash, have you forgotten? Back then, I said, 'When I grow up, I'll marry you.' You even said you wanted to have lots of little foxes with me! You even accepted my token of love!"

"Yes, yes! I did say that! But..." Shouldn't such a thing be said as a joke? — He found it difficult to say this in the atmosphere, and could only awkwardly try to change the subject: "...So that little fox made of tail fur, is that what it looks like?"

"Of course! Do you think we orcs are just casual people? Do you think humans would just make things out of their hair and give them to ordinary friends?"

"...I...yes! Thinking about it now, it's not quite normal!" He hadn't thought about it much before, so he withdrew his hand and rubbed his forehead with one hand, trying to gather his thoughts: "But you were still young then, so..."

“But I’m serious.” Nona’s tail drooped down abruptly, and her ears drooped, but her eyes were unusually firm.

What to do? At this moment, this atmosphere makes me feel like a heartless man toying with a young girl's heart? — He rubbed his throbbing temples, trying to gather his thoughts: "Let's re-examine the situation, shall we? First..."

“No need,” Nona interrupted him, her cheeks flushed, but her tone was unusually clear:

"I know you might have just said it casually back then, but to me, it was very important, and..."

"and?"

"...You smell like you're in heat, you must like me too, right? Why won't you admit it? Why are you still regretting and restraining yourself? Why are you like this? I clearly...if I were Ash! I would have done everything and prepared everything! What did my mother teach me~!" She took a deep breath, her face flushed, and mustered the courage to look him in the eye, revealing the scent she had smelled when the wind picked up, the truth she had discovered.

"Huh? No, wait a minute? That's not true! It absolutely doesn't exist!"

The girl's words left Ash completely stunned, and he shook his head vigorously.

Heaven and earth bear witness, I truly had no such thoughts! But why do I smell of arousal? Must I have smelled something wrong? But the orcs wouldn't... frame me? Slander me? This child who used to be so frank and adorable, has he become like this at such a young age? Has he been corrupted by this pathetic slave society because I was away? — He couldn't help but want to bury his face in his hands, to sort out his thoughts, to brainstorm and fight against the increasingly bizarre situation.

However... at that very moment, the sound of undisguised footsteps came from not far away.

The person who arrived was none other than Luo Qixi.

He glanced over instinctively, wanting to change the subject and end the awkward situation... but Nona also instinctively looked over, wrinkling her delicate little nose. She then looked as if she had discovered something, her expression turning serious yet surprised:

"—Huh? Could it be... you're the one who's actually in heat, and you even left your scent on Ash? What did you do to Ash?!"

"Wh-what??"

Luo Qixi, who had just arrived, stood there dumbfounded upon hearing the voice message, even doubting her own ears.

A night breeze rustled the leaves in the forest, and moonlight spilled between the three of them... The atmosphere was awkwardly tense.

An eerie silence lingered for a long time, but at that moment Ash roughly understood why his master, Huang, was so eager to take him away from home... because her home only had one living room, and there was nothing that could be done there.