Reasons to Protect the Witch's Son

The suddenly a question came to mind. Elaine tilted he head and opened her mouth.

“Dame Sophia.”

Sophia lifted her chin as if to say she wasn’t done speaking. She then blinked and narrowed her eyes as if telling Elaine to make it quick.

“What does any of this have to do with you?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“If my behavior has offended Ash, I think it would be right for him to say something. It’s not your place to point it out.”

Elaine tilted her head with a blank expression.

Sophia was momentarily speechless. It was because she had no idea that Elaine would speak out like this. And, with such a serious expression on her face. Elaine nodded her head and continued speaking.

“Besides, he’s never mentioned anything to me. If His Grace had any issues, I would expect him to address them himself. So, why are you here mentioning it?”

It wasn’t said in argument, or with sarcasm. Elaine was asking out of genuine curiosity.

However, for Sophia, who heard it, it was quite upsetting. What was even more infuriating, was that everything Elaine had said was true. Strictly speaking, this was a problem between Elaine and Ash, not one for Sophia to interfere with. She wasn’t his escort knight.

Sophia bit her lip, angry, about to retort.

“What are you doing here?”

Ash asked as he left the headquarters. Sophia was startled and looked behind her. Elaine asked him happily.

“Have you finished your discussion already?”

“Yes, it ended sooner than I thought, but why are you still here? I thought I told you, you could go back first.”

“I was just chatting with Dame Sophia.”

“Okay? Are you finished?”

Ash looked back at Sophia indifferently. Sophia became anxious, wondering if he had heard what she had just said. She quickly shook her head.

“Were done. I’ll excuse myself now.”

Sophia bowed her head slightly and left quickly. Ash, unaware of the conversation the two had just had, looked at her quizzically and then moved on.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Ash and Elaine headed toward the mansion together. After they had taken a few steps, Elaine called out to him.

“You know, Sir.”

“What is it?”

“Do my actions bother you by any chance?”

Ash’s eyes widened slightly at her unexpected question. He stopped walking and narrowed his eyes.

“Why are you asking me this all of a sudden?”

“I was just wondering if anything I do makes you uncomfortable.”

Elaine mentioned the behaviors that Sophia had pointed out, though of course she didn’t mention that it came from Sophia herself.

“…”

Ash was silent as he stared at her. She looked pretty serious. How should he answer? To be honest, he wasn’t quite sure himself. It was a feeling he couldn’t really describe. Although he was certain about everything else, when it came to Elaine, he was always confused.

Ash spoke after a slight hesitation.

“…Its not that I don’t like it. It’s just…”

Although Elaine was his bodyguard, she tended to be overprotective of him. It was annoying sometimes, but he didn’t dislike it either. Rather…

It was a strange feeling. He spoke, shaking his head.

“Anyway, its not like that, so don’t worry.”

“Really?”

Thank god he didn’t hate it. She looked at him relieved. Her gaze seemed to be sparkling strangely, so Ash avoided her gaze as he spoke.

“It’s late now. Let’s go back.”

He walked ahead of her, with a hurried pace. Elaine smiled as she followed behind him.

The two walked side by side on the road leading to the mansion. All around them, with the last traces of February, dried leaves blew across the ground.

Two days later, on February 26^th, a letter arrived for the Knights of Philres.

The sender was the Lord of Valendor. He had requested assistance in solving a disappearance case that had occurred in Valendor.