My dear witch, please turn evil according to the script!

Chapter 174 Emotional Mentor (A long chapter of 10,000 words)
As the New Year approaches, the streets of Riskan are becoming increasingly lively.

Even though the entire old town disappeared in the battle between Roland and Cassius last night, it did not affect the residents of the city in the slightest.

The main reason is that residents also know that there is no one in the old town, only rows of old houses.

The original residents had all been relocated elsewhere by the city hall after the Chaos Brotherhood unleashed that huge horde of rats a while back.

Perhaps some gang members, wanted criminals, or homeless people will find a house in the old city to live in temporarily or use as a base of operations before the old city renovation plan begins.

But no one will care whether these people live or die.

Not to mention in Switzerland.

Nowadays, the residents of Riskan are more envious of the original inhabitants of the old town.

After the old city area is renovated, they will not only be allocated new houses, but also receive a compensation that is not excessive, but still quite generous.

It sounds absurd... but that's just how Riskan is.

Roland walked along the street, occasionally greeting acquaintances he encountered.

After all, he had only been away from home for a month.

The bakery he used to frequent on the street corner was still open, and the restaurant that suited his taste and served Northern Icefield cuisine was doing as well as ever.

The blacksmith at the blacksmith shop still greeted him warmly, asking Roland if he needed any ore, and offering to give him some if he did.

The bookstore owner, with his white beard, still habitually lay on the deck chair by the entrance, basking in the sun, and casually inquired about Roland's academic life.

However... none of these interactions with acquaintances lasted very long.

Don't misunderstand, it's not that they read the newspaper and thought Roland was already a big shot, so they became distant.

It was simply because Roland was followed by three girls, and they were afraid of disturbing Roland's daily dating routine.

Although three is a bit too many, it's not illegal, and it's consensual, so what's wrong with it?

Not to mention... in their eyes, Roland was born with a face that girls would like.

As for Roland himself?

He didn't really want to turn around and look at the three women behind him.

His fears came true.

Although Suren was eventually persuaded and planned to go back to make some preparations before taking action, such as asking Delan and the other hatters for some compiled materials to review.

But before she could leave, Kalia and Iluvia, who appeared out of nowhere, blocked her escape route.

And so the scene has become what it is now.

What else could Roland say?

Anyway, there definitely won't be any "surprises" in Kalia and Iluvia's gifts.

The only saving grace was that the three people behind them got along quite well.

Storybooks, fashion, food... Surprisingly, Su Lun's hobbies and the two of them got along well.

If possible, Roland would really like the three of them to leave him behind and team up to go somewhere else for a trip.

This way, it will be easier for me to choose a gift.

Although he didn't really know what girls liked.

But I have to give something, right? At the very least, cosmetics and flowers can't go wrong... probably.

However, some Riskan specialties should be included in the gift for Kalia.

This guy will be happy as long as there is good food.

But Iluvia...

Despite being Iluvia's fiancé, Roland seemed completely unaware of her preferences.

People always have some unique hobbies that go beyond normal interests.

For Kalia, it's all about eating.

For Flam, it was any magic she had never learned.

For the eldest brother, Aslan, it meant creating all sorts of powerful explosives.

For Cellina… perhaps it was the weapons and the money. At least she was trembling with excitement when she walked out of the office that day with the checks in her hand.

Then there's Toran, this robust old man whose hobby is researching all sorts of novel magical technologies.

Oh, and that cat... Anyway, Nash likes most of the things cats like.

Roland knew a great deal about the preferences of the people around him.

Perhaps it's not entirely accurate, and there might be some misunderstanding, but at least Roland knew a general direction. He could discern their preferences from their personalities and daily behavior.

But Iluvia is different.

Although he and Iluvia had a life-or-death bond, they didn't seem to have much contact in their daily lives.

When they first met, they were teammates and almost died in that practical assessment.

They barely escaped danger by supporting and cooperating with each other.

The second meeting took place in the turbulent and turbulent capital.

Although Iluvia expressed her feelings, she focused more of her energy and time on solving the problem.

The third time they faced each other was when he returned from Blackthorn Territory.

It wasn't until that time that I saw Iluvia in her simple, everyday life for the first time.

I learned about the quiet little garden in the palace, saw the dolls on the tea table, and met the embarrassed and stubborn princess.

Although she vehemently denied enjoying childish activities like playing house, the evidence was overwhelming, leaving her with no choice but to deny it.

At that time, Roland felt little joy.

He could only sense the loneliness hidden deep within Iluvia's heart from this garden.

But in the end... he never learned anything further about Iluvia's life.

With this thought in mind, Roland turned and glanced at Iluvia.

The other person is very happy now.

She always wore a light, genuine smile.

Perhaps she has been looking forward to this kind of life of shopping and chatting with friends her own age for a long time.

She was also carrying two bags. So was Kalia.

Clearly, they had already chosen their gifts.

Suren, who was squeezed between the two women and eating the bag of potato chips provided by Kalia, seemed to see something in Roland's gaze. Then she looked up at Iluvia, who was not saying much but just responding to the conversation.

"Your Highness, besides storybooks and pretty clothes, you must have some other hobbies, right?"

"Hmm... perhaps that's not quite right. Is there any gift you'd like to receive?"

"It's New Year's Eve tonight! Aren't you hoping to receive any gifts?"

Suren's sudden remarks made Roland, who had been looking back, turn his head back immediately.

Holy crap, Suren, you're a genius!

Suren, who noticed Roland turning his head out of the corner of his eye, smiled slightly and then tilted his head at the somewhat surprised Iluvia.

Upon hearing this, Iluvia first glanced at Roland, who was walking ahead, then bent down and whispered in Suren's ear.

Suren looked displeased and exclaimed loudly and somewhat affectedly, "Ugh~~~ Why is Your Highness telling me all this?"

"I can't give you the gift you want~~~"

Upon hearing Suren's words, Kalia's eyes suddenly sharpened. She silently moved closer to Roland, then took his arm and whispered, "Roland, where is my gift?"

"Would you be angry if I said I haven't bought it yet?"

"Hmm... is it just me who didn't buy one, or did nobody buy one?"

"I haven't bought any yet... but I was planning to go buy some, wasn't I?"

Hearing this, Kalia breathed a sigh of relief and gave Roland a somewhat unfamiliar, serene, and gentle smile: "Oh, that's alright. I won't be angry."

"...Are you really not angry?"

"No, how could I be angry? It's not like I'm the only one who didn't get a gift."

Kalia stuck out her tongue as she spoke, leaned closer to Roland, and laughed, "Besides, you've already received my gift, haven't you?"

"You can't just not give me a return gift, can you?"

"By the way, where's that scarf?"

Roland coughed: "Don't worry, I've kept it safe, but it's not cold enough in Riskan to need a scarf yet."

"And what's in the bag you're carrying?"

Kalia laughed: "What, starting to worry about not getting a present tonight?"

Don't worry, there will be more tonight.

As she spoke, Kalia simply tilted her head, took Roland's arm, and rested her head on Roland's shoulder.

"Hey……"

"Hehe, what's wrong? Don't you welcome me doing this?"

"..."

Suren and Iluvia, who were walking behind, had already stopped talking.

The two of them deliberately slowed their pace, following behind Roland and Kalia.

Suren had finished her potato chips and tossed the wrapper into the roadside trash can. Then she looked up at Iluvia, who was pursing her lips.

"Your Highness, is this really a good idea? I heard he's your fiancé! Even if you and Miss Kalia have a good relationship, shouldn't you assert your ownership at a time like this?"

"It's not surprising that men are unfaithful, but the care and attention a person can give is also limited. Even if he wants to be all-encompassing and not neglect anyone emotionally."

"But he'll be too busy with all the little things in life to keep up."

"Besides... your marriage to Roland wasn't a political alliance arranged by His Majesty to win over talent, was it?"

"It's obvious that you really like him."

"Then why not rush up there? Even if it's just to compete with Miss Kalia for her affections."

Iluvia gave a somewhat forced smile: "...Roland wouldn't like that."

"Your Excellency, Grand Inquisitor..."

"Just call me Suren." Suren smiled. "We're friends now, aren't we?"

"...Thank you, Suren."

Suren whispered, "Are you curious why I asked that question just now?"

“Yes.” Iluvia nodded.

"Because Roland turned around and looked at you, and when he told me to leave, he said he was going to pick out a gift. He must have been struggling to decide what to give me."

Suren smiled and put his hands behind his back: "So I was just going to go with the flow... I didn't expect Your Highness to have no intention of cooperating at all."

Iluvia chuckled, staring at Roland, who was chatting and laughing with Kalia and pointing at the surrounding street scene: "Surren, since we're friends... I'll tell you a little secret."

"Well... it's not exactly a secret, it's just something I've just figured out."

Iluvia looked down at Suren: "But... can you keep this a secret? You can't tell anyone else, okay?"

“Don’t worry, I’m a clergyman. If you’re still worried, I can swear an oath to the gods.” Suren said, raising his hands.

Seeing this, Iluvia quickly pressed his hands down: "There's no need to be so serious... If you swear an oath to the gods and then break it, you'll be punished by the gods! Don't you know that?!"

"So you actually condone me telling the news, right?" Suren smiled and tilted her head.

Seeing Iluvia blush and fall silent, Suren laughed and said, "Just kidding, I'll keep it a secret."

"...That would be best."

Iluvia took a deep breath and then began her story: "Then I'll begin..."

"Actually, when Roland and the others returned from Blackthorn Territory, and I met Kalia and Roland again, I asked myself a question."

"Why... does that blue-haired pet always seem to occupy a more important place in Roland's eyes?"

After listening, Suren silently complained, "Your Highness, it's not good to talk bad about others behind their backs."

“This isn’t a bad thing, it’s just an objective description!” Iluvia said righteously, then pointed to Roland feeding Kalia in front of her: “Look, what’s the difference between this and feeding your cats and dogs at home?”

"Well... there is a little bit, at least to outsiders, it's just a little romance between young lovers."

Iluvia: “…”

Suren: "Alright, I'll stop here. Your Highness, please continue with your opinion."

"...Anyway, I found out the reason when I was picking out a gift for Roland with Kalia."

Iluvia looked at the two people in front of her with a complicated expression: "Because they...have more pleasant and precious memories together, right?"

"Like now, they can chat about the shops on the street, the goods, and everything in the city they can see."

"Put them in their shared memories, put them in each other's feelings, and then steer the conversation toward themselves."

"but me……"

Iluvia shook her head helplessly, a hint of disappointment in her deep purple eyes: "I don't even know Roland's preferences."

"Just like he doesn't know what I like."

"I don't know what he likes to eat, whether he prefers sweet or salty food, or whether he can handle spicy food..."

"I just thought I liked Roland and cared about Roland... I collected information about him and memorized it, thinking I knew him inside and out."

"But in the end, I didn't even dare to ask him what he liked."

"I dare not ask him about his recent life or his past, and I dare not talk to him about anything."

"I was just guessing, asking others about Roland, and trying to reconstruct my own understanding of 'Roland' from the information and intelligence I gathered."

"Just like this guy doesn't dare to ask me directly."

"Although he clearly knows me better than I know him."

"Haha... In a way, we're quite in sync, aren't we?"

"Neither of them is willing to speak up, afraid to take the initiative, afraid to truly enter each other's lives..."

“In the past, I simply used Roland as a confidant to pour out my troubles, and he was happy to help me. That was all.”

Hearing Iluvia's voice begin to choke and her eyes well up with tears, even Suren, who occasionally went to church as a guest pastor to enlighten believers, didn't know what to say for a moment.

She could only stand on tiptoe and pat Iluvia on the shoulder to offer comfort.

Iluvia whispered a thank you to Suren, then raised her hand to wipe her eyes, saying, "I'm sorry... I made you laugh."

"There's nothing to laugh at. Listening to a friend's troubles is what a friend should do, and listening to the world's complaints is also the duty of a clergyman."

As Suren spoke, he took out an orange-flavored candy from his pocket and handed it to Iluvia: "I was going to give you an orange slice, but this is all I have with me."

"Eat it, it's sweet and sour and very delicious~~~ Although it can't compare to a real orange, eating it will make you feel much better."

Iluvia took the candy and couldn't help but smile: "You and Kalia must get along very well."

"Hehe, in the end, you and Miss Kalia have a very good relationship, don't you?"

"Are you on good terms..." Iluvia put the candy in her mouth. "Maybe. Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part again."

Suren shook her head after hearing this: "This isn't just wishful thinking."

"If it were truly one-sided, why would Roland be struggling to find a gift for you?"

"If it were just wishful thinking, then our conversation with Miss Kalia just now wouldn't have been so harmonious, would it?"

"Your Highness, you're just overthinking things."

"Of course, you're right about one thing."

"It's also the only valuable part of your long, sentimental speech."

Iluvia: "...Your assessment is somewhat hurtful."

“The truth always hurts.” Suren nodded seriously, then continued, “You and Roland have never truly entered each other’s lives.”

"There is no doubt about it!"

"Although you two seem to have a close relationship, it's only because of your initiative and Roland's passive acceptance."

"The most familiar stranger" perfectly describes our current relationship!

Looking at the small-statured Suren in front of her, Iluvia felt that he was incredibly tall at that moment.

"Master, what do you think I should do next?"

"It's simple! Just create memories that belong only to each other!"

Iluvia: "Oh my god!!! Master, what should I do?"

"That's none of my business. Why should I create your unique memories?"

Suren tapped Iluvia's nose with exasperation: "If I were to create it, would it still be a memory shared exclusively between the two of you?"

"Whenever you recall these memories, don't you think of me?"

Iluvia chuckled awkwardly.

Suren pointed to Roland and Kalia, who were chatting and laughing in a café that was under renovation and closed, and said, "Look! This is a special memory!"

Even if it's just a memory of skipping out on a bill, it's still worth commemorating!

"What matters is not what you and Roland did in your memories, but that this was something you both experienced together!"

"Those trivial daily moments, those unintentional little arguments, those conversations that are quickly forgotten, those topics that have been discussed... these are the keys to building relationships!"

Iluvia was so impressed she almost knelt before Suren. She quickly said, "Master, your insight is truly profound!"

"But this method... seems a bit difficult and slow for me. Is there a faster and simpler way? Preferably the kind that, through this experience, allows me to directly and completely enter Roland's life."

Suren thought for a moment, then nodded seriously: "Yes, Your Highness. I have nine more methods like this!"

"Oh! Could you tell me about one?"

"It just so happens that tonight is New Year's Eve, and he has to go to sea tomorrow... You can climb into his bed tonight, and then..."

Before Suren could finish speaking, Iluvia covered her mouth: "Stop, stop, stop, stop!!! We're still on the street! What are you talking about!?"

"Besides, I've already tried this method, it didn't work!"

Suren glanced at Iluvia suspiciously, then, relying on his powerful physique as an eighth-ring hero-level warrior, easily broke free from Iluvia's control.

"Are you sure you tried it? Did it work?" "...No, it didn't."

"That's it."

"..."

Iluvia remained silent for a while, then looked at Suren, who looked like a delicate porcelain doll, and asked, "How do you know so much?"

"Hey, I learned it from a book."

"What book? I'll go take a look too."

"Didn't we just talk about it? With Miss Kalia."

"Those romance novels???"

"Otherwise what?" Suren tilted his head.

Iluvia fell completely silent. After a long pause, she finally asked, "So what about the other eight methods?"

"They are all variations based on the first method."

"..."

Seeing that Iluvia was completely disheartened, Suren stepped forward and said earnestly, "From what you said at the beginning, I knew you wouldn't use this method."

Even if you use it, even if there are no obstacles at the last moment, you will still back down.

"After all, you don't even dare to ask the man about his preferences, for fear of disrupting the sense of distance between you. So for you, being able to sneak into his bed is the limit of what you can do."

"Furthermore... the saying 'love grows over time' is not just a saying. Whether this phrase is used as a noun or a verb, it is essentially a matter of the passage of time."

"Only relationships that can withstand the test of time are truly stable."

Suren patted Iluvia on the shoulder, then turned to leave: "Alright, that's all for now."

"I've said everything I could and should say. Now it's up to you."

"I won't disturb your trip. My hair is already blonde, and I'll just look even more like a third wheel."

"Go for it, Your Highness! I believe Roland has you in his heart!"

"Remember to tell him what you like!"

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

……

"Speaking of which, this restaurant isn't even finished being renovated yet? I was thinking of going there for another meal and paying off the debt from last time."

Kalia squatted on a small shelf by the coffee shop entrance, looking at the temporary closure notice with a hint of helplessness.

I was planning to have another dessert here... but it looks like I won't have the chance now.

Roland shrugged: "There was nothing we could do about it. After all, such a big riot broke out in the city later."

"Moreover, according to the notice, the main reason for the damage was the rats that later caused the store's drainage pipes and kitchen to be severely damaged, requiring them to be rebuilt."

"We also need to do a thorough cleaning."

"When we were assassinated, the damage to this place wasn't that great; it was just a matter of replacing a few panes of glass."

Kalia pouted, looking somewhat unhappy.

Clearly, not being able to eat the food she wanted was quite a blow to her.

Roland smiled helplessly, then turned to look.

Iluvia seemed to have been standing behind him for a long time.

"Hey, where's that Grand Judge?"

"Suren went back first..."

"Oh."

The conversation reached an awkward stalemate.

Fortunately, Kalia was still watching the store, which allowed Roland to continue his conversation with Iluvia.

He coughed and then asked, "Iluvia, you..."

Roland didn't have time to finish asking what gift you wanted.

Before Roland could finish speaking, Iluvia said what she wanted.

"As for a gift, a bouquet of flowers would be fine, anything is okay."

Roland paused for a moment, then Iluvia continued to laugh: "What, didn't expect that? I thought you guessed I liked flowers when you saw that garden."

"Or... do you think my preferences are more complicated?"

Looking at Iluvia, who was smiling at him with amusement, Roland felt a sense of relief for some reason, and then smiled easily as well: "You know, you only feel somewhat familiar to me now."

"Really? It's not over yet."

"What, it's not over yet?"

“Exchange.” Iluvia turned her head, and after confirming that Kalia was still sulking at the sign, she said softly, “I’ve told you what I like, now it’s your turn, right?”

Roland laughed: "I'll like whatever you give me."

"That's typical of a womanizer, but I wasn't referring to the gift this time," Iluvia smiled. "After all, the gift is already prepared, and once it's in the box, it can't be changed."

"I mean...the things you actually like."

After hearing Iluvia's words, Roland paused for a moment, then laughed: "I thought you would be much more tactful on this topic."

"At least they won't ask me directly."

"Don't interrupt, just tell me." Iluvia poked Roland's face with her finger.

"What do I like...? Come to think of it carefully, I don't really have anything I particularly like."

This is not a lie.

If forced to name what Roland liked, he himself couldn't articulate it.

magic? Martial arts? weapon?
For Roland, these things are nice to have, but he won't deliberately look for or collect them if he doesn't have them.

He would be pleased if someone gave these to Roland, but not out of "love" but out of practicality.

Clothing? Food? Alchemical potions and ingredients?
Roland shared the same attitude on this matter.

He doesn't seem to have any particular favorite things.

From childhood to adulthood, Roland's entire life consisted of training with old Lancelot, taking on commissions, improving his strength and knowledge, and learning all sorts of useful information he could access.

Seeing Roland's apparent hesitation, Iluvia asked curiously, "What's wrong? You have too many hobbies to choose from?"

Roland shook his head: "Quite the opposite... I just suddenly realized that I'm a rather boring guy."

"Hehe, you finally figured it out?" Iluvia moved closer to Roland.

Unlike Kalia, she didn't hug Roland's arm; instead, she stood silently beside him.

It's just that the distance is a bit closer.

Roland was so close that he could clearly smell the faint perfume emanating from Iluvia.

She just stood there, looking at the coffee shop in front of her: "You and Kalia ate here before?"

"Yeah, I was attacked by assassins halfway through the meal. I was only spared because Kalia reacted quickly; otherwise, you might not be alive to see me."

"Assassination... Do you remember the assassin you encountered in the carriage that time?"

"A carriage? Ah, what happened the day we arrived in the capital?"

"You still remember."

"...After all, it was an assassination attempt, so it's normal to have a deep impression of it." Roland muttered under his breath, then looked at Kalia, who was staring intently at the "Closed for Business" sign, and said, "How long is this girl going to keep staring at it?"

"Let her see it, there's still plenty of time, isn't there?" Iluvia said indifferently.

She couldn't be more eager for the pet to look at brand names.

Upon hearing this, Roland looked around and then said to Iluvia, "Don't just stand there like an idiot with her. There's an empty bench over there. Go sit down for a while."

"it is good."

Iluvia had no objections and sat down on a bench by the street with Roland.

"That's strange... There are so many people on the street today, and all the other chairs are full, so why is this chair empty?"

“Maybe there aren’t many people here? Or maybe there aren’t many shops with long queues?” Iluvia suggested a possibility: “I just saw a snack shop, and the door was packed with people, some of whom were even sitting on these chairs in line.”

“Forget about that…Are you sure you just want to spend money?” Roland looked at Iluvia.

“Hmm. That’s enough.” Iluvia nodded. “So, what’s your answer? You should at least tell me what you like, right?”

Roland shook his head helplessly, then leaned back on the bench: "But I really don't know... If I had to say what I like... you probably couldn't give it to me."

"I'm a princess, you know. What can't I give away?" Iluvia said defiantly.

Roland smiled without saying a word, then looked up at the sky: "Iluvia, it's already afternoon, isn't it? Around 13 PM?"

"Hmm...why are you asking this all of a sudden?" Iluvia asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Didn't you insist that I say what I like?" Roland laughed. "After thinking about it... if I had to say what I like, it would be all kinds of scenery, wouldn't it?"

"For example, the port of Riskan, or the lake in that grove of trees outside Riskan... these are the scenes of my hometown that I love."

"Or perhaps stand in the small garden beneath the Viscount's mansion in Blackthorn Territory and gaze into the distance, or overlook the forest from the peaks of Blackthorn Territory."

"Of course, the view of the entire capital from the palace rooms is also quite nice."

Roland laughed as he spoke: "To be honest, when I first entered the academy, it was just to get a diploma and graduate, so I could apply for a job at the Adventurers' Guild."

"I remember there was a position in the association called 'Entrustment Confirmer,' which was used to assess the danger of the entrustment itself, and required a lot of running around."

"I originally wanted to apply for this position."

"That way I can travel on public funds, and it's only a matter of time before I can travel all over the continent."

"But now it seems... even though I haven't graduated yet, I've already started my publicly funded trip ahead of time."

Roland then looked at Iluvia beside him and said, "So, can you give me what I want?"

Iluvia shook her head.

But there was no trace of disappointment in her eyes.

At that moment, she felt that she and Roland had truly come to know each other.

"If one day you embark on a journey, will you take me with you?" Iluvia said. "Misfortune and trouble will not always come, and you are not a savior who bears all suffering."

"Let's go on a trip once this is over..."

In response to Iluvia's suggestion, Roland simply joked, "You're a princess, after all. Your trip might turn into a government inspection."

"No way!" Iluvia glared at Roland. "So you're not planning to take me with you, are you?"

"Hahahaha, as long as His Majesty has no objection, I will definitely bring you along."

Roland was about to say something more, but then he suddenly noticed a broken and collapsed sign next to the bench.

The fracture marks were very neat, as if they were caused by a clean and swift strike.

The next moment, Roland saw the words on the sign clearly—the paint was not dry.

In an instant, Roland realized why no one was sitting on the bench.

Roland withdrew his hand from the back of the chair—it was indeed stained with a layer of brown marks.

At this moment, Iluvia also realized what was happening.

She had just instinctively touched the armrest of the bench, and then... that was it.

The two men stiffly rose from the bench, exchanged a silent glance, and then burst into laughter simultaneously.

Seeing this, the blonde girl hiding in the shadows nodded in satisfaction.

Suren silently sheathed his sword and then disappeared into the crowd on the street.

At the last minute, relationship guru Ms. Suren decided to help her new friend out.

The results proved to be remarkable.

Of course, Suren wouldn't tell Iluvia about this.

Just like she said before, it's better to avoid having too many other people in the memories between couples.

When I went to the clothes, I learned the name and the name.

……

When Kalia saw Roland and Iluvia covered in paint, she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Despite the death stares she was getting from the two men, Kalia continued to laugh loudly and without restraint.

There's no way around it... Anyone who can hold back their laughter when they see an acquaintance in an embarrassing situation is no ordinary person.

Unfortunately, Kalia is not that kind of person.

The two, whose clothes were covered in paint, were quite helpless. Fortunately, it wasn't far from Roland's old house, so they could walk there to change their clothes before returning to the governor's mansion.

Kalia was still smiling, and she was smiling very happily.

"Hahahaha, you two...you two who usually seem so smart, how could you not see that sign lying on the ground!"

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Roland, what are you doing?!"

Kalia kicked Roland's shin in annoyance, as revenge for the flick on the head Roland had just given her.

"Mocking other people's mistakes is not a good habit. Or do you want me to expose your embarrassing moments? Ms. Flam has told me a lot of embarrassing stories about you when you were a child."

"!!!"

Kalia's temperature instantly turned red.

Its rapid heating and color change exceeded Roland's expectations.

"She! She! She! She! She! She!!!! Why does this old woman tell you everything?!"

"Aaaaaaah! I'll fight her to the death!!!"

Roland smiled with satisfaction as he watched Kalia, who was in a complete uproar.

In fact, Ms. Fram had never told him anything.

He was just trying to trick Kalia.

I didn’t expect it, I didn’t expect it...

Judging from this guy's reaction, Kalia must have done a lot of stupid things when she was a child.

It seems I can use the magic and knowledge from that big green ball to make a deal with Ms. Flam.

I imagine Frum would be very happy to agree.

On another note, wouldn't it be better to grab some more spells from the green orb before setting off?
Just as Roland began to consider making a deal with Flam, hoping to actually get some leverage over Kalia, Kalia had completely given up.

She silently walked up to Roland, lowered her head, and said, "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have laughed at you."

"Mmm, good girl." Roland ruffled Kalia's hair and said, "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

"……real?"

"Of course it's true!"

"..."

Kalia stopped speaking, but secretly turned her gaze into long needles, stabbing fiercely at Roland, the despicable man in front of her.

Roland simply responded with a polite smile.

At that moment, Iluvia walked up to Roland and whispered, "You were actually lying to her, weren't you?"

"Oh dear, you figured it out."

"...Your acting skills are only good enough to fool someone as simple-minded as Kalia."

After Iluvia finished complaining, she silently continued on her way.

Although she recognized him, she chose to remain silent.

After all, Kalia's appearance is quite interesting.

Moreover, it's a rare sight.

Before long, the three of them arrived at Roland's old house and changed into clean clothes.

"Alright, shall we continue picking out gifts?"

Kalia nodded. "Okay! May I know what gift you're giving me?"

"Then can I know in advance what's in your bag?" Roland countered.

"cannot!"

"Then my answer is the same."

Kalia pouted, "Hey, you took us all with you when you went gift shopping."

"If we go together, won't we find out sooner or later?"

Roland laughed: "But I still need to prepare gifts for Cherlinina and Ms. Fram."

How did you know the gift was for whom?

Kalia quickly seized on the flaw in Roland's words: "Aren't you going to buy this wicked woman a gift?"

"And she spent so much time this morning agonizing over what to get you a gift!"

Iluvia was somewhat surprised: "You're actually speaking up for me!?"

"Can't you?"

"No problem...it's just...your worries are unnecessary."

Iluvia scratched her face with her fingertips, a little embarrassed. "I already know about my gift."

Kalia: “!!!”

Kalia abruptly turned her face towards Roland: "You utterly rude guy!"

"Isn't it common sense to exchange gifts at the very moment the New Year's bells ring?! Save the surprise for me!"

Roland looked at Kalia with a helpless expression.

Many times... well, now it's sometimes.

In short, Kalia would always create some strange noises and reactions in him that only a silly cat like Nash would do.

(End of this chapter)