[44] Tragedy struck II

On the other hand, on the main continent, Ash, who was staying in the Shirone Kingdom, sensed something unusual from his guest room. While he was engrossed in writing advanced Tier 6 and 7 spellbooks for Aurelia, he was forced to pause as a massive mana clump began forming a storm in the sky, far in the direction of the Asura Kingdom.

Ash stood up and looked out the window, feeling a disturbing surge of energy. His Gabriel Observer, an entity assisting in monitoring mana fluctuations, reported a significant increase in mana energy, expanding like a balloon ready to burst at any moment.

"That looks very bad…" Ash murmured as he activated his telepathy to contact Raphael in the capital city of Ars. He needed more information about the situation.

However, Raphael's response did not come immediately. After two hours, Ash finally received a report that a major disaster had occurred at Roa Fortress. The report indicated that the overflowing mana energy had created a powerful vortex, and someone was being sent for further investigation. Ash would receive more detailed information about the incident at the earliest the following day.

Despite the disturbing news, Ash felt powerless. The distance separating the Shirone Kingdom from the Fittoa region, where the disaster occurred, was too great. He could only hope that his business partner, Philip, and Raphael, who had provided an early warning, remained safe.

"May the gods protect them," Ash said to himself with hope. Although the distance was great and the impact of the disaster could not be avoided, Ash still wished the best for those affected by the calamity. He resumed his work at the desk, finishing up the remaining tasks while waiting for further news to come the next day.

---

When Ash approached Roxy in the corner of the tavern, the atmosphere around them seemed to momentarily fade. Roxy, who seemed to be trying to conceal her identity with a hood, appeared shocked when Ash's handsome face emerged from behind the shadows of her hood.

"Hey, what—"

Her eyes widened momentarily as she saw Ash, who had changed drastically over the past two years. Ash's physique was now more athletic and muscular, his masculine face more pronounced, and his adorable dog-like ears added an eccentric touch to his appearance.

"Ash!?"

"Hehehe~ It's been a while, Roxy~" Ash grinned widely with a warm gaze.

Roxy, though surprised, could not hide her smile. "I didn't expect to run into you here, Ash. How have you been?"

Ash nodded, looking at Roxy with curiosity. "I'm well. Just finished some work in the Shirone Kingdom. How about you? What brings you to hide out here?"

Roxy sighed deeply, then pulled back her hood slightly to reveal her face. "I'm on the run. You know, I came here to be a tutor for the Shirone royal family, didn't I?"

Ash nodded, recognising Roxy's situation.

"Now, I somewhat regret agreeing to it. The prince I was training was so lecherous that I couldn't tolerate his behaviour. That's why I decided not to extend the contract, and the prince didn't take well to my departure. That's why things are like this now!"

Ash felt sympathy seeing Roxy's frustration. "Don't worry, let's discuss this in my guest room. Is that alright with you?"

Roxy looked a little hesitant, her small body trembling slightly as her eyes darted left and right as if ensuring something. "Umm…"

They then headed to Ash's modest but comfortable guest room. After some brief pleasantries, Roxy finally posed a question that made her look anxious.

"Ash, did you feel anything happening yesterday? Like a massive surge of mana."

Ash nodded seriously. "Yes, I felt it too. The mana storm occurred in the Fittoa region, specifically at Roa Fortress. I only received news about it earlier."

Roxy's cute face paled, her eyes widening with concern. "Is that true? I know some people in that area, like the Paul family and a few adventurer friends I made there."

Ash looked at Roxy with understanding. "I know how important that is to you, but trust me, the news I have is accurate."

Roxy bit her lip, appearing conflicted. "I just can't believe it easily. How could something like this happen?"

Ash gently wiped the back of his hand across Roxy's forehead, trying to provide reassurance. "I understand your anxiety. I will strive to get more information and ensure everything is alright."

Roxy nodded slowly, trying to calm herself. "Thank you, Ash. I really appreciate it."

Ash smiled gently and nodded. "For now, get some rest. I'll update you on the disaster as soon as I receive more information."

Roxy nodded again but suddenly froze and looked at Ash with a suspicious gaze. "Wait a moment. How did you get this information? The disaster happened just yesterday, and with the great distance beyond the Red Dragon Mountains and the Asura Kingdom, how could you get news so quickly? Tell me, what method did you use?" Roxy asked with doubt. She knew that conventional mail would take at least two weeks, or even a month if there were delays.

Ash shifted his gaze and scratched his cheek, clearly aware that Roxy had caught on to the suspicion. It seemed there was no way to hide it any longer. Reluctantly, Ash began to recount half of what had happened over the past two years since their separation. The story was so shocking to Roxy that her jaw seemed to go numb.

"So, all this time you…" Roxy could not hide her astonishment. "It seems impossible. You've developed a completely new theory of magic, one that doesn't rely on spirits but rather operates independently. And, within half a year, you've built a thriving trading company? Haah, I feel like I need a rest. Oh, and don't forget to tell me about the Homunculus you mentioned earlier!"

Ash smiled again, this time with a note of pride and a hint of humour. "Alright, let's start from the beginning. I'll tell you about the Homunculus and what's happened over the past two years. I'm sure this story will be quite fascinating."

Thus, Ash began to explain about the Homunculus and his achievements over the past two years, while Roxy listened with growing enthusiasm.