Ashford braced himself as he listened to Maud Pie explain information about stones.
Initially, Shangguan Jingxing thought this Mineral Research Club would be full of geology enthusiasts.
If that were the case, he could have discussed many interesting things with them, such as how a certain place was a vast ocean tens of millions of years ago.
As it turned out, it wasn’t what he imagined at all.
“Our Mineral Research Club has many differences compared to geological exploration; for example, we only study stones. This is my pet, pebble.”
Maud Pie pulled a stone out of her pocket.
To Ashford, this stone didn’t look like anything special, but everyone has their own hobbies, so Shangguan Jingxing didn’t mock her.
“Wow, this stone is really… pretty.”
“pebble is hungry.”
Under Ashford’s shocked gaze, Maud Pie took a pack of crackers from her pocket and tossed one to pebble.
Then…
then there was no then.
“Uh… Maud Pie, can I ask you a question?”
“No problem, ask away.”
“Are you really Pinkie Pie’s older sister?”
“Of course. I love her, and she loves me.”
Maud Pie answered Ashford’s question without a trace of expression on her face or emotion in her voice.
No wonder Pinkie Pie loved throwing parties.
If one lived with family members like this every day, they would surely go crazy if they didn’t throw some parties to improve the emotional atmosphere of their life.
He really didn’t expect Pinkie Pie’s family to be so…
taciturn.
“Ashford, I’m glad you came to visit our Mineral Research Club. Next, I will show you how to study rocks, minerals, and fossils. And the indispensable… topography.”
“…Will these be on the geography exam?”
“I am the one who writes the geography exam questions.”
“…Please continue.”
Ashford admitted he was shocked by Maud Pie’s capability.
It’s just that the dragons here all seemed very strange.
Take Maud Pie, for instance—could it be that all geniuses have some weird quirks?
“As you can see, the exhibits in our club are currently arranged very exquisitely.”
Ashford fell into deep thought as he looked at a picture made of various stones.
Did everyone in this club also have a talent for painting?
“To do this well, our’stone’ placement was not easy.”
“…Did you just use a Chinese pun?”
“Yes. I noticed your interest wasn’t very high, so I wanted to use a pun to lighten the mood.”
Ashford was happy that Maud Pie was willing to consider his feelings, but correspondingly, this Mineral Research Club really wasn’t for him.
“I’m glad you’re willing to consider my feelings, but… Maud Pie, can’t you show some expression on your face? I’m not forcing you, just purely curious.”
Maud Pie didn’t answer Ashford’s inquiry this time; she simply controlled her facial muscles to reveal a smile.
“…Alright, thank you for clearing that up. I’m sorry, I don’t think I’m suited for your club.”
“It’s okay. But since you’re friends with Pinkie Pie, I’m still willing to help you. For example, you could go join Rainbow Dash’s Sports Club now.”
“Rainbow Dash?”
“The girl with the rainbow-colored hair. She is good friends with my sister.”
“Oh, thanks.”
Ashford took note of this.
Although he didn’t really care about joining clubs, the only reason he wanted to check out the Mineral Research Club was because Adagio was looking for magic.
In web novels, most things related to magic involve stones, so he thought he’d come here to try his luck.
However, while the idea was perfect, reality was harsh; magic simply didn’t exist in this world.
Ashford even chuckled at the thought, unsure whether he was mocking Adagio’s naivety or mocking himself for actually helping her look for magic like a madman.
“Before you leave, may I ask you a question?”
Just as Ashford was about to leave, Maud Pie suddenly spoke up, wanting to ask him something.
“What I want to ask is why you didn’t join Trixie’s Magic Club. It seems to me that you and Trixie have a pretty good relationship.”
After asking the question expressionlessly, Maud Pie waited for Ashford’s answer.
For a moment, Ashford really didn’t know what to say, but Maud Pie didn’t rush him; she just sat on a chair and waited for the answer.
After racking his brains, Ashford finally came up with a decent reason.
“Because I don’t like forced ‘bond-ing’.”
“Is it because Trixie and Sunset Shimmer tied you up and forced you to help them decide who is the better magician?”
“…Thank you for the explanation, Maud Pie. Your explanation lets any audience members who don’t understand know exactly what I mean. Even though there are only two of us in this room right now…”
“You’re welcome.”
In the evening, after returning home, Sonata was already at the door waiting for Ashford’s arrival.
“Hey! Ashford, welcome home. It’s so good to see you.”
“I’m glad to see you too, Sonata. How have you, Adagio, and Aria been getting along lately?”
Ashford took off his coat, hung it up, and gave Sonata a hug.
“Sonata, shouldn’t you let go now?”
From the moment he started changing his clothes, Sonata had been hugging Ashford tightly, which made Ashford feel very strange.
It was as if she hadn’t seen him in a long time.
“Ashford, I just want to hug you a little longer right now.”
“Why?”
“Because we have to cultivate for 100 years to sit on the same boat, and 1000 years to sleep in the same bed. And yet here we are, living together every day. Think about it—out of the vast sea of people, only we are living together. Doesn’t that count as fate?”
Sonata blinked her watery eyes and acted cute towards Ashford.
But for Ashford, who had the ‘childhood sweetheart’ setting, Sonata didn’t attract a shred of his attention in terms of looks.
“Sonata, I think what you mean is ‘it takes a hundred years of prayer to cross the river in the same boat, and a thousand years of prayer to share the same pillow.’ Your interpretation… is quite unique.”
“Ashford, how is the task I entrusted to you at school going?”
Adagio walked out of the kitchen wearing an apron.
Seeing that Shangguan Jingxing had returned, she asked about his progress in searching for magic at school.
“I’m sorry, Adagio. I’ve already searched the school, but I’ll say it again: magic simply doesn’t exist in this world.”