Master and Disciple (3)

After finishing an early lunch, I decided to have a discussion with my companions about Master.

This wasn’t particularly done to find a moment when Master wasn’t watching.

“I find this suspicious, so I’d like to talk with my friends first before giving you an answer.”

I just said it like that.

“Go ahead.”

And Master willingly allowed it.

See? He might seem detached at first glance, but isn’t this precisely what a strong master-disciple relationship looks like? Master is also the type of person who wouldn’t care even if I openly criticized him to his face.

Actually, at this point, I’m not even sure if he’s still human.

Since I’ve already seen Teacher using Morpheus, Master must also be hiding something.

“Well, let’s hear everyone’s opinions.”

“I’m fine with it. Having someone that skilled would be good for training.”

That was Titan’s opinion.

This guy doesn’t question anything. Despite Master suddenly drawing his sword, when told it was just to test my skills, he believed it without hesitation.

The fantastic combination of these two muscle-brained individuals was already making me reluctant about this arrangement.

“I’ll agree too.”

“Your reason?”

“Because it seems like he’ll do whatever he wants whether we agree or not.”

“…Can’t argue with that.”

Claire’s point was valid.

If Master decided to force his way, there’s nothing we could do about it.

Even this discussion we’re having now presupposes that Master will respect our wishes.

I can’t guarantee how Master would react if we refused.

He said he came to help ensure we don’t die, so I doubt he’d kill us, but still.

“I… umm… I’ll agree too.”

Finally, there was Línea’s opinion.

She seemed hesitant, as if checking my reaction, but there also appeared to be something bothering her.

With this, everyone except me had cast a vote in favor.

At this point, if I alone cast a dissenting vote and refused, it would be unreasonable. Titan aside, Claire’s opinion was also rational.

The issue was Línea’s reason, which I hadn’t heard yet, but judging by the atmosphere, she seemed to want to tell me privately later.

“Well, I’ll relay our decision then. Master? I know you’re listening. That’s our decision. We look forward to working with you.”

“Very well.”

“…”

“What, you didn’t expect him to eavesdrop? The monster who effortlessly knocked us all down?”

The discussion was merely a formality. I just wanted to talk separately because dealing with Master directly would have been frustrating.

And I agree with Claire’s assessment. No matter what we do, if the current Master decides to do something, we can’t stop him.

“Well, now that everything’s settled, let’s get going. Master, please get in.”

An unwanted guest added to our journey.

I had a feeling this journey would be just as tumultuous as the others.

*     *      *

Day 1 of traveling with Master.

As the sun began to set, we chose a suitable spot to set up camp, began preparing dinner, and took time to reflect on the day.

There wasn’t anything particularly noteworthy.

Setting aside the initial encounter where he suddenly drew his sword and beat us up, after our conversation and his joining our group, Master’s presence seemed to sink into the ground.

It wasn’t unusual.

Actually, it was familiar. Master was like this in the past too.

Silent, with hardly any presence.

Only when he drew his sword did Master’s existence seem to expand.

Which is why if I wanted to make small talk, I had to be the one to initiate it.

“Hmm.”

As we started setting up camp,

Master naturally rose from his seat and walked deeper into the forest.

The others all looked at Master strangely, but since I knew what he was up to, I just watched.

“He’s probably going to catch something. If not that, then he’ll gather firewood.”

“That’s unexpected.”

“Not really. He’s always lived in uninhabited forests. This kind of role distribution is normal, and there was never any special treatment.”

I grew up in such an environment.

Teacher was always harsh, and Master didn’t acknowledge age boundaries.

That’s why I had to pull my own weight since childhood.

“Well then…”

After gathering firewood and lighting a campfire in the center of the camp, I went looking for Línea, who was preparing the food.

“Want to talk for a bit? Over there.”

“Yes, I’ve been waiting.”

Considering Línea’s recent behavior, one might have expected her face to flush at this point, but the matter at hand was serious. Even earlier today, she seemed to have something she wanted to say.

So we headed in the opposite direction from where Master had gone.

Once we’d gone a short distance,

“Línea, what did you see in Master?”

Línea had been acting strange all along.

She seemed restless and kept trying to tell me something but stopping herself. The whole situation felt unsettled.

What could be the reason?

A fact that only Línea among us could know.

“You saw his weakness, didn’t you?”

“…Yes.”

Línea can see the spots where her power could inflict fatal wounds.

They appear as lines, points, nail marks, or bite marks. In such sharp and pointed forms.

The threshold of what Línea’s power can cut or sever.

“Before we talk, let me explain this first. The lines I see are entirely relative.”

“Relative? From context, it doesn’t sound like ‘they’re visible on weak people but not on strong ones’…”

“That’s right. Until recently, I saw countless lines on Claire. Even so, Claire wasn’t completely red.”

“…Well, if she had been, you wouldn’t have been able to take care of her in the first place.”

“What I see are vital points. Particularly weak parts of a person.”

That’s why it’s relative.

No matter how weak or fragile the target might be, she sees the places that can be broken even more easily.

That’s Línea’s ability.

It makes her self-loathing all the more understandable.

After all, it’s an ability that solely identifies others’ weaknesses.

She couldn’t help but think of it as a malicious ability designed to kill others.

“You must have had a hard time mentally.”

“Hehe.”

When I offered words of comfort, Línea smiled brightly as if pleased.

Taking the opportunity, I patted her head, and she wagged her tail happily.

She’s definitely more like a dog than a fox…

“Ahem, ahem. Anyway. The important thing is that I can see weaknesses.”

“So what did you see in Master?”

I had some guesses.

Either nothing was visible, or vital points were marked in completely different places than a human’s.

Roughly along those lines, I thought.

“Your Master, Hadard, was completely red all over. Even more so than Claire used to be.”

“…Huh?”

“…”

“Wait a minute.”

Línea’s expression turned bitter as she spoke. I could guess what she meant and what she was thinking.

Master had been my object of admiration.

Always strong, I’d even thought he might be the strongest in the world.

Though those were childish memories, and I couldn’t assert the same now… still, Master remains an unreasonably powerful figure.

Perhaps that’s why.

“Maybe Hadard doesn’t have much time left to live.”

“…”

Línea’s opinion.

Hit me harder than expected.

It seems Master is still a father figure to me after all.

*     *      *

I’m suspicious of Master.

This is because I can no longer gauge Teacher’s identity.

The two people who had been living together even before I was taken in.

Since they’d seemed like family, I could only think of them the same way.

If Teacher Revenna had tried to use me, Master might be similar.

That was the conclusion I’d reached, which is why I remained vigilant.

“Found quite a large one.”

While I was setting up barriers around the camp, thinking about what Línea had told me,

Master suddenly emerged from the forest, dragging two deer-like magical beasts.

Judging by the wounds, he’d killed them instantly with precise strikes to the neck. The pelts alone would fetch a good price.

“Is this edible?”

“Yes, there might be a bit of gamey flavor, but… Línea will handle it well.”

“I see.”

“I-I’ll do my best, Father.”

“I am not your father.”

“Ah, r-right. My mistake, Hadard.”

Another reason why Línea had been acting strangely around Master was revealed.

Beyond wanting to impress me, she also wanted to make a good impression on Master, who was like a parent to me.

“I’ll manage somehow. It looks heavy, but Titan is here, and so is Claire.”

“Venison!”

As Línea took charge, Claire’s eyes sparkled at the prospect of trying venison for the first time, and she took the meat from Master. Titan glanced at the scene, then quietly pulled out a dagger and approached.

As Claire and Titan’s meat-processing show was about to begin,

“Master, let’s have a private talk.”

“Very well.”

“…I meant somewhere more secluded. Please follow me.”

“Alright.”

I led the blank-faced Master back toward the forest.

After hearing about Master’s condition from Línea, I needed to confirm it.

I don’t want to part with Master while still harboring doubts.

Though it’s highly likely that Línea was mistaken, I don’t think Master would possess the ability to deceive even Línea’s power.

The opposite might be possible, but how could someone’s entire body be a weakness? That doesn’t make sense.

“Master and Teacher. What exactly are you? Don’t say humans, please. I’d already guessed that much even as a child.”

“Is that so.”

“Is this something Teacher told you not to talk about too?”

“No, she didn’t.”

I thought as much.

Since the fact that they weren’t human was already settled in my mind, Teacher probably wouldn’t bother denying it.

“Then let me ask you directly. Master, are you the trial known as <One Who Strings the Blade>?”

“I am called that, yes.”

“…”

If this was expected, then it was expected.

Master doesn’t hide things unless Teacher has forbidden him to speak of them.

That’s just how he’s always been.

While his manner of speaking and inner thoughts are hard to gauge, he doesn’t lie.

“Aranea and Hadard. Which is your real name?”

“I have never called myself Aranea.”

“…Fine.”

Aranea is merely a name given to him.

Actually, this isn’t important. Whichever is his real name doesn’t matter for this conversation.

It was just my lingering attachment.

<One Who Strings the Blade>, Aranea.

That name is recorded as the second trial on the list of trials.

Yes, literally a trial that has existed since ancient times.

“Master.”

Throughout those long years.

Even the first trial, the <Corruptor>, has begun preparing for death, unable to handle its own power.

Would Master be any different?

“How much longer can you live, Master?”

“Probably about 10 years.”

“…I see.”

Ten years.

Long in some ways, short in others.

But for a monster that has lived since ancient times, it’s an incredibly short period.

“Do you have any regrets?”

“Do I look like I would?”

“Yes, to your unworthy disciple’s eyes, you do. It seems to me that Master still has lingering regrets.”

“Hmm…”

You could call it a purpose.

That’s probably why he decided to join our journey like this.

If he had no regrets, he could have just lived out a peaceful life.

There’d be no reason to go through all this trouble.

“What is Master’s purpose?”

“My purpose, you ask?”

Will he answer this too?

I’m skeptical even as I ask.

But after hearing my question, Master smiled and answered.

“Currently, I live for Revenna. That’s my purpose.”

“…”

Putting the purpose aside, I feel like I’ve never seen Master smile like that before.

Momentarily speechless at the unexpected answer and behavior.

“…Are you lovers?”

Shocked by the unexpected revelation, I swallowed dryly before asking.

Yes, come to think of it, Teacher might have been my first love.

Well, it’s not that kind of shock.

What’s so special about a young boy liking his kind and pretty teacher?

It’s just that I couldn’t believe those words came from the mouth of my usually stoic Master.

“That’s…”

Perhaps seeing my dumbfounded expression, Master’s unprecedented smile turned mischievous.

Today seems to be full of firsts.

“Revenna told me not to say.”

Because of Master’s first-ever joke, I completely forgot what I had originally wanted to ask.