Ch 118
Became a swordsmanship instructor at the academy
Chapter 118
―Really nothing more? Come on. There is more. Give me more.
"You ate everything I brought today. Do you know how much the chocolate you just ate costs?"
Luciel is different from Master.
Master likes various foods including ramen, but for Luciel, there's only chocolate.
Sometimes when I'm eating something, she asks for a bite and tries it, but she says everything else is mediocre, and the only thing she's greedy for is chocolate.
So I thought food expenses would be low.
The chocolate she likes isn't some Swiss premium chocolate or anything, just chocolate bars you can easily buy anywhere.
―How much could I possibly eat?
But even if it's cheap chocolate bars like these, the story changes if you drink them like water.
I wonder if she has a subspace attached to her stomach because she really eats endlessly.
She usually polishes off two boxes of 30 chocolate bars in one sitting as a basic amount.
For those 100-piece mini chocolate bar packs, she says unwrapping them is annoying and just pours them into her mouth without removing the wrappers, finishing them in 10 minutes flat.
I think if I ate chocolate bars like Luciel, I would have gotten diabetes.
Well, that kid is an angel so she doesn't get diabetes, let alone gain any weight.
Moreover, time flows differently here.
Since one day here equals 30 days in outside time, cost-wise it seems like more than Master.
Whenever I have time, I buy chocolate bars from the school store or outside and store them in subspace, but there's not much left now.
"How much do you eat? You're at the point where your breath smells sweet. If you eat more today, there won't be any for tomorrow."
―I'll just buy more...
"Then can I leave early? It'll take another two days to come back, you know?"
It would take about two hours to go to the mart and back, but two hours here means 60 hours. Almost 3 days.
―Ah... Fine. I can just endure it.
Seeing her puff up her cheeks and make a sulky expression makes my heart soften.
I used subspace magic to pull out a box of chocolate bars.
"Today, this is really the last one. Don't eat it all at once, save some."
―Got it. Shin-hyeok is the best!
As soon as she says that, she snatches the box and hugs me tightly.
"What are you doing? I can't breathe, let go."
―I'm just grateful. I'll eat it well.
Is she that happy?
If I had given her one more box, she might have kissed me instead of just hugging.
I was thinking of doing some more magic practice when Kainakan approached me, watching my expression.
―Um, that... Can I have a little more of that jerky you gave me last time?
"I told you before. Take out a bunch at once."
I opened subspace again and handed over several pieces of jerky, which he chews on heartily.
Seeing him eat so deliciously made me a bit hungry too, so I went inside the camping car.
When I got Master's camping car, I got one for myself too.
I feel a bit sorry for Master, but I put a little more effort into my camping car than Master's.
After all, Master will just park his in one place, while I plan to actually drive around and travel with mine.
This summer vacation, I'm thinking of not doing portal raids and traveling around in the camping car instead.
Driving along the east coast, camping and doing some fishing.
Of course, I still need to take care of Master during vacation and attend board meetings as an association director, but that's not a problem.
I should be able to master Warp magic in a few days.
I had a simple meal and came outside with a guitar and laptop from the corner of the camping car.
Since meeting Luciel, I've had more time, so I was thinking about what hobby I could take up, and guitar came to mind.
In my previous life, I think it was around 8th grade? Bands were really popular at the time.
There happened to be a music academy in the neighborhood offering free lessons for a month, so I took my uncle's guitar who lived nearby and learned.
Of course, our family finances weren't that comfortable, and due to my parents' opposition, I couldn't continue attending the academy.
Even as an adult, I was too busy making a living to ever touch a guitar again, but I remember enjoying learning it quite a bit back then, so I bought one.
Well, it might just be nostalgia bias.
I don't really know any songs I can play properly and I've forgotten all the basics, but it doesn't matter.
I have plenty of time.
I downloaded all the basic tutorial videos from YouTube.
―Oh, what's that?
Before I knew it, Luciel had come over beside me.
But this kid has chocolate smeared all around her mouth.
It looked unsightly, so I wiped it off with my hand.
―Hey, what are you doing?
"Are you a child? You're showing everything you ate. Stay still for a moment."
I showed her the chocolate on my hand, but she came over, grabbed my arm, and sucked it clean.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
―It's a waste. It's really delicious. Can't you give me just one more?
"No. I said that was the last one earlier."
―So stingy... Fine. Then what's that?
"It's a musical instrument called a guitar. Don't they have them in Heaven?"
―Musical instruments? In Heaven there are only harps. Well, that also makes sound by plucking strings, right?
"Right."
―You can play instruments too? Well, if you're ugly, you should at least have some talent. Go ahead and try it. I'll listen.
This kid again...
"I'm practically a beginner. I brought it to practice..."
―Got it. I won't say anything, so just try it.
"Don't nag me. Let me watch the video first."
As I watch the video, memories start coming back little by little.
When I try following along bit by bit, it's surprisingly not that difficult to follow.
Is it because I'm a transcendent master?
With just a little practice, I think I could easily play one simple song that only uses a few chords.
I picked a song and practiced the chords a few times.
"I'll give it a try."
I turned off the laptop volume and started playing while watching the video.
I made mistakes in a few places, but for a first attempt, I think this is pretty decent.
"How was it?"
―Pretty mediocre.
"Hey... That's too harsh. For a first time, this is pretty good."
―The song in the video was decent enough, but your rhythm was slow and you made a lot of mistakes in the middle.
"I didn't make that many mistakes! And I'm a beginner while that person has practiced a lot."
―Give me the instrument. Even though I'm a complete beginner, I think I'd do better than you.
This kid... There's a limit to how much you can look down on someone.
"This might look easy, but it's actually quite difficult when you try it."
―It looks really easy to me. Give it here.
"Come on. Even if I give it to you, can you play it? You can't even read sheet music."
―Sheet music? What's that? I think I can do it, so let me try.
She's so confident that I handed over the guitar.
She might not even be able to play, she might even break the guitar, but it wasn't that expensive to begin with anyway.
"Is this how you do it?"
Still, her posture looks pretty decent.
"Should I play the video?"
―No need. I memorized it all.
"You memorized it all?"
I was about to say what nonsense when she doesn't even know how to read sheet music, but Luciel plucked the strings a few times and started playing.
I was truly shocked.
If I had closed my eyes and listened, I might have mistaken it for the video being played—it was such a perfect performance.
―Easy.
"H-how did you do that?"
She doesn't know chords, let alone musical notes...
―I just watched you do it and copied it. Don't you have a harder song?
I can see she has talent, but I don't like her smug expression.
With the attitude of wanting her to eat crow, I played an extremely difficult performance.
But she watches it just once and copies it exactly.
―This is easy too. Want me to teach you a bit?
"No need."
It seems like giving up guitar would be good for my mental health.
***
I turned my phone off and on to reset the time, and it's 1:40.
I've been with Luciel for over a month, but only a day and two hours have passed here.
I'm quite used to it now, but usually I stay at most about a week, so when I come out after staying this long, the sense of disconnect is unavoidable.
Having extended time is convenient, but it doesn't only have advantages.
Whatever happens in the outside world, I can't know about it from in there.
I can't receive contact either.
Moreover, just because I've learned martial arts doesn't mean aging stops completely.
I should spend time in moderation—I always think this, but it's always just a thought.
Because there's Luciel who greets me with a bright smile every time I come, and when I leave, asks with a wistful expression when I'll come back.
Still, this time I tried to return a bit early, but mastering Warp magic perfectly took longer than expected, so I'm a bit later than originally planned.
I should eat lunch with Master, have a sparring match, and then go back.
But first, I need to stop by the supermarket.
A month ago—yesterday in this place's time—Master asked me to buy some ice cream since we got a refrigerator.
I used Warp magic to come down to the bottom of the mountain.
I have to drive to get to the downtown area where the supermarket is, but not having to climb the mountain is still very convenient.
I bought ice cream downtown and while I was at it, stopped by a Chinese restaurant to get Jjamppong and a few dishes packed up before returning to the car.
I put everything into subspace with magic and used Warp magic, and the portal appears.
It's really too convenient.
When I go back to school too, I can put the car in subspace and warp directly to the dormitory... Ah, but the security guards check entry at the entrance, so there might be problems.
I revealed Regeneration magic for Minha's treatment, but I have no intention of revealing Warp magic.
If I reveal it and guys like Antas learn it, it would become quite troublesome.
I was thinking I should buy a detached house near the school as I entered the portal.
...What?
Whenever I come to the portal, Master always waits at the entrance.
Every week, not just when I first come, but even when I briefly go out and come back like now, Master always waited for me at the entrance.
I was thinking he seemed really absorbed in the camping car as I came toward the cave, but Master isn't visible.
"Master, I'm here. Let's eat lunch."
I thought he might be sleeping in the camping car and went in, but he's not in the camping car.
I went to the cave, but he's not in the cave either.
I thought he might have gone to the lakeside and went there too, but I don't see Master's figure there either.
I don't sense any presence at all.
Could he be playing hide and seek?
He's not a child, but a grown old man, really...
"Master! It's not fun, so stop and come out."
I shouted loudly with my internal energy, but there's no response.
Is he not here?
I returned to where the cave and camping car were and shouted once more.
If he doesn't come out now, I'll eat all the ice cream by myself.
But still no answer comes back.
"Master! I said it's really not fun. If you don't come out quickly, I'll put away the camping car."
There was no answer, so I put the camping car into subspace with magic, but Master didn't appear.
Even after doing this much, there's no reaction at all, which means, could it be...
No, that absolutely can't be.
I went around everywhere in the portal, spreading my internal energy to search.
But I couldn't find Master anywhere.
Even though Master is much stronger than me, I used not only internal energy but also Magic Scan...
The anxiety I'd been trying to ignore began to become clearer little by little.
I used subspace magic to take out the camping car again.
Since living beings can't be stored in subspace, I know Master isn't in the camping car.
But I went in hoping there might be some trace left, and when I looked around, the frozen foods that had been packed in the refrigerator and the ramen on the shelf had decreased slightly.
***
"Master."
"What? Want to eat lunch? Let me just finish watching this."
"No. I don't think I can eat lunch together."
"Why? Don't tell me you're leaving already?"
"I'm not going back completely, but I need to go out and handle some business. I'll come back around lunchtime tomorrow."
"You must be very busy."
"Well, yeah. Should I buy something when I come back?"
"Let's see, there's plenty of ramen... Ah! Buy some of that ice cream stuff. You said it won't melt if I put it in the freezer."
"Got it. I'll buy some when I come."
"Why don't you eat lunch together before you go? How long could it take?"
"Let's eat together tomorrow."
***
Looking at the amount that's gone, it's exactly one meal.
My eyes get hot.
I knew Master didn't have much time left.
That's why I even resolved to treat him well.
Of course, Master didn't show it or say it was his last meal.
But what was so difficult about eating one measly meal together that I said let's eat tomorrow...
I feel so sorry and regretful.