Hidden Master and Disciple (2)
Mountain peak so high that thick fog clung to its waist like a shroud. Atop it stood a dilapidated mountain cabin, worn and humble.
“Disciple.”
There sat a beauty who seemed utterly out of place in such shabby surroundings. Her hair and eyes were as black as the night sky—a striking hue rare in this world—and her skin gleamed snow-white in perfect contrast, radiating a pure, ethereal allure. The exotic style of her clothing, unseen in these lands, draped her like the wings of a celestial nymph, enhancing her pristine beauty even further. Anyone would think she was the very picture of the kingdom-toppling beauties described in ancient tomes.
Knowing that this woman was the cabin's master would shock anyone to their core. Sword Star, Hakodate Karin. A transmigrator cast into this world, she held one of the seats among the Palstar Heroes, a recluse unmatched in her field. Her swordsmanship had no equal under heaven, and even in raw power, she ranked among the elite of the Palstar Heroes.
Countless sought to learn her blade, but when Karin herself vanished into seclusion, none received her teachings.
“Disciple, where have you gone?”
But things were different now. As if decreed by fate, she had found her destined disciple. Picking up what appeared to be a half-elf infant at the mountain's base had been nothing short of miraculous—a bond woven by the heavens themselves. Half-elves between elf and other races were rare enough, but the odds of such a child being abandoned precisely where Karin had chosen to dwell? Destiny scarcely covered it.
And Karin had known from the babe's silence that he was a reincarnator. Reincarnators possessed traits far superior to ordinary folk of this world, chief among them an exceptionally high Spirit Affinity—the power to contract spirits, the root of all supernatural abilities here. The reason remained unclear, but theories suggested they absorbed affinities unrealized in their past lives as memories resurfaced. High Spirit Affinity meant greater chances of bonding powerful spirits, which in turn unlocked potent abilities. In a world where magic, divine arts, swordsmanship, and such defined combat prowess, a strong spirit contract was essential.
Overcoming such limits wasn't impossible, but it was an arduous path. Thus, reincarnators started life with a tremendous edge.
As a transmigrator herself, Karin had taken him in, wondering if raising this reincarnator might one day yield a disciple to surpass her. Especially as a half-elf between elf and human, he would enjoy a long lifespan—not eternal like hers, but enough to avoid hasty partings after growing fond.
And so, the Sword Star gained a disciple. Had the world known, it would have erupted in uproar. But with Karin's seclusion, the news stayed hidden.
“Disciple?”
“...Master, you've returned.”
In that sense, her disciple had seized an opportunity worth more than gold. Blessed by heaven, he had nonetheless been caught red-handed in a scene no disciple should endure before his master.
“What in the world were you doing out here?”
Karin found him in the cabin's rear yard. He cowered, greeting her with an excruciatingly awkward expression.
“Your unworthy disciple was merely etching your teachings into his soul once more.”
“Teachings? That didn't look like training. What teachings were you etching?”
“Didn't you tell me yesterday, Master? Better to vent my youthful vigor in some other direction than dream strangely of your noble form.”
“...Y-yes, I did.”
Karin recalled yesterday morning with a cough. Eyeing his still-awkward posture, she pressed on.
“But practicing that lesson now—what does that mean?”
“......It's hard to explain. More importantly, Master, could you step away for a bit?”
“How could this master do such a thing? I came seeking you, and you tell me to leave? Quite irreverent.”
“I apologize for my impudence. But there's a good reason you must withdraw now.”
“A reason? Let's hear it. If it's compelling, this master might oblige.”
“...You really must know?”
Karin's curiosity only grew with his reluctance. As she tilted her head but didn't budge, he sighed and confessed.
“I was expelling my essence.”
“......What?”
His blunt admission flushed Karin's face despite herself. She hadn't imagined him indulging in solitary pleasure. Clearly, he'd taken her advice to heart.
His awkward stance and sweat-slicked grimace suddenly made perfect sense.
“S-sorry! This master lacked tact. Even disciples need private time......”
She turned to leave, but a sudden thought halted her.
“......Disciple.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Just to be sure—answer honestly.”
“Yes.”
With a creak, she turned her stiff neck to face her sole disciple.
“You weren't imagining this master while doing that, were you?”
“......”
No reply came. But silence spoke volumes. Karin's hand trembled as she gripped her sword hilt.
“...This master's sin is great, raising such a deranged disciple.”
“Master, it's a misunderstanding! I only know you—no other women! You've raised me from infancy; how could I know others?”
He protested with an aggrieved look, but Karin stared in disbelief.
And dropped a single line.
“Do you think this master doesn't know you have memories of your past life? Unless you were ignorant of women then, you could surely recall some.”
“......”
No room for excuses. He straightened slightly—and below his waist rose a volcanic eruption. At least his pants concealed the full monstrosity.
Face beet-red, Karin pointed and bellowed.
“H-hide that abomination at once! How dare you expose such a thing before your sky-like master!?”
“It's because of you, Master! Tuck away those ample breasts, cover those thighs! And that nape—couldn't you hide it? Your scent drives me mad every time!”
“W-what did you say!? You mad fool...!!”
“Am I wrong!? Who else is here to flaunt for? As I said yesterday, that's no different from seducing this disciple—no, any man! Just say you want me to take you outright!”
“You lunatic!!”
In the end, Karin's sword drew once more today.
After their fierce scuffle subsided, a somewhat calmed Karin regarded her disciple. Bruised and battered from her thrashing, he knelt pathetically.
“...Disciple.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Beaten like that, yet your voice brims with vigor—quite absurd.”
“Yes, Master......”
“...I didn't tell you to force the weakness into it.”
Karin sighed softly.
“Perhaps you're right. Your twisted lust for this master stems from never meeting others.”
“...What are you saying? You're not telling me to descend the mountain, are you?”
“Precisely.”
“What?”
He gaped at her in disbelief, then argued.
“But didn't you say we couldn't leave until I fully mastered your swordsmanship?”
“I did.”
“I haven't grasped even half your forms. How can you send this inadequate disciple into the world? I might blunder and tarnish your reputation.”
“Then don't. This master trusts your judgment won't fail that far. Besides, I have nothing more to teach you.”
“Nothing more? My flaws are legion...”
Karin narrowed her eyes. Deranged enough to lust after his master's body, perhaps—but no fool. There was reason he became the Sword Star's prized pupil.
Ambiguous talent? She never would have bothered. She'd have remained his guardian, not master.
“You've understood it all already—in your head.”
“......”
Overwhelming genius. Beyond his reincarnator's innate Spirit Affinity, he possessed heaven-sent sword talent—perhaps even surpassing Karin's own in that regard alone.
Yet he couldn't execute her forms fully. His body remained incomplete.
Half-elf between elf and human wasn't solely a boon of longevity. Elves aged slowly, which meant slow growth too. At twenty—adult by years—his frame still looked boyish. By her homeland's standards, barely middle school.
Not yet time for his body to mature fully, so her techniques eluded perfect replication. His sole flaw.
But maturity came with time. Karin had planned to tend him in the cabin post-adulthood until then.
But...
His disposition twists more each day.
With him morphing into this lustful oddity fixated on his master, better to send him down, into society.
Even with past-life memories, twenty years alone with Karin might blur all others. Exposure to the world would cure his perversion.
His character wasn't rotten, after all.
“But Master, descending now is still...”
“A fine opportunity has arisen for you.”
“Pardon?”
From her sleeve, Karin drew a letter and extended it.
“Do you know what this is?”
“No.”
“As expected—knowing would be odd. Disciple, this is an admission recommendation from a national educational institution.”
“National institution...? Like some high school?”
“Aren't you past high school age? Closer to university.”
“They offer free university here too? Like France?”
They freely wove their original world's terms into talk, understanding each other perfectly. Transmigrator master and reincarnator disciple from the same realm.
“Called university, but it's more a talent incubator—for those to serve nation and world. Here, we call it an academy.”
“...I have no desire to serve the world, Master.”
“Not sending you for that. For your social graces, as I said.”
He grumbled slightly at her words.
“But I already have my past life's memories, Master. No social issues there...”
“...Would a well-socialized man lust after his master?”
“......That's separate from social skills.”
Karin sighed.
“Past-life memories are just that. You've met only this master in this life—time to broaden your horizons here too.”
“......”
“And such a talent hub will hone your skills against geniuses from afar.”
“From everywhere?”
“Indeed.”
Noting his spark of interest, she affirmed and extolled the academy's virtues.
“Gathers the continent's finest. Many academies dot the land, but this one's my personal pick.”
He opened the letter, read the sender, and asked.
“Terastial Academy... Why this one?”
“They research spirit lore deeply. Might yield clues on your 'curse'.”
“Master, it's not a curse—it's a spirit.”
“Same difference, disciple.”
She eyed him sharply.
“What spirit drains its host's vitality?”
“Not always—just when powering up. A fair trade-off.”
“That's abnormal in itself...”
She gazed at him bittersweetly. Such prodigious talent, marred by an evil spirit.
Spirit contracts were private; even a master couldn't interfere. He'd sensed its power and bonded—poor choice, though potent. Karin knew its strength, but the drain on exertion was dire.
She sighed.
“Anyway, it might help solve your issue. Go try it, disciple. If it doesn't suit, return.”
“Will you come too?”
“Why would this master go?”
“Then neither will I.”
“What?”
He declared boldly.
“You could teach there as instructor, right?”
“True, but why should I?”
“You need to learn how men see you dressed like that. Experience society, then maybe before me...”
“No word too bold for your master, eh?”
She tapped his lips with her scabbard. He drooped sullenly.
To him, Karin smiled lightly.
“If I taught there, I'd pass my sword to others besides you—fine by you?”
“......Ah.”
Dawning realization widened his eyes. He shook his head.
“No, that won't do.”
“Yes, you wouldn't want your learned arts spread freely. Natural.”
“Your swordsmanship is mine, Master.”
His emphatic tone stirred something odd in Karin.
“...The nuance feels off.”
“Same meaning, different words.”
She stared, but he met her gaze evenly.
“Life in a far-off place without you already weighs on me.”
“...A warning: no lewd fantasies of this master even afar. Irreverent.”
“Of course, Master.”
Straight-faced, he pledged firmly.
“I absolutely won't.”
“...Disciple.”
“Yes.”
She sighed deeply, advising.
“If lying, hide that look first. You stare like you'll devour me.”
“......Do you read minds too, Master?”
“Hah.”
She chuckled dryly, hand on hilt—drawing in a flash toward him.
“When I say no, stop!!!”
“M-Master! That's the blade edge!”
Thus, the disciple endured his master's stern lesson once more that day.