Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Night Affairs
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Though Nameless repeated mechanical training alongside me,
unlike me who didn't need meals, he did, so instead of rest time, we had moments to eat together.
Originally, there was no need for me to join him...
Nameless always pointed at my visibly skinny arms and legs, saying things like, "Master, you need to put on some weight," urging me to eat.
At first, thinking it would become a hassle for him, I refused,
but he even scooped up the soup he'd made with a spoon and tried to force it into my mouth, so in the end, I started eating with him.
However, reflecting on past events,
it seemed like I hadn't maintained any dignity as a master from the start.
'Where exactly did it all go wrong?'
Suddenly feeling aggrieved by Nameless's attitude, my lips naturally pouted.
Oh,
I shook my head to clear the stray thoughts.
'That's not what's important right now.'
I dipped bread into the vegetable soup Nameless had boiled and glanced at him.
The soup in Nameless's bowl was about to run dry,
so it seemed like the perfect timing to bring it up.
This mealtime didn't interfere with our training,
and it was the optimal moment to naturally persuade him.
I set down my spoon for a moment and rested my chin on my interlaced hands, gazing steadily at Nameless.
Perhaps noticing my stare, he looked up and met my eyes.
"Cough— Why... why are you looking at me like that?"
Of course, due to my burdensome gaze, he choked and coughed, but I ignored it.
There was something more important right now.
'I need to send Nameless to the Academy.'
Over the past few days, I'd racked my rarely used brain,
thinking up ways to convince him to go to the Academy.
One method that came to mind—one no man could refuse.
'Perfect.'
I opened my mouth with a smile full of conviction.
"Nameless, let me make you an offer you can't refuse."
Only then did he calm his flushed face from choking,
and looked at me with a thoroughly bored expression, as if thinking, 'What is Master up to now?'
"Pardon? What are you trying to say this time?"
His expression irked me a bit,
but to achieve my goal, I forcibly lifted the corners of my mouth.
'If I snap here and chew him out.'
I'll fall for his petty trick.
Often, when he wanted to change the subject, he'd scratch at my nerves like this and make it as if nothing happened.
Having fallen for it several times before, I could now spot it clearly.
Anyway, having outmaneuvered him, I continued with what I'd meant to say earlier.
"As a young man in your prime, surely you're interested in night affairs?"
"Cough! Cough!"
Hearing my words, Nameless flushed red again and coughed repeatedly.
'What's with that reaction.'
I'd expected some embarrassment, but not to this extent.
I glanced at him.
'I don't think I said anything that strange.'
To begin with, this guy had been caught by me relieving his desires alone,
and even then, his reaction wasn't this intense.
'Or was it?'
After that incident, for a few days, his eyes seemed dead.
Maybe he'd reached enlightenment.
At the time, thinking I was comforting him,
I patted the listless-looking Nameless on the back and said, "I'm fine with it; you're at that age, aren't you?"
I made it clear I wasn't bothered at all and fully understood, so it should have been okay.
Anyway, he'd gone through that already,
so I hadn't expected such flustered panic from just one mention.
What came next from Nameless was even more ridiculous.
Nameless shot up from his seat, squeezed his eyes shut, and shouted.
"M-Master! You mustn't say such things... until after the wedding ceremony!"
As if I'd said something unforgivable, fuming like that—
Masters are naturally very interested in their disciples.
Parents are deeply invested in their children's love lives too, aren't they?
Besides,
what did marriage have to do with it?
Asking if he was interested in night affairs had nothing to do with whether I'd married.
Was this guy, who hadn't even married at his age, telling me not to meddle?
Tch, if I could, I would have.
Setting aside that I'd become a woman, how could I when I'd never even met anyone?
As a person, I couldn't completely shake off my desires, so naturally, I wanted to experience love.
My face naturally fell into a sulk.
When I came to, too much time had passed; I'd swung the sword for far too long.
Having lived 300 years in this body,
regardless of gender, everyone else would look like infants to me.
No, the age gap surpassed that of an elder and a child.
Oh, I nearly veered off-topic into gloomy thoughts again.
'No, snap out of it.'
I shook my head to clear my mind, but my mood was still sour, so my lips pouted.
My words came out gruff as a result.
"Can't I even ask about that?"
"No, that's not... Haah... No, I think I misspoke."
Nameless pressed his forehead with his hand and bowed his head; a peek at his ears showed they were still red.
'He still seems a bit upset.'
Should I continue?
His somewhat intense reaction made me shrink back, unable to say what I must.
Watching me hesitate,
Nameless let out a deep sigh and spoke.
"You're telling me to go to the Academy again, right?"
"How did you know...?"
Hit right on the mark, cold sweat poured out.
How did he reach that conclusion from everything I'd said so far?
Had he reached a realm where he could read unvoiced thoughts?
As I pondered uselessly, his answer came.
"Has Master said anything to me lately besides the Academy?"
"Mm... I see."
Indeed, I'd nagged him so much that even I thought I was overdoing it.
Still,
shouldn't we follow the original story?
I'd been enticing him with a sense of duty, but he clearly hated it.
'Am I being too pushy?'
In the end, it's his choice.
And from the moment I took him as my disciple, the original plot had derailed,
so I bore responsibility for how things turned out.
I felt inexplicably downcast.
Noticing my darkened mood, perhaps, Nameless hurriedly waved his hands and asked.
"Um, Master, so what do you mean by... night affairs?"
"Mm, I see."
Right, what would self-recrimination change?
What's done is done; I should take responsibility to the end.
I nodded firmly, steeling my resolve.
When proposing something to someone, building up to the goal is key.
Of course, this was just my guess, having barely talked to people in nearly 300 years.
"You'll eventually leave my side and marry, won't you?"
"I won't."
Tch, lying without even wetting his lips first.
Still, hearing him say it put me in a good mood.
The buildup failed from the start, but I brazenly pressed on.
"Yes, yes, I'm grateful for the words. Anyway, hear me out to the end."
"...Yes."
"Right, when you do marry someday, it's not something you do alone, is it?"
I dragged out the end of my sentence and glanced at Nameless,
No reply came, so I wondered if he was ignoring me and doing something else,
but he was listening with a sullen expression.
His face looked a bit uneasy, but the fact he was listening proved interest, right?
'Good.'
If he hears me out fully, no man could keep that expression.
"In my view, you could find a woman suited to you at the Academy."
I glanced at him again.
Huh?
Still sullen; I grew anxious and hurried on.
"Th-the Academy is full of handsome men and beautiful women! There must be plenty of lovely ladies."
Glance—
I thought for sure this would hook him,
but his sulky expression persisted, draining my confidence.
'Wait, is he not interested in women?'
With confidence gone, my voice softened.
"I don't know how high your standards are, but surely there's a woman to your taste...?"
Glance—
"Uh... so..."
"Master."
A reply finally came—not the one I wanted.
"I will not leave your side, Master."
"Mm, alright."
Failure again.
This was probably my 30th failure.