Chapter 22
Chapter 22
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Don't Follow Strangers
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In the early morning, before the sun had fully risen, my eyes opened on their own—probably because of my age.
I hadn't given it a second thought until I learned how old I actually was.
"Ha...."
Feeling irritated for no reason, I rubbed my dry face and sat up.
I picked up the wooden sword I'd left under the bed, turned my head, and came face-to-face with Nameless, who was glaring at the ceiling with his eyes wide open and bloodshot.
"Eek! You're not sleeping? What are you doing?!"
Nameless usually woke up later than me, so seeing him like that was like spotting a ghost—my heart nearly leaped out of my chest.
Nameless turned his head to stare at me blankly for a moment before looking back up at the ceiling.
"...I can't sleep."
"Hmm, is that so...?"
His voice lacked energy, and dark circles shadowed his eyes—it was obvious he wasn't telling the truth. But for some reason, prying into it felt awkward, so I held my tongue.
'He'll handle it himself.'
Nameless was almost an adult now. Surely he could manage his own condition.
Overdoing the interference wouldn't help.
No matter how off Nameless seemed, I couldn't postpone today's plans.
I stood up, stretched my arms high, and twisted my body this way and that.
"Urgh—cha."
A satisfying crackle ran through me, followed by a refreshing sensation that brought a smile to my face.
As I loosened up, I heard a noise from behind me. Glancing back, I saw that Nameless had gotten out of bed too—probably feeling awkward lying there alone now that I was up.
"Nameless, it's still early. Try to get a little more rest."
"Thank you, but I'm really fine."
"Hmm, alright."
I stopped giving him suspicious looks and picked up my wooden sword.
We still had time, and since Nameless was awake anyway, I figured we'd head to a nearby mountain for some training.
Sure enough, seeing me grab my wooden sword, Nameless followed suit and came over with his own.
"Do you know a good mountain around here?"
"Yes, Master. I'll guide you."
I nodded.
By the time we'd finished our routine training—now that the sun was fully up—Nameless and I returned to the inn to pack our things and leave. That's when the innkeeper's unexpected words threw us for a loop.
Nameless scowled at the innkeeper and pressed him.
"What do you mean by that?"
"It's not my fault, sir. Your face is scary—calm down first."
I watched the absurd exchange with cold eyes and recalled what the innkeeper had said.
The knights stationed in this village were apparently at their wits' end over a sudden surge of bizarre monster activity.
This wasn't happening just here—the entire empire was on high alert. Because of that, they couldn't spare reinforcements for a remote outpost like this one.
So, they'd decided to at least send low-level squires for training and placed a large order for practice swords.
But those swords had been ambushed en route and never arrived.
'That's why the guards mistook me for the supplier.'
One mystery solved.
Anyway, when I asked the innkeeper what any of this had to do with us,
He explained that the guest registry—filled out upon check-in—was sent to the village lord to track outsiders. And there, they'd spotted a noble with an unfamiliar family name: mine.
The lord wanted to figure out who I was and, seeing me with what looked like a capable escort, was summoning us to request help.
'Hmm. If anything, I'm the one acting as the escort.'
But apparently, that's not how it looked to others.
My lips pursed in a pout.
Having heard the innkeeper out, I pondered.
'Should I just run?'
I did have a family name, but it was just the one from my past life—no noble title, and as a non-citizen of the empire, I had no obligation to obey this lord's summons.
The monster weirdness did pique my interest, but...
'Why should I care?'
Whether the empire was in peril meant nothing to me.
The hero and saintess who'd just appeared would handle it anyway. All I needed to worry about was me and Nameless.
I didn't know what Nameless thought, but I wasn't a good person by nature.
Nameless, my disciple, was the exception. If anything, I was thoroughly selfish, caring only for myself.
'Hmm. What does Nameless think?'
I turned to look at him, still frowning as he talked with the innkeeper, and stepped closer.
"Nameless, what do you want to do?"
Perhaps gauging my intentions, Nameless stared into my eyes with trembling pupils before speaking.
"...If I may be so bold, I don't think we need to waste our time going there."
The innkeeper broke into a cold sweat at Nameless's unexpected response.
"No, sir, the lord himself summoned you. A noble! If you don't go, I'll be in trouble."
Ignoring the innkeeper, Nameless looked only at me.
'Waiting for my answer.'
I turned to the innkeeper, still sweating bullets.
Sorry, but...
"Do I have to go just because a noble summoned me?"
Confirming Nameless thought the same, I didn't hesitate.
I stared straight at the innkeeper, his mouth agape in stunned disbelief.
"Even if the emperor of this land called for me, I wouldn't obey."
Besides, this empire's nobles had inflicted unforgivable wounds on my one and only disciple.
No matter how much fault Nameless bore back then, no human-made class divide between noble and commoner could sway me.
I raised one hand toward the sky and spoke.
"No one has the right to command me."
Leaving the innkeeper desperately trying to persuade me, I took Nameless's hand and walked out.
Hmm, his hand is cold.
I looked up at him. An awkward smile—forced, probably—met my eyes.
"You okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
I fiddled with our clasped hands.
'Hmm, but your hand's freezing for someone who's fine.'
Since this involved a noble, it must have dredged up old memories unintentionally.
'Poor thing.'
No matter how mature Nameless was for his age, he was still just nineteen—a kid.
He'd been even younger then, so that incident must have haunted his eyes ever since.
Comforting one's disciple is part of being a master.
I released his hand, reached out, pulled his head to my chest, and held him close.
"Nameless."
"...Yes."
I stroked his hair gently, making sure he felt there was nothing to worry about.
"If you want, I can hunt down that noble who treated you and your parents so cruelly."
"..."
"Hmm, that came out of nowhere, huh... From now on, listen closely to your master."
I stopped stroking, cupped his cheeks, and made him look into my eyes.
Slowly, I pressed my forehead to his.
His trembling, blood-red eyes filled my vision.
"I won't spout nonsense like 'revenge begets revenge.'"
"..."
"Just don't get too lost in the past. It's a filthy swamp that'll slowly drag you under and drown you."
I might be stuck in one myself, but I didn't want Nameless to end up like me.
I gently caressed his cheek.
"Got it?"
"...Yes. Thank you."
His flushed cheeks caught my eye.
Snapping back to reality—realizing we were on a busy street, locked in his master's embrace—must have embarrassed him.
A chuckle escaped me.
'Looks like he's better now.'
I released him from my hug and pinched his reddened cheek.
"You're still such a kid. When will our little Nameless grow up?"
"...I'm an adult now."
"Oh please, you've got a whole year left."
I let go, and he rubbed his especially red cheek, face hardening as he looked at me.
"Only a year left."
Was that such a big deal?
We'd had this warm master-disciple moment, and here he was, master of ruining the mood.
To tease him back, I smirked crookedly.
"Even so, you're still a kid compared to me, aren't you?"
For some reason, the one thing Nameless hated most to hear from me.
Chest puffed in victory, he grinned back and struck my sore spot.
"...But I'm taller than you, aren't I?"
"What."
I leaped up and flicked his forehead hard.