Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Twisting the Body Around
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Elia had been clinging to my arm, pouring out incomprehensible nonsense for a while now.
"I don't think that's something we should do yet..."
"...So what the hell have you been going on about?"
I rubbed my throbbing forehead and let out a small sigh.
Why was I getting a lecture from someone so much younger than me...?
No, fine.
Let's say a thousand concessions—getting scolded wasn't the end of the world.
I did catch some flak from Nameless now and then, after all.
"..."
Hmm. Felt a bit weird for some reason.
No, anyway!
I shook my head to clear the stray thoughts and looked back at Elia.
At the very least, shouldn't she tell me what I'd supposedly done wrong?
Her cheeks puffed out like bread buns, her face twisted into a venomous glare as she looked up at me.
"What did I do that's so wrong?!"
"...Huh? No, it's not exactly 'wrong'..."
Elia's eyes began to shake like there was an earthquake.
She turned her head away from me slightly.
Seemed like even she didn't know why she was nagging me.
Infuriating.
...I'd been plenty patient already.
"Lady Harang is a woman too, so she should at least..."
"...Argh! I don't know!"
I roughly shook off her arms and bolted toward Nameless like I was fleeing.
"Ah! Lady Harang! Where are you going?!"
Her panicked voice came from behind, but...
I was the heartless so-called Heavenly Demon, Heaven Cleaver.
I ruthlessly ignored Elia's pitiful cries and charged toward Nameless.
"Namelaaaas!"
"Master?"
Without controlling my momentum, I leaped straight onto Nameless's back.
*Hop—*
His body wobbled slightly from the impact,
but Nameless quickly steadied himself and turned to look at me with a face full of doubt.
"...What is it this time?"
"Nameless! That one's bullying me!"
"Pardon?"
Nameless followed my pointing finger, furrowing his brow slightly as he glared at the distant Elia.
Elia flinched at his gaze, trembling before shaking her head frantically.
Denying it now?
How utterly shameless.
I shot Elia a look, curling one corner of my mouth upward,
then snickered—
and rested my chin on Nameless's shoulder.
You're in for it now!
Nameless gets scary when he's mad. Really scary.
With a glint of anticipation for what was to come, I turned to him, eyes sparkling.
"Nameless?"
Contrary to my expectations, Nameless let out a small sigh and continued packing up the tent.
...Wait, why wasn't he doing anything?
I nudged his shoulder with my chin. *Tap tap—*
"Why are you just standing there?!"
"...I don't know what the Saintess did wrong to you, Master."
He paused in his packing and turned to meet my eyes.
...Too close.
"Wouldn't it be better if the magnanimous Master let it slide this once?"
"...Hmm."
Well, hearing him out now, it didn't seem like such a big deal...
He was right—I was a magnanimous person.
"Fine, whatever."
I nodded.
...
After a simple meal with Nameless.
We sat facing each other around the crackling campfire: me, Nameless, and the Saintess's group.
Obviously, I hadn't called this meeting.
"Shall we start by deciding the night watch rotations?"
Elia, the one who'd just spoken, had set this up.
Night watch, huh...
Didn't matter to me what order I got.
My sleep was short to begin with, and I'd napped in the carriage earlier, so I wasn't tired anyway.
Plus, I could go days without sleep if I wanted.
But...
I glanced at Nameless.
Tonight, I had business with him.
Doing it regularly would help him feel refreshed, and it'd ease this nagging feeling in me a bit.
With that settled, I spoke up.
"If possible, could you exclude me and Nameless from the first shift?"
"Huh? Uh... The first and last shifts are the easiest, though. You sure that's okay?"
At my offer to yield the first shift, Elia widened her eyes and looked at me and Nameless, as if asking if we were really sure.
Did she think I didn't know that?
I nodded firmly.
"I've got something to do with Nameless tonight, so I won't be able to stand watch."
"...You two have something to do at night?"
Elia narrowed her eyes, trying to read between the lines as she stared at me.
...Had I not explained enough?
Eh, it wasn't some top-secret technique anyway, and I had no intention of hiding it.
And if we were picking our spots, we'd need a decent reason or they'd never buy it, right?
I nodded and opened my mouth.
"Does 'widening a narrow hole' ring a bell?"
"...Master?"
"Hm? What's up?"
Nameless turned to me in bewilderment,
and right after I finished speaking, Elia froze like a statue, utterly speechless.
Had I said something wrong?
*Tsk*. No, that was spot-on...
But their reactions were weird.
In this group, only I and Lucius showed no change in expression.
I glanced at him,
and Lucius sighed softly before tapping Elia's shoulder.
"Lady Saintess, you already know Lady Heaven Cleaver says things open to massive misinterpretation, right?"
...Wasn't that a bit rude, even if true?
Got me a little annoyed...
Elia muttered something like "You're right..." before fixing me with a determined look.
...That expression felt kinda heavy.
"...Could we hear a bit more detail on what it is?"
"Well, it's about Nameless's bod—"
"Master, hold on."
Just as I was about to answer Elia's question, Nameless cut me off and stepped forward.
...I'd never taught a disciple to interrupt their master.
My lips puffed out in a pout.
"It'd be better if you held back... No, I'll explain it instead."
"...Why?"
For some reason, it stung.
Lately, it felt like every time I tried to do something, Nameless snatched it away.
Did he think I wasn't reliable...?
A single strand of hair drooped limply from my head, right down to my eyes.
...Why was I even thinking like this?
My emotions had been all over the place lately. Was something wrong with my body?
Seeing me like this, Nameless flailed his arms awkwardly—uncharacteristic for him—
then came close and whispered.
"Shouldn't we keep some things from them?"
"...Why?"
"It's just... better if it's something only between you and me, right?"
...Between just us?
I glanced up into Nameless's eyes.
His deep blood-red irises were trembling mercilessly.
"Hmm, alright."
If he was saying it that earnestly, he must have his reasons.
But.
"Then I'll just have to sum it up vaguely."
"Pardon? Master? What do you—"
I got what he meant, so I could explain it properly, right?
I could handle that much.
I pushed Nameless's face away and looked at Elia, who wore a subtle expression while awaiting my answer.
"Can't tell you everything."
"...I see. That's fine, I get it was a misunderstanding—"
"We'll be twisting around inside the body."
I hadn't specified whose body, so that should suffice.
Feeling proud of my cleverness, I closed my eyes and nodded smugly—
when I heard a *thwack* against someone's forehead from the side.
...What was that?
I cracked one eye open toward Elia, and sure enough, her mouth hung agape like it couldn't possibly open any wider.
...Huh? Why's she like that?
Perplexed, I glanced sideways, where Nameless was pinching his forehead with a deep sigh.
"...I give up."
"What the hell does that even mean?!"
These people were utterly incomprehensible.
...
—Saintess, Elia Why isn't our tent soundproof... I knelt and prayed to the brightly shining moon. ...Moon, what should I do to get through this...? "Urgh, Master." "...Ngh, just hold still a bit... If you keep squirming like that, it's hard for me too..." Beyond the campfire's crackling, Lady Harang's stifled moans kept drifting over... "Ugh—." Why is my face burning like this...? Fanning it with my hand does nothing... "Hic, how's it feel...? Good?" "Yes... It's warm." This is... I knew it might be bad, but this is too much... Even with us and the coachman right here, don't those two know restraint...? They know I'm taking first watch... "Ugh, seriously." Are they doing it on purpose so I hear...? "..." I shook my head. No way that's true... "Ngh, Nameless..." ...How am I supposed to face Lady Harang tomorrow...