Precious Time with My First Disciple

I'd tossed out that talk of lovers half in jest, but for some reason, Ceres's voice turned a touch cooler as she asked me again.

"Master… do you wish to find a beloved partner, someone to share the bonds of marriage with?"

"Heh heh… if there were even the slightest chance, aye."

"……."

Her silence stretched on after those words.

Of course, no one in their right mind would want to tie the knot with a man like me. It had just been a lighthearted jest, nothing more—a casual 'wouldn't that be nice~'.

But in that strangely prolonged quiet, what I'd meant as a throwaway remark suddenly dawned on me: what it might mean to Ceres, who was like my very first daughter.

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"A-hem… Ceres. It was just a bit of banter to make us smile—pay it no mind."

"……So it was a joke, then."

Though I'd rejuvenated into this youthful form, in the eyes of my disciples, I was still their master and father figure.

If by some wild twist I actually found a lover and married her… well, what would that do to the relationship between her and my girls? It was obvious, wasn't it?

This was the moment I realized anew just how thoughtless I'd been.

"……Even now, right by your side. The one most fitting to be the lover of my beloved master."

"Hm? What was that, Ceres?"

"Nothing, Master. Just mumbling to myself."

Lying with her head in my lap, Ceres's words didn't quite reach my ears clearly. But perhaps my foolish quip had simply reassured her it was all nonsense. That's what I decided to believe.

How much time had passed like that?

As my ears, warmed by our long, heartfelt talk with my disciple, caught the faint murmur of voices from the training ground in the distance.

Ah, right. The exam.

Only then did I remember I was in the midst of taking the adventurer's exam.

And the disciple slumbering angelically in my lap right now? She was the chief proctor overseeing the whole thing.

"My dear disciple, up you get."

"……Mm? Master? Is something wrong?"

"Seems the other examinees are returning."

"Oh……."

"I'm just a lowly examinee, but you're the head supervisor of this exam, aren't you? Best head back."

She rose slowly, her expression a bit pouty, as if she hated to leave my side after so long apart. I gently straightened her slightly tousled silver hair as I spoke tenderly.

"Don't make that sad face. From now on, we can meet whenever you wish, can't we?"

"……Then, Master, will you stay by my side tomorrow too?"

"Heh heh, how could I refuse? Where shall we meet?"

"Come to my knight order. There's so much I want to show you there."

"Very well. Until tomorrow, then."

And so our dreamlike first reunion with my first disciple drew to a close.

"Oh, and take this too."

"This is… a basilisk scale?"

"I'm an examinee too, you know. Give it a fair, impartial check and let me know if I pass."

Of course, I didn't forget to hand over the basilisk scale we'd hunted with Nerin as proof of passing the exam.

Three days spent in the heart of the Lumerne Empire.

I'd taken my first adventurer's exam, made my first comrade, and reunited with my first disciple.

These three days meant more to me than all the years I wandered as a swordsman.

With lighter steps at the thought of forging new bonds and memories starting tomorrow, I took my first stride toward the vast city beyond the training ground.

'Master has grown young again.'

'Master came to see me.'

'Master… said I did well. He patted my head.'

'I've reunited with my beloved master.'

'Reunited. Truly reunited at last.'

"……Captain? Captain Ceres??"

"Ah……!!"

On the platform before the training ground, packed with countless exam participants, it was her adjutant's voice that finally snapped her out of it.

Otherwise, her thoughts of Master might have swirled on forever.

"Is something the matter?"

"N-no, nothing. Let's… start checking the examinees' results. Tell me if there's any issue."

"Yes, Captain."

Her words claimed all was well, directing her adjutant to verify the exam outcomes as knight order captain.

But her mind had no room left for such things—only thoughts of Master filled it, the once-cool and composed Ceres utterly consumed.

And she kept replaying that one jest he'd made.

'Never had a lover in all my life, so maybe it's time to give it a shot.'

'Master… do you wish to find a beloved partner, someone to share the bonds of marriage with?'

'Heh heh… if there were even the slightest chance, aye.'

The one and only person for Master to share love and marriage with—that empty seat, she wouldn't yield to anyone.

Not even to her two sisters, who might notice Master's rejuvenation.

'……But I won't rush. My haste mustn't mar the happy life Master deserves from here on.'

Once all examinees' results were perfectly reviewed, and even her closest adjutant had clocked out after finishing knight order duties—late into the night.

Alone in the captain's office, lit only by pale moonlight, Ceres pulled out her notebook, filled with the 'plan' she'd crafted from 15 years ago to now.

Flip… flip….

Page by page, reading her long-laid 'plan,' she tore out the first page without hesitation—now obsolete thanks to Master's rejuvenation.

'But I don't need this anymore. Master's younger than me now.'

"……Now, I'm the older one compared to Master?"

In the knight order's office, bathed solely in pristine moonlight, her eyes flickered with a breathtaking, chilling blue glow as she murmured, lost in thoughts of Master—like waves upon the night sea.

Just after stepping out of the training ground, with the hour grown late enough for bed, I fished out Nerin's magic orb number from my pocket.

Unfolding the crumpled paper revealed runes densely inscribed, reminiscent of a phone number from my past life.

'She told me to call this number.'

Cherishing this contact from my very first comrade, I headed to the Central Guild to get a 'magic orb' for reaching Nerin.

"A communication orb? If you have an adventurer registration card, it's free—but without one, it's 5 gold."

"I took the exam today… but when do the cards come out?"

"If you finished today's exam… assuming you pass, it'll take about two weeks."

"Hmm……."

5 gold wasn't cheap.

But waiting two weeks meant losing touch entirely with my first comrade, Nerin.

"Fine. One communication orb, please."

"5 gold received. Have a seat over there; I'll bring it right over."

"Much obliged."

I paid without hesitation, bought ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the communication orb, and returned to my lodging.

Back at the lodging, I spent ages fumbling with the magic orb—my first time using one.

"Like… no, touch it this way…?"

The feel was utterly alien compared to my old life's cellphone. Being a magic tool made it trickier to handle, for sure.

Rubbing and tinkering for a full hour.

Bzzz… bzzz….

"D-did it work……?"

At last, I got the orb running and inputted Nerin's contact.

'Harder than basilisk hunting… Next time, ask her to include a simple manual.'

With the contact saved, I thought of sending a quick commemorative message—but it was late, so first contact tomorrow. For now, wash up and end the day.

Shhhh….

"Hoo……."

After scrubbing off the sweat from this morning's brutal basilisk hunt with warm water, I stood before the bathroom mirror.

My rejuvenated young body stared back, muscles sharply defined.

'A bit out of shape, needs more training… but hm, not that bad to look at.'

Not as worn by time as before, and with youth on my side, the lines were still firm. I gave it a once-over, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠then stepped out with just a towel around my waist.

"……Hm?"

A familiar voice shrieked from the magic orb I'd casually left on the desk.

Her face floated in the orb, hands over her eyes, laced with embarrassed squeals.

"Wh-what's this… Why are you connected…!?"