16. Growing Male
16. Growing Male
"Is it good?"
"...It's delicious to the point of being overwhelming."
"Is it really worth such high praise? Wouldn't you prefer a larger portion? Kids your age usually prefer quantity over extreme quality, and like things that are just 'decently' tasty."
"That may be true, but it's definitely delicious. Besides, the portion... didn't you order too much?"
"Looking at the size of your body, you'll eat it all just fine."
The place I brought the kid to was one where you could enjoy a full-course meal with not just one or two, but a variety of dishes.
It was a place where you could eat all sorts of stews and soups, and order a variety of side dishes to enjoy all at once.
Thick and thin types of bread were also placed on the table.
There was spicy soup, too.
And even dishes close to meat or dumplings.
It was a place where you could fill the entire table with various dishes, and because of that, the height of the person in front of me right now.......
"...Did you grow taller by any chance?"
"Huh? Oh... did I? I don't usually measure my height."
"Just sitting there, it feels like my angle of view has gone up a bit."
...Anyway, for a boy in his prime, this place was a feast in itself.
When I come alone, I only order two pieces of bread and one soup.
Anyway.
"B-but you ordered so much, the money...."
"Money? I'm the one paying, so don't worry about it."
"Oh......."
"What's the problem with a kid getting help from an adult? Just eat comfortably."
"......Yes."
I'm just buying it because I feel pity for him.
There's no reason to think of it negatively.
Expecting some kind of repayment from a kid 11 years younger than me is... well, that would be a failure as an adult, wouldn't it?
Not that I'm constantly aware of being an adult.
But at 28 years old, I think it's perfectly reasonable to feel that way.
"Anyway, just eat. It's delicious, right? Eating a hearty meal before training will be good for you."
"That's true."
"Yeah, just enjoy it."
I passed the time slowly, exchanging casual words like that.
I'm the type who doesn't eat lunch anyway.
Besides, the portions at this restaurant are substantial, so I just... ended up eating only 2 out of the 7 pieces of bread.
They were the kind you dip in soup or top with meat, so they varied in size, and....
"Whew......."
A boy in his growth spurt really does eat quite a lot.
He was able to polish off everything on the table without any issues.
Seriously... he eats so well.
I've been living as a woman for 28 years now, but I've come to realize the difference in appetite between men and women... or rather, to be precise, the difference with a growing male.
If I had come with Vivian, we definitely would have... left food behind.
We would have left more than half the bread, and about a third of the dumplings.
We definitely would have.
And after finishing, we would have gone into the convenience store and taken some digestive medicine.
"Hmm......."
Is it really okay for kids like this to just survive on convenience store food for lunch......?
Of course, there is a cafeteria inside the Academy.
It's just ridiculously expensive, so the kids can't afford to eat there.
It feels like I'm looking at children, because they actually are children.
Without me realizing it, that kind of worry started to grow a little.
"By the way, what kind of training do you do? Since you're in the Swordsmanship Department... 1,000 sword swings a day?"
"We don't do anything that barbaric."
"Isn't that what those places are like?"
"Only when learning basic swordsmanship. My Master doesn't teach me things like that; she teaches me how to use Mana... Sword Qi, sword techniques, and sparring with her."
"Hmm... private lessons really are different."
I suppose that makes sense.
Simple things like that could just be taught in class.
"It's fascinating. I never had any connection to the Swordsmanship Department, so I never took an interest in it. It's actually kind of interesting."
"Then I'm glad. I wouldn't want to tell boring stories to Noona."
"Hah, look at you talking."
Is he hitting on me?
Ah, he is hitting on me.
He's the kind of guy who approaches me because he has that kind of interest.
If he talked to other kids, or his childhood friend like this, wouldn't her white face turn bright red?
I only saw it for a moment back then, but the look in her eyes when she gazed up at Noah was quite intense.
I'm sure it would be like that.
"Don't say weird things, just focus on your training quietly."
"Yes, Noona."
"You sure answer well."
If only he listened as well as he talked, how nice would that be.
It might be behavior appropriate for his age.
But I wish he knew that when someone refuses, there's a reason for it.
How long does he plan to keep courting me like this?
"You're starting full-scale training from now on, right? Until the vacation ends?"
"Yes, that's about right. That's what Master said. After lunch, I meet her at the Training Room... then I do about six hours, return to the Dormitory to rest, do personal exercise. And the next day, the same thing."
"You're going to spend your vacation in a very boring way."
"Haha, but I get to run into Noona every day. I don't think it'll be boring at all."
"......Sigh."
Even when I worry about him, he just says things like that.
Does he do this to other female students or peers at the Academy, too?
If that's the case, I'm genuinely worried that he might get stabbed by one of them later.
You know how it is?
A case where a slightly... off, gloomy girl gets treated well, misunderstands, deludes herself, and does something crazy.
And the kinds of things that happen when girls like the same guy, and the guy acts ambiguously.
...I feel like that could actually happen with him.
"Sigh......."
"Why are you sighing?"
"It's nothing, it's nothing."
He'll figure it out on his own.
Even so, his childhood friend wouldn't do something like that, and besides, Noah is weak.......
"......?"
"Why?"
"Hmm...."
Well, if he's receiving private lessons from an Academy teacher, he must be somewhat strong and talented.
Apart from the fact that he frequently visits my convenience store, I don't really know much about him.
Well, it doesn't matter, though.
Still, considering the things he keeps saying and his actions, that must be the case.
"Aren't you supposed to be going soon?"
"The time has already passed like this... I wanted to talk to Noona a bit more.... Still, thank you so much for buying me lunch today. I'll make sure to pay you back with something better, something tastier next time."
"Forget it. I don't expect that from a kid. Just train hard with that old geezer."
"Yes, Noona. Have a good rest of your day."
"Yeah."
After talking a bit more like that, Noah left, and I went back to running the convenience store as usual.
Even though that friend of mine, that annoying woman, came to visit again.
Just... normally.
The vast, secluded small Training Room of the Academy.
Noah, who had returned after a long time to the Training Room located in the deepest, most corner of the building where the Training Room was situated, didn't have any major negative thoughts, even though he had returned in the middle of his vacation.
He was able to meet Skadi earlier, and he was clearly feeling himself improve more and more as he trained.
"Master, are you here?"
He spoke to his Master as usual.
As Noah spoke, the teacher who had been sitting while quietly staring at the wall of the Training Room—or to be precise, the black-haired woman—quietly opened her eyes and turned her body around.
"You're here?"
"Yes, I'm here. I hope you're having a good vacation."
"Normally."
Still maintaining her seated position on the floor, Noah's Master looked at her student while curling her lips prettily.
She was a woman with hair swept back cleanly, sharp eyes, and bright golden eyes.
The clothes she was wearing were a functional top that was quite comfortable and thin for activity, and pants that beautifully revealed the leg line starting from the pelvis.
If some rigid person had seen it, they would have probably asked if she was trying to seduce someone, looking very uncomfortable.
But in reality, she was trying to seduce him.
"Did you bring your sword?"
"Yes, I brought it."
"Your sword is a part of you. Always handle it with care. The scabbard, too."
"Yes, I will."
Even though Noah didn't pay much attention to his Master, his Master was quietly watching her student as if savoring him.
Of course, he was too used to that kind of gaze.
Since he was used to such gazes from women since he was young, he was a student who didn't care much.
"Alright, shall we start right away?"
"Yes."
What followed immediately after the short conversation was training.
Since the meeting was for that purpose in the first place.
It wasn't that there were no other reasons, but Noah's interest was in that direction, and his Master wasn't unaware of that, so they began to get straight to the point.
"...But Noah, you've grown taller."
"Is that so? Someone else said the same thing. I guess I did grow."
"If you keep this up, you'll grow even more."
"That would be great. My reach will increase, right? It'll be much easier when fighting."
"Though the range you have to defend will also increase."
"That's something I'll have to work hard at."
The two stood up and faced each other, continuing that conversation.
They were wearing gauntlets to protect the hands and wrists they used.
In fact, they should have been using live blades after wearing more armor than that, but.......
"I trust you haven't rusted during the vacation."
"I think I should show you that I can live up to your trust."
"If you're my student, you should."
The two were already used to that method, which Skadi would describe as barbaric.
Naturally, they started training as usual.
In the hot weather, unlike someone's convenience store, they sweated profusely in the heated-up Training Room, clashing their bodies for hours and hours.
"Hoo... hoo...."
"Your sword was getting sharper. Is it because of the vacation? The tip of your sword has dulled."
"Is... that so?"
"Focus more. Only on the sword, only on the current situation, only on me, the opponent you're crossing swords with."
"Hoo......."
The situation continued where only Noah didn't pay much attention to it.