No Mercy (4)

It was a half-hearted success. The swordsmanship I'd learned over the past six months had been utterly useless. Not just in controlling the Mark of the Abandoned, but in actual combat as well.

"Dodo. Child, come here."

Master patted her knee and spoke.

"Master, your ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠disciple has arrived."

"Lie down here."

"Pardon?"

While I was still dazed, Master gently laid my head on her lap.

"Disappointed?"

"Uh... a bit regrettable, yeah."

"Child, you're progressing remarkably fast. No need for self-reproach over this incident."

The pleasant rustle of her hand stroking my hair. My anxious heart slowly settled. The soft give of Master's thigh melted away all my fatigue.

She began speaking in a gentle murmur.

"Wouldst thou hear the tale of when this one first felled something?"

"Ooh, yes, I'd love to."

"'Twas when this one was about thy age, nine years old."

Oh no... she was treating me like a nine-year-old kid! My official age on the status window had dropped five years younger.

"I'm not nine, Master."

"My apologies. This one misspoke."

Even as she put on a serious face and spoke... Tia Master was leisurely smiling, stroking my hair. It felt like she was cooing over a sulky child.

But what could I do? She really looked that young. I'd grown a bit over the seven months with her, but still just a little.

...The status window said so, and I was still a shorty under 150cm.

"Please continue the story."

"When this one was nine, she massacred an entire village."

"Uh..."

"At the time, she believed it must be done, that it was right."

The atmosphere shifted abruptly. Master's eyes looked darker than usual as she spoke.

"And then... for about a week, she wept without eating a single meal—that's what she remembers."

"M-Master?"

"Child, thou art strong. This one, Hecatia, swears it upon her name."

My shoulders felt not just heavy, but on the verge of breaking. And this was the first time I'd heard Master's true name. A name I'd encountered while playing the game.

Did she think I'd be scared? Master wore a resigned expression, eyes tightly shut as if bracing herself.

Me? I felt nothing.

"Cool name. Heh... mine's always been a punchline."

"...?"

Master's eyes widened—it had been a while since I'd seen that.

"Child. Hast thou truly never heard of it?"

"I trust the Master I've been with."

"Dodo, child, I..."

Tia Master fumbled, trailing off. Instead of answering, I placed my hand over hers and squeezed tight.

I remembered clearly. The series' strongest hidden boss. [Hecatia, Closer of Worlds]. That infamous final boss was my Master.

Didn't matter to me one bit.

Darkness and Fear was a game I'd only played once and shelved in my library. Never bothered seeking her out, so what of it? I trust only what I see and feel.

"I'm on your side, Master."

I met her gaze. Those hollow eyes soon brimmed with emotion.

She held me silently like that for a long while.

"How doth our disciple speak such sweet words...?"

Warmer than usual.

...Even if I had to face the game's protagonist, the player character, in opposition, I'd fight. My justice was already Master.

"Child, rise."

That night, guests arrived at the mansion. Presences from all directions—not just one or two.

"Stay behind me."

Master stepped out to the entrance with me.

[...!]

[Grrk...]

The thugs surrounding Master's mansion lowered their eyes the moment she appeared. Some even trembled, huddling in fear.

"I warned thee once: approach again, and no mercy. Were my words a jest?"

"Our son, barely born, was found as a corpse in the forest."

Ah. The father of the Dark Human I'd encountered on patrol today. The leader, who looked like a parent, twisted his face.

"My precious son...! By the time I found him, beasts were already tearing into him."

The thug raised his voice in fury at Master. Contrary to his burly frame, his voice was a sweet tenor, like an opera singer.

"And what of it?"

Master didn't blink.

"Any who knows duty could never slaughter and abandon thus!"

"Dost that mean this one knows no duty?"

Master's voice dropped another notch. The surrounding horde shrank further in response.

The Shadow Human leader wept blood-tears, bellowing.

"The pain of losing a cherished child! How couldst thou...!"

"Enough."

Her voice sank calmly. Overwhelming presence. She ended the conversation in an instant.

The leader, grinding his teeth in defiance, shut his mouth.

"The sole reason this one overlooked thy filthy kind was that thou didst not trespass her domain."

"But!"

"And because, like vermin, thou wert too lowly to pose any threat."

At those words, the leader's gaze twisted in rage.

"Even so, my son...!"

"Thou comprehendest not, beast. Thy spawn attacked this one's disciple, and she showed ample mercy."

"Mercy? Thou darest call it mercy!!"

"She slew not utterly, leaving the corpse intact for thee. Yet thou repayest with nighttime clamor... Too kind for duty-less beasts."

"Thou bitch!!"

At Master's words, the encircling creatures' eyes flashed white one by one. Even trembling, their gripped weapons tensed. The Shadow horde, near panic in terror.

To me, Master just seemed a little annoyed... She asked me softly.

"Child, canst thou handle the aftermath?"

"Huh? Uh... of course!"

She patted my head lightly, then placed her hand on her sword hilt. Violet lightning crackled fiercely. As the blade cleared the sheath, black clouds poured forth.

Dense fog-like black mist. An aura of death enveloped the space.

A chill ran down my back.

"Charge!!!"

The Shadow Human leader shouted, and the others hesitated toward their blades. But before they took a step, it was over.

One slash. I saw it, but couldn't process it. A horizontal violet trajectory sliced everything before us.

No—more like erasure. The horde vanished from sight. Only charred sleet fluttered.

Then the sound hit. Ear-shattering thunder.

"Urk!"

My face scrunched naturally; I had to plug my ears. After the roar faded, silence returned. Only the scent of ash lingered.

Tia Master sheathed her sword and staggered, collapsing. Her face pale as drained blood, like a puppet with cut strings.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Master!"

"Cough... weary, child."

Blood poured from her eyes, nose, and mouth simultaneously.

Oh no... big trouble! I quickly supported her, carrying her inside ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and laying her down.

"Why push yourself like this! You could've taken it slow...!"

"'Twas the best."

Even battered, Master smiled, stroking my face. That faint upturned lip seemed like relief.

A pang stabbed my chest. Then I realized why.

"Because of me?"

"Child, 'tis thanks to thee. Didst thou not make this one smile thus?"

Without concern for me, Master would've cut them down one by one. No need to overexert for a quick finish.

"Child... cough... this one had a disciple once."

"Master, tell me later. Please..."

"Dodo, thou art sounder than thou thinkest... worry not o'er much. Cough cough..."

I'm going insane! No, you're bleeding out from internal injuries— that's convincing! For real!!

Elders are stubborn. Master might look ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠young, but I pegged her as elder among elders.

Let her keep talking, and it'd turn into last words. Anxiety surged.

That can't happen!!!

"Mmph... mmph...!"

"Hush now!"

I clamped her mouth with my hand and tucked her in.

"Talk nonsense before you're healed, and you're in for it!"

"Mmph...? Mmmph? Mmph...!"

Startled, Master tried removing my hand... fat chance. Dare a master best her disciple?

I stroked her hair and began a lullaby.

"Sleepy bye... our Tia..."

"..."

Master glared briefly at first, then blinked and dozed off.

"Phew..."

Perfectly removed the death flag. She'd thank me with a bow later.

The next morning arrived. Tia Master slept soundly, snoring softly. She'd always risen before me without fail.

Not today. Even as I made noise rising first, she slumbered deeply. Internal injuries from the engraving.

Just this showed her poor state. I wiped the sweat from her furrowed brow.

Just as she'd done for me. Gently, I stroked her hair.

"..."

Her face relaxed instantly. Like my first day receiving her care, I went to prepare breakfast for her.

…

"Ahh."

"How many times have I said I can eat alone...!"

"Ah."

Heh heh... who'd have thought I'd mirror-treat Tia Master. She could barely rise, yet cared for face.

Shoving the spoon to her lips left no choice. Glare and chomp. Uh huh huh... I'll heal her right up!

Those who've been through it do it best. After she finished obediently, Master finally spoke.

"Thou... rascal. Who taught thee such brazen, unseemly acts?!"

"...?"

Seemed like a joke, but dead serious. She snorted in anger... not scary at all.

Cutely adorable; short of thrusting a blade, she couldn't stop me. Absolutely!

I knew she wouldn't, so no hesitation. Felt like caring for a little sister.

"You taught me, Master. Don't play dumb. Throat must hurt. Sleep more."

"This one never...! Mmph..."

As her voice rose, I plugged with a spoon. Patients have no say. Hate it? Heal faster.

A week of devoted nursing, and Master recovered fully. At first, I feared backlash... but humans adapt, no?

Tia Master grew accustomed to the routine. Soon she accepted it naturally; made things easy for us both.

But once up from bed, she lectured immediately.

"Child, one must not touch a grown woman's lips without leave. Heed this one's lesson well. And..."

No, she unloaded every pent-up grievance at once? Surprisingly vindictive, Tia Master!

Though no rod came. [Where on the child to strike...?] She said it like she couldn't fathom; secretly pleased me.

We strolled the garden, wrapping it up. An unusual path. Ascending the hill, Master spoke.

"Before, this one had a disciple."