“You’re saying I’m your disciple now, Pamun?”
Out of nowhere?
"Out of nowhere?"
I found myself agreeing with the insane talking book.
“What’s this, Pamun? Are you serious?”
“Do you think I’d joke about sothing like this?”
“I was hoping it was a joke, honestly. I bet Lisir feels the sa way.”
“Probably. I do feel a little bad for Lisir, since he has no choice but to accept.”
Pamun, who was still chatting with the book, didn’t seem to change her tone or expression. She spoke with the sa lively energy, and that casualness made it hard for to know how to take her words.
I was curious, though.
In this world, the relationship between master and disciple wasn’t sothing to be taken lightly. Why would this extraordinary woman suddenly decide to take as her disciple?
“Is this because of my constitution?”
I wasn’t always just a bastard, but right now, it seed like I was jumping to conclusions too fast.
Was the “constitution” Pamun ntioned really sothing that amazing? Was it so unique that soone like her would suddenly want to take under her wing?
Was I about to get back at those Vendel jerks?
“Well, you could say it’s because of that. Or you could say it’s the reason everything is falling into place.”
“Everything’s falling into place…?”
“I’ll explain. You have the right to know, Lisir.”
Pamun’s story was shocking.
Long ago, Radola, the ancestor of the Vendel family, made a deal with Pamun’s master. Radola gained power from that deal, and in exchange, he promised to repay them with the most precious treasure the Vendel family would have in the future.
“…So, you’re saying I’m that treasure?”
“Yup.”
“…You might want to rethink that.”
I admit it.
? I’ve got plenty of self-esteem.
? I’m cool and sexy, especially for a bastard.
But the Vendel family’s most valuable treasure?
That’s definitely up for debate.
If this was publicly announced to the Vendel family, I bet there’d be a whole truckload of people pulling out their swords imdiately.
Or… maybe my constitution really is that special?
“Do you dislike the idea of being my disciple?”
Pamun asked with the sa cheerful expression.
It’s not that I dislike it.
For soone like , a bastard with nothing, finding a master is no easy feat.
And finding soone as extraordinary as Pamun? Even harder.
Normally, I’d have imdiately thrown myself at her feet, begging to be her disciple before she could change her mind and reconsider.
But, you know… there’s a certain line of logic we need to follow here.
Radola Vendel. He’s the founding figure of the Vendel family, the na engraved on that giant statue in the center of the mansion.
And now you’re telling I’m the reward promised in that ancient deal?
The disgrace of the family, sohow the greatest treasure of the family?
Is this world a joke? Is this so kind of light novel?
If this goes wrong, I can’t even begin to imagine the consequences.
It wouldn’t just be who’d suffer. The Vendel family could face disaster too.
“Screw it, let’s do it.”
That part was especially appealing to , so I accepted the offer.
Could I really destroy not only myself but also the entire Vendel family?
For real? This isn’t a dream, right?
This year, I’m 18 years old.
It’s ti to show the world the grudge that an 18-year-old bastard has been holding onto.
If soone swings their “sword” recklessly, they should pay the price for it. That’s how the world works.
A shared fate—if I’m screwed, we’re all screwed. Isn’t that the true essence of family?
For the first ti, the Vendel family feels close to . So this is what family warmth feels like.
“Really?!”
Pamun clapped her hands excitedly.
“Oh my, I’m so happy! I’m glad this didn’t turn into a situation where I had to drag you into it by force.”
Was it just my imagination?
It sounded like sothing quite unsettling had just co out of my new master’s mouth.
“…So, does that an my opinion didn’t matter much in this?”
“Of course not~ I’m overjoyed that you’ve chosen to beco my disciple willingly, without any coercion.”
“Master, I have to admit, I’m a little worried. What if I don’t live up to your expectations?”
I an, look at her.
She’s clearly not an ordinary person.
And she’s a mage.
Even though I’ve picked up so sword skills by watching others, I know next to nothing about magic. Can I really live up to soone like her?
“Of course you can. Do you know what your greatest strength is, my dear disciple Lisir?”
“I guess I’m a bit clever for a bastard, and I’m pretty tough.”
“You’re cute.”
“…Excuse ?”
Pamun pinched my cheeks with both hands.
“Lisir, you’re doing great just the way you are. Keep it up.”
Am I really her disciple, or… a pet?
I couldn’t shake off the late realization that Pamun’s interpretation of the master-disciple relationship was far from traditional.
---
“Shall we go for a walk?”
Master and I left the library and walked through the streets. Thanks to her cognitive-reduction magic, no one was surprised to see a talking book and a beautiful dark elf.
Now that I think about it, Master… when did you cast that cognitive-reduction spell? Was it from the mont you entered Hayerren’s gates?
Did she just waltz into the city unnoticed, past the elite guards?
Excuse , but what exactly are you?
I was curious about my master’s true identity, but I decided it was better for my ntal health not to dwell on it.
“Hmm…”
My master had been sighing thoughtfully for a while now. She was resting her arm on mine as we walked, so the vibrations of her pondering were palpable.
“This is tricky… quite tricky…”
“What’s troubling you, Master?”
“Lisir, my dear disciple.”
“Yes, Master?”
“This might be a bit disappointing to hear, but I’d like you to listen.”
“I’m ready for anything, Master.”
“Unfortunately, I’m not very skilled with the sword.”
“…Not skilled? As in, you’d create a cursed sword that controls its wielder the mont you touch it?”
The talking book, Duran, chid in with an amusing tale about Master’s legendary cursed swords. So, basically, she’s terrible with a sword?
“Duran, don’t tease in front of my disciple! Besides, you can’t wield a sword either~”
“I’m a book.”
Well, I have to give the book credit for being scarily logical.
Which is worse? Competing against water in a swimming match or debating logic with a book?
I stepped in quickly to save Master from further embarrassnt.
“Master, you’re a mage, aren’t you? Does it really matter that you’re not skilled with a sword?”
“It matters. Now that I’m a master, I should be able to teach my disciple who walks the path of the sword. But it’s a real dilemma. That’s why I’ve been pondering how to combine my knowledge with swordsmanship.”
“Master, I’m not set on being a swordsman. If you guide , I’ll follow your teachings wholeheartedly.”
“…”
For the first ti, I saw my energetic, cheerful master looking troubled.
“Master? Is there sothing wrong?”
“Well…”
“No way…”
“Huh?”
“Is it because you can’t picture a musclehead like grasping the intellectual realm of magic?”
“No, no, that’s not it at all.”
Master averted her gaze, clearly uncomfortable.
When I shook her off, she fell to the ground and cried out in despair.
“Lisir~”
“This cognitive-reduction spell… it’s strong. I can’t even hear her voice anymore.”
“My dear disciple~”
If I said I wasn’t a little disappointed, I’d be lying. But it wasn’t a huge disappointnt.
The idea of a bastard from a sword-wielding family suddenly being a magic prodigy?
That kind of plot twist doesn’t suit this bastard’s life.
---
“Hey, Lisir.”
“Yes, Duran?”
“Do you know how long it takes most people to learn the basics of magic?”
“Not sure.”
“Three years.”
“Excuse ?”
“For the average person, it takes three years to see, feel, and control mana. Only after that are they ready to start seriously learning magic. That’s the starting line. Of course, it could take two years, one year, six months, or even a month, depending on the person.”
“How long will it take ?”
“Whether it’s swordsmanship or magic, the most important factors are your environnt and lineage.”
“For what it’s worth, I’m from the Vendel family.”
“Exactly. That’s the problem. You’re a Vendel. The blood in your veins has distanced itself from magic for hundreds of years, favoring the sword.”
“Well, that’s a cursed birthright.”
Just as Duran finished speaking, Pamun chid in.
“You know, Lisir’s a busy guy. He only ca to Hayerren for so business and was planning to leave soon after.”
“…So there’s no way
I could beco a magic prodigy in a week, huh?”
“Who’s spouting nonsense now?”
Even as I was talking to the book, Master looked at with eyes full of disappointnt, like a puppy who just got scolded.
“…Master? Is it true? Are we really short on ti together?”
“I’m sorry, Lisir~ I’ve been so focused on solving the task my master left behind, I didn’t really think about what would co after that~”
“So, my master isn’t soone who was ant to take on disciples?”
“You’ve nailed it. She’s not cut out for it.”
“Lisir~ I’m sorry~ Are you disappointed?”
“This cognitive-reduction spell… it’s strong. I can’t even hear her voice anymore.”
“Noooo~”
As we walked through the streets, the cognitive-reduction magic kept people from noticing the spectacle of a sad bastard talking to a dark elf and a talking book.
My one-man tragedy went on for quite so ti.
---
Dejected, I returned to the Vendel estate, once again heading for the annex.
A life spent only visiting the annex in the library and the estate.
This really is the life of a star, isn’t it?
“So, how about this? In the ti we have left, I’ll focus on practical experience instead of theory.”
“That makes sense. We only have about a week, so even if we cramd theory, it wouldn’t amount to much. But why are you telling this?”
“My disciple doesn’t listen to ~”
“Would you want to listen to yourself?”
Both the talking book and the dark elf followed .
Why?
Don’t you have other important things to do?
Isn’t this a big deal?
Before heading to my room, I stopped by the small training yard in the backyard. It was part of my usual routine.
Whenever I returned from the library, I would practice to combine exercise with training.
The Vendel family never taught swordsmanship, so this was all I could do.
As I was about to draw my sword and swing it lazily—
“Wait!”
Pamun called out urgently.
“Please, Lisir~ Let help you~”
“…Sigh. What exactly do you want to do, Pamun?”
“You’re calling Pamun now? Just a mont ago, I was Master~”
“That was before I realized you weren’t cut out to be one. Be thankful I still use honorifics at all.”
“Oh no, you’re speaking in the past tense already~”
Pamun offered to be my sparring partner, saying she would help gain practical experience.
“But didn’t you say earlier that if you picked up a sword, you’d end up like a windswept weed?”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. It won’t be fighting.”
Pamun clapped her hands softly, as if commanding a servant. The ground of the training yard split open, and vines shot up from the earth.
They ford the shape of a human.
“…Pamun, are you sure about this? That thing looks pretty grotesque.”
A plant zombie.
When I say it like that, it sounds environntally friendly, but the appearance is anything but. It looked like a human who had died tangled in vines and had its body taken over by mushrooms or sothing.
“Isn’t it cute?”
“…”
Cute?
You called cute too.
Does that an I’m in the sa category as *that*?
I grabbed my sword and got into position.
I had swung the sword countless tis.
But I’d never swung it against sothing that moved. Literally.
No one in the Vendel family ever crossed swords with a bastard.
No one ever allowed it.
I was never permitted to learn swordsmanship.
Maybe if I had joined the military, they would’ve at least taught the basics.
“This is my first ti sparring, so please be kind.”
“Good luck, Lisir~”
“How can this be your first ti? You’re from Vendel, and at your age…”
“You’d understand if you were born a bastard in Vendel.”
“I’m a book.”
“Oh, right.”
Even though the plant zombie looked quite grotesque, it didn’t give off any intimidating aura or presence.
I felt like I could win.
Relying on that baseless confidence, I took a step forward.
“Oh no, your stance—”
The book groaned as my pathetic strike hit the plant zombie.
A weak thud.
The plant zombie exploded.
“?”
“?”
“?”
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