Chapter 248 Choose between Grassland and Carriage

1 month 26 day.

in the afternoon.

Su Ming had almost finished the interrogation.

The Oroshizuku Empire is even smaller than the Parthian Empire where it originally lived. If it were the Snow Country... it would be the size of a southern province.

It's hardly a coincidence.

The trembling princess in front of her had nothing to do and often hung out in the Explorers Guild. To put it bluntly, she envied several of her sisters who had "dogs" selected by the guild, but she didn't. She also wanted to find one. So she came to all the assessments in the past few years. Unfortunately, she didn't find anyone she liked.

The Honor Explorer must be conferred by the King and the Explorer Guild Headquarters. Her level is not high enough. According to the history of the Snow Country, she is considered as the first one to be sent out for marriage. She has no ability but only status...

But taking a step back, she might not be qualified to be crowned as a Glory Explorer, but she was qualified to be a Brilliant Explorer.

"..."

In the small courtyard attached to the mansion, Su Ming demonstrated his abilities slightly.

"W-what is this?"

"magic."

Do Enchantment and Philosopher's Blade count as magic?
do not know.

But it's enough to scare her.

"There are a few others I can't actually show you."

"?"

"For example, one kind makes you feel like a file is constantly filing the roots of your teeth. It feels like ants are crawling all over your body."

"..."

"There is another way that is too cruel... First, your face will rot away bit by bit, and then the water in your body will be discharged uncontrollably, but you won't die. You will live like a piece of skin, a life worse than death..."

"..."

"Also, do you feel cold all over now? This is because I planted a Gu in your body. I don't know what a Gu is? Gu..."

"..."

She was shaking all over and her face was turning blue.

"So, you know what to do now, right? Noelle just said someone is looking for you."

This is also called a princess?

Compared with Xue'er, it's not that good. If I were to threaten Xue'er like this, the tougher she is, the more she would rather die than obey.

1 month 26 day.

Night.

Follow the princess all the way back to deal with the matter.

Then bring it back to the mansion.

I rented this two-bedroom, one-living room apartment simply because one-bedroom, one-living room apartments didn't have a yard. Now it's strangely useful.

"Ms. Lina, you can sleep here."

There is no need to worry about whether she will run away.

I have already confirmed it with Noelia, and she is convinced about the 'Gu'.

"what……"

It was already dark, but Noelia was still outside practicing swinging the knife. Her wrists were already scratched and bleeding.

"Noelia."

She stopped only when Su Ming came close to her, her clothes already soaked with sweat.

"I'm going to teach you something now."

"If you do something wrong, it's useless to punish yourself in this way, which is harmful to you and has no benefit to me."

"To put it bluntly, punishment is useless in the face of actual results."

"..."

"It's like if you killed everyone in the village, your parents wouldn't be resurrected."

"..."

Noelle lowered her head, her eyes probably dim.

"so."

Su Ming put his hand on her head and stroked her hair gently.

"What did you do after leaving the village? You gave up on yourself and decided to live for me. This is something that will benefit me."

"Same now."

"Try to turn trouble into good. That's what 'punishment' is."

"Well... that's not quite enough."

"General punishment, such as the law, not only makes people deserve punishment, but also has the greater function of restraint."

"..."

"Noelia, raise your head."

"..."

She raised her face with some fear.

"The next thing I'll teach you is private stuff."

"If you want to be my apprentice, if you want to learn from me... then first of all, it's okay to make mistakes. Don't lose the courage to even look someone in the eye. That's what a coward is."

"Come to the room, I'll tell you about the three views of ordinary people."

1 month 26 day.

late at night.

I felt very frightened, fearing that Master would look at me with disgust.

But I really don't know what I did wrong. I just know that Master is very angry...

“Didn’t you ask me before why I should leave money for farmers?”

"In your eyes, there is no difference between farmers and rich people, but in my opinion, those who rely on the money extorted from the lower classes to bully others, I don't care how much I rob or kill them."

"Farmers live ordinary lives and don't make much money. There's no need."

"The same goes for those who have made their fortunes through their own efforts. Robbery itself is wrong. Blame me for setting a bad example."

"..."

"Next is the matter of women."

"Have you never had any thoughts about men so far? Like wanting to talk more or something like that?"

No.

Usually it was the men in the village who wanted to talk to me more, but I wasn't very interested.

"The simplest point. Is anything that happens between you and me based on you saying 'willingly' or even taking the initiative?"

"..."

"You heard all my thoughts about you at the beginning, but I never did anything, right? Thoughts are uncontrollable and cannot be used as a basis for action."

"..."

"Today I think the boss lady of the flower shop is pretty. Should I possess her? If the boss finds out, should I kill him?"

"..."

I seem to understand.

I didn't care about the secular rules of the outside world at all. My master wanted me to focus on the rules outside of him.

"Have I ever told you to follow the crowd when you go out?"

“Don’t do anything different unless you have to.”

I broke the rules that Master taught me.

"Don't always think about being kicked out. A master is there to clean up after his apprentice gets into trouble."

"It's definitely not okay to provoke too much."

"But if it rises to this level once in a while, what a master should do..."

"..."

"Noelia, do you know what I'm thinking now?"

"..."

This time I really heard it.

Maybe it's because I'm thinking too much and don't have the energy to listen.

But I saw where Master's gaze was fixed, and I could roughly guess it.

"You're not in the mood at all?"

"..."

I let my master do what he wants.

Do you mean that the academic qualifications you checked are not exaggerated?
As Master continued his movements, I had strange experiences and felt sad at the same time.

"I'm sorry, Master."

"I took the liberty of ..."

"Are you still talking? Change the subject. Can you hold on without getting dizzy today?"

"..."

"This kind of meowing sound is normal, you don't have to endure it. Instead, you can make it louder."

I think it's a hot-headed experience.

Extremely hot.

Then the consciousness will be blank.

When you wake up again, you will find that you have been unconscious for a while.

The master didn't say anything about this, he just lit a cigarette and took a puff.

"Noelia, if I'm interested in you, I do have feelings for you."

"I sure don't want you doing this with anyone other than me."

"Possessiveness is part of liking someone. Or maybe it's only when you start to have this possessive feeling that you can be considered liking someone. There are people in the world who are satisfied just by seeing the people they care about living well, but I'm not one of them. Are you?"

"..."

"Like, one day I'll be completely fed up."

what does that mean?
"I won't have any thoughts about you anymore. Even if you stand naked in front of me, I won't have any thoughts. Just treat you like air."

What I mean is, will there be a day when I no longer need to live for my master?

"It seems that you are not without any possessive desire. You still know too little... too naive."

I really don't understand.

But when the master put his arm around my shoulders, I was scared.

"I...I live for my master. I..."

Some inexplicable incoherence.

"If Master no longer needs me..."

What should I do?

Continue to die?

"Noelia."

"Can someone else replace me? Let's have someone more powerful as the master."

"..."

I shook my head.

I have never thought about this. I will never think about it.

"Dependence is also a kind of love."

"So, maybe you like me."

"..."

"I might, a little bit."

Still the first time.

It wasn't me who took the initiative to pull the master to press on my chest, it was the master who came over... I clearly told you before that you are not allowed to do this if it's not wiped clean.

Master might have a little...what?
Like me a little?

I had no idea what it meant, but my ears were burning. I couldn't speak... my chest was stuffy. On the contrary, my heart was beating very fast.

There is a sense of confusion as to where to go and what to do.

Although I still don’t understand a lot, but Master is still willing to stick with me…which means he won’t abandon me now. I will still be his disciple.

"Ha... I can't breathe at all."

"Ok?"

"Noelia, why are your ear arteries suddenly so hard?"

"..."

"Still jumping."

"..."

I do not know.

But the body temperature just rose very quickly and there was no way to stop it.

1 month 27 day.

early.

The master said that he would go prepare some supplies and then go to the royal capital.

I am the only one left to guard Princess Lina.

"..."

She can't leave the mansion, but the master didn't tie her up, so she just watched me practice.

"Hey... who is your master?"

"..."

"The sword glows... No, there's no place to hide such a long weapon in clothes like that. It just came out of thin air. And it can fly."

The master said that he couldn't fly, he just jumped a little higher.

"You, you guys are not bad people, right? I heard it yesterday..."

"..."

"It seems like your parents are dead. It seems like something bad happened to him, too."

"..."

It's quite long-winded.

But the master said that keeping her would be useful, so is there any way to make her shut up?
"The more you know, the sooner you die."

I remembered what my master had taught me, and after I said it, she really shut up.

1 month 27 day.

noon.

"Hey!"

"When you first brought me here, you said something about how to avoid fainting... I heard it yesterday, too."

"Do you feel dizzy when you do that with him?"

"..."

I stopped and looked at her.

"I know a way! As long as you are willing to talk to me, I will tell you."

"..."

My master told me to keep a good eye on her, but he didn’t say I couldn’t hang her on the beam.

"What are you doing? Skirt...I'm wearing a skirt!"

She desperately covered the hem of her skirt.

"You, you really don't have any common sense!"

"..."

Not to mention wasting my practice time, I would consider stuffing her mouth with a muddy cloth.

"It's simple! I heard from my sister... it will be like that when you feel comfortable."

"..."

"I heard that too... Just, if you don't want to lose your composure or faint, just control yourself."

"?"

Stop before your head gets hot?

1 month 27 day.

in the afternoon.

Master brought back a lot of things and was tidying them up in the living room. I helped and watched Master.

"?"

"Why are you looking at me all the time?"

"..."

I want to try.

But I also know that now is the time for Master to do his real work.

"Where's that guy? Let her come in and help."

1 month 27 day.

Night.

I stayed close to my master in silence.

"Noelia, I have a question."

"..."

"Since you get dizzy every time, why do you still want it?"

Being dizzy doesn’t mean that I can’t experience strange feelings before I become dizzy.

"Hiss... No, who did you learn this from? You're playing with inch stops, right?"

"do not move."

"..."

Got scolded.

But I really won’t get dizzy. I’ll stop counting after counting about 50 numbers and then continue after counting another 10 numbers.

But what I got in return for not fainting was being scolded by my master.

"Tell me, this is definitely not to pry into my thoughts."

"Where did you learn that?"

"..."

"What? She? The princess?"

"..."

I want to kill that guy.

January 1th. The princess is fine. What happened that day... I was very angry, but the master was laughing in the end.

"Magic Stone? I know! My father has an inheritance, and it can preserve a person's appearance intact."

"..."

"Master Su, are you using sword energy? I read in the library that there was a sword master who could cut off leaves from mid-air hundreds of years ago."

"..."

"Why would I mind? If someone as powerful as you has the means of Gu and you don't trust me enough, you will definitely use Gu. And it's good enough that Master Su didn't kill me."

"..."

Also, since I said that I spied on the princess's desire to worship the master, why would she be so shameless as to call the master "Master-sama"?

Am I not the only disciple?

The master had no objection.

"Leave it to me. With Master Su's ability, it will be easy for him to pass the Brilliant Explorer's test... Eh? Miss Tia? It will be no problem. I'll be your apprentice."

"Can you teach me too?"

"Can I become your disciple? I will give you the largest bedroom... No, I will give you my castle."

"..."

It's more than just worship.

I'm confused.

According to the rules that Master told me and my common sense, I kidnapped her and she should hate me and Master.

No matter how bad it is, it is impossible to curry favor with the master. Knowing that the master is very powerful, he should be afraid...

[So cool, he can fly... and use sword energy. 】

【The faster, the better. 】

[Although my disciple is a weird one, was he kidnapped because he was interested in me?]

「If I could be his subordinate... No, if I could marry him, I would definitely be the most accomplished princess.」

[It doesn't matter if my apprentice goes to bed. How can a strong man like him not have dozens of women? But he must lack someone with status like me...who will teach me, right? ]

[Ah... No, I really want to marry him. He is hundreds of times better than those nobles my father mentioned.]

Now it’s not a question of whether the Master is interested in her, but rather she is interested in the Master.

I'm in a dilemma.

If I tell Master that she is willing to have sex with me now, then it does not violate Master's philosophy... Master can then put it into action and have a better experience than she could have with me.

But I can't say it.

"Wow, Master can cook? It smells so good."

Even I have never been so attached to Master, because I think it would cause trouble if I always stick around Master when he is doing things.

But she shamelessly surrounded the master. Her breasts were not small. She stuck close to him so blatantly and asked him questions.

It's not because I would be uncomfortable if something happened between her and Master, but...

"Master, Miss Tia is practicing, can I practice with her?"

"what ever."

"..."

She called me "Master" all the time, more affectionately than I did.

The master chose to ignore this.

1 month 30 day.

Night.

The master chose a place to camp. He rode in the princess's luxurious carriage and lived here.

It won't be too crowded for three people.

But I felt as if there was a lot of stuffiness in my heart. I stretched out my hand... Normally, I could just hold my master's ribs and lean against him and fall asleep soundly.

But tonight, when I reached out, I touched breasts, something as soft as me.

"Noelia, let's go out and talk."

"?"

I followed my master out somewhat confused.

I saw him light a cigarette and smile at me.

"Uncomfortable?"

"..."

I shook my head.

"Isn't it hard? Then I really have to accept her as my apprentice. Look, I'm giving her a castle, money, and even... it seems like she's going to pay for it."

"..."

I kept silent.

If the master wants to accept...

"Eh? Can't you hear it when it's so quiet?"

"..."

My mind was so jumbled. I couldn't focus.

"Okay, I'll tell you. This is called jealousy."

"…Jealous?"

I don't understand.

"Because you only want me to accept you as my apprentice, and don't want me to accept another one. You think that only you can call me master, and you don't want to share this right with others."

"..."

I do not have.

"It's written clearly on his face these past few days. I can tell without having to read your mind."

"Just now, too?"

"I just came over and went to sleep, but I bumped into her."

"I do not have……"

I don't want to admit it, and I feel I can't admit it. This kind of thinking is like I am the master's thing, but I want to make the master my own thing.

"Then you choose."

"You want me to take her in as my apprentice, and then you two can share the care, or she can be taken care of more. Or I can take away your rights completely in the future."

"We still have to monopolize this right."

"Oh, she shouldn't faint. She's better than you."

"Please choose something more popular. I want to do something for fun now. Do you want to let her do it, or do it yourself? Ah, come to think of it, she calls me Master, which is more intimate than you. It sounds quite interesting."

"Looks... figure, these are not bad."

"..."

"Shall I get in the carriage? She would be embarrassed with you around, so please just stay out there tonight and don't bother her."

"..."

I can't speak.

Heart-wrenching.

But I can't explain why. I should... I should find a place like this under a tree stump to sleep. I should pretend I didn't hear anything.

The master really got into the carriage.

Give her what I should have done to her. If she behaves well and doesn't faint, she might throw me away. The gift becomes a real thing that replaces me.

I was so exhausted that I almost fell to the grass.

Waiting quietly for the carriage to shake, or for some other sound similar to mine.

"..."

but no.

The master carried her out. She was sleeping soundly.

"I have to practice with you. How can this delicate skin and tender flesh bear it? You sleep so deeply."

"Well, just throw it on the grass and cover it with a blanket. It shouldn't rain."

"..."

"Noelia, what are you standing there for?"

"?"

I don't understand. This is...

"Are you still not going to tell the truth? Do you really want to sleep on the grass by yourself, and then I will do something with her?"

"..."

"Okay, in that case, I'll take her back."

"..."

I don't know where I got the courage from, but I grabbed my master's clothes.

Hemming and hawing.

"I...I will definitely learn how...not to faint."

"so?"

"Choose me... I can call you Master, too."

"That's fine, just call me Master. Is there anything else you want to say?"

"These past few days...are annoying."

"What do you hate?"

"She was circling around the master. She called him affectionately. The master... didn't care."

"Oh, anything else?"

"When the master tried to touch her, I was scared."

"What?"

"I heard that she was interested in Master... She was willing to do it. She was afraid of being replaced. I heard that Master had thoughts about her before, such as white skin, breasts, legs, etc... She just wanted to give her to Master as a gift."

"But after hearing that she was willing and the master responded... I couldn't breathe."

"is it?"

"..."

My knuckles were gripping my master's clothes harder and harder, and they were turning white.

"Master!!!"

“This time, I won’t faint!!!”

I don't even know what to say. I just shout out whatever comes to mind.

"You scared me. It was so loud all of a sudden."

"You think I'm deaf?"

"No, no..."

"Okay, Noelia. Now you've learned the most basic possessiveness. I'm sorry, but I do think she's pretty."

What does regret mean?

"But in other words, the apprentice is prettier. And she's an elf."

"Hey, hey."

"You're going to cry if you're bullied a little bit?"

The master laid her on the ground and covered her with a blanket.

Then lift the carriage curtain.

The horse seemed to be disturbed by my shouting and was swaying back and forth.

“So, Noelia. Next time you want to do something like this, think about whether you can accept it if the gift becomes a third party that takes away your rights. If you can even accept this, I have nothing to say.”

"Master... just having me as your disciple is enough."

"what?"

"It's enough to have Noelle as my apprentice."

"Wait a minute!"

"..."

I can't wait.

I just wanted to hold my master down and let him know... I am the disciple. The disciple who doesn't want to be replaced by others.

1 month 28 day.

early morning.

I still feel dizzy.

I started to feel sad again.

But the master just touched my hair.

"This proves that you and I are too compatible. To be honest... I can't help myself. Usually it lasts longer."

"..."

"You didn't lose consciousness because you felt uncomfortable, but because you felt good? Think about it."

I seem to seldom reveal what I think, but I just try to spy on what my master is thinking.

"Every time I hear a lot of thoughts about me... Master will always look at me. It's like he wants to eat me... just..."

My ears started to feel hot again.

"It seems like he lives for me."

"When I think about the fact that I live for my master, and that my master is all I need, and that my master only needs me... my mind goes blank."

"Identified as a jealous girl, she thinks a lot."

"..."

I can hear again.

[Noelia is still the best]

[Is there too much water in the academic qualifications I just checked? Is this your first time in heat? ]

【…】

[It’s broken. Now Bao likes me 100%. 】

[Forget it, it's come to this... Can I change into black stockings + cheongsam tomorrow? ]

"can."

"?"

I grabbed Master's hand.

I still don't understand what "like" is, but I seem to understand a little bit.

"Yes, Master."

"I like everything about Master."

"I belong to the master, and the master is mine... I don't want anyone else to call you master."

After saying it so boldly, my heart beat so fast.

But the master just smiled and said that I had finally grown up. I felt so comfortable... I didn't feel like sleeping at all.

"Master, I will go get the cheongsam and black silk stockings now."

"?"

"I'm still going to try. I'm sure I can learn not to faint."

"Come on, fold it neatly and it will be hard to put it back if it gets dirty."

"It will be fine if I wrap it in my clothes. I like the smell of Master."

"...I have never taught such a perverted apprentice. Don't tell others that I taught you after you leave."

"..."

"Are you kidding? Can this make you cry?"

"..."

"Are you hungry? You've consumed a lot of energy during the past few days of traveling, but you've eaten very little."

A little hungry.

But I want something else.

"?"

Just like this, take Master's hand and place it on your hand. You will feel very relaxed.

"Master, I can also learn the splits. Please teach me."

"…Sometimes I just want to bang my head against it and die. You don't have to say it out loud, it's too aggressive."

why?

I just heard it and thought it was what Master wanted. It doesn't matter, I said it anyway... If Master wants me to learn, I will learn, if Master doesn't want me to learn, I won't learn.

1 month 28 day.

early.

The princess woke up, and her hands, calves... were covered with small insect bites.

"Why am I sleeping here?"

"The carriage...what a strong smell. Why is the quilt so damp?"

"You're sleepwalking."

"Sleepwalking? Master...hmm."

Before the princess could utter the word "person", Noellea covered her mouth.

"From now on, you can call Master anything other than Master."

Staring at by those murderous eyes, the princess's doubts about how to sleep on the grass disappeared.

"Then, then my name is... Mr. Timirasu?"

"It's up to you. Just don't be the master. The master said that there will only be me as his disciple."

"..."

The princess didn't understand at all.

And the reason he called me Master was because he said he would consider taking me in as a disciple, otherwise how could he dare to cross the line? This beloved disciple was fine yesterday, why did he suddenly react so strongly today?

"Noelia, don't come near me when you're sweating all over after practicing sword swinging."

"..."

"Master, I wiped it clean."

"Can't you see I'm cutting meat?"

"I'll help you cut up the rest."

"I give up... I really have nothing to do, so I'll go pick up some dry firewood... ah, you picked up firewood too?"

"..."

Something must have changed between these two people compared to yesterday.

(End of this chapter)