Chapter 177 - Playful Teasing
"Master?"
"Yes, Haru-kun?"
"This isn't a 'yes, Haru-kun?' situation. I'd like an explanation regarding the matter of you hitting me with a guaranteed-kill combo without a shred of hesitation, if you would."
"A 'guaranteed-kill combo,' I'm not quite sure what that is… But for me, it was a battle I could not lose for the first time in a long while, so I suppose I got a bit carried out."
How embarrassing, hehe—she smiled.
As for the loser (me), currently held captive on her lap on the usual veranda at the winner's command, I had finally reached the point where I could cast aside all restraint and just stare at her with half-lidded eyes.
Ever since becoming her disciple, her true nature had begun to reveal itself… and at this point, I had come to a certain conviction about it.
This woman, she gets it—she knows.
She knows how 'others' see her, what parts of her they find charming—she probably understands all of it.
That I was flustered by a gentle older woman,
That I held my breath every time she smiled,
That I would blush and my temperature would rise whenever she touched me,
That I was totally smitten by the gap between her usual self and when she held a sword,
That I've always thought the whole 'doted on by her grandfather' thing was an unfair move,
And that, setting aside feelings of guilt or common sense, there was no way I could be dissatisfied with my current situation of being thoroughly doted on as her disciple—she knows all of it, right down to the feelings I've been bottling up inside.
That must be why she won't back down.
Because she knows full well that I can't reject her from the bottom of my heart.
And probably—because she's also confident that she can protect my dignity.
"My master is too powerful…"
In every sense of the word, truly.
"Hehe… you're only just realizing that now?"
Not figuratively, but literally, my master, who basically has no openings, didn't miss even my smallest whisper…
"I am, after all—known as the [Sword Saint]."
And with my invincible master beaming an unchanging smile, I finally, from the bottom of my heart, raised the white flag and closed my eyelids.
I don't care anymore.
"Hoh…?"
"Oh my…"
"Ahhh…"
I mean, I thought I didn't care what happened, but did it have to be the ones who look particularly troublesome right from the get-go???
"I see… so that's how it is. I see… By the way, I'd like to ask you something."
"Wh-what is it… Irori-san?"
"Vertically or horizontally, which do you prefer?"
"He's asking which way to slice me!?"
As the Blonde Samurai standing beside me shot me a gaze of absolute zero, I lost my chance to sit up—not that I could, anyway.
My head and shoulders were being held down, completely immobilizing me!!
"I'm sorry, Irori-kun. This is just me being selfish."
So it seems my suspicion that she was indirectly trying to assassinate me was unfounded. While still pinning down her disciple, Ui-san immediately came to my defense, and Irori blinked at her words—
"Understood."
…without a single reaction like that, he went from instant comprehension to instant agreement at lightning speed.
What is with your Sword Saint Fanboy, or rather, your Total Affirmation Samurai act? What kind of backstory do you even have to reach that level of devotion?
"Well, that aside… it's almost time. Are you ready to go?"
"Ah… it's that time already—Okay, no problem."
Glancing at the system clock in the corner of my vision, I saw that our assembly time was indeed fast approaching.
Irori showing up here was just as planned; I'd received a message from Goldow saying he'd send someone over when it was time.
That being the case, it's a shame to leave—no, seizing this opportunity, I sat my body up………… up, getting up… getting up, get…—
"What are you doing!?"
"Hic… Hehe, my apologies."
Every time I tried to sit up, my master would playfully push my shoulders down to stop me, and I couldn't help but shoot back a genuinely unrestrained retort.
She's not usually one for such obvious pranks, so she must rarely have the chance to be on the receiving end of such a sharp comeback.
After a slight flinch of surprise, her shoulders twitching, Ui-san demurely covered her mouth and giggled with amusement.
…Thi………………s woman, honestly…!!!
"Hey, Irori…! This woman is dangerous…! I won't say in what way, but she has no limits…!!"
"You're right. In any case, I'm going to slice you into pieces, so be prepared."
"Bring it on, you bastard…! You've got a smirk on your face too, you know!!"
And also, could you let me go already!
How long do I have to play the role of a fish flopping on the deck!?
I thought it was a good place to stop, but the chapter ended up being short.
Incidentally, the protagonist's reading of his master's intentions was a spectacular fumble.