kscans

Chapter 495 - The Branch I Desire is Here

"—And that's how things have gotten confusing again."

After accepting his desperate plea and reluctantly releasing him from her lap, they sat for a while.

As always, she must have been unconsciously matching his pace. The words her disciple, Haru, spun—now with a practiced ease incomparable to when they first met—brought a natural smile to her lips.

"Fufu… That is a story I have not often heard. Unfortunately, it is not a type of experience I have had myself."

"Right? I've been trying to figure out what to do with it."

Having spent her childhood immersed in her grandfather's swordsmanship dojo, she was used to interacting with men—but whether she was 'good' at it was another matter entirely.

Part of the reason was the weakness of her physical body. Having spent her time indoors instead of playing outside, Ui was aware that she suffered from a certain kind of worldliness.

In truth, 'younger boys' were a type of person Ui found difficult to deal with.

No, not difficult, but rather… incomprehensible.

From a young age, she was the type to be doted on by those of the same sex. She found it frustrating to think it was due to her perpetually childlike appearance, but whatever the reason, having others approach her was nothing short of a blessing.

If people came to her, all she had to do was treat them with sincerity and kindness, and she was blessed with many friends. For that reason, she had no trouble with females, regardless of their age.

As for men, she was similarly comfortable with adults, thanks to the accumulated experience of interacting with the students who came to Matsukaze. However, those her own age or younger were a bit of a problem.

She wouldn't say she was bad at conversation, but she and others both recognized that the 'rhythm' of her speech was a little slower than most. When faced with energetic boys, she would sometimes struggle to keep up and feel intimidated… or so it used to be.

It should have been that way, and yet.

"You say you are troubled, but your face is relaxed."

"Huh? Oh, well… as long as it's not a negative slump, I'm the type to enjoy any troubles that come up in a game."

"Fufu, you are such a boy."

Perhaps she should consider it an unexpected stroke of good fortune.

The meeting itself was a miracle. It was a great blessing just to have met someone to inherit her techniques, but for that disciple to be—

"You should say that to Irori. That guy, every time we meet, he calls me a troublemaker or an automatic event generator, just says whatever he wants."

"You and Irori-kun get along so well."

"Oh, we get along great. According to him, I'm his 'bad influence friend' or something."

"He is just trying to hide his shyness, you know."

"…That, is a chilling thought."

"Oh my…"

—a kind boy who could converse without tension, anxiety, or reservation. One so sincere and considerate that she couldn't help but be impressed.

His eyes were gentle, his voice was soft, his choice of words was skillful and full of intelligence… She could find any number of his virtues without even trying.

It was a natural part of interacting with people, of course. But as someone who knew the difficulty and effort it required, she felt it shouldn't be dismissed with a simple 'of course.'

And if that was not all there was to it, then even more so. At the very least, Ui knew that no matter how hard she tried, she could never behave in the same way he did.

Not just enjoying himself,

Not just entertaining others,

But his nature, which only considered it 'good' when both parties were having fun, was worthy of respect.

—And what if she were to say such a thing,

"Changing the subject, Haru-kun. You seem to be using your sword in a curious way, do you not?"

"Huh, yes. I am? Uh, a curious way, you mean…"

"A 'quirk' has appeared in the wear of the blade. It is different from the forms of Kesshiki… No, perhaps it would be better to call this an 'arrangement.'"

"W-Wait a minute, what do you mean, a quirk in the wear of the blade? The numerical durability is going down, but visually there's nothing—"

"Hmm……………………… [Striking Iron]… perhaps?"

"…! …………No, no way… no, no, no. Wh-What? Seriously, that's scary. How do you know that? That's practically psychic…!"

—to this 'disciple' who directed his respect for his 'master' so straightforwardly?

She knew exactly how he would react, which is why she conveyed the parts that would become excessive praise through doting on him.

It was better to avoid seeing his adorable expressions head-on any more than she already had. It was just right to spoil him in a joking manner, to catch just a small glimpse.

It was surely a miracle that they were able to build such a close relationship without being conscious of each other as members of the opposite sex.

For example, his hands… or so it seems from what she heard, things have gotten to a point where even both his hands aren't enough to handle it all, but that fact must have helped.

—From the bottom of her heart, it was an ideal relationship. It wasn't that she didn't want more than this; it was that she wanted this connection itself, so this was good enough for them.

This is how it should be.

This is how she wants it to be.

May she and he always be a 'master' and 'disciple' who can respect each other, Ui wished, as she always did—

"If you find yourself in need of a 'name,' please consult with me at any time. Whether it is for a 'technique' or a 'form'… It may be too soon, but even for a 'school,' I will be of assistance."

"That's more than just a little too soon… Man, I really can't keep secrets from you…"

Because she couldn't imagine a scenario where she would receive any affection from him other than 'reverence for a master'… she smiled to herself, knowing it was a wish that didn't need to be made.

It was also hard to imagine a future where they, two 'my pace' kindred spirits, would have a falling out. If that was the case, she could consider the bond of master and disciple to be secure.

That was a very, very happy thing—and just a little, a tiny little bit, perhaps regrettable as well, she thought, amused by her own playful heart.

And so, the Sword Saint smiled cheerfully… and simply, serenely, doted on the disciple she couldn't take her eyes off of.