Even if I heard such words from Nameless, there was no immediate change in my daily life.
I only had a tiny worry.
‘Saint…’
The Saint chosen by the gods, could I really harbor ill feelings toward her?
But she also became a Saint not of her own will, but simply due to the gods’ choice, right?
My worries continued, but they always led to the same answer.
‘I don’t know.’
To be honest, I don’t even know what I want to do.
If only I could find the Saint and insult that damned god through her…but…
Well, would that be okay for me?
I’m not reminiscing about the original story; I just happen to be quite a coward.
Because of my ugly selfishness, is it really right to ruin the future of a girl I once cherished and cared for?
This place is no longer a world from a novel for me; that girl has a self too.
Just looking at Nameless, she should have been going to the Academy to meet a Hero and face adversity together, but due to my influence, she’s here beside me.
This is reality.
And that damned god, having chosen me and brought me here to abandon me, seems unlikely to intervene even if the Saint were to suffer at my hands.
‘Was I originally this kind of person?’
It’s not a matter of conscience; I feel sick picturing myself thinking in such a cold, calculating way.
My thoughts deepened.
I still know nothing and remain a clueless fool, not knowing the answers.
Repeating my worries again today, I’ll just flail my sword here in this narrow mountain, as I always do.
It’s incredibly pathetic.
Staring blankly at the sky, lost in thought, Nameless came close to me, as if she couldn’t just leave me be.
“…Master.”
Slowly, I turned my head to see Nameless speaking to me.
Nameless’s expression also seemed filled with worry, just like mine.
Of course, she knows best how disturbed I’ve been ever since I heard that news.
This situation is oddly funny; a bitter laugh escaped my lips.
‘A Master who worries her Disciple.’
Truly pathetic; seeing myself being aware of my own patheticness yet not trying to change makes me feel sick.
It was hard to respond to Nameless, feeling so pathetic, so I looked down at the ground instead.
I saw the uneven and bumpy dirt, with sparse weeds growing and stones scattered messily.
It looked shabby.
I raised my head to look at the sky again.
A clear sky was visible, with countless stars shining brilliantly in their places, but today the full moon especially stood out to me, shining bright.
‘Ah, it’s dazzling enough to hurt my eyes.’
But nothing here on this earth shines by itself.
As I continued to look up at the sky, lost in thought, suddenly something touched my shoulder.
“Master.”
I didn’t even need to question it; Nameless’s hand was on my shoulder.
‘Hmm.’
Usually, when I get lost in thought, she avoids bothering me, but today she seems exceptionally clingy.
But I had no intention of rejecting her.
Since prioritizing Nameless was always a given for me, I wouldn’t want to inadvertently hurt this already wounded child by rejecting her touch.
I let out a small sigh and turned back to face Nameless.
“Ha, why do you call me?”
As I finished my brief response, the worried expression from earlier was nowhere to be seen; Nameless had an impish smile, like a child trying to play a prank.
It was surprising she would act like this even in such an atmosphere; still, whenever she smiled like that, it usually meant she was about to tease me, making me uneasy.
“Do you remember a few days ago when you said you would grant me a wish?”
“Hmm.”
I pursed my lips, already expecting some kind of troublesome joke.
‘Did I fail as a Master…’
Given the mood, I thought she was simply trying to comfort me, but this was unexpected.
‘Who does she take after to be so clueless…’
Anyway, I couldn’t fathom what was going on in my Disciple’s head.
Yet, I couldn’t back out of what I vowed with my honor as a Master because of my current state of mind, so I nodded subtly with a mixed expression.
Seeing me nod, the mischievous expression vanished from Nameless’s face.
Then she let go of my shoulder and slowly moved to face me directly.
As I naturally followed her movements and looked at her, when we reached the point where the moon was obscured, Nameless finally opened her mouth.
“Master, you always tell me to come down the mountain and see the wider world, don’t you?”
Nameless stepped closer, now the moon completely out of sight.
“Of course, I enjoy just staying here with you, Master.”
The dazzling moonlight that had hurt my eyes before fell solely on Nameless, casting her in a simple spotlight.
“I would like to try seeing the wider world by following your advice this time.”
In the midst of pure darkness, only Nameless stood before me, radiating bright light.
“But as I’m still inexperienced, I’m scared. So if you’re worried about this unskilled Disciple…”
It wasn’t painful to my eyes; it was just bright.
“Would you like to travel the world with this still-learning Disciple?”
With that, Nameless closed her mouth with an awkward smile, and I stared blankly at her, my trembling lips finally opening to respond.
“Hmm, I see…”
– Nameless
After finishing her words, she hid her trembling hands behind her back and waited for my answer.
I could see her mouth open and then hesitate as if she was unsure.
‘So she’s really going to refuse.’
A bitter smile formed on my face.
In a way, it’s natural.
I thought I was offering her a chance to comfort her, yet…
I don’t really understand why the Master doesn’t go outside the mountain.
She’s never shared her reasons with me.
When I was young, I once asked her about it, but after seeing her shy smile and her evasive response, I never brought it up again.
If I were to question why I hadn’t persistently inquired like I usually do, the answer is quite simple.
It’s because I saw my Master’s trembling hands.
If only we were to judge simply by strength, no one could surpass her, yet there she was, trembling.
What could be so fearsome to her?
On that day, my Master appeared weak, and that’s a different meaning from just looking like an easy target.
For the first time, my Master, who had always seemed gigantic in my heart, appeared to fit her size.
Seeing my Master like that for the first time was painfully striking.
The one who rescued me from darkness, the one who gave me a warm home and a brilliant future, stood there as if harboring darkness within her own heart, making my heart ache fiercely.
In that moment, I suddenly thought.
‘Just as my Master made me happy, I hope she can be happy too.’
My Master, who smiles brightly while eating strawberries, has the most beautiful face.
I wish she could keep that smile on her face all her life.
It might be presumptuous for a Disciple to think this way, but I sincerely hoped for it.
And I will definitely make it happen with these hands.
As my thoughts continued, I heard my Master’s voice.
“Hmm, I see…”
My Master slowly stood up and turned away from me, walking away.
‘So she really is going to refuse.’
I didn’t regret saying such words.
I conveyed my wishes, and the decision lies with her; all I need to do is follow her.
It’s fine if she refuses, but I sincerely hope I don’t lose my Master because of this.
Preparing myself for her possible refusal, I looked at her when suddenly, I received an answer that widened my eyes.
“I did indeed tell you to experience the wider world, away from this narrow mountain.”
As the shadows that had covered her began to light up.
“However, I can’t help but feel worried sending you out alone; it’s quite distressing.”
Eventually, my Master stopped walking, and the moonlight enveloped her fully.
“Well, there’s still much left to teach you, so it wouldn’t be bad to explore together.”
Facing me with her back turned, she shone even brighter in the moonlight.
“Alright, let’s go explore the world together, just as you said.”
My Master smiled brightly, as if a weight had been lifted off her chest.
I found her truly beautiful and cherished that sight in my eyes.
