Published: July 4, 2025
"Abel, are you really okay with this?"
"Yeah. I'm not taking on any disciples, and besides, who knows how long I'll be in this town? I can't do something irresponsible."
Ryo and Abel were discussing this on their way back to the inn.
"But that girl... I can't believe she would just give up."
When Ryo said this, Abel nodded slightly.
However, he didn’t say anything more.
Without any further incident, the two arrived at the inn.
Something happened in the early afternoon.
"Master, please make me your disciple!"
"That won't do."
The girl from earlier had come to the inn to request to become Abel's disciple.
Of course, Abel immediately refused.
"I won't leave until you take me as your disciple!"
With that declaration, the girl stepped outside and stood in front of the inn.
"What a classic development..."
Ryo, watching the scene from a distance, was moved.
Time and again, the classic developments had fizzled out in front of Ryo like a prank from the gods.
But at last, one had finally blossomed.
What else could move him if this didn't?
Although, this time it was more about Abel than about Ryo...
Nonetheless, as night fell and he saw the girl still standing in front of the inn, Ryo began to worry.
"Abel, do you think that girl will be okay?"
"Hmm?"
"At this rate, she's going to be standing there all night, right? What if a bad person comes and kidnaps her…"
"With those arms?"
"Well, I suppose that’s true..."
At Abel's calm observation, Ryo remembered the girl's swordsmanship.
Unless in an extreme situation, she wouldn't easily fall behind against thieves or scoundrels.
"And those who were secretly watching us. The patrols would also be concerned about her, right? She'll be fine."
"Now that you mention it, that makes sense. That girl must be the daughter of some important person, but who could she be?"
Ryo pondered.
She definitely wasn’t a child from a family struggling to have daily meals; she had to practice her violin, after all.
Living in such a large mansion, that was only natural.
On the second day, the girl continued to stand there.
And on the third day as well...
Ryo didn’t particularly like this kind of corporal punishment.
Of course, in this case, it was the girl who had approached Abel wanting to be his disciple, and Abel had refused, leading the girl to continue standing there on her own.
Abel was not at fault, and Ryo had no place to interject.
In a way, it was the girl’s stubbornness...
That said, watching her made Ryo genuinely feel pity.
Human hearts are complex.
"Abel, it's about time..."
"Three days."
When Ryo finally brought it up, Abel answered softly.
"When I asked my master to take me as a disciple, I was turned down. After that, I stood in front of my master's house for three days."
"Wait..."
"I was eight years old then."
"Your master was a sword master, right? And you were a prince, weren’t you?"
Ryo asked in surprise.
"It didn't matter whether I was a prince or not. At that time, I couldn't think of any other way to show my serious desire to become a disciple."
The expression on Abel's face was gentle.
His gaze was directed at the girl who was finally using her sword as support while standing there.
"Because you were made to stand, you want her to too?"
"Not at all. Well, that might be the case, but it's not about her problem. It's about my determination."
"Your determination?"
Ryo tilted his head.
He completely failed to understand what Abel meant.
"Taking on a disciple is not something that can be done with half-hearted feelings. That's why I need time to make my determination. I'm interfering with her life, after all. Don't you think it's the same for you, Ryo?"
"Huh? Is that really the case?"
Ryo had taken on a few apprentices, including those from the Gecko Merchant Association, but he had never thought that deeply about it.
"When the alliance attacked the Duchy of Inberri, you tried to help without a second thought."
"Ah... That was just natural."
"Exactly."
Abel chuckled a bit.
Interfering in the lives of his apprentices while they interfered in Ryo's life as well.