Though it was called a land of nothingness, that didn't mean it was peaceful.
In fact, there wasn't even water here—so the idea of stillness, of calm waves, didn't apply at all.
In the Land of Shadows, anything tied to "life" simply didn't exist. There were only things related to "death."
Wraiths. Spirits. The dead.
Most importantly, the very concept of "death" seemed to endlessly attract and cluster together.
Weak souls, aimless and unconscious, would drift toward one another. And with the divine-level Mana saturating this realm, those gatherings would, from time to time, give rise to monstrous entities.
It was ironic. In a place with no concept of "life," something new could still be born from countless deaths.
Shiomi sat on a boulder atop a hillside, resting while mulling over which direction to resume his pursuit.
In front of him, a campfire flickered, lit with Rune stones. He wasn't cold, but he thought the flames added to the whole "hunting and camping" atmosphere.
Today's task—or training, depending on how one looked at it—was to eliminate the monster formed from the aggregated undead.
Normally, this would be the job of Scáthach, the Queen of the Land of Shadows and Shiomi's teacher.
But now that her disciple was nearly fully trained, Scáthach had given him a choice.
Either continue training as usual, or go handle these things in her place.
Leaving them alone wouldn't cause any real harm to the Land of Shadows. But just like how the occasional living person might stray into this realm and die from the environment, sometimes undead drifted outward.
Individually, they weren't much. But when a massive number clustered together, they'd start craving the living. Even without a solid form, their vague unity would cause them to scatter, leave the Land of Shadows, and regroup elsewhere.
So, it was best to eliminate them early.
That was one of the few duties assigned to the Queen of Shadows.
...
"Oh? You've already made it this far. A bit more effort and you'll be right on top of them," came a familiar voice from behind.
Shiomi didn't even look back. "Didn't you say you were leaving this to me? Why tag along? Don't trust me?"
"Don't take it that way," Scáthach replied, strolling up beside him. "It gets kind of boring when you're not in the castle. Wandering that forest is a waste of time. Watching you fight sounded way more entertaining."
Shiomi's eye twitched. "Am I your idea of fun now, Master?"
"You're only realizing that now?" Scáthach said nonchalantly. "Teaching you these past years has been the most fun I've had. It's actually made things a little less dull."
"Oh, well… fair enough," Shiomi muttered with a shrug.
"Mind if I sit here?" she asked.
But before he could answer, she was already sitting down beside him, reaching toward the fire as if they were on a leisurely camping trip.
"So? Going smoothly?" Scáthach asked.
"More or less. The Mana density here's interfering with my ability to sense the undead. Makes sense, though—it's just a physical manifestation of the Greater Source," Shiomi replied honestly. "Though, how did you find me so fast?"
"I know everything that happens in the Land of Shadows," she said. "My domain doesn't stop at the castle."
"So impressive."
"I'm joking," Scáthach said, ruffling his hair with a fond smile. "I've just been keeping an eye on you."
Shiomi blinked in surprise. "Huh?"
"In the past, I've taken several disciples. I always foresaw their deaths—their ends," Scáthach said gently. "But you… you're different. I don't know where you came from, and I can't see where you'll end up."
Her hand lingered on his head, lazily running through his hair as she spoke.
"So I couldn't help getting a little curious," Scáthach said, a faint, indescribable smile tugging at her lips.
"I don't even know myself," Shiomi replied with a dry chuckle and a shrug. "But if you hadn't taken me in, Master, I'd have died here and just become another wandering soul."
"Would you have? You'd already lasted quite a long time before that," Scáthach said as she lowered her hand and naturally leaned against him, her violet hair cascading over his shoulder like a silken curtain.
"Master..."
Even through the thin fabric of his clothes, he could feel her body's warmth. He didn't deny that his heart had started to race—he just didn't know what the right thing to do was.
"What's the matter?"
"Aren't you here to tell me to hurry up and finish the job so I can get back to the castle and take my beating?" Shiomi cleared his throat and looked away.
"No need to rush. Go at your own pace. A first-rate warrior doesn't need someone telling him what to do," Scáthach said, raising a finger in front of him.
"So I'm already first-rate?" Shiomi let out a laugh.
"I don't raise second-rates," she replied, lowering her hand. "If you're not in a hurry, rest a little longer. I'll take a rare nap myself."
Shiomi blinked. "You sleep, Master?"
"When I feel like it. Though really, it's more of a self-suggestion than actual sleep," she said, closing her eyes. "You're in charge of keeping watch now, foolish disciple."
"Still, is there really anything in the Land of Shadows that could kill you?" Shiomi muttered, skeptical.
"If something could kill me, let it," Scáthach said softly, her voice beginning to fade. "Though... maybe it'd be best if it were you…"
And just like that, she drifted off to sleep.
"Me… kill Master?" Shiomi murmured, frowning as he accidentally snapped the dry twig in his hand.
Don't be ridiculous. Who would ever do that? he thought quietly to himself.
He'd try anything if it was her wish or command—but not this. That was the one line he couldn't cross.
She wants to die.
But I want her to live.
Maybe… that would be one of the rare things they'd disagree on.
He gently reached out and wrapped his arms around her as she slept upright, pulling her into his embrace.
Shiomi knew very well: to him, his master was not just a master.
He couldn't even say when he began to see her as a woman.
Maybe it had started that very moment—when she descended before him like a goddess, just as he was about to give in to despair.
So… if he went just a little too far, would she scold him?
That thought suddenly crossed his mind—and then he acted on it.
He lowered his head, slowly, inch by inch, and softly kissed her lips.
They were warm. Soft.
Shiomi lingered there for a moment, wishing that instant could last forever.
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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