I invited him to share a drink at a spot I knew in the village. I foresaw the unfolding events. Stepping out first, he followed my lead. The village boasted a perfect drinking spot near a shrine-like structure, shaded by a captivating sakura tree.
Fortunately, my secret spot lay vacant. A place crafted with thoughts of cherry blossoms in Japan, a reminder of my distant home, unvisited for nearly 30 years.
"Did the village have a place like this?" Gildot inquired.
Cleverly concealed, the spot easily blended with the forest, unnoticed by the villagers. Despite his curiosity, Gildot wisely chose not to pry. I maintained silence, arranging a blanket for us.
'In these moments, silence paints the most vivid pictures,' I thought, reflecting on past experiences.
My gaze shifted to my scabbard, home to Excalibur – a cool name, right? Drawing the sword in front of Gildot, it appeared ordinary, devoid of remarkable features.
"What's going on?!" Fear twisted Gildot's face.
"Oh, right. I forgot."
These situations always challenged me.
"My apologies, didn't mean to startle you. Just thought I'd do some maintenance while enjoying a drink."
"But why?" he asked, a perplexed expression on his face.
"Because, that's just me," I replied with a straight face.
Gildot, still bewildered, reluctantly settled on the blanket. "I'm sorry for startling you."
"It's fine. Surprises aren't my style," I reassured.
"True, thanks for that. By the way, John, you were an adventurer, right?"
"Yeah, I was."
"Cool! What was it like?"
"Well..." I began, and as the talk flowed, so did the drinking. Glass after glass, we enjoyed until we found ourselves truly drunk.
"And those kids! Trying to bind their teacher like that!"
"Looks like you had it rough too!"
Arms interlocked, cups raised, we laughed wildly in the forest. Empty bottles stood as testament in front of the shrine.
"But... will you really teach my daughter?" Gildot suddenly turned serious.
"I'm a failure of a father. Can't even protect my daughter from fate."
"Now, now. Don't say that."
"But..."
"It's up to people how they want to be!"
"How can you say that?"
"Because that's how I've lived!"
"I've always lived with freedom! Challenges come, but with my sword and myself, I face them!"
I tried standing, only to fall, met by a brief silence before we burst into laughter.
"Guhahahahaha!!!"
"Don't worry about your daughter. I'll teach her like my own disciples!"
"You said you had disciples, right? What kind of kids are they?"
"They're special, but..." I hesitated. "They're all attached to me for some reason."
A mage, priest, thief, and merchant – my wonderful disciples from my traveling days.
"I've dealt with troublesome kids and treated them like my own. I'll do the same for Ellen. Teach her about the world so she'll be prepared."
"She says she's ready to take responsibility. Bright for a child, comes from me, I guess."
I patted his back. "Leave it to me. If you're unsure, you have a year."
He didn't speak, but the nostalgia lingered. Despite being an old man in the countryside, I had a couple of brats I called my own.
"In life..." I stood, straightening my back. "The only consistent thing is inconsistency."
"Always be ready because if you don't brace yourself..." I paused. "You'll be hurt the most."
"Life doesn't wait. I believe in your daughter, Gildot."
"By the way, talent-wise, where does my daughter rank in your system?"
"Oh, very high. She could beat all my disciples. She's an S, but still inexperienced."
"She'll be fine, but she needs to adapt quickly."
"That's why I want her to be ready. I'll teach her the basics; she'll pick up the rest. Your daughter's talented, you idiot."
"Time to sober up already!"
Maybe not… he's better off.
I mean, he's already knocked out.
I can get sober quickly because I can just turn on my [Poison Resistance].
But not him though.
So I carried him with my arms… literally
And what's more, in a bridal position. It feels weird to do this with a man who's married.
I carried him into the town quietly while I reminisced about the past.
"My disciples, are they doing just fine?"
I didn't lie when I said I treated them like my own children. Because unlike a teacher-student relationship, a master-disciple was different to me.
A teacher only teaches the student about what they need to learn. But a master imparts their everything to a disciple, including their beliefs, values and skills. Or at least that's what I define it.
Thinking back, I always get told that I'm a unique person but…
'I'm nothing that special'
Before I realized it, we were already at the front of Gildot's house.
I opened the door and laid him in his bed along with his wife who looked like she slept after weeping
Seriously, what a bother. But since I already started, I might just see things through to the end.
I closed their doors and ensured that everything was safe.
I proceeded to go home after such a tiring day.
…
Just as the young girl was sleeping peacefully, a shadow lurks beyond the corner of her bed.