The moon was starting to shine brighter and brighter above the dirt road that cut through the dense forest. The wind whispered through the trees. Whispers that were, every now and then, overpowered by either the creaking of the carriage's numerous wheels, or by the low growls of the Silver-Grade bear-like Beast.
Those three seemed to have overpowered the Young Master's voice.
'Did she just ignore me...?'
The young woman was holding the leather reins tightly. Which was strange, seeing how loose they were around the Beast.
Her knees were against the wooden platform, her elbows against its vertical edges, and her hands beyond those edges.
The Young Master looked around, and took hold of a pebble that had found its way onto the carriage somehow.
He held it between his thumb and index finger before,
Hit!
The young woman winced, her brows knitting together in a grimace of displeasure, and brought a hand to her backside that had just been hit as she turned around.
Her facial expression quickly changed, realizing, or rather, remembering that it was the Young Master who was seated behind her.
She looked around for a bit, confused.
"You're not really guiding him, are you?"
"I'm sorry, Young Master?"
"You're just holding the reins."
"Oh. Uh... Well, it's-"
"Doesn't matter. He keeps going on his own, right?"
"Yes, Young Master. Once he gets on the road, he needs very little direction." She said as her gaze moved towards the Beast. "Very smart. As one would expect from the Young Master's-"
"Sit."
"Pardon me, Young Master?"
"If he keeps going on his own, then sit down. There." The Young Master pointed at the corner opposite from where he was seated. "Just in case."
"Yes..." She brought her hands together before placing the reins aside. "Young Master."
Zhao Laohu was staring right at her, while her gaze was stuck to the wooden platform.
She kept her hands together and held them to her chest. Her legs were folded so as to keep her knees inches away from her chin.
Silent and unmoving.
The Young Master placed his left arm on the edge of the carriage. It was the perfect height to do so comfortably.
'It really feels like I'm alone... It's the Servants' job to make themselves disappear, huh?'
Lei stared for a bit longer before,
"I was told that you sleep in the stables."
Silence-
'...?'
The Young Master chuckled internally
'Is she seriously ignoring me again?'
It took another second for the young woman's eyes to widen.
"Yes, that is true, Young Master."
"You don't look it."
"Lord Feng was kind enough to let me use the lavatory, Young Master."
"He said that he found you in the forest."
"That is correct, Young Master."
Each time, she answered with a pleasant and plastic smile.
Answering briefly, never saying more than necessary, and talking politely. Exactly the way a Servant should act.
The opposite of what Lei needed.
"How long ago was that?"
"About... One month ago, Young Master."
Zhao Laohu looked away.
He found himself unable to formulate -Talk more- correctly.
'How do I make her talk then...?'
Hierarchies were important, that much he could tell. That is why they hadn't bothered him with her. She was a Servant. Her whole existence was beneath him. She thought the same, which is why she couldn't dare waste his time.
"That tea you made..." The Young Master started, and she turned towards him. "It was good."
"I'm glad you think so, Young Master." She brought her knees slightly closer to her chin. "I do not deserve such praise."
Lei rolled his eyes internally.
A wall that needed to be brought down.
"Did you give him a name?"
"Pardon me, Young Master?"
He tilted his head as his gaze moved towards the Silver-Grade Beast.
"Oh, I wouldn't dare-"
"Just be honest." The Young Master massaged his eyes. "It's simpler if he has a name."
She suddenly blushed and lowered her gaze towards the hand she held to her chest.
"..." An inaudible whisper.
"Huh? Speak louder."
"Bora...Ra. It's just... Um... It's not really a name, I just... Um... It's because I didn't know if he had one already and... Um... It just seemed..."
The Young Master looked away, disinterested.
Her blushing grew more intense.
'Borara... What kind of name is that?! Why did I name him that?! Now the Young Master...'
He seemed disinterested, but that couldn't be further from the truth.
The same thought had crossed his mind.
Lei stared at the forest, suppressing the urge to laugh out loud as much as he could.
'Borara?? What kind of fucking name is that?? For a scary beast like that, Borara!! Pffffthahhaha! No... I can't laugh. I can't laugh.'
After a couple of seconds, his gaze went back to her.
"Bo..." The Young Master couldn't say more than that. He stopped suddenly, as saying it was way more difficult than thinking it. "Bo...!"
The Young Master brought a hand to cover his mouth, unable to fully suppress his laughter.
"Borara." She repeated, her long eyelashes glistening.
"Pfft-"
He held his mouth, but it wasn't enough.
'Oh for fuck's sake. Don't laugh now!'
She turned to look away, chuckling internally.
"So, Borara..."
"Borara."
"Rara."
"...?"
At her confused expression, the Young Master couldn't help but start laughing.
It was strange, seeing a Young Master laughing. The fact that he laughed at something so dumb made it incredibly funny.
She pressed her lips together, containing her laughter.
Laughing at a Young Master can be the death of a Servant.
"I thought it was a fitting name, Young Master."
"Oh, did you?"
He laughed.
She didn't. But suppressing her laughter felt nice. It helped take her mind off her swollen cheeks and bleeding palms.
The Young Master crossed his arms and nodded silently and repeatedly.
It was surprisingly pleasant. That Young Master laughing this way? Maybe the rumors weren't true... Though it is unlikely, as rumors around Young Masters are usually all very true.
"What were you doing before he found you?"
"As Lord Feng has told you, I was in-"
"Before that."
"I'm afraid I don't understand, Young Master."
"Not just anyone can make tea that way."
"Young Master, I only boiled the-"
"Don't lie to me." He interrupted.
Cold eyes and an expressionless face.
Gulp-
'Time to cough up.'
"I was... Head Servant."
"Where?"
"I was Head Servant for the Earth Crouching Dragon Sect, Young Master."
"And he found you randomly?"
"Yes, Young Master. Lord Feng was kind enough to-"
"Did you leave? Or were you thrown out?"
"I was thrown out, Young Master." She answered while staring at her bleeding palms.
"How did that happen?"
Her lips parted but,
"Nevermind. I don't care."
"Thank you, Young Master."
"How long was I in there?"
"Pardon me, Young Master?"
"How long did I stay in that cave?"
"You... It..." She seemed very confused by the question. "The Trial of Solitude lasts forty days, Young Master."
Lei nodded silently. But internally,
'FORTY DAYS? WITHOUT WATER OR FOOD? IN THAT DARKNESS AND ALONE?? WHAT THE HELL ZHAO??'
Asking the others could have been a problem. An insignificant Servant on the other hand...
"Your name?"
"I go by Lyu, Young Master."
"But that's not your real name, is it?"
She pressed her lips together.
"Doesn't matter. It would be best if they don't realize we stole their Head Servant."
"Thank you, Young Master. I apologize for-"
"I'm not interested in apologies. Instead, tell me how the Sect is doing. What happened while I was away."
"Young Master I don't think I am qualified to-"
"Answer me. Anything that comes to mind."
"..."
"What about the Master?"
"The Master...?" Her eyes dropped. "I'm sure that he is very proud of you, Young Master."
'What's that supposed to mean?'
It was a well-known fact that the Master had left the Mortal Realm 11 years ago in his pursuit of Martial Arts. He had left 11 years ago, and hadn't come back once.
'Then the Master left when the Young Master was... Seven or eight years old? That's...' Lyu rubbed her hands together. 'He must have learned that his son was taking on the Trial of Solitude, yet-'
"Who is in charge?"
"Pardon me, Young Master?"
"Who was in charge while I was away?"
"I believe that would be Lord Feng, Young Master."
"Mm..." Lei rubbed his chin. "Has he always been -Lord- Feng?"
"...? Oh. If I remember correctly, it was about two weeks ago that Lord Feng started insisting on being called as such, Young Master."
Lei looked away. The dozens of trees that were passed by every couple of seconds were pleasant to glance at.
'Took a Head Servant from the forest and brought her to sleep at the stables. Guess that makes for good savings. Lord Feng... He might be trouble.'
[Congratulations!]
[To Reward you for making it this far, you have obtained 1 Gacha Ticket!]
'Making it this far...? I'm only just starting though-'
The Young Master's eyes widened.
'Ui Feng is in charge. The Master is... Well, who knows? Zhao just spent forty days without water or food...'
Sigh-
'Isn't this the perfect time to get rid of us?'