"How do you know I am here?"
Yuna asked, curious. They have settled down in Capital city for almost a month and she has yet to visit her master.
"I am your master, I have my ways" Master Zahia spoke lightly, as if knowing Yuna whereabouts is a matter-of-fact.
Yuna look suspiciously at her master but didn't ask further.
Rubbing her throbbing forehead, Yuna carefully look at her master face.
Her master, Zahia Elliohart undoubtedly is a very beautiful woman, so beautiful Yuna felt sour in her heart.
Every person around her are all very beautiful. Her handsome grandfather, Aunt Mela Gentle beauty and don't even get her started with Austin, the main character. Only she is barely pretty but that miniscule prettiness is shadowed by her pale skin as if she is a deceased.
Sighing, Yuna shake her head to clear her mind, not wanting to mull over something that made her sad.
And then, her master just have to ask her of all things "So, how is the true appearance of your master look like? Beautiful isn't it?"
Yuna who was bringing the cup closer to her lips almost broke the handle hearing the shameless question. It was adding salt to her injury.
'Inner peace, Inner peace, Inner peace'
Yuna chanted repeatedly while forcing a smile and spoke through gritted teeth "So-so, I think that old hag appearance suit you the best, it compliment your outstanding temperament"
Master Zahia gave a snort but didn't quibble as a more mature person.
"Accompany me at the apothecary guild and meet my peers" It was time for her to show off her disciple that can attain 100% purity.
Oh…it was not that she suddenly found her conscience and suddenly acting as a mature person ought to be, it was because she wants to demand something from Yuna that she don't retort her.
Even after years of separation, it seems, the relationship between the master and the disciple remain the same as ever— Always bantering.
Master Zahia know that Yuna has always hated going out, she has to device a good strategy to bring out this home-body and ambitionless person.
As she expected, Yuna shook her head and refuse directly "No, I am busy, I can't"
"What are you busying about? All household facilities and shop essential are bought by your grandfather and that little sweetheart of yours, you have not step foot outside since you settle down at the capital city"
Master Zahia pointed out.
Shock, Yuna burst "Are you stalking me?" If not, how did she knows all those things???
Master Zahia gave a light tch, she raise her hand and put her hand on Yuna head as she shake it and said "You are my only disciple, my eyes are always on you"
Yuna move her head along the light shaking of her master "That's called stalking! I demand justice and freedom!"
"Justice can be given when you can turn back the time and refuse to being my disciple" Master Zahia said staring at Yuna who was looking down. A light smile flashes across her eyes although it has a bit of morbidity that was gone as soon as it appears as if it has never been there.
"Cheeky old hag" Yuna curse silently under her breath, appalled by her master childish choice of words. Anyway, she has never able to gain a concrete victory when bantering with her master so she very 'maturely' decided to let it go.
"Anyway, I won't go"
All those month of travelling has worn her social battery so much so that Yuna want to coddled at home for an entire year. Sadly, she has to enroll in an academy soon, even if she want to withdraw and instead enroll next year, her grandfather expectation and his looking forward face on when she can finally attend the prominent capital academy make her swallow her word that was going to propose a year rest and continue studying after a year.
With such limited time, she want to rest at home as much as possible and rot in her bedroom reading novels away. She also already made a plan on visiting her master on the last week before going for application at the academy. But it seems that is not needed anymore, which means an additional time for her to rest. Yay.
Master Zahia raise her brow, not arguing with her but instead calmly said "Your little sweetheart mother would need regular medication when you are at the academy, one of the elders at the guild is very proficient in her type of illness and recently seem to improve the medicinal potion" Putting her chin on her hand, she look at Yuna smilingly and asked "Would you like to accompany me and meet him?"
This….This!
Outwitted, Yuna withered.
"Send over a week worth medication without fail for free" If she can take advantage of this loss, then she would. Not to mention she was the one who is gaining by a large margin by only visiting a guild and let her master show off.
"As my disciple request" Master Zahia readily agreed, she then gave an overall look at Yuna and finally gave a belated comment "You have grown much taller"
"Of course, I am fourteen years old!"
"I see" Master Zahia said and suddenly change the topic "So, have you learn all the book I left you behind? It has been three years"
Yuna was unprepared with the question coming straight at her, a question she avoids, she unnaturally shifted her gaze not daring to look at her master.
Seeing the shifty look of her disciple Master Zahia for that day gave her beloved disciple a hard knock on her forehead the second time.
…..
The main building of the apothecary guild is grand and huge as Yuna expected. The first floor was used to sell low grade potion, the second floor mid grade potion, so on and so forth.
Yuna clutch the hem of her master robe, attaching closely behind her master. She ignore all the curious gazes that was directed at her, after all, Master Zahia only have one grandchild and never get close to anyone.
They were curious about the child that they never see before, a child who is so closely attached to the distant Zahia Elliohart. Even her grandson dare not be as close to her like the child she suddenly bring inside the apothecary guild.
With the ever increasing gaze, Zahia pause slightly, she look down at the hand that tightly grab her robe, sticking so close to her almost as if she is a plaster.
Yuna look up, puzzled on why they stop.
Seeing the puzzled look on her face, Zahia sigh, feeling helpless. Her disciple hate going outside and hate socializing even more, when she was small and at Huin town, she will trot beside her grandfather and does not get involved in a conversation, letting all the socializing be handled by her grandfather. Even if they talk to her, she will just give a polite smile with a few 'Yes' and 'No' such that her grandfather has to overtake the conversation to not make things awkward.
Her grandfather has indulged her greatly, never reprimanding her and letting her do whatever she want. It was a miracle that she is not a spoiled rotten brat.
But it was this kind of personality that let Yuna focus on only a small group of people, she, her master Zahia included. If not, she (Yuna) won't banter with her so fearlessly. After all, she is very chatty and comfortable with those she acknowledges inside her world.
Zahia Elliohart is not a normal person either. She won't go out of her way to change her disciple bad habits of avoiding society. Its' okay to focus on only a small group of people as long as she is included in Yuna small world. She has never cared about societal mindset and the fact 'Human needs to build connection to survive in society'.
And it was precisely because of her uncaring attitude to almost everything that led to Yuna not so against getting close to her master. She hates it when people force her to build social connection. She has enough of it. She hated it when she was told on how to live her life. Thank you, she is doing fine, she will live the way she f—king want.