"...Master."
After staring at Scathach in silence for a long time, Kevin gritted his teeth and said, enunciating each word, "You are truly my kind, generous, good master!"
Clearly, Kevin had realized he'd been set up.
Scathach pinched the corners of her mouth, a silent, knowing smile playing on her lips.
"For my dear disciple," she said, her tone teasingly sweet as she lifted Kevin's chin gently with her magic spear, "I've gone through such trouble. Would you have come here if I told you everything upfront?"
Kevin didn't answer. He stared at her, his silence speaking volumes.
Nonsense! Of course, I wouldn't have come!
"When you saved me earlier," Kevin muttered, swatting away the magic spear and glaring at her, "I thought you cared about me… Turns out I was overthinking it!"
His voice was soft, but Scathach heard it clearly. She didn't respond, though. Instead, she looked at him with the same calm expression that had graced her face the entire time.
Ever since Kevin had entered the trial, Scathach had waited on the city wall, standing vigil in the cold wind. When she found him injured and vulnerable, she had cradled him in her arms, and in that moment, all his wariness had melted away.
"So…" Scathach crossed her arms and smirked. "Are you moved by your master's efforts, my dear disciple?"
"Oh, I'm moved." Kevin's teeth ground audibly as he clenched his fists, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "I'm moved from the bottom of my heart! Master, just to confirm—if I beat you, I don't have to listen to you anymore, right?"
"Of course." Scathach's expression didn't waver. She raised her eyebrows, almost challenging him. "Beat me, and you'll have your freedom. Otherwise, you'll abide by the rules of the Shadow Kingdom—I make all the decisions here."
"Great!" Kevin barked out a laugh. His tone grew even louder and more exaggerated as he pointed a finger at her. "Just you wait, Master. When my injuries heal, I'm coming for you. I'm going to beat you so hard you'll forget your own name!"
Despite Kevin's bravado, there was a note of desperation in his voice—perhaps because he knew exactly how slim his chances were.
"Good." Scathach's smile widened. She bent down, leaning in close. Her crimson eyes locked onto his, and her voice was laced with amusement as she replied, "As long as it's your challenge, I'll accept it anytime, anywhere. I'm looking forward to the day you can 'rub me into the ground,' as you so eloquently put it."
Does she know what that means?!
Kevin opened his mouth, but no words came out. Scathach's calm demeanor made him wonder if she truly understood the implications of her words or if she was playing along to torment him further.
Before Kevin could gather his wits, the door to the room burst open.
"Master! Has Kevin woken up yet? I caught a magic pig—figured it'd make a good stew to help him recover—"
Cu Chulainn strode in, his long blue braid swaying confidently, only to freeze mid-sentence. His wide eyes took in the sight of Scathach bending over Kevin, her hand lifting his chin.
"What's wrong?" Ferdia, who followed Cu Chulainn while hauling the pig, poked his head in. His jaw dropped as he took in the scene.
One second. Two seconds. Three seconds.
Then, as if on cue, both men turned and bolted out of the room without a word.
"Hey, hey! Cu Chulainn, are we going to be killed for this?" Ferdia's trembling voice echoed faintly.
"How would I know?!" Cu Chulainn shouted back. "Just run!"
"…Master." Kevin rolled his eyes. "Aren't you going to stop them?"
"It's fine," Scathach replied nonchalantly, straightening up. Her voice was as calm as ever. "They won't get far. This is the Shadow Kingdom, after all. Where can they possibly run to?"
As if to punctuate her statement, she reached out and pinched Kevin's cheek lightly, a habit that both amused and exasperated him.
After a moment, Scathach retrieved a divine fruit from a nearby table, drew a small knife, and began slicing it into pieces. She crossed one elegant leg over the other as she fed Kevin piece by piece.
Kevin accepted the food without protest. Though his hands were functional, he saw no reason to refuse. This wasn't the first time Scathach had fed him, though his previous experiences had been far from pleasant.
Back then, it had been a necessity—he had been unable to move, paralyzed by Scathach's inferior magic spear, bleeding profusely while she fed him with eerie composure.
"By the way, Master," Kevin began cautiously after swallowing a piece of fruit. "Where's my stuff? The package I brought with me?"
"There." Scathach pointed lazily to the corner of the room.
She handed him the package with her magic spear. Kevin carefully unwrapped it, checking the contents with visible relief.
"What's inside?" Scathach asked, watching him with faint curiosity.
"Oh, nothing special." Kevin scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Just… some gifts I prepared for you."
"Gifts?" Scathach tilted her head, her surprise evident.
Kevin cleared his throat. "Yeah, just a few things I thought you might like. Father enjoys stuff like this, so I figured you would too."
Scathach stared at the package, then back at Kevin. Though she said nothing, her expression softened ever so slightly.
Afterward, Scathach left Kevin to rest. To Cu Chulainn and Ferdia's great relief, she didn't confront them about their earlier intrusion.
Kevin remained bedridden for three more days, during which time Scathach personally tended to his recovery. She stayed by his side, overseeing his rehabilitation with a patience that surprised even him.
Though Kevin grumbled about the absence of visitors, he had no idea that every disciple in the Shadow Kingdom was both fascinated and terrified by him. The sight of Scathach's personal care had left them too intimidated to approach.
When Kevin finally regained full strength, the first thing he did was pick up the magic spear Scathach had given him—a symbol of his graduation. Without hesitation, he stood before the gathered disciples of the Shadow Kingdom and pointed the spear directly at his master.
"Scathach!" he shouted, his voice brimming with determination. "I challenge you to a duel!"
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