The Sage that the Sword Saint is Obsessed With - Chapter 43



43 – 11. New Relationship (2)

1.

“…Mas-Master!”

Evan was taken aback by the shocking address.

He never imagined he would hear such words in his life.

It’s a strange feeling.

It’s neither good nor bad.

He had a romantic fantasy about being called “Master” by a beautiful woman, but he never expected his past fantasy to be realized like this.

“Don’t. Don’t call me that.”

Lewen looked at Evan for a moment and spoke.

“I thought you would like it if I did this…”

If he had to choose between whether he liked it or not, he would feel burdened, but honestly, he did. It’s a feeling that fills the desire for conquest that he can’t usually fulfill.

“I referred to a book that Evan had before…”

“What book?”

“Well…”

Lewen hesitated and her face turned redder like a ripe tomato as she spoke with a gradually lowering voice.

“Hmm, the art of raising a licentious princess….”

*Cough! Cough!*

Even though he wasn’t drinking water, as soon as Evan heard the title of the book, Saray’s voice echoed.

“How do you know that?”

Leuen half-closed his eyes, hiding his pupils beneath long eyelashes.

“Evan saw you reading it.”

It was a long time ago.

Back when the two were lovers, Leuen, waking up in the middle of the night, had seen Evan engrossed in reading instead of sleeping.

Since he generally enjoyed reading, it wasn’t surprising. However, curious about what book could captivate Evan so much that he wouldn’t sleep, Leuen took a moment to read it while Evan was briefly away.

In brief, the book depicted a sensual novel where a princess who enjoyed lascivious activities in the countryside was being trained in various ways by her escort knight.

“Does Evan really like this kind of thing?”

The scene Leuen read involved the princess sticking out her buttocks, swaying them provocatively, and showing her embarrassed openings to the escort knight while saying “Master ♥.”

Up until then, Leuen, who had been indifferent to s*x, found the scene quite shocking and vividly remembered it to this day.

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“So, when you call someone ‘Master,’ Evan likes it…”

“That was when I was young!”

Evan shouted in frustration.

At that time, it was just after legally becoming an adult, and it was a period of curiosity where he tried various adult experiences. Purchasing a sensual novel from a back-alley bookstore and reading it was one of those experiences.

Evan felt a headache.

“Anyway, don’t call me ‘Master.’”

“…Okay.”

Leuen stood up from his seat.

“But still, I genuinely dedicate my life to Evan. I’ll do anything for Evan.”

Leuen raised her hand to her chest as if making an oath.

“Even so, you won’t get what you want by doing that.”

Evan said firmly.

Having peered unfiltered into Leuen’s heart, he knew well what she wanted.

“…It’s not because of that.”

She knew it too.

That doing this wouldn’t get her what she wanted.

No, no matter what method she used, she might never get it.

Just.

“I don’t want to miss the opportunity Evan has given me.”

I know how much Evan has sacrificed to give me this chance. I am grateful even now.

Because I know it well, I want to truly apologize to Evan through this opportunity.

I don’t know the way.

Certainly, I might deviate in the middle in the wrong direction.

It may not be for Evan, despite claiming to be for Evan.

… As it is now.

Nevertheless, I want to cautiously take hesitant steps forward.

At the end of this path of repentance, no one can predict what ending awaits, but Leven sincerely prays that it will be Evan’s happiness.

Evan looked straight into Leven’s eyes to confirm her determination.

Suddenly meeting eyes, Leven was surprised and tilted her head diagonally. But as if telling herself not to do this, Leven gently raised her head, meeting Evan’s eyes with determined ones.

Golden eyes trembled.

She wants to avert her gaze immediately, but she endures.

There is only one thing Evan will say to Leven, who is like this.

“Do your best.”

Although he doesn’t expect much from her in everything other than swordsmanship… anyone is clumsy when starting something.

“T-Thank you, Evan!”

Even with a casual cheer, Leven smiled with a grateful expression.

2.

A month passed.

Since then, I have been leading a normal daily life.

If there was a need to go to the battlefield, I went, and in other times, I read books at the inn or wandered around the now familiar village aimlessly.

“Wizard! Try this one!”

While taking a stroll, people from the village would occasionally share food.

When I first came here, I kept my distance, thinking that I wouldn’t see these people in six months anyway, but after my heart became lighter, I gained the leisure to interact with people.

“Thank you.”

Evan accepted the apple and bit into it.

“It’s delicious.”

He thanked the village girl who shared the apple and continued wandering through the village.

Spring is gradually coming to an end.

The sunlight, as if heralding the arrival of summer, is quite warm.

It’s truly been a long time since I’ve tasted the summer sun.

After wandering through the village, I arrived at the training ground where the knights were conducting their training.

Even on the weekends, they train diligently.

For those who never know when they might be called into action, weekends are meaningless. If we were to give it any significance, it would be the day when special dishes are served at the inn.

So, on weekend evenings, the inn is bustling with people who come for a special meal and a glass of alcohol.

Evan watched the training from the entrance of the training ground.

“You’re putting too much tension in your shoulders. Relax and try again.”

The members were practicing one by one under the guidance of the leader.

“Don’t be afraid when holding the sword. Charge with the determination to thrust the sword into the opponent’s throat no matter what. Come back and try again.”

“Yes!”

The young member shouted with a spirited yell and rushed towards the leader, Ruen.

Ruen lightly sidestepped.

“That’s the stance. But your movements are too straightforward. If you’re going to charge head-on, either do it very swiftly or introduce some variation in the middle. Still, it’s good that you showed courage. I hope you have that courage not only in front of me but also in front of the enemy.”

“Yes!”

The young member, pleased with the praise from the respected leader, roared loudly and gave way to the next person.

“…I wonder if it’s the same person.”

There’s a distinct difference between Ruen with a sword and Ruen without a sword. More precisely, it’s not the presence of the sword but the presence of Evan.

When Evan is not around, Ruen appears as a charismatic leader, but when standing in front of Evan, he stammers and becomes somewhat timid.

Still, there has been some improvement lately.

He still stumbles in his words occasionally, but it’s not as bad as it used to be.

After that, there was no significant change in Ruen.

When he chose to devote his life and become a slave, Evan thought he would be following him around every day, assisting with daily tasks and such.

But that wasn’t the case.

Instead, they’ve kept a reasonable distance.

Not too far, not too close.

In the meantime, if Evan needed something, Ruen would prepare it without being asked.

So, it’s comfortable.

If Evan had to ask every day, “Should I do this for you? Should I do that for you?” it would have been bothersome, and Evan would have grown tired of it. But by maintaining a suitable distance and moving according to the need, Evan didn’t feel burdened by him.

There hasn’t been a dramatic change in likability, but I think I’m doing reasonably well.

As Leuen watched the members and taught them after a while, he noticed Evan standing there.

Leuen’s expression, initially stoic with a refined face, became somewhat muddled and slightly foolish.

Leuen turned his head to the right, then to the left, hesitated, and finally tilted his head down slightly, shyly extending his hand to Evan.

“…You should at least accept a greeting.”

Evan also lightly shook hands.

At that moment, Leuen widened his eyes, showing a surprised expression. Then, as his expression softened even more, he grinned broadly.

“Captain, don’t you like him a lot?”

Karen, who was assisting with training beside them, whispered to Leuen.

With an excited face, like a child praised by a school teacher boasting to their parents, Leuen looked at Karen and said, “Karen, did you see? Evan accepted my greeting!”

“Is it that great just for a greeting?”

“Just a greeting? No, it’s more valuable than an imperial decree.”

“If an imperial knight heard that, they might have arrested you for insulting the emperor.”

“But is it not true?”

Karen chuckled.

If Leuen had a fluffy tail, it would have been wagging rapidly from side to side.

With sparkling eyes and a sniffing nose, he seemed like a puppy ready to run to Evan at any moment.

In reality, Leuen wanted to get closer to Evan.

However, since swearing an oath to Evan, he had pondered how to proceed.

Should he actively appeal to the oath?

Or should he maintain some distance less actively?

In Leuen’s view, Evan seemed reluctant to let him get close.

Up until now, driven by the blindfold of guilt, he had been actively seeking forgiveness from Evan without considering the consequences. However, thinking about it alone, he realized it was counterproductive.

There was no consideration.

Though it was a bit late, he had now started to create some distance.

Whether this distance would increase or decrease, Leuen didn’t know, but he decided to accept it calmly. That’s all he could do.

Still, if Evan called, he would run to him immediately.

Even for a simple request, he carried it out as if it were a royal command.

Leuen nodded at Karen.

The relationship between the two seems to be evolving more into a master and dog dynamic rather than that of lovers.

If I were to describe Leuwen right now, he resembled a loyal hound.