‘Were you here alone?’
At my voice, the woman sitting regally turned her head.
Like a single flower blooming beautifully atop a barren cliff, she seemed out of place in this old, shabby mountain hut—a true beauty.
Her long hair, tied up with a hairpin, still revealed its lustrous texture, and the glimpse of her clear, alabaster skin at her nape exuded a charm that stirred the hearts of men.
A peerless beauty, a face that could topple nations, a beauty destined to fade young… oh, that last one’s not a good phrase, is it?
Anyway, she was a woman who suited such grand idioms.
‘Master.’
She was the owner of this rundown mountain hut, the one who took me in, raised me, and taught me.
My master, looking at me, gently removed the pipe from her lips.
It’s called fireweed, but it’s basically just tobacco.
Though she smoked, her unique constitution meant the tobacco had no effect on her.
She wasn’t addicted, so why she smoked every day was beyond me.
But what did it matter?
‘Why do you call, my disciple?’
Even the way she smoked was so beautiful.
Whatever she did, it was her choice.
‘You look like you have something to say.’
‘Yes.’
‘Speak, then.’
My master always listened patiently.
No matter what nonsense this unworthy disciple spouted, she would only laugh it off lightly.
For example…
‘Your unworthy disciple dares to confess that I had a shameless dream about you again today.’
‘…Shameless? What kind of dream did you have about your master? Tell me the details.’
‘It’s what people call a naughty dream. It’s too vivid to describe aloud, so I can’t explain it. If you insist, I’ll try to tell you.’
‘So, you’re saying you had a naughty dream about your master?’
‘Yes, please forgive me.’
Even when this unworthy disciple confessed to having improper dreams about her revered self, she would laugh it off.
Because my master loved even a fool like me.
‘Heh heh… my disciple, how could you…’
Her hand moved to her waist.
With a cold smile, she spoke to me.
‘To speak so boldly to your master first thing in the morning.’
See?
She’s letting it slide with a laugh again, isn’t she?
‘Perhaps a little discipline will set you straight?’
She merely drew the sword from her waist.

Hakodate Karin.
That was the name of the master who raised me.
As her name suggested, she wasn’t from this world.
She was one of the ‘Transmigrators,’ specifically from Japan.
In this world, besides ordinary residents, there were many called ‘Transmigrators’ and ‘Reincarnators.’
Transmigrators, like my master, came from other worlds, while Reincarnators were those who lived a past life in another world, were reborn here, and remembered their previous lives.
Those who never recalled their past lives were just ordinary residents of this world.
Reincarnators were distinguished because they remembered.
Thanks to recalling my past life, I knew of a place called Japan.
Surprisingly, in my previous life, I lived in the same world as my master.
The end of that life is blurry, but I remember being born a man in South Korea, dying young in an accident.
Now, I’ve been reborn here.
This new life was quite harsh—I was abandoned almost at birth.
I don’t know what my parents were thinking, but they must have had their reasons.
My master found me by chance at the foot of a mountain.
She said she noticed a baby abandoned on the road, not crying at all, and realized I was a Reincarnator, so she took me in.
I got sidetracked with my own story, but the point is, my master was a Transmigrator, and I was a Reincarnator.
She said she came to this world before she was even twenty.
A young girl suddenly thrust into another world, unsure how to survive.
Transmigrators naturally gained a ‘Blessing’ when crossing dimensions, allowing them to live extraordinary lives, but my master’s blessing was sadly useless for survival.
The ‘Blessing of Eternal Youth.’
It meant she wouldn’t age and could live long.
Some might call it an incredible gift, but what use was eternal youth to a teenage girl thrown into another world?
She wasn’t planning for the distant future; she was struggling to survive the present.
If it had been a blessing of immortality, it might’ve been different.
So, she endured many hardships early on.
This world was dangerous, especially for a young girl, making survival even tougher.
Yet, that same woman became one of the Eight Star Heroes, hailed as the Sword Saint, a hero of humanity.
Life is truly unpredictable.
I was taken in by such a master, and she raised me with utmost care.
She secluded herself in this shabby mountain hut, focusing solely on raising me.
For twenty long years.
Despite her fame, she did this for me.
How moving is that?
Of course, I wanted to ask why a hero like her insisted on this rundown hut, letting me get bitten by all sorts of bugs since childhood, but how could I question my lifesaver?
I nearly crossed the river of death after a venomous centipede bite, but her excellent folk remedies saved me, so it’s fine.
The hut wasn’t ideal for raising a child, but she didn’t raise me for fun or carelessly.
I clearly felt her deep, parental love.
As a Reincarnator, I wasn’t so foolish as to miss that.
My master gave me love like a parent, and I grew up basking in it.
When that incident happened, tears streamed from her jet-black eyes, showing how much she worried for me.
That’s how strong our bond is.
Even now…
‘Disciple.’
‘Yes, Master.’
She drew her sword, yet I was still alive.
Would that be possible without our bond?
The fact that the Sword Saint drew her sword and I survived was proof of how much she cherished me.
Though I was thoroughly beaten and lying flat.
With a light sigh, she tapped my shoulder with her scabbard.
‘When your master says “one,” bend your elbow and say, “I will never again.”’
‘Yes.’
‘When I say “two,” stand up and say, “I won’t have naughty thoughts about my revered master.” Understood?’
‘…Master.’
‘Why, my disciple?’
I lifted my head sharply.
I gazed at the glimpse of her smooth thighs through the fluttering kimono.
The shadows cast by her clothes couldn’t hide their alluring charm.
I dared to stare and spoke.
‘Your unworthy disciple cannot make that promise.’
‘What are you saying, disciple? Are you proudly admitting your actions?’
‘I know it’s a sin to have improper thoughts about your revered self.’
‘Then why give such a shameless answer?’
She looked at me, as if wondering why I’d say that despite knowing better.
But her request was truly impossible, so I had to say this.
‘But, Master, I’m a man.’
‘Does your master not know that? When you were little, I bathed you with these hands.’
‘Since you know, this is easier to explain. Master, men can’t help themselves when a beautiful woman is before them.’
‘…What?’
‘Having improper thoughts about your revered self is indeed a sin. But as a man, I can’t help but think such things when I see your beautiful form. Especially since you often wear revealing clothes, how could my mind not be filled with improper thoughts?’
‘…Hah.’
Flustered, she gathered the clothes loosely draped over her arms.
But it was too late—no, it didn’t matter.
I wasn’t looking there; I was looking lower.
Realizing where my gaze was, she tugged her skirt down sharply.
Sadly, her alluring thighs were no longer visible.
It was a pity, but unavoidable.
I felt a hint of disdain in her gaze, but I boldly declared.
‘In the end, your unworthy disciple having such dreams is partly your fault, Master! Before asking me to make such promises, I think you shouldn’t tempt me first!’
‘Are you saying I tempted you?’
‘Yes.’
I didn’t want to say it, as it felt disrespectful, but her figure was stunning—full chest, wide hips, and thighs so beautiful I’d gladly die between them, with a slender waist to top it off, more perfect than any statue.
When someone with such a body displays it openly, what else could it be but temptation?
So, I couldn’t say she was blameless for the dream I had last night.
‘Disciple.’
‘Yes, Master.’
‘Though your master may still look young and beautiful, don’t you know I’ve aged while raising you? Age may mean little to me, but think about it. Wouldn’t you find it disgusting if a two-thousand-year-old elf loved a twenty-year-old human?’
‘Of course. What a repulsive thing. If that happened, that elf should be locked up for child predation.’
‘Yet you think your master, far older than you, is tempting you?’
‘On second thought, maybe so. Your unworthy disciple was shortsighted. What does age matter in love?’
‘Hah.’
She gave a light laugh, almost a scoff, but a smile, so it counted, right?
Then her hand moved to the scabbard and hilt, and I heard the sharp sound of her blade being drawn.