Chapter 33 - #33 Mez and Suzuka (1/2)

I returned to my room while reading the details on the piece of paper in my hand.

----Oarburgh Clan----

”Babara, I have heard that you have been trading with some boy from the Capital for some time already. Care to explain this to me? You know my stance against men.” A young woman, slightly older than Akashi, with long black hair and bun on the right side of her head who was hugging another woman in maid outfit asked Babara with furrowed brows.

”This is no secret but this is a trade between me and him. I am not acting on Oarburgh's behalf.” Babara explained with a calm expression and closed eyes.

”I am aware but still giving some unknown boy our resources...even if you pay for them, it's still unsettling. Taeko, you have grown up into a very beautiful lady!” The young woman stopped hugging her maid and jumped on Taeko who was standing next to Babara.

”M-Mera-sama?” Taeko exclaimed with a slightly surprised face when the young woman jumped on her and started massaging one of her brėȧsts.

”*sigh* Stop this behavior.” Babara just sighed and said while looking at those two.

”What? Do you want to join?” Mera or Merraid, the current leader of the Oarburgh clan asked Babara while looking at her with a confused expression.

”No, you fool! You and your ŀust...it's like a sickness. Anyway, stop molesting Taeko.” Babara shouted at her with an irritated expression.

”?! Why? Is she perhaps reserved for that ”boy”?!” Mera immediately narrowed her eyes and asked Babara with serious expression but she still stopped molesting Taeko.

”Huh? Akashi is a good friend and sparring partner.” Taeko tilted her head in confusion when she heard that she is being reserved for Akashi

”So Akashi is his name...huh? It seems like you have a lot of respect for him, that's not good.” Mera said with a threatening tone.

”Stop right now before you do something stupid. He is extremely talented and I couldn't even see his limits but he was able to lead me into a trap by making me think that he is defenseless. And at that time he was still just a kid” Babara warned Mera when she heard her tone.

”Even bigger reason to kill him right now. If he was so talented back then, why didn't you kill him when you had a chance?” Mera asked with furrowed brows.

”Why kill him when I didn't have to? Not to mention that I had a hunch not to attack him seriously and my hunches are always right. Right now, we have a pretty good relationship with him and he also owes me a favor so I say that it's fair.” Babara explained with a calm smile.

”...I still don't approve of this. I see what you are trying to do with your pupil and I must say that I won't tolerate it. She is a beautiful lady, she won't end up with some nasty man.” Mera said with furrowed brows.

”Grandma, what is Mera-sama talking about?” Taeko asked Babara with a confused expression while tilting her head to the side.

”...Don't worry about that. As for Akashi...You can judge him after having a look at him, I have heard that they are going to leave the Capital for the borders with Northern Tribes tomorrow. There will even be your beloved Esdeath.” Babara told Takeo not to worry about those things and then proceed to explain the situation to Mera.

”W-what?! Esdeath will be there too?! ...I might go and take a look” Mera's cheeks immediately became flushed when she heard name Esdeath and her expression became absent-minded.

”? Can we go too? It's been a while since I last saw Akashi.” Taeko asked Babara with pleading eyes but her expression remained stoic.

”Yes, it will be good to see how much he had changed and improved after those 3 years” Babara nodded with a small excited smile.

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----The Capital - Random warehouse----

”Agh! To think that such a little brat would be so strong...” The man who just lost his arms muttered before losing his consciousness due to loss of blood but there was no one who would save him anymore.

”Tch, I am not brat, scum!” Kurome who was standing in the middle of the warehouse filled with dead bodies and limbs of bandits stomped her feet in frustration.

”W-Why are you doing this?” The other man missing only 1 leg asked with half-open eyes, threatening to lose consciousness at any moment.

”Hm? Why? You are stealing from poor and have no qualms about killing people but the main reason is that my Nii-sama sees you as eyesores.” Kurome turned at the last remaining man alive and answered with a confused expression.

”Ugh, to think...that brat like you-” The man finally lost his consciousness and soon he would also bleed out without any help.

”With that 'brat' again...Well, job is done!” Kurome muttered and swung her katana to get rid of any blood before sheathing it and then a bright smile appeared on her face.

When she left the warehouse, one of the men who was playing dead got up while tightly holding his arm that was partly cut off.

”I will fuċkɨnġ kill that brat!” He muttered with a pained expression and with immense hate in his eyes.

”Nope, you won't” The voice resounded behind him and before he was able to turn around, the dagger struck his heart from behind.

”Ah, Kurome is getting better and better at this but she is still inexperienced and maybe it was also due to her dėsɨrė to rush to the young lord's side? ...Who knows.” Ichika finally revealed herself and muttered with an absent-minded expression.

As I was busy writing the training plan for Kurome...

*Creak* ”Akashi Nii-sama! I am done, hehe” Kurome came in and reported with a smile and her hands behind her back.

”Hm? Good job, I hope you are alright.” I stood up from my seat and approached her just to gently pat her head a few times.

”Everything is alright, hehe. No one saw me.” Kurome replied with her eyes closed as I was patting her.

”Mm...Here you go, this is your training plan for the next few weeks because I will be going somewhere tomorrow morning and I have yet to know when I will return.” I told her and handed the paper to her.

”W-What? Akashi Nii-sama won't be here? Can't you take me with you?” Kurome asked with a disheartened expression.

Well...maybe I can but I don't want the Empire to see how fast Kurome is progressing. Let's just say I can't because if I will tell her that there is a possibility that she can, she will start pressing me. Although she respects me and obeys my orders sometimes even without asking any questions, when it comes to things like this one, she will do anything possible to be with me as far as to go disobeying me.

”Unfortunately, you can't.” I said with a slightly sad expression, it wasn't faked one but it wasn't because ”she can't go with me” but it was due to me lying to her. She does whatever she can to make me feel proud yet I am lying here to her...I will make it up for her later.

”...I-I see” She said with a downcast expression.

”Don't worry, Ichika will be here with you.” I said with a smile and Kurome's expression brightened a little bit.

...After I was done with giving Kurome instructions for the next few days or weeks at worst, Ichika informed me about Kurome's ”little” mistake so I told her to talk to Kurome about it once I am away.

I also stopped Kurome's training for today since this was my last day here before I would have to leave for a few days, therefore we, Ichika, I and Kurome used this chance to go explore the town and walk around, trying out all delicacies we were able to find. That day...Kurome became addicted to the chocolate cookies, especially cookies with white chocolate. It would become the day I would greatly regret because these snacks aren't so cheap.

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