"It really feels like a dream."
Shiomi lay on the grass, gazing up through the canopy at the Land of Shadows' eternally clouded sky. It never rained, yet it was always shrouded in heavy gray. And as if a thought had suddenly struck him, he murmured those words aloud.
"It's not a dream. It's real." Scáthach lay atop him, every inch of her skin pressed against his, and let out a soft, amused laugh as she spoke.
"I know… I just said it because it felt right. Don't laugh at me, Master." Shiomi smiled awkwardly, a little embarrassed.
How long had it been since then? Even Shiomi couldn't really remember anymore.
In his mind, it was just him and his master, tangled together again and again beneath the garden's largest tree. What had started out clumsy and inexperienced gradually became natural, almost effortless. At first, he had made his master a little uncomfortable, but now he was able to hold her properly, to stay close to her without hesitation.
There was no day or night here. No cold, no hunger, no thirst. Every moment was spent with his master. Even clothing became unnecessary. They would simply hold each other and talk, and when the mood took them, they would lose themselves in each other all over again.
If there was one saving grace, it was that the Land of Shadows truly had no one else.
Whatever they did here, whatever they thought, whatever they said, there was nobody to see it. Nobody to know.
"I'm not laughing at you. After all, among all my disciples, you're the most sentimental." Scáthach flicked Shiomi's forehead with a finger. "But if you get too sentimental on the battlefield, you'll die quickly."
"Hm… putting aside where I might die, if I were to fall while hunting down those rampaging undead…" Shiomi asked, "…you'd claim my soul, wouldn't you, Master?"
"Of course." Scáthach smiled. "You're my last disciple, one no one else even knows about. And even if I wanted to carve your soul into the Throne of Heroes, with no achievements to your name, there'd be no way to make that happen."
Shiomi nodded, satisfied.
"So whether I live or die… I'm yours, Master?"
"If that's what you want, then yes." When Scáthach said it, her eyes were gentle, almost tender.
"Why do you say it like that?" Shiomi didn't quite understand.
"It's not strange that you'd fall for me, and it's not strange that I'd accept you." Scáthach pressed a finger lightly against his lips. "If one day you must leave this place, and set out on a journey to face the world… to understand the world… then perhaps…"
"Perhaps?" Shiomi echoed.
"Forget it." Scáthach shook her head, dismissing it as if it were nothing. "No need to ruin the mood with talk like that. When the time comes, you'll understand. Some things aren't yours to refuse, no matter how much you want to."
"Hm…" Shiomi was clearly dissatisfied, but he could only accept it as another lesson and commit it to memory.
His master had taught him before: never speak too absolutely, but always act with absolute resolve.
Scáthach could see the uncertainty and confusion in his heart, and even the faint trace of rebellious refusal behind it.
But she didn't say anything.
After all, the present was the present.
And the future was the future.
Sitting sideways on her beloved disciple's thigh, Scáthach nestled against him for a while before slowly straightening up. Her palm rested against his chest, then gradually lifted away.
The way their skin clung together before reluctantly separating was obvious at a glance.
"You're sweating quite a bit," Scáthach said with a teasing smile.
"Well… I mean, that's normal," Shiomi muttered, scratching his head.
Spending what felt like endless time doing this, day after day, he couldn't help but admire his own stamina. If anything, he admired his master even more.
"The Land of Shadows doesn't exactly offer much entertainment," Scáthach said, cupping his face. "Don't worry about it. If it were only me, I could spend a thousand, ten thousand years like this without issue. But since my beloved disciple has desires, then as his master, it's only right that I satisfy them."
"So you're only doing it to indulge me?" Shiomi pressed, unwilling to accept that answer.
"You idiot disciple…" Scáthach pinched his cheek, clearly exasperated. "If a woman doesn't want to, she won't give herself to a man. If you still don't understand that even now, then there's nothing more I can do for you."
She sighed, then added with a faint smirk, "All I can say is, it's a good thing your first love was your master, and not some other woman."
"Ahaha…" Shiomi laughed awkwardly, fully aware he'd just asked something stupid.
Trying to change the subject, he cleared his throat.
"Master… do you want to bathe?"
The Land of Shadows had no natural water sources, but that didn't mean water couldn't be obtained.
The air itself was saturated with the Mana of the Age of Gods. With the power of Primordial Runes, it could be turned into clear, living water.
"Yes, I do." Scáthach sniffed lightly, then spoke with a casual bluntness. "You've covered me in your scent. I should wash it off."
Then she leaned in and sniffed him as well, frowning slightly.
"And you're no better. Walking around like this is downright disgraceful."
"Then… please wait a moment, Master."
Shiomi gently set Scáthach down on the grass and walked a short distance away. With Magecraft, he carved out a small pool in the ground, then tossed several Rune stones into it to heat the water.
In an instant, an artificial hot spring was born.
Soon, master and disciple were soaking together in the warm pool, washing away the sweat and grime from their bodies.
Even then, they couldn't resist pulling each other close, lingering in each other's arms for a long time.
"It's almost like we're the man and woman in Eden," Shiomi joked as they climbed out of the hot spring.
Scáthach raised an eyebrow. "I'm not Eve, and you're not Adam. And we hardly need to steal forbidden fruit just to learn how to distinguish good from evil."
"But Master, you really don't mind walking around the garden naked like this?" Shiomi complained, half amused.
"Do you mind?" Scáthach asked in return.
"Not really." Shiomi shook his head. "After all, it's truly only you and me here. So I guess I don't have the right to criticize you, Master."
"Mm." Scáthach took his hand and led him back beneath the tree. Then she said, "Since we still have time, why don't I teach you a few more things?"
"Wait… didn't you say you'd already taught me everything?" Shiomi froze.
Scáthach nodded. "I did. But 'teaching' isn't quite the right word anymore. 'Exploring together' would be more accurate."
"But we just finished bathing…" Shiomi said helplessly. "I wanted to talk with you a little longer."
"We can talk while we explore." Scáthach cupped his cheek and kissed him. "Just think of it as your master wanting to treasure the time we have left together. I want to leave behind more precious memories with you."
For a moment, Shiomi didn't know what to say.
His words melted away against her lips.
Deep down, he had already begun to sense it. The day he would have to say goodbye to his master might not be far off.
Soon, he would leave this place.
He would step into the real world, live out a complete human life, and only after death would he be able to return here again.
And the voice he had heard on the day his master found him… it had never been the hallucination of a dying man.
So…
Thinking that far, he couldn't help but tighten his embrace around her.
Feeling the warmth in her beloved disciple's response, Scáthach understood at once and didn't say anything more.
Since their hearts were already intertwined, the rest could be left to the thread spun by that thing called 『fate』.
"No matter how many years pass," Shiomi murmured, "I'll always love you, Master."
Scáthach smiled softly.
"That's enough."