Chapter 115: Gozai? Who's That, Never Heard of Him!
The night passed without incident.
The two of them squeezed together on one bed for the night.
Early the next morning, after Mahiro got up, he began teaching Mine the basics of daily hygiene.
Once finished, Mine smelled the faint, fresh scent from her own breath and immediately fell in love with the "noble" act of brushing her teeth with toothpaste.
After the morning instruction concluded, they left the inn, taking Mine with him as they departed from the border town.
Thus began their journey through the wandering forests toward the imperial capital.
Unfolding a crudely drawn map made of animal hide, Mahiro gained a general understanding of the empire's territorial scope and structure.
To the south, west, and north, different foreign tribes watched with covetous eyes, while the eastern side faced the sea, leaving it free from foreign threats.
The imperial capital lay precisely at the center of the map.
Frankly, looking at the composition of various forces on the map, Mahiro's mood turned slightly complicated...
"Master... It's over two thousand kilometers from here to the imperial capital. Why aren't we taking a carriage?" Mine, carrying the backpack, couldn't help but ask curiously.
After a day and night together, Mine had gradually grown more confident and cheerful, no longer as timid as before.
However, her personality remained somewhat soft and needed further refinement.
"Of course, it's to train you, little Mine."
Mahiro reached out and pinched the girl's soft, tender cheek.
Hmm, the texture was wonderful.
"I plan to mold you into a perfect, all-round maid—skilled in all household chores, presentable in the hall, capable on the battlefield, and even warm in bed—before we reach the imperial capital."
"Eh...?"
Mine didn't quite understand the meaning behind Mahiro's words, but if it was training, was it really necessary to walk all the way to the imperial capital?
And most importantly—
"Master, if we don't follow a caravan, the journey is very dangerous, especially in the forest. It's said that man-eating Danger Beasts, which even a dozen people can't handle, often appear there..."
"That's precisely the goal of our journey."
Mahiro interrupted Mine with a smile, then gave an answer that shocked her even more.
"Eh?!!!!"
Mine's pretty face instantly turned pale with fright.
To target Danger Beasts—had her master gone mad?!
Those were super monsters that couldn't be dealt with by human strength alone!
Soon, she realized how utterly mistaken she was.
Swish—
With a faint sound of cutting through the air, a Class 1 Danger Beasts, the Earth Dragon, fell to the ground.
Mine's pale pink eyes widened into perfect circles, completely stunned.
The Danger Beasts, which the townsfolk usually spoke of with fear, couldn't even withstand a single strike from her master.
And this was already the eighth one!
The weapon her master used was merely a small, pitch-black knife.
"So... so amazing, no wonder Master dares to venture boldly into this perilous forest!"
"Alright, stop standing there dazed. It's your turn now."
Mahiro gently patted her shoulder, then retrieved a small knife from the backpack she carried. After performing a simple enchantment, he handed it to her.
"Master, what do you want me to do?"
Gripping the knife with both hands, Mine asked in confusion.
"Use the dagger to carve out the edible parts of the Danger Beasts. That will be our rations for the journey today," Mahiro instructed.
"Ah..."
Hearing this, Mine's face instantly turned pale, and her hands trembled uncontrollably as she held the dagger!
"What, scared? If you don't dare to do it, then you'll have to go hungry today."
Mahiro, uncharacteristically, showed no mercy.
Mine understood that her master was saying this for her own good.
But...
She stared at the small mountain of Danger Beasts corpses, swallowing hard. As her gaze gradually grew determined, she finally overcame her inner fear. Suppressing her terror, she closed her eyes and forcefully plunged the short blade into the Danger Beasts' body!
"Hah!"
Squelch!
Rip!
The blade easily sank into the Danger Beasts' corpse as if piercing through tofu. Accompanied by the sound of flesh and blood being churned, spurting blood splattered across her face.
The girl immediately stumbled backward with a cry of surprise.
After wiping the blood from her cheeks and steadying her emotions, she slowly used the short blade to peel open the Danger Beasts' skin, carefully cutting out what she believed to be an edible portion of meat!
Looking at the fruits of her labor, she happily carried the meat chunk to Mahiro, disregarding her dirty face.
It must be said, Mine indeed had some talent in this aspect.
Although the cut meat wasn't perfectly even—appearing as if chewed by a dog—at least her approach and positioning were correct.
"Well done."
Mahiro praised her, and Mine immediately smiled so widely her eyes narrowed into slits.
Being praised by her master made her very happy.
If the girl had a tail, it would probably be spinning like a propeller by now.
"Next step, take it to that small stream over there to wash it clean, then come back and we'll make grilled meat and jerky."
"Mm!"
After taking the first step, everything seemed to become simpler.
Mine first washed the ingredients clean, then cleaned the bloodstains from herself. Wrapping the meat chunk in leaves, she carried it back to Mahiro.
When she returned, Mahiro had already prepared the fire source and began teaching Mine the journey of cooking!
Around the campfire were arranged various exquisite bottles and containers, clearly valuable at first glance.
But, strangely, the master wasn't carrying any bags—where did these things come from?
Mine felt somewhat curious.
So distracted was she that she accidentally charred the meat chunk, turning it into a blackened mess.
"Master, what... what should I do about this?"
Seeing such a large piece of meat ruined by her own hands, Mine felt heartbroken.
Meanwhile, Mahiro's grilled meat appeared golden brown, sizzling with oil. Enhanced by seasonings, it emitted waves of tantalizing aroma, making her gaze pitifully at Mahiro.
But Mahiro just shrugged helplessly:
"Of course, little Mine, you'll have to eat it yourself."
After saying this, he picked up his own grilled meat, sniffed it appreciatively, exclaimed how delicious it smelled, and then took a huge bite right in front of Mine.
Mmm, wonderfully chewy with excellent flavor—somewhat similar to beef.
As for Mine.
Staring at her charred meat chunk, she ultimately had no choice but to take a bite.
Crunch!
Crunch, crunch!
It actually made crisp sounds. Gnawing on the blackened, bitter meat, Mine furrowed her brows tightly, her small mouth turning completely dark from the char.
It was definitely unpalatable.
But even so, she continued eating it in large bites.
During her time as a wandering beggar in the town, what hadn't she eaten? This level was nothing.
Yet simultaneously, she secretly vowed to herself that she would definitely learn to make delicious food in the future—she would never repeat today's mistake again!
...
Over the next three months, Mahiro led Mine through constant wandering in the forest.
They had lost count of how many Class 1 and Class 2 Danger Beasts they had slain—at least over a hundred.
Mine's dismemberment skills had grown increasingly proficient; just by picking up a knife and looking at the prey, she knew exactly where to make the cut to cleanly remove the meat.
Her cooking skills had also improved dramatically.
Aside from the first two attempts ending in charred lumps, her dishes had since reached an edible standard. By now, Mine could use Danger Beasts' meat to prepare various meals, complemented by wild mushrooms and edible plants.
Thanks to the improved diet and three months of recuperation, Mine's once somewhat gaunt face had regained a rosy, dewy glow.
Even her previously flat chest had swelled to the size of fried eggs.
Though it still appeared quite flat at a glance, Mine had become much cuter than before.
The only downside was the plight of the forest's Danger Beasts—Mahiro had nearly hunted them to the point of becoming rare species.
Under the blazing sun, clear stream water flowed gently through the forest, converging into a river.
Mine, completely naked, crouched in the stream, using her small hands to meticulously scrub the clothes. Once cleaned, she laid them out to dry on a large boulder nearby, letting the sun bake them.
After hanging the last piece of clothing, she let out a sigh and approached Mahiro. From her backpack, she pulled out a clean maid uniform and, right in front of him, concealed her youthful figure beneath the dress.
Then, she fastened a leather pouch around her thigh, over her black pantyhose, and tucked a dagger inside.
This was, of course, at Mahiro's request. Mine had initially wanted to strap it to her arm, but Mahiro rejected the idea, citing aesthetics and her slender arms as reasons.
So, Mine complied.
Though she had felt a bit shy at first, over time, she grew accustomed and no longer felt the need to hide.
In fact, she saw no reason to. In her mind, Mahiro had pulled her out of hell, given her a new life, and taught her survival and combat skills.
Thus, she believed that everything about her already belonged to Mahiro, and there was no need to conceal anything.
"Master, I've finished washing the clothes. The sun is strong today, so they should dry before sunset."
"Mhm, well done, Mine. It seems you're ready to graduate now."
Mahiro slowly opened his eyes under the shade of a tree, glanced at the neatly drying laundry, then looked at the little maid before him, praising her with satisfaction.
This was the kind of maid he wanted.
"It's nothing. Such trivial tasks are child's play for me now."
Though her words were tsundere, her eyes curved into delighted crescents as she proudly placed her hands on her hips.
Her twin tails swayed with the motion.
The small, pink-haired tsundere from the original work was beginning to show.
"Mhm mhm, so amazing, so amazing. It's just a shame your chest hasn't grown much—it doesn't even fill out the maid uniform. What a pity..."
Mahiro glanced at her still-flat chest and muttered under his breath.
"Uwah."
Her triumphant expression immediately froze on the spot, thoroughly pricked by Mahiro's words. She quickly crossed her arms over her chest, baring her little fangs like a young beast while shooting him a glare full of shame and indignation.
"Ugh... You perverted master! What exactly are you paying attention to?! It's not like you can't look, but do you have to say it out loud?!"
"And even though... even though they're small right now, there's definitely room for development when... when Mine grows up!"
No, there's absolutely no room for development.
Mahiro thought regretfully.
Due to long-term malnutrition and going days without eating, it was already quite an achievement that she'd managed to develop any curves at all after finally getting proper nutrition...
No, it would be more accurate to say Mine was just naturally flat-chested. That's what her genetic makeup dictated.
Throughout her entire body, aside from that adorable face, the only other notable features were those slender jade-like legs wrapped in black stockings.
Enough to play with for a whole year.
"Ugh..."
After spending so much time alone together, Mine had learned to read many things from his eyes and knew exactly what he was thinking.
But all she could do was twist her slender waist and puff out her pretty cheeks in dissatisfaction.
Then she asked rather resentfully:
"...Master, what should we eat tonight?"
"What to eat..."
Mahiro was about to reply that there was still meat, wasn't there?
But when he looked down around them, the area was completely empty.
"Looks like we need to hunt again..."
Mahiro thought to himself.
But just then, a faint movement came from the woods. The grass rustled several times, clearly caught by Mahiro's sharp senses.
"Oh ho, looks like we've got tonight's dinner."
No sooner had he spoken than a giant serpent shot out from the grass, opening its bloody maw. The snake was enormous, nearly two meters long, and was even spraying venom from its mouth!
"Master, watch out!"
Mine instinctively reached for her thigh to draw her dagger, but it was too late to rescue her master. She could only watch helplessly as the serpent lunged toward Mahiro.
In her panic, she forgot just how strong Mahiro actually was.
"Is that all?"
Mahiro turned slightly and dodged, grabbing the snake's head as it brushed past him. His fingers suddenly exerted force, piercing through the scales and sinking into flesh.
Then he slammed it violently to the ground.
BOOM!!!
A thunderous crash suddenly rang out.
The danger serpent was now pinned firmly to the ground under his foot.
Turning his head, he smiled slightly at Mine:
"How about snake stew for dinner tonight?"
"No problem, I'll handle the butchering!"
Mine stepped forward, raising her knife toward the giant serpent with a menacing look in her eyes.
How dare you ambush my master? We're eating you tonight!
She thought viciously, but just as she was about to start, a man suddenly emerged from where the giant serpent had charged out.
His age was hard to determine—from his bearded face, he appeared to be around forty. His clothes were simple and crude, but at his waist hung a vermilion-long-sheathed tachi.
The sword seemed rather luxurious, clashing with his appearance and attire.
The man appeared steady, with a faint but sharp killing intent emanating from him—clearly someone who had experienced countless battles and hardships.
At the very least, the man's killing aura had already startled Mine.
Involuntarily shifting her steps, she hid behind Mahiro.
The man was also quite surprised upon seeing Mahiro—partly due to his aristocratic-like handsome features, and partly because the giant serpent was actually pinned beneath the young man's foot.
To handle a first-class danger so effortlessly—this young man clearly possessed considerable strength.
The man immediately formed this assessment.
"It seems you've captured this serpent."
"That's right. Is there something you need, sir?"
"Nothing much. I just hope you'll hand it over to me. It bit my son," the man said gravely.
"Oh, I see. But I refuse. What does your son getting bitten have to do with me? This is my dinner tonight."
Upon hearing this, the man was both surprised and visibly displeased.
He hadn't expected the young man to refuse so bluntly, and even dare to speak to him in such a manner!
But then, he saw the young man's toes subtly shift, hooking the serpent and sending it flying into the air. With a swift kick, as if punting a ball, Mahiro launched the serpent away.
It slammed violently into a large boulder by the riverbank, the impact so powerful that even the massive cobblestone shattered and exploded into fragments.
The serpent writhed slightly on the ground a few times before falling completely still.
Only its muscles continued to twitch faintly.
This young man actually had some martial arts training, but his style didn't belong to the Imperial Fist.
The man formed a new assessment.
But he also grew slightly more cautious.
Such formidable skill, yet not from the Imperial Fist Temple—that could only mean he was likely from a border tribe. The girl hiding behind him also bore distinct tribal characteristics.
"Go, Mine. Dismember that serpent for me. We're having it for dinner tonight, and not even the heavens can stop us."
Ignoring the man's wary gaze, Mahiro directly instructed Mine.
Mine obediently nodded.
She turned and walked to the serpent's corpse by the riverbank.
"Master is so thoughtful. This will make washing away the blood much easier."
Humming a nameless tune softly, Mine swiftly brandished her sharp dagger.
Swish, swish, swish—
With only the sound of slicing air, the man was astonished to see the young girl effortlessly dismember the Class 1 Danger Beast, the venomous serpent, into pieces!
The outer scales, internal organs, and even the venom sac were almost perfectly separated from the flesh.
Such masterful dissection skills—if used for killing… No, it would be a waste not to use them for killing!
Perhaps her talent surpassed even that of his own children.
With his extraordinary aura and peerless appearance, this young man was clearly no ordinary individual.
The man's heart burned with fervor, but he suppressed his excitement, took a deep breath, and stepped forward calmly, saying:
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Gozuki, formerly one of the Four Rakshasa Demons of the Imperial Fist Temple."
"Gozuki? Not familiar."
Mahiro made no move to shake the man's outstretched hand.
"Also, even if you were one of the Four Rakshasa Demons of the Imperial Fist Temple, not even the Emperor himself could claim a share of this serpent's meat today."
"..."
Hearing this, Gozuki's lips twitched slightly.
Somehow, this statement felt strangely familiar.
In the boy, he seemed to see the shadow of one of his own daughters.