Raising A Hero – Chapter 75

Ch 75: Something more intense

Red sunset painted the sky above the crescent-shaped lake. As the wind blew, the leaves rustled, sounding like rain. Everything blended together like a beautiful painting.

The fairy Aizel sat by the lake for a while. She thought of her disciple… and their sweet kiss.

She yearned for him every day, holding him in her heart. The more she did, the deeper her poignant affection grew.

I’m a terrible teacher. To harbor love for my disciple…

Sometimes, she couldn’t sleep from the torment. She would tell herself that this couldn’t be.

But it was all in vain. Love couldn’t be stopped by such things. From the moment she accepted his kiss, it had already become an unstoppable storm.

Aizel often dreamed of kissing him. But in the end, he always left abruptly. She ran to catch him, but she woke up from the dream. She could never hold onto him.

I shouldn’t have let him go. I should have just asked him to live with me.

She didn’t know how many times she had such regrets. So, she waited endlessly for him, who might never come. She always went into his room and lay on the bed he had slept on, writhing as she thought of their kiss.

Ah, ahㅡ.

The time of parting grew longer and longer. She felt like she was going crazy from missing him. So, she replayed and replayed the memory of that happy time.

…And so, the fairy’s love was ripening.

Late in the afternoon, an uninvited guest came to her cabin. Two of them, at that.

The fairy was furious. It was a place filled with the happy years with her disciple. She hated it even more because it felt like it was being invaded.

However, when she confirmed the identity of the other person, she was truly surprised. Her anger vanished like snow melting in the spring. And soon, delight filled the space.

“Heavenly Demonㅡ!”

Even though nearly ten years had passed since the last time she saw him, the Heavenly Demon was exactly the same as then. He lightly embraced his old friend, the fairy Aizel.

“It’s been a while. How have you been?”

“Me? Well, I’ve always lived to pursue the truth.”

“…You’re always living a boring life.”

“That’s not something you should be saying, living here.”

They laughed lightly. Only then did the fairy’s gaze turn to the human woman who had followed.

“Who is it? A wife?”

“How old am I? What wife.”

Aizel was stung there.

“My disciple. Larosha.”

“It’s an honor to meet you.”

The woman with soft, light brown hair and snow-white skin bowed her head respectfully. Aizel smiled slightly and returned the greeting.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Aizel.”

“I’ve heard a lot from Teacher. That you’re an old friend…”

“Well…, it’s been a while.”

It had been nearly thirty years in time. Honestly, it could be said that it was more than a friendship.

“Come in, for now. Have you eaten?”

“I ate lightly.”

“Then how about a cup of tea?”

“Sounds good.”

The three entered the cabin. The Heavenly Demon lightly nodded his head, looking around the house.

“You finally got your wish. You wanted to live comfortably and leisurely in a secluded place.”

“It’s been a little over four years now, I guess?”

“I heard the news about your retirement. …So, are you not going to train disciples at all?”

“Ah…, yes. Sit down, for now.”

The two disciples sat side by side in front of the table. The fairy poured the lukewarm tea that she had been brewing all day into the cups and slid them in front of them.

“Anyway, it’s nice to see you after a long time.”

“Me too.”

They had a light conversation about their everyday lives. Even then, Larosha sat in silence and kept quiet.

Of course, Aizel’s eyes were carefully examining Larosha. If the Heavenly Demon made her his disciple, she would undoubtedly not be an ordinary person.

The fairy roughly sensed why the Heavenly Demon had come all that way to this place, even with his disciple. The air grew heavy as the conversation paused for a moment.

“So, shall we get to the main point?”

The smile on Aizel’s face disappeared with a snap. The old friend was gone, and only the meticulous and mean fairy remained.

“Why did you come? …You know that saying you just wanted to see a friend wouldn’t work, right?”

The Heavenly Demon laughed deeply.

“This friend of mine has quick eyes.”

“It’s not quick eyes, it’s natural. If you had come alone, I wouldn’t have known, but seeing that you brought your disciple, you have a scheme.”

“Okay. I won’t beat around the bush.”

The Heavenly Demon lightly put down the teacup he was holding.

“Just write a letter of recommendation.”

The fairy snorted as if she had expected it. She leaned back against the backrest and crossed her arms.

“Why, you, who wasn’t interested in heroes?”

“The world is changing, so I can’t help but change.”

“Well, I’m sure you’re not going to do it yourself…, this child?”

The Heavenly Demon nodded in response. Larosha stood up straight like a new soldier, her two lightly clenched fists on her knees, looking only forward.

It would have been right to refuse. But suddenly, the image of her disciple flashed before Aizel’s eyes. Seeing the two of them, it was even more so.

The fairy pursed her lips several times. She couldn’t say that she was sorry, but that she couldn’t do it.

If she refused, the Heavenly Demon would give up cleanly and go back. And he would go to the capital and try to find another way.

The letter of recommendation would be an excellent reason for Aizel to go to the capital. Then, she could meet her disciple, Gang Ji-hyuk, there.

Ahㅡ.

The teacher, thinking of her disciple, wavered there. In the end, she found a suitable excuse.

“Well…, okay. Since it’s a request from a friend I haven’t seen in ten years, it’s hard to refuse so coldly.”

The Heavenly Demon thought it was unexpected. He didn’t know that the other person would accept so readily like this. …It seemed that her bad temper had softened a bit from living alone.

“Thank you. I would have been in trouble if I had been rejected.”

“…I allowed it especially because we’re friends.”

“I know. Next time, I’ll grant one of your requests too. If there’s anything you want, tell me.”

“Okay. I’ll think about it.”

Aizel pushed the empty teacup to the middle of the table and looked out the window. It was already dark outside. Only the candlelight from the candlestick on the table was the only light that illuminated the surroundings.

“Heavenly Demon, you can sleep on the floor, right? I’ll sleep in the bed with this child.”

Then Larosha quickly said.

“I’ll sleep on the floor too.”

“Then, do that.”

Of course, the room Gang Ji-hyuk used was empty, but she strangely didn’t want to provide it to others. Even if she had to give up her own bedroom.

The three entered her bedroom. It was small but cozy.

The fairy brought two blankets and held them out to them. Anyway, a mat was a necessity when you leave on a journey, so they could take out and use the ones they each prepared.

The Heavenly Demon felt that this fairy had become quite softer than before. Back then, she was nagging about everything, and she was also bad-tempered.

Did she miss the affection from living alone?

“Teacher, have a peaceful night. You have a peaceful night too, Teacher.”

“Yeah.”

Larosha gave a respectful night greeting and lay down. The fairy looked at her and thought of her disciple again.

She dreamed. Her disciple hugged the teacher tightly and showered her with kisses.

She put her arms around his neck and sucked on his tongue.

━Then, the unfilial disciple will really go.

No, don’t go. Don’t go. I’ll cook for you. I’ll do the laundry, and I’ll clean. So don’t go.

But Ji-hyuk turned and left. Aizel couldn’t catch him no matter how hard she ran. Her feet were too heavy.

She woke up from her dream, running madly to chase him.

…It was already dawn.

· · ·

The three men and women left the cabin early in the morning. There was no reason to stick around and be clingy if the matter was already decided.

The villagers who saw them whispered again. The fairy had already changed men.

Of course, Aizel didn’t care what humans were chattering. If there were no such stories in this quiet village, wouldn’t she be bored to live?

“By the way, how did the guild you made turn out?”

The Heavenly Demon had left the former capital and made a guild near the South Continent. Then, after that, the news had been cut off until yesterday.

“It has grown quite large now. There are about fifty guild members.”

“It’s less than I thought for ten years.”

“I didn’t take any mediocre people.”

Ahㅡ.

Strangely, the Heavenly Demon and the disciple’s actions overlapped similarly. Making a guild, and also accepting guild members.

“Actually, there’s someone I want to introduce to you.”

“…To me?”

“Yes. …You’ll be surprised when you see them.”

“Who is it?”

“They’re in the capital, so go see them.”

The Heavenly Demon stopped caring there. She should just go and see them, as the fairy said.

Aizel glanced at Larosha. Seeing that she had no weapon, she also seemed to only use her fists like the Heavenly Demon.

“Do you use that, the fist technique, too?”

“Yes.”

“It won’t be easy. Especially with a woman’s body.”

She didn’t know about agility, but a fist needed physical strength emitted from the whole body to increase its destructive power. In that respect, it was a reasonable doubt that it would be difficult for a woman to use her fists than a man.

“It’s still okay. I like fists.”

Aizel’s gaze turned to the Heavenly Demon, who was sitting right next to her.

“You’re not forcing her, are you? There’s no need to go on a difficult path, leaving a good weapon behind.”

“Fists are also a good weapon.”

“…As expected.”

This stubborn guy.

But, amusingly, he had almost taken over the place called the martial arts world with that absurd stubbornness. And Aizel was also convinced that the Heavenly Demon’s skills were within the top five in the entire continent.

This next-door neighbor, even when he looks like that, was a monster among monsters. A fist shattered a boulder as big as a house, and a mountain of earth collapsed. She had seen numerous strong people, but there was no category like the Heavenly Demon.

If they meet her disciple, a really interesting scene will be produced.

The fairy was excited. She was sure it would be a historic moment. The Heavenly Demon would be surprised to see her disciple too.

She imagined how he would look when he was pleased and smiled like a girl. The Heavenly Demon realized for the first time that this friend of hers could make such an expression.

“What are you thinking about that you like so much?”

“…Huh? …Nothing at all.”

Her expression hardened again. It was clear that it wasn’t nothing at all. But the Heavenly Demon had no hobby of digging into other people’s hearts. He brushed it off.

The inside of the carriage became quiet. Even at this moment, Larosha closed her eyes and was lost in meditation, as if practicing mental training… The training maniac-like personality seemed to resemble the Heavenly Demon’s.

She was definitely an excellent woman. She could tell just by looking at her actions or how she walked. Her restrained mannerisms had become ingrained in her as if they were a daily routine. According to the Heavenly Demon’s claim that all parts of the body should be utilized, Larosha seemed to be raised that way.

…She’s raising her with determination.

Just by looking at her, the Heavenly Demon’s work of the century. Perhaps she was also the Heavenly Demon’s last masterpiece, like Ji-hyuk.

The Heavenly Demon seemed to want to prove that. So, he was going to make her a hero. He was going to make her stand out at the top there.

…Reaching that thought, the fairy laughed deeply.

I’m sorry, but I also have a secret weapon.

No matter how excellent she was, she couldn’t match Ji-hyuk. I assure you, he has the best talent in history. If he matures a little more, it’s not impossible for him to become the number one on the continent. That included the Heavenly Demon in front of her.

Even if I lose, my disciple cannot loseㅡ.

It was exactly the heart of a parent boasting about their child.

To Aizel, Ji-hyuk was the most talented child in the world.