Ch.10The Black Mage is Free (4)

I felt like I’d been hit on the head.

This young, pretty woman sitting next to me was Master Riano?

Come to think of it, she did say she was 16 years old back then. But honestly, it made no sense, so I just brushed it off without giving it much thought.

I thought my master had some kind of pathological lying disorder.

Then where did that middle-aged hag go? Did she ascend to heaven?

The more I pondered, the blanker my mind became.

Seems like it exceeded the amount of information my brain could process.

At this point, I might as well go all in.

“Master, then could you explain your appearance… I mean, you were clearly a ha—I mean, in your forties, weren’t you?”

“You brat! Pick one—formal or casual speech! It’s driving me crazy.”

*Sigh*

A not-so-elegant way of speaking from such a young and pretty face.

It’s refreshingly unique, I suppose.

“Well, anyway. Crow, what do you think about relationships between warlocks?”

In truth, there are unspoken rules among warlocks.

Like not asking about each other’s masters and disciples, or pretending not to know each other’s identities even if you do.

These rules usually concern confidentiality, and breaking them could get you killed without a trace. My master had drilled this into my head until I could recite it in my sleep.

“If it’s not between master and disciple, we don’t interfere with each other. That’s the rule.”

“Then what emotions would a man feel when rejected by a woman?”

“Wait, is this related to your appearance somehow?”

“Huh? You brat! When your master asks a question, you just need to answer.”

I sighed at my master’s unreasonable attitude but pondered her question.

The thing is, I’ve never had a woman I liked, let alone confessed to one, so I couldn’t easily answer.

Instead, though it’s not quite the same, I recalled the feeling of being betrayed by my party.

I could already feel something welling up from deep inside me.

“Anger. Irritation and wanting to destroy everything. Depression.”

“Um… well… that’s quite vivid. Speaking from experience?”

“No.”

I firmly denied it and glared at my master.

Trying to convey: what on earth are you talking about?

Master has always been like this. You couldn’t find a trace of consideration in her even if you tried.

When I wet the bed, instead of covering for me, she scolded me in front of workshop customers, saying I was too old for that.

When I got stung by a bee, she hit me, saying I was pathetic for getting beaten up by something as small as a bee.

Looking back, she truly was a ruthless master.

Sometimes I wondered if she was a demon summoned by someone.

“Then one last question. Which appearance is the real me? The prettily aged middle-aged woman you mentioned? Or the young me now?”

“No, I never said that. Not a prettily aged middle-aged woman, but a ha—”

Her sharply honed gaze flew at me, piercing through my heart.

Feeling like my breath had stopped for a moment, I hastily changed the subject.

“But why are you asking me this? That’s what I want to know.”

“Well, I was just curious. I wondered which version of me you preferred.”

“I don’t care either way. Just tell me already.”

Master keeps teasing me, and it’s frustratingly unbearable.

“Fine, I’ll tell you. Do you know about the black magic called Aging?”

“Aging? Of course I do.”

Aging

One of the highest-level curses in black magic.

Once activated, its effects won’t be lifted until the caster dies or personally removes it. As the name suggests, it causes overall physical deterioration as aging progresses, making its effects worthy of its reputation as a top-tier curse.

Despite its powerful effects, most warlocks don’t use Aging.

If someone deserves such a curse, it’s more efficient to use Instant Death to end things quickly.

Also, depending on how much you want to age the target, the required medium and mana increase exponentially, making it inefficient.

For example… if Master was cursed to have a 40-year-old body at the age of 16, the caster would have sacrificed something like both arms as a medium and used enough mana to shatter their mana core.

But this is just an example. No matter what, what kind of idiot would sacrifice both arms and their mana core just to curse one woman…

“Actually, I was under the Aging curse.”

There really was such an idiot?

“Really? Why? I don’t understand.”

“Because he was rejected by me. I guess he hated me that much.”

“Then that man…”

“Seeing that I’ve returned to my original form, he’s probably dead.”

Finally, the scattered puzzle pieces in my head fell into place.

The hag I knew was Master Riano under the Aging curse, and for some reason, the caster died, allowing her to return to her original form.

I looked her up and down again, noticing the deep apricot-colored valley on her chest, and quickly turned my head away.

Wait, why did she unbutton four buttons of her shirt?

“Master, I’m sorry, but…”

“You brat! Who talks to their master without looking them in the eye?”

“No, I can’t possibly…”

“Don’t talk back. If you have something to say, look at me properly.”

Master grabbed both my cheeks and forcibly turned my head to meet her eyes.

Naturally, with my face burning hot, I couldn’t look into her eyes, and my gaze dropped lower.

There, two apricot-colored hills were spread out.

Seeming to notice my reaction, Master raised one corner of her mouth and shoved my face into her chest.

Master’s chest was both elastic and soft, giving the feeling that one could get addicted to it.

“You lustful disciple! Are you having impure thoughts about your master’s body?”

“Mmph—! Mmph—!”

“Oh my, oh my. Planning to pounce on me at night, are you?”

Breaking free from her embrace with all my might, I took a deep breath.

It was my first experience with a woman’s chest, and it was quite terrifying.

In many ways.

Master seemed to enjoy my reaction, clutching her stomach with laughter.

As her laughter subsided, she got up from the bed and said:

“I’m going to smoke a cigarette. Be right back.”

After she left the room, I caressed my cheek where the sensation still vividly remained.

It felt like I had been cursed with something that wouldn’t fade away.

Is this… black magic?

* * * * *

Having laughed tremendously thanks to her disciple after a long time, Riano slipped out through the back door with familiar steps.

And as soon as the door closed with a creak, she slumped to the ground.

I’m crazy. What did I just do to my disciple?

At first, it was just a prank.

Her mischievous disciple kept stealing glances at her chest, which was cute, so she wanted to tease him.

But once she embraced him, it became more than just a prank.

It wasn’t physical desire, but holding him made her heart swell.

Like a girl in love.

Once she realized this, her face started burning, and she couldn’t let go.

If she showed such an expression, her dignity as a master would surely disappear.

*Sigh*

Riano let out a deep sigh, put a cigarette in her mouth, and lit it.

Who was lusting after whom?

To be honest, she had felt such emotions slightly since Crow came home.

At 19, when her disciple first left to become an adventurer, worry came first.

He still had a youthful appearance then, and to a master, a disciple always looks infinitely young.

But time had changed him significantly.

The Crow who appeared before her today was no longer a child.

He was just a man.

Perhaps that’s why she reacted so strongly to being called a hag, which she would have normally brushed off.

Riano, experiencing interest in a man for the first time, was quite perplexed.

Especially given their special relationship as master and disciple.

She exhaled a cloud of cigarette smoke while organizing her thoughts.

About how to shape their relationship going forward.

The scales in her heart began weighing between lover and master.

* * * * *

Since Master seemed intent on chain-smoking and not returning anytime soon,

I got up to look around out of boredom. On the desk, I noticed an unfamiliar book.

[Parenting Journal – Crow]

Our master was apparently more diligent than I thought.

I carefully picked up the book and placed it on the bookshelf.

So she wouldn’t be embarrassed if she found out about this later.

Actually, I had prepared a small gift while Master was away.

That thing she had pleaded for in the last line of her letter.

I couldn’t do it all the time, but occasionally seemed possible.

It’s embarrassing, but if Master wants it, I can manage.

Besides, now that there isn’t much age difference, she really does feel like an older sister.

Just then, the door opened, and Master walked in.

“Riano noona!”

Master fainted on the spot.