Episode 3
I grandly called it secret tutoring and all, but it’s nothing special, really.
All I have to do is translate the Korean that Dustin writes down like a drawing and tell him what to do.
“It says, ‘Swing the young soldier’s practice sword in the Elliot family training grounds twice.'”
“Ugh, that’s really heavy.”
I don’t know why he’s making such a fuss about it not being heavy, even though it’s a sword made for children.
I’ve been swinging it since I was over 7 years old.
Tsk tsk, a boy can’t even lift that one thing.
Does the Knight Commander not feed him enough?
“But it says you can get a skill as a reward.”
“What’s a skill?”
“Well, it’s like a technique that unfolds with a swoosh- pow-! just by shouting its name.”
Since the dictionary definition of skill is basically technique or ability, I try to explain it roughly, but he just stares at me with a puzzled look.
Well, what can I expect from a 10-year-old kid?
“Well, you’ll figure it out when you get it later, so let’s raise your remaining stat points for now.”
“Remaining stat points?”
“Yeah, I saw you had about 3 earlier. If you increase your strength, you’ll be able to lift heavy things, right?”
“That’s right! Young la… Ah, no. Master, you’re amazing!”
No, this is common sense that anyone would know, kiddo.
“Look, I told you there’s an arrow button here, right? This is for strength, so press the arrow here.”
“Yes, yes..!”
The way he moves his hand in the air is truly a sight to behold.
I think to myself that even if I get a status window, I shouldn’t do it so openly like that.
This is how you learn one thing at a time.
I’m learning diligently, so status window, please come to me soon!
“I pressed it three times!”
“Do you feel any changes?”
“My muscles feel a bit firmer!”
Seeing Dustin excitedly swinging his arms around, I chuckle at his childlike behavior, befitting his age.
Is this what it feels like to see a nephew who’s 20 years younger?
I sound like an old man saying that, but well.
I actually am an old man.
Considering I was 27 right before I died, my actual age is 37…
…Let’s not count the age from my past life.
I’m 10 years old.
“Let’s go to the training grounds.”
“Yes!”
Does he think we’ve gotten closer?
His response is more energetic than before, and his expression has brightened.
“Good.”
“Yes? What’s good, Master?”
“It’s good to see you smile like that.”
It’s better to see kids laughing and acting cute than to see them timidly bowing their heads.
“Ah, ah… Th-Thank you..”
Seeing his face turn red again, I think this guy might actually be sick.
“If you’re not feeling well, tell me. I’ll call a doctor.”
I don’t want to catch a cold.
“Oh, no! I’m not sick at all! But thank you very, very much..!”
He closes his eyes tightly and bows to thank me.
Well, it might be difficult for commoners to see a doctor.
The Knight Commander’s salary wouldn’t be a problem, but I hear that doctors often refuse to treat commoners.
I don’t know how the doctors in Elliot territory are, though.
“You’re welcome. Go inside and swing the sword.”
“Yes, yes..!”
I can see the knights still training in a corner of the training grounds.
One day, I’ll get a status window, become much stronger than those knights, and travel the world.
I smile contentedly as I watch the knights, and then I turn my head, wondering why Dustin is so quiet.
“Wow, wow..”
I see him swinging the young soldier’s practice sword effortlessly, unlike before.
No way, did just 3 stat points miraculously increase his strength that much?
This, this.
If I just get a status window, what are those knights over there?
I might actually become the strongest hero in the world!
“Ah, young lady..! I lifted it..!”
“That’s amazing! Swing it quickly.”
Well, it’s amazing, but honestly, I don’t care if you lift the sword or not.
I try my best not to show my annoyance and put on a bright smile.
My hands might show a bit of annoyance as I wave them around, but well.
“Yes!”
He seems to be too naive to notice.
Whoosh-! Swish!
I see the practice sword being swung with a refreshing sound cutting through the air.
Is it because he grew up watching the Knight Commander’s swordsmanship?
I’m genuinely a little impressed by his unexpectedly clean swordsmanship.
“You’re good?”
“Thank you, Master! Hehe! Ah, and this window popped up!”
I watch him excitedly drawing on the dirt floor.
“Hmm, it says you’ve acquired the Swordsmanship Lv.1 skill. It says your swordsmanship skills will improve 1.5 times faster than others if you learn swordsmanship.”
No way, a 1.5 times improvement from level 1?
What kind of game is this generous?
The administrator who made this system must be determined to go bankrupt. Tsk tsk.
“1.5 times? Is that amazing?”
“Of course. It means you can learn the sword faster than others. It says you can level up by diligently practicing swordsmanship and increasing your proficiency.”
“What’s good about leveling up?”
“Well, I guess the rate of improvement gets faster.”
His eyes sparkle as he asks, and it’s quite burdensome.
We just met today, you know?
Of course, I might have crossed the line a bit earlier, but I still want him to maintain some distance, so I take a step back.
“Thank you, Master. My dream was to become a cool knight like my father! But my father told me not to even dream of it because I’m weak.”
Seeing him rambling on and revealing all sorts of TMI, it seems we’ve really gotten closer.
“You couldn’t even speak properly earlier.”
“W-Well, that’s because..!”
“That’s because?”
“Because Master is so, so… so beautiful..!”
I freeze on the spot at his almost shriek-like voice.
“Master is the most, most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen..!”
Sh-Shit. Stop it.
Before the adults’ attention is drawn to us, I quickly cover his mouth with both hands.
“Mmm, mmm-!”
Fortunately, it seems the sound of the swords clashing masked his voice, and people’s attention isn’t focused on us.
I let out a sigh of relief and remove my hands, but I see his face turning bright red again.
This, this guy. Could it be, perhaps… Nah, it can’t be.
“Are you blushing because of me? Not because you’re sick?”
“Y-Yes..? Ah, I-I’m blushing..?”
I’m dumbfounded by his naive, boyish reaction.
This is crazy.
“Let me make this clear, I’m not interested in you.”
No, I’m not interested in any men, dammit!
I’m only interested in soft, big-breasted, big-bottomed, and beautiful women!
Men are out of the question!
Me! In my prime! With a dick! Huh?!
I didn’t use it much, but! Huh?!
Ah, fuck… I feel sad after saying that.
It’s been 10 years since my barely-used dick disappeared.
But I still miss it.
“B-But I like Master!”
“Like me as your master only. Or I won’t teach you anymore.”
“Of course, as my Master!”
He quickly changes his words, as if he doesn’t like that either.
Alright, that’s enough.
No problem as long as he doesn’t cross the line.
He’s just a little kid anyway.
It wouldn’t be cool to get genuinely angry at a nephew who’s 20 years younger, so I decide to smile brightly again.
“Good, don’t cross the line. Or I’ll kill you.”
I didn’t say I would speak brightly too.
From that day on, Dustin didn’t make any more remarks that crossed the line.
Of course, he didn’t blush excessively either.
It was to the point where I could safely assume he no longer liked me, so I felt comfortable enough to act more freely.
“From today, we’re going to learn Hangul.”
“Hangul…? What’s that?”
“It’s the language written in the status window.”
“Ah, are these the letters called Hangul?”
I nod lightly.
I can’t be his status window translator for the rest of his life, so I came up with this method of teaching him the language to help him become independent.
“Well, of course, I’ve never taught anyone before, and I’ve never even done anything related to teaching, so I might be very clumsy.”
“Then I’m the first person to receive Master’s teachings!”
“Yes, you’re the first in everything.”
“I’m happy..!”
I shrug as I see his genuinely happy face.
I don’t know what he’s so happy about.
“Anyway, I’ll teach you slowly, one by one, so try to follow along.”
I teach him the letters one by one, using the methods I remember mothers in Korea using to teach their children.
“This is read as ‘giyeok(ㄱ)’.”
“How about this one?”
“Nieun(ㄴ).”
It’s a simple method of teaching consonants and vowels first, then moving on to words.
I feel a bit proud that he’s following along better than I expected.
Could I have done well if I went to early childhood education or something?
“So if you do this, it becomes ‘gaga’, and if you do this, it becomes ‘guga’!”
“You’re doing well, kid!”
I reach out and ruffle his hair, and Dustin looks a bit surprised.
It was a habit I often did with my shorter friends in my past life, so it came out naturally.
“Ah, sorry. Your hair’s a mess now.”
“Oh, no. No, it’s okay. I like this kind of hairstyle.”
“Really..?”
Is he crazy?
What’s good about messy hair like that?
Well, I guess it could be a unique preference.
“Anyway, that’s it for today. I’ll keep asking you, so memorize all the consonants and vowels.”
“Yes! By the way, it’s a fascinating language. It feels completely different from Marcian. The fact that letters combine to make different sounds.”
“Right? Hangul is pretty amazing.”
It’s not even my country anymore.
I feel a surge of national pride for no reason, and my shoulders involuntarily shrug.
“Ah, Master. I got another notification.”
“Really? Try reading it yourself.”
“Oh, uh, yes..!”
He might not understand the meaning, but he should at least be able to read it.
If he really concentrated on his studies today, that is.
“Uh… Sy-System Language Ski-Skill ac-activated.”
System Language Skill?
“You can learn the System Language more ea-easily.”
? What is he saying?
Learn more ea-easily?
…I guess it’s too much to ask him to read sentences on the first day.
“Write it here.”
I hand him paper and a pen, and he starts writing it down like drawing, his face slightly flushed.
“‘You can learn the System Language more easily’, huh. Wow, they even give this as a skill?”
Then if I just get a status window, my System Language will be at master level.
Hehe, as expected of a talented person.
You’re cool, Yuri. No, Kim Han… Um…
…I don’t know.
“So that’s how you read it!”
“Review it while checking the parts you got wrong.”
“Yes, I’ll work hard!”
He’s a student full of motivation.
I see him off as he excitedly leaves and enter the mansion.
“Yuri, you’ve been spending a lot of time with Dustin lately.”
I hear my mother’s worried voice.
“Ah, Mother. What are you worried about?”
“You haven’t even had your coming-of-age ceremony yet, and a boy… Um, hmm. Never mind. You’re a smart child, Yuri. I believe you’ll handle it well.”
Coming-of-age ceremony? Boy?
What is she thinking?
Dustin and I are not like that at all.
“Dustin and I are just friends.”
“Of course. I thought so.”
I don’t think so, lady.
No matter how I look at it, her expression is… bad.
“It’s true.”
“I know. Did someone say something?”
Ugh, I really hate it when people try to link a man and a woman together just because they’re together.
It’s the same in both my past and present lives.
“Mother is open-minded about social status differences, so feel free to talk to me anytime.”
Like hell you know anything, lady.
I just try to suppress the sigh that threatens to escape my lips once again.