Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume14 Chapter5 (section)

===Part 3===

Thinking about the young master...

She discovered that he loved to run around all over the place, unafraid of curses, unafraid of her. It felt very refreshing.

At the same time, his eyes were sincere and forthright.

She could sense that his maturation was commendable. Since his father was quite undisciplined and arbitrary in doing whatever he wanted, she really did not feel that his education was commendable.

"What should we do about your name~?"

"As I have said, just use Muramasa."

"By itself, that won't be very convenient."

"Otherwise, how else should I be called? I, Muramasa, am Muramasa."

Unexpectedly, there were times when he was very insistent. He refused to give up despite her multiple rejections, always gazing straight at her while asking that inconsequential question.

Leaning forward over the table in the living room, he cocked his head adorably.

"I keep reminding you because it's inconvenient. Besides, you should also&mdash;How should I put this? Isn't it time you acknowledged me as master, right? Have you decided to lift your curse for real?"

She could not help but laugh. This child was still concerned about that kind of thing? Clearly she had not made any request of that sort from the start. She decided to gloss over the issue casually in a joking tone of voice.

"Ha. Not yet not yet. Because thou and I cannot be considered a true master-servant relationship."

"A true master-servant relationship?"

Pondering for some time, while recalling the valiant generals and soldiers who roamed the battlefields with her in the past, she said at the same time:

"Indeed. In a true master-servant relationship, there is no distinction between master and servant... Verily. The sword is the general, the general is the sword. Spurring the horse, galloping across the battlefield together, annihilating enemies nonstop. Even our lives are one."

"?"

"In other words, 'tis entrusting each other's lives to the other. The type of trust allowing one to trust the other to guard their back, a mutual relationship where both put their lives on the line to protect each other's lives. In conclusion&mdash;'tis a relationship where bodies and minds are merged into one. Uniting two into one in all respects. Becoming the same existence with each other."

Of course, she knew this sort of thing was impossible. She was a cursed tool. This child could not have forgotten that. He could not possibly trust her wholeheartedly. Likewise, she could not trust him completely... Asking her to rely on a child like him, that was probably never going to happen.

He tilted his little head in the opposite direction to earlier, but immediately smiled radiantly and said:

"I don't quite get it, but... Okay! Basically I have to help you if there's danger! Of course, that's very normal!"

"Speak not of normal, that sort of thing cannot happen in the first place."

Hearing his overconfident words, she wanted to laugh instead. Scoffing sardonically, she deliberately continued in mockery:

"Ha, very well~ If thou helpest me, whether using thy life or anything else, I shall help thee in return. However much thou helpest me, I shall repay thee accordingly. This is the contract. Because a true master-servant relationship hath yet to exist between us, something on this level would be an achievement already."

He pouted slightly.

"But I really want to make it a true master-servant relationship... If it's possible to become that kind of existence, then our wishes will become one, and you'll work hard to lift your curse, right? How should I go about it?"

"Who knoweth. 'Tis not something that is done just because 'tis decided. Rather, it has ''already come into being'' by the time thou noticest."

"Eh~"

Listening to his dissatisfied protest&mdash;she thought at the same time: but...

If the other party believed that helping her was perfectly normal and also thought that trusting her was perfectly natural, then there was no issue but what lay in herself. It was simply her reluctance to get close to him, nothing more complicated than that. If she had to ponder why she was reluctant to get close to him, why she was unable to trust him wholeheartedly&mdash;

Putting down the teacup, she silently cast her gaze over the garden.

The quiet garden was dyed red by the setting sun.

It looked almost like the color of blood.


Perhaps it's that time, she thought.