Nameless looked at me with a chilly gaze.
“…Master, what on earth are you doing right now?”
“Can’t you see? I’m packing up.”
As they say, you have to strike while the iron is hot, so I spread my belongings all over the floor the next day to pack.
Seeing me like that, Nameless clutched their neck as if they had a headache and swayed.
“No—huff… I get that you’re packing, but what in the world are those wooden swords over there?”
Following Nameless’s pointing finger, about ten stacked wooden swords came into view.
Honestly, I couldn’t understand why Nameless was acting like that.
All those wooden swords were the ones they had lovingly crafted for me.
Just seeing the wooden swords brought back a flood of memories.
Little Nameless would run to me with tree branches, sweating profusely as they carved wooden swords.
That sight was just so adorable.
Has Nameless completely forgotten about that now?
‘…I feel a bit hurt.’
Training a disciple really seems useless after all.
My lips naturally pouted, and what’s with that tone of voice toward me, a master as grand as the heavens?
‘Looks like I need to punish you!’
The punishment would be to completely ignore Nameless.
Of course, if Nameless had caught on naturally, I would have been willing to let it go, but they definitely didn’t notice.
Turning my head sharply away, I quietly stuffed my belongings into the large bag.
“Master? Did you not hear me?”
“…”
Continuing to ignore, as I packed, Nameless came closer.
Glancing at Nameless, I saw that mischievous smile on their face.
‘I feel uneasy.’
And this uneasy feeling has never been wrong.
“…Master?”
“Eek!”
That startled me…!
‘Has this kid finally lost their mind?’
Nameless whispered right into my ear, and I got so surprised I spilled my bag everywhere.
“What are you doing?!”
I rubbed my ticklish ear repeatedly with my hand.
Even though I yelled, Nameless seemed unbothered and answered with a smug grin.
“I thought you couldn’t hear me, Master.”
“Ugh!”
Who acts like that when it’s clearly ignoring someone? Where in the world is there a person like that?
My ear was still ticklish.
Completely sulking, I puffed my cheeks and continued picking up what had spilled from the bag, massaging my ears with one hand.
While I was busy fixing things, Nameless looked at me with a puzzled expression and asked.
“So Master, why are you packing so many wooden swords?”
I didn’t want to answer, but Nameless’s attitude, as if they had completely forgotten about the swords, made me snap and I shouted loudly.
“They’re my beloved wooden swords! Stop worrying and pack your own things!”
Didn’t we agree to pack our things individually from the start?
The fact that Nameless is already in my room is odd.
We’ve only been packing for thirty minutes, so there’s no way everything is ready.
They must be slacking off.
‘They should focus on themselves!’
While I was re-stacking the strawberries that had rolled out of my bag, I realized I had still been eating them from a few days ago when Nameless bought way too many.
Honestly, this kid does nothing right.
‘Who do you think is causing me to have so much stuff!?’
All my things were purchased by Nameless when they went into town, so if I were living alone, I wouldn’t have nearly so much.
While I was concentrating, not giving them a glance, Nameless spoke again.
“I’ve already packed all my things.”
“…You think it’s funny to mock your master?! How could you pack everything in such a short time?!”
If it were anyone else, perhaps, but with Nameless, I felt like it could be true, so I took a moment to respond.
I almost bought it, but after a moment’s thought, it made no sense.
‘Aren’t we traveling to a vast place?’
Even if you try to pack light, thirty minutes is too short.
However, Nameless looked back at me with a genuinely bewildered expression.
“I’m serious, Master. How could I possibly be mocking you?”
When they said the last part, their lips quirked for some reason, but seeing Nameless speak like that, maybe it was in fact true they had packed everything.
But…
‘How on earth?’
I, for one, have this much stuff, so for someone like Nameless, who usually brings back everything from the village, their bags must be overflowing.
Sending suspicious eyes at Nameless, they dramatically pounded their chest, looking very aggrieved.
“I’m serious!”
“Is that so…?”
As their master, how could I not believe them when they went that far?
I still had my doubts, but eventually nodded in acceptance.
“Then stop giving me suggestions and just help out.”
I tossed a bag at Nameless, who had nothing to do.
“You should put those wooden swords and bedding in that bag.”
Nameless frowned as they picked up the tossed bag.
“…I can understand the wooden swords, but why are we packing bedding?”
Does this kid want to sleep on the cold floor?
“? It’s necessary to sleep, isn’t it?”
I can respect their preferences, but I want to sleep warmly.
“Are we going to be sleeping outside?”
“What about it?”
For some reason, our conversation seemed disconnected.
Glancing at Nameless’s expression, it had completely frozen.
Could it be…
Although Nameless has gone outside more than I have, they lack common sense?
‘Tsk, tsk, still so young.’
Clearly, it seems like it’s the elder’s role to kindly explain everything step by step.
I shook my head and opened my mouth.
“Nameless, you seem to not know much about the world yet, but you need money to stay in an inn.”
“…Yes, but what’s the problem?”
What does “what’s the problem” mean? Don’t tell me they still don’t get it?
“We don’t have any money, do we?”
As a master, it feels like I shouldn’t say this, but what can you do about reality?
I can’t just mug passerby for their money.
“So we’ll be sleeping outside. But hey, don’t stress too much—I’ve done this a few times, and it wasn’t entirely bad.”
I reassured them in an odd way, going back to stuffing my bag.
‘Get in there, you!’
As I plunged back into the struggle of packing, Nameless tapped my shoulder.
“What do you want? I’m busy!”
“Sigh…”
I was about to ignore them since I was swamped with packing, but before long, I felt warmth under my arms, and suddenly, I was lifted off the ground.
“What are you doing?!”
I flailed my arms around in mid-air.
“…Master, can you please just hear me out for a second?”
They hadn’t bothered to talk until now, and now I’m being lifted in such an embarrassing posture?
‘The dignity of a master…!’
I felt like I was about to fall below that floor.
“Fine, just put me down first!”
As the warmth faded and my feet slowly touched the ground, once I regained my freedom, I promptly punched Nameless in the stomach.
“Gack—cough!”
Nameless hunched over, clutching their stomach and burying their head in the ground.
“You shouldn’t treat your master’s body so carelessly!”
“I’m sorry… cough—”
Stealing a glance at Nameless as I turned my head away again.
This was clearly Nameless’s fault, so I wouldn’t worry about it.
“So what were you going to say?”
“Ugh… cough—.”
“Honestly….”
I didn’t think I hit them hard, but in case it was too much, I patted Nameless’s back gently.
After a bit, Nameless slowly got back up.
“Are you okay?”
“…Yes.”
This situation is just absurd, and I couldn’t help but let out a sigh.
“So, what worth the punch is so important?”
After hearing my question, Nameless hesitated for a moment.
“…We have money.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Where would we possibly find money?
Wait, does this mean that all the packing I did was for nothing?
“Where do you think I got all those strawberries every time I went to town?”
…That’s definitely true.
I had been so preoccupied with the strawberries that I hadn’t thought to ask.
I plopped down on the floor.
Everything I had done was futile, and I felt defeated.
“How much do we have?”
“At least enough for a year of living without any issues.”
Wow,
I suddenly felt the need to be alone for a moment.
What could these shining gold coins in front of me possibly be?
“What the hell…?”
After I organized my bags again with Nameless, I didn’t have high hopes when Nameless explained where they got the money.
That’s because the creatures in this mountain are only frightening when I’m weak; now I could burst them with a single punch, so even if I sold their low-grade byproducts, I didn’t expect to make much money.
But contrary to my expectations, there are gold coins filling my bag right now.
I don’t know the exact value of currency around here, but I do know that gold coins are valuable.
“Are you saying all of this is my money?”
“Yes.”
Nameless smiled awkwardly.
“…How many strawberries could this buy?”
My lips couldn’t help but split into a huge grin.
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