The Teacher’s Grace Is Like Heaven

2 – Never Forget (2)

I opened my eyes. The first thing I saw was the worn ceiling. There were even cobwebs in the corners. I’d have to clean them out later while tidying up.

I stirred in the bed and got up, then I saw the empty spot beside me. Ah, right. This wasn’t my room but Bi Yan’s room, wasn’t it?

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Last night she had suddenly burst into tears, catching me completely off guard. No matter how I tried to soothe and comfort her, she clung to me tightly like a leech and wouldn’t let go.

So inevitably, I had to go into Bi Yan’s room and sleep together with her. But even in her sleep, she wouldn’t let go of my hand.

“I should make breakfast early.”

After sitting there blankly scratching my belly for about 5 minutes, I forced myself to get up. It was to make breakfast as usual. But just then,

the firmly shut door creaked open. What was on the other side of the doorway was Bi Yan. What she had brought was none other than breakfast.

What the… Am I dreaming right now? I stared blankly at Bi Yan who had come past the doorway to bring me breakfast.

Bi Yan who met my eyes smiled brightly. The lifeless crimson in her eyes now strangely glittered.

After setting down the breakfast before me, Bi Yan promptly assumed a pose of greeting and bowed her head deeply. What now? As I wondered, Bi Yan spoke to me.

“Did you rest well last night, Master?”

“Ah, yes.”

“I’ve prepared breakfast. Let’s eat together.”

“…….”

The first thing that appetizingly caught my eye were the various sauteed vegetables and roasted pork. The pork belly had noodles and vegetables stuffed inside.

And the rice in the bowl was fried rice, mixed together with assorted vegetables and egg. The unique savory smell of fried rice tickled my nose.

Bi Yan who had set down a spoon and chopsticks before me returned to her seat. And wasn’t she sitting on her knees waiting for me?

Is this really that Cheon Bi Yan? The one who was always busy filling her own stomach before making food, with not an ounce of manners?

This went beyond a beast becoming human, it was like a carp leaping over the dragon’s gate. But at the same time, I couldn’t help but feel something was off.

“Did you make this breakfast yourself?”

“No, I got help.”

“You got help?”

“Yes, I asked my neighbor lady Anyang for help.”

“…….”

It was truly one surprise after another. Bi Yan who absolutely refused the help of others had gotten the help of a neighbor to prepare this breakfast?

It felt like getting clubbed in the head. Of course I hadn’t wished for something like this. In the first place Bi Yan was just 10 years old now.

Who would expect a 10 year old kid to prepare breakfast? On top of that, she was my precious retirement fund and insurance for the future.

So although I had endured the brat till now… This type of change was even more frightening. I cleared my throat and spoke.

“You’ve worked hard already so early in the morning. You really had a wonderful idea.”

“Thank you! Master.”

“However, don’t do this again next time.”

“Why not?”

“Just as a disciple has duties as a disciple, a master also has duties as a master.”

And above all, it didn’t look good. What master makes a 10 year old kid prepare meals? From my perspective it was child abuse.

Even disregarding my perspective, I hoped she would spend that time training her letters or martial arts instead.

That way she could find success faster and earn money quicker. Bi Yan listened intently to my words with a serious expression. Then she opened her mouth.

“Indeed, I think I understand what you mean.”

“If you understand, that’s enough.”

“However, Master, in the past the boy emperor Zhao Kuangyin revealed ambitions to take the emperor’s seat at a young age.”

“…….”

“Compared to that, isn’t it nothing for a disciple to prepare breakfast for her master?”

Uh… What do I say to refute that, I can’t refute it? Wait, how do you even know about that? I never taught you that right?

It’s easy to overlook, but this isn’t modern times. Of course it’s not a society where information can be easily found like the 21st century.

Frankly, even common sayings like knowing yourself and knowing your enemy leads to certain victory that modern people would know, most people here don’t know since they can’t read.

Unable to make any reply and just mumbling, Bi Yan smiled brightly and approached me. Then she grabbed my spoon.

A spoonful of fried rice, filled to the brim, drew near. Naturally taking her seat, Bi Yan spoke.

“For now, let’s eat first, Master.”

“Ye, yes let’s.”

In the end, I couldn’t make any rebuttal and had to eat breakfast. The taste was certainly good. It couldn’t compare to anything I made.

Thanks to it, I was able to have a satisfactory breakfast. As I patted my full stomach, Bi Yan cautiously asked.

“Was the food to your taste?”

“It was great. I was satisfied like it’s been a while.”

“Th, then….”

“Hm?”

“May I ma, make one request of you, Master?”

Looking at Bi Yan who turned red and avoided my gaze, I realized. Of course, there was no reason she would make breakfast for free.

Rather I thought it was better this way. It’d feel more uncomfortable if I just accepted it for free. So with a refreshing smile, I said:

“Go ahead, I’ll listen to anything within my ability.”

“That…”

“Speak comfortably.”

“Yes, like before, I hoped you could stroke my head.”

“Gulp.”

And that refreshing smile didn’t last long. It felt like the food I just ate was coming back up again. I clenched my molars.

Somehow I tensed my face to maintain a composed expression. At the same time, a memory from the past came to mind. When was it again?

Was it when she overwhelmed me in martial arts? Anyway, since she had shown results as a disciple, I raised my hand to praise her.

Bi Yan roused to action and strongly pushed away my hand. Her expression was stained with fear. Seeing that, I realized.

No matter how clever the child, in front of terrible memories they are still just a young child. So I had been extremely careful until now.

But could she really have come to personally request that herself? I absolutely didn’t expect it. I cleared my throat and asked Bi Yan again:

“Are you sure?”

“It’s fine if it’s you, Master.”

“…….”

“If… if it’s not possible….”

“That’s not it, but…….”

Unable to turn away the sight of Bi Yan looking up at me with slightly wet eyes, speaking in an extremely wilted voice, she looked like a puppy caught in the rain.

I reached out my hand and stroked her hair, unable to ignore her. Her strands of hair were as smooth as silk.

Bi Yan let out giggles as she enjoyed the touch of my palm. Thinking I had stroked enough, I tried to withdraw my hand from her.

I say tried, because right before I could withdraw my hand, Bi Yan’s small hands grabbed my hand. Bi Yan looked up at me.

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Her face held an expression of regret not normally seen, like a child throwing a tantrum.

“Just a little more, please, Master.”

“…….”

*

Something was wrong.

After breakfast had finished, Bi Yan put the dishes in a tray to wash up. Although I said I’d do it, she absolutely refused.

Left alone, as usual I swung my wooden sword. When my mind and heart were chaotic, nothing calmed me down like training.

However, no matter how much I swung and brandished my sword, the confusion fogging my mind showed no signs of settling down.

Bi Yan’s behavior this morning couldn’t simply be described as having grown up. What was it? What exactly was the problem?

“The sword is me, I am the sword.”

It was a line the protagonist of the martial arts novels I enjoyed in my past life often chanted. I was in no position to compare to the level of that protagonist, but

since I had reincarnated into a martial arts novel, I wanted to at least pretend to feel like the protagonist a little, even if I was just a third-rate martial artist.

Whenever I trained, muttering the protagonist’s lines had become a habit. But there probably wasn’t any harm in it.

Since it was just me muttering nonsense to myself quietly anyway. And there was no one around. Thinking so, I was putting away my wooden sword when,

“Did you finish training, Master?”

“Yes, you came earlier than I expected.”

“I thought of it as training and ran back and forth.”

“You worked hard.”

The reason I didn’t scream was simple. It was to maintain my dignity as a master before my one and only disciple, Bi Yan.

Bi Yan, who had completely hidden her presence, held out the towel she had brought. I wordlessly took the towel and wiped away my sweat.

She normally hated even approaching me, saying I stank of sweat. I wonder why she’s suddenly doing this again today? As confusion hit me once more,

seriousness floated onto Bi Yan’s face that had been smiling tranquilly. She assumed a pose of greeting and lowered her head. Then she spoke to me.

“Master, this lowly disciple humbly asks for your guidance.”

“…….”

I’ll say it again, I was only able to hold in my scream for one reason, to preserve my dignity as a master.