[Title: Should I take off the bottom too?]
Despite Master's dissuasion, I ended up bowing 9 times.
Master's expression was like 'That's not how you do it...', but around the 4th bow, her expression became pleased, so it seems my feelings were conveyed.
After that, I heard basic knowledge about this world.
Currency, value of goods, characteristics of each district in the Labyrinth City, factions, Adventurer's Guild, etc. As I forcibly crammed various information into my head, it was already dinner time.
'Am I the only one who sees the status window?'
I asked several times about skills too, but she said I had to pay money at the temple to check them.
'I shouldn't talk about it for no reason and get treated like a crazy person.'
I'm already going with the amnesia concept; if I say a square picture floats in front of my eyes...
As I was lost in thought like that, Master stared at me intently and said.
"Disciple..."
Master hesitated for a moment, then spoke with a resolved expression.
"Then... may I examine your body closely? As a master."
Even between master and disciple, there should be give and take.
For a detailed examination, I took off the top I was wearing and threw it aside.
—Swish...
Master's ears perked up, her eyes spun around, and she shouted.
"D... Disciple! You don't have to take it off like tha..."
—Thud...
"Don't... Ugh... Uh..."
"Yes?"
"It's nothing..."
"Should I take off the bottom too?"
"Yeah... No! You don't need to take off the bottom!"
Was the close examination only for the upper body?
Not knowing how she checks, I stared blankly, and Master lowered her eyes and said.
"Will you lie down there...?"
"Yes!"
When I lay down where the bedding was spread, Master hesitated and placed her hand on my stomach.
As slender fingers dug between my abs, it tickled slightly and felt strange.
"Close your eyes and breathe comfortably."
"Yes."
Doing as instructed, I felt warm energy from my stomach.
I guess this is the Internal Energy she mentioned earlier.
Starting from the stomach where her hand touched, my whole body becoming warm felt very good.
Then suddenly, Master's hand felt a little warmer.
Now it wasn't just warm, but slightly hot?
As cold sweat seeped out a bit, Master opened her mouth.
"Haa..."
"Master?"
"Ah, ahem! Is there anything wrong with your body?"
"Yes, just slightly hot?"
"As expected..."
I was extremely curious about the examination results, but thinking she would take care of it when finished, I just kept my eyes closed.
The hand touching my stomach fell off so I thought it was over, but Master grabbed my fingers and started bending them this way and that.
"M-Master!"
"Oh my, did it hurt?"
"Uh? N... No?"
"Right?"
I was freaked out because my fingers were bent this way and that... but Master smiled slightly as if she expected this.
"There won't be any pain, so stay comfortable~"
"Yep!"
It was embarrassing, feeling like I made a fuss for nothing.
'Is this the Slime's Body?'
Now going beyond the fingers, the back of my hand is touching my arm.
Master grabbed my elbow and bent it backward, muttering to herself.
"As expected... Wow... This too?"
After that, she grabbed my ankle and turned it, kneaded my Achilles tendon with both fingers, turned my neck up to 105 degrees...
Since there was no pain, it didn't matter, but Master's tail was a bit... like that.
Opening my eyes slightly, my eyes met exactly with Master who was holding my arm and bending it backward.
Master, who was strangely excited, blinked her eyes and laughed awkwardly.
"Haha, I was too absorbed so I just..."
"Master, it's not that... The posture..."
Master was sitting on my stomach, gently rubbing my thigh with her tail.
Master, who stared blankly for a moment while holding my arm, sprang up like a spring.
"Kyak! Th... So this is... a misunderstanding!"
Master with her tail curled between her legs.
It seems I unintentionally embarrassed her.
But I couldn't help it because if my thigh was stimulated like that, an even more embarrassing situation could arise.
It won't do if the relationship between master and disciple becomes awkward like this.
I nodded with a bright smile.
"I also sometimes don't see my surroundings when I get absorbed!"
"T-that's right. Because I was too absorbed."
I decided to just change the subject.
"Of course, I understand everything. Ah! By any chance, can I know what state my body is in?"
Master, who was looking at the tips of my toes, raised her head abruptly, eyes shining.
"R-right! Your body is special. There were no acupuncture points that a human should have."
'Wait... No acupuncture points? Are you talking about blood vessels? Then am I not a sick person? No, can I even be alive?'
Perhaps reading my expression, Master shook her head and answered.
"Blood is circulating very well, so don't worry. The acupuncture points I mentioned are passages through which Ki flows."
"Ah... Then can I not use the Internal Energy that Master uses?"
After finally becoming a disciple... I felt sorry for not meeting expectations.
Just when I wondered if I would be expelled immediately, Master spoke.
"That's not it. Your body can definitely accept Internal Energy."
"Even without acupuncture points?"
"That's why I said it's special, didn't I? When I infused Internal Energy into your body, it spread evenly throughout your whole body."
"Spread throughout the whole body...?"
Suddenly, the slime came to mind.
Originally, there should be wires for Internal Energy to flow through, but my body became like a slime, so it seems electricity conducts through all of it.
"Then is that a good thing?"
Honestly not knowing what advantage it had, the moment I asked, Master smiled brightly and grabbed both my hands.
"Of course! A body where there's no worry of acupuncture points being damaged even if Internal Energy flows forcefully! Tendons that stretch and return in an instant! Flexible yet firm muscles! Joints that bend at nonsensical angles! Disciple... Your martial arts... No, I'm already looking forward to the swordsmanship you will unfold!"
Master with twinkling eyes and a melting expression.
As I was staring blankly at the tremendous intensity, Master came to her senses and cleared her throat.
"Ahem! Talent for swordsmanship remains to be seen, but it is certain that you have a blessed body."
I don't even remember how long it's been since I received such pure praise. Maybe the Director?
I didn't know I was this weak to praise. Because I had never received it.
I feel like I've been verified that I can achieve something too.
Naturally, the corners of my mouth go up.
I must convey my gratitude to Master who let me know this feeling.
"Master, thank you very much. I will work hard from now on..."
Conveying my heart honestly, the psychological distance seems to get closer.
Master stared blankly for a moment, then gently stroked my cheek with her hand.
"… From now on… take care of me…"
Master's breath was slightly rough, and the touching hand was somehow hot.
The rough breath touching my chin was hot and fragrant.
Having finished the meal with Master whose face had turned red, we decided to start full-scale training tomorrow.
Now I am lying down staring blankly at the ceiling.
It hasn't been long since I came, but since my sleep recently started with fainting, this is the first time I've properly lain down in a sleeping place.
Suddenly, I remembered the first day of boot camp. 'How did I end up coming here?' That kind of feeling.
'Can I do well?'
I boldly said I wanted to climb the labyrinth, but I almost died twice while coming here.
When my stomach was pierced, I got lucky because the slime used a self-destruct skill and I obtained a skill.
When I almost got sold to slave traders, Master saved me.
I opened the status window.
[Status Window]
Name: Jang Ryuo
Class: None
Title: None
Level: 8
HP: 150/150 MP: 70/70 Strength: 17 Agility: 6 Vitality: 6 Intelligence: 6 Luck: ¿? 9
Remaining Points: 1
Trait: BUG
Skill: LV.MAX Slime's Body
I don't know well if all this happened thanks to Luck, or if I was simply lucky.
'I have to work hard. So I don't rely on luck...'
Making up my mind and thinking about the Luck stat, I discovered my level had risen.
'I didn't particularly catch anything... Don't tell me!'
It seems level rises even if I kill people.
If I leveled up thanks to Master's Internal Energy, I would have heard the sound earlier.
Since I blew off the slave trader's wrist, it seems that was recognized as a contribution to a certain extent.
'Murder...'
If it's a necessary situation, I'll have to do it without hesitation, but I didn't want to go around killing recklessly to gain experience.
Even if it's inside a game, it is strictly reality to me.
I have suffered from people quite a bit, but I don't hate people because of that.
Because there must be many people like Master and the Director right now.
I cut off the distracting thoughts and closed my eyes.
For tomorrow's training.
—Wheeze… Wheeze…
Arin heard the even breathing coming from the next room and smirked.
A disciple with a miraculous body, unknown whether he fell from the sky or rose from the earth.
Seeing the nobility flowing from his face, she thought of him as a fallen noble, but judging by his rough hands and the manners ingrained in his body, it seems he suffered quite a bit.
Considering he suffered, words that would likely get him into trouble if said to a woman occasionally popped out, but...
Maybe he has no shame, showing off his lewd body and looking with eyes saying 'I don't know anything,' but...
Doesn't he smile brightly while shaking his handsome face, and emit an erotic smell from his body...
—Slap!
Arin slapped her own cheek and gathered her mind.
It will be fine if I correct him one by one whenever that happens.
He said he lost his memories, but since he seemed to be hiding something, she pretended not to know.
Thinking he would tell her if he opened his heart more.
When her household collapsed and her pretty younger sibling died, she wondered what she should live looking forward to.
She barely escaped, but when she trembled all over at the emptiness felt from time to time, as if the Gods of Heaven and Earth sent him, she saved a man resembling her sibling and even took him in as a disciple.
"There won't be any break in the martial arts lineage..."
'It doesn't matter if his talent is humble. He just needs to walk forward boldly. It's okay if he breaks under the fear of the labyrinth. I will help him stand up again.'
Arin closed her eyes. To teach the first disciple she took in.
Taking the even breathing coming from the next room as a lullaby, Arin fell asleep pleasantly.