Would You Take Me as Your Apprentice?

You have got to be kidding...

Menchi's heart was pounding faster than it ever had before.

The instant she had been pinned, she had felt the Shadow Copy's malice with absolute clarity, along with the brutal force pressing against the skin of her arms.

I'm done for!

That had been Menchi's thought at the time.

But a moment later, the force bearing down on her arms had suddenly receded like the tide.

Menchi was still shaken.

Although she had no idea why her opponent had suddenly eased his grip, the gesture at least told her she might be spared some pain.

So she promptly surrendered at the top of her lungs.

A strange look flickered through Moyu's eyes as he watched Menchi cling desperately to survival.

The sight of Menchi provoking that hulking man into a red-faced rage that morning was still fresh in his mind.

The corner of Moyu's mouth twitched. He asked bluntly, "Why were you hiding here spying on us? What are you after?"

"Huh?"

Menchi froze at his words, then hurried to explain, "It's a misunderstanding! All of it! I wasn't trying to spy on you... When I saw you earlier, I was actually planning to come over and say hello."

"Not convincing."

Moyu shook his head.

Menchi's eyes widened, and she said urgently, "I'm telling the truth! If that big guy hadn't been ruining those ingredients, I would've come out ages ago!!!"

"That doesn't add up."

Moyu shook his head again and said calmly, "If you couldn't stand watching Light ruin the ingredients, shouldn't you have come out and stopped him instead of staying hidden in the grass, spying on us?"

"..."

Menchi opened her mouth.

Why does that sound so reasonable?

No, no.

That wasn't what I was thinking!!!

"I, I..."

Her brows knitted