Disciple Serves

# Chapter 24: The Disciple's Service

"Teacher, hehe."

Looking at her disciple Gumi, who had come up to place her hands on her shoulders and was grinning foolishly at her, Teacher Serie, resting her chin in her hand, couldn't help but shake her head.

Though she quite enjoyed having her disciple close like this, Serie still maintained her earlier aloof expression on her face. Lifting her gaze slightly, she glanced at her disciple Gumi and asked in a flat tone.

"What's wrong?"

But Gumi didn't answer her teacher's question. Those little hands resting on Serie's shoulders began to wander before the teacher could even react.

"Mmph—!"

The wandering of her disciple's hands made Serie let out an involuntary low moan, but before she could speak to stop her, the female disciple's skilled shoulder and neck massage techniques had already made her whole body go limp and numb, even a hint of blissful daze creeping into her eyes.

( ` )

Seeing that her teacher was completely immersed in her superb massage, Gumi couldn't help but show a proud expression. After playfully winking at her senior brother who was still in the hall, she began her next move.

Without stopping her massaging hands—in fact, putting even more effort into them—Gumi leaned down slightly, bringing her head close to her teacher's ear, and spoke in a gentle, soothing tone.

"Teacher~ Don't think about those unpleasant things anymore."

"News takes time to spread, and crossing distances requires waiting."

"The excellent Mage candidates from the remote regions are still on their way."

"So teacher, just be patient a little longer. Disciples as outstanding as me—you'll surely receive more of them."

"Mmm~, mmm~"

Serie, seated on the chair, closed her eyes and nodded in agreement instinctively.

At this moment, no matter what Gumi said, Serie probably wouldn't argue against it.

And so, "Magic Old Timer" Serie enjoyed her disciple's service for a long, comfortable while. The smile on her face had nearly become more innocent than a "milk dragon's" when Gumi suddenly stopped her movements.

"Hm?"

The pause of her disciple made Serie a bit restless. She shrugged her shoulders slightly, hoping to "add some time" to her massage.

"Teacher, I'm hungry."

Her female disciple's voice sounded by her ear. Serie was about to say something, but before the words could leave her mouth, Gumi's voice continued.

"Yesterday, senior brother took me to a very delicious restaurant. Teacher, can you take us to eat there later?"

"Mm! Mm!"

Serie agreed without a second thought. It just so happened that she had already planned to take her disciples out for a meal anyway, so taking Gumi afterward would be fine.

As for still needing to wait for others?

Who was her chief disciple Guter? Serie indicated she wasn't familiar with him right now.

The matter of gathering the entire master-disciple group could wait until after this month's exam.

For now, enjoying the moment was what mattered.

After her teacher agreed to her conditions, Gumi naturally and sensibly continued her handiwork, even throwing in a few novel techniques to keep Teacher Serie feeling fresh and comfortable at all times.

Evening, in front of the restaurant.

Looking at the extremely long and winding queue before him, Guter's eye twitched.

Damn, it seemed today was some important festival. From the conversations of the people around him, it appeared to be a holiday established to celebrate the first city lord's birthday.

But Guter wasn't concerned with the meaning of these festivals right now. What he was calculating in his mind was how much longer he'd have to wait in line before it was his turn to order.

Since Teacher Serie had mentioned that morning that she liked the taste of this restaurant, Guter had thought to pack up several dishes and bring them to his teacher as an apology for being late.

But because of the festival, so many people had come to dine here.

Guter had to consider whether he should just switch to a different apology gift.

But if he changed it, what should he bring instead?

How about a pair of shoes?

Recalling that "Magic Old Timer" often walked barefoot on the ground, bringing a pair of shoes seemed like a reasonable option.

Hiss~, but not necessarily.

Teacher Serie surely wasn't lacking a comfortable pair of shoes. Walking barefoot on the ground might be because she liked the feeling of touching the earth.

Then what should he bring?

How about a pair of white stockings?

Hey!

Guter's eyes lit up, applauding his own genius idea.

But just as Guter was about to turn and leave, he suddenly sensed a familiar fluctuation of magical power from inside the restaurant.

"No way, is it really this coincidental?"

Guter squeezed through the gaps in the queue ahead of him into the restaurant, and sure enough, he spotted several familiar figures at a table by the window.

Gumi was inhaling her food at full speed, Serie was savoring the meal while picking dishes for her disciple, and Lairn sat quietly across the table, silently gnawing on the vegetable leaves in his bowl.

Judging by their appearances, they had probably just sat down not long ago.

Well, having missed the notice and not knowing the time or place, he had somehow still managed to catch the sect gathering—quite the stroke of luck.

As he watched his senior brother sit down beside him, Lairn's gaze couldn't help but reveal a look of shock.

But Serie, sitting across from Guter, didn't seem surprised by this.

Or rather, the time for her to be surprised had already passed.

Earlier, while Guter was still waiting in line outside the restaurant, Serie had already sensed the magical fluctuation from this disciple.

After a brief moment of surprise, Serie actively released a trace of her own magic, letting Guter, still waiting outside, feel her presence.

"Sorry, Master, I'm late."

As soon as he sat down, Guter apologized to his master sitting across from him.

"No matter." Serie replied calmly while cutting a piece of steak. "I told you to come before the exam ended so I could bring you along to tonight's dinner."

"Now that you've come on your own, the result is that you haven't thwarted my plans."

"However."

Serie paused, her sharp gaze scrutinizing Guter, and her expression turned quite serious.

"Did I not tell you to go home early so you could rest?"

"With a body that had already stayed up all night, you still dared to directly cultivate that [Body Tempering Method]."

Serie rubbed her forehead, and for a moment, her tone carried not just severity but also a hint of helplessness.

"To be honest, when I handed you [Bodi]'s Body Tempering Method, I never imagined you would succeed in getting started within just a few hours."

"Otherwise, I would have chosen to give it to you when you were full of energy."

"Haha." Guter scratched his head sheepishly. His decision to train in the Body Tempering Method this morning while still exhausted had indeed been a bit reckless.

"Ah~, forget it."

After sighing, Serie's expression returned to calm. She raised her hand to summon the restaurant waiter, pointed at her disciple Gumi, who was still buried in her meal, and said to the waiter.

"Bring him another round of whatever she ordered."

The waiter: "?"

"Ma'am, are you sure you want to do that?"

"Yes." Serie nodded affirmatively and instructed the waiter to serve it quickly.

"Very well, I'll go notify the kitchen to prepare it right away."

With that, the waiter bowed and hurried off toward the kitchen.