25 Master and Disciple

  "Where did you learn such manners?" Catherine berates. She then points to a chair, "Sit down and stop acting like a hussy." Elanor's enthusiasm sinks as she moves to sit down.

  "What if your mother found out about your antics?" Catherine says in a severe tone. Causing Elanor's eyes to go wide in shock, "Mother doesn't have time to be looking in on me," she rejects. "Oh, you don't think she'll send someone to check up on you?" Catherine asks, eyeing the young lady.

  "I'm sure that she wouldn't want to step on your toes," Elanor replies nervously. Catherine raises her eyebrow inquisitively. "Oh, do you truly think you can keep your galivanting around a secret forever? "Catherine asks with a kind expression on her face, "What do you think she'll do when she finds out?"

  "Mother will..." Elanor says as her eyes dart around the room, unsure. "I wonder how long she'll lock you away for? Ten maybe even a hundred years?" Catherine nods in contemplation, "maybe she'll become your new master. Every day she'll teach you how to act like a proper lady. It will be good for you."

  Elanor panics, nearly jumping out of her seat, "master, don't joke like that! I've been actually training hard recently." Catherine glares at Elanor who's eyes quickly look away, avoiding her Master's gaze. "I've been thinking about studying hard recently. I need to prepare for the future after all." She tries to persuade again, taking a glance at her Master. Catherine starts tapping on the arm of her chair. "Um, well honestly... I've been thinking about... thinking about... thinking about maybe considering studying a bit," Elanor says, stumbling through her speech as she goes on. Her head sinks as if she is trying to hide behind her bangs.

  If eyes could kill, Catherine's would. "So you can only consider studying if it's three times removed from you? That's the same as not having any inclination to study, and you know it!" Catherine berates. Elanor sinks her chin into her chest while bringing her knees up to her, chest curling into a ball. "But."

  Bang, Catherine stamps her foot. "Enough of this, start acting your age and stop flaunting yourself like a floozy. Have some respect, damn it."

  Sighing, Elanor pushes her hair back as she leans back in her chair, returning to a natural sitting position. "Give me a break. This is the only time in my life that I can let loose. I can learn how to heal at any time. You're a great healer. I know it's a boon to learn from you. Yet when will I be able to go without my family name following me around other than now?" Elanor asks as she leans forward, looking her Master in the eye. "How can I gain experience if people are afraid to fight me?" Shaking her head, Elanor continues, "no, now is the only time I can forget image and gain my own victories. Is it so bad to wear these flashy clothes and celebrate my time of freedom?" She asks, opening her arms to gesture at her clothes.

  Catherine shakes her head, "there is nothing here that can give you experience anyways." Catherine then looks at Elanor with compassion, "I've never tried to shackle you. Nor will I start now. Still, it's helpful to know how to heal yourself a bit. It's saved me many a time. So consider studying a bit, okay?" She says kindly, gesturing at her wayward apprentice.

  Sighing, Catherine rubs her forehead, "all right enough of this. What did you come here for today? I already told you I wouldn't help you dig for treasure."

  "I wouldn't mind you helping me search for treasure! But that's not why I'm here," Elanor explains, waving away the notion. "When I went for a rematch with the bull. I ran into something surprising. There is now a small village at the bottom of the hill," she sighs with a face of frustration.

  "Was your treasure already stolen then?" Catherine asks with a bemused smile. Elanor shakes her head continuing her story, "No, they are worshiping the bull as a guardian spirit. What a pain! Right?"

  "It doesn't sound like that big of an issue. If you stopped playing around, what could a small demonic bull do?" The old master replies.

  This response causes the disciple to purse her lips in frustration. "You don't understand there is a cute girl there. I couldn't cause trouble..." She pauses, glancing over at her Master coyly, "I'm thinking about teaching her a bit."

  Catherine throws her book at her stupid disciple, "You have time to teach others but no time to learn! Perhaps you think that you're already a grandmaster looking down upon ants?"

  Elanor doesn't have time to react to the sudden attack. She can only take the attack on her forehead. She rubs the red book-shaped mark on her head and says, Master, you misunderstand. There is this plant on the hill with the bull. He told me if I didn't teach her to cultivate, she'd die for sure!"

  Veins pop out of the aggrieved Master's forehead, "Oh, you listen to strange plants but not your master?" Elanor covers her head with her arms hiding from her Master. "What you think I'm going to abuse you?" Catherine at her wits in sighs. "Don't you think that it's just some old master playing a trick on you by fusing with a plant?"

  Elanor nods excitedly, "Yeah, I thought so too at first, but the soul seems completely unified with the plant." Catherine shakes her head, "What do you know about souls? You're too naive."

  Smiling awkwardly, Elanor continues, "That may be true. But she has something going on. There were a few strange instances during the banquet before she collapsed."

  Leaning back, Catherine feels exhausted by her disciple. "Okay, maybe she does have a bloodline that will kill her. So you want to take her in. If that's the case, you should have brought her back with you."

  "Yeah, that may be true. Still, I'm interested in the village. There's more going on than just Laurel. There is also a mother named Anna who seems to have some secrets too. She saved Laurel and her boy from demonic beasts. I didn't get the details, but her arm was completely shattered," Elanor explains before leaning forward with a glint in her eyes. "I still felt bits of foundation energy in the arm even though she hasn't cultivated."

  Then sitting back, she crosses her arms under her chest, causing them to heave. She smugly says, "Anyways, I said that you'd come and take a look at both Laurel and Anna. So that's why I came over. Master, could you please accompany me to the village?"

  Smash! Elanor is suddenly sent flying out the door, a footprint visible on her gut. Pieces of chair and door flying all around her. "You really do consider yourself the master in this relationship!" A beat red, Catherine yells in rage.