5 The Cute and Poor Heylail

"Grandpa Ban, why did you decide to teach him words?" 

Mistella pushed her slender arm in front as she questioned Ban's decision to teach me language. 

Although I was the same and doubtful that anybody would even teach me without benefits, I didn't understand how to speak at the moment so I could only ask him in the future.

"Why not? He could be pretending to not understand how to speak. Through teaching, I can unmask him. To be honest, both you and I don't want to move out from here after spending years hidden in here, right?" 

'As for why I didn't assess his intelligence through force, let's keep it a secret that it's because he praised my fighting style.' 

"That's why you got caught by those governments! You could have escaped by yourselves but you had to look out for the right timing!" Mistella refuted.

Despite being decades younger than Ban, she displayed unwavering maturity and a profound understanding of how the world worked. 

That is because she was born inside the institute where Ban was caught. The rest is because of how the scientist and Ban raised her.

Suddenly, I woke up from a nap brought on by how boring Ban's class was. The sharp sound of a fist cutting through the wind sent up a jolt of electricity through my mind.

Getting up from my seat, I was greeted with delight. 

The room where we study and the room where Mistella & Ban trains are the same. I jumped from the spot and shouted in anticipation. 

"Ghost Thrust Ghost Thrust!!" I eagerly demanded Ban to show me the technique he used against me.

My past experience taught me that today's situation mirrored the past.

I thought Ban had Mistella whom he wanted to impress the least. So if I asked Ban to demonstrate the move he used against me, he would show it to me.

"Look who's awake. Your sleep sure sounded so comfortable," Ban remarked in sarcasm.

Oddly enough, I felt complimented by what Ban said despite not understanding it. 

Mistella being my age, instinctively understood what I felt at the moment. She, who was also Ban's granddaughter understood what Ban felt at the moment.

Sighing and shaking her head at the seemingly hopeless men in front of her, she leaped on the spot and delivered a swift kick to Ban.

For some inexplicable reason, Ban who had his head turned away from Mistella, even without looking in her direction, was aware of the attack she launched.

As Mistella's leg connected to Ban, she passed through his body as if it transformed into a wonder mist, and the next moment he appeared, he was beside Mistella, poised and ready to launch his next attack.

The fist propelled by Ban during [Ghost Thrust] was unbelievably slow at first glance but seemed impossible to dodge. It was as if a strange magic was operating on the spot. 

Despite my experience and expertise at launching a surprise attack, cheap shots, and underhanded tactics, I was a complete beginner in terms of fair, real battle.

That's why the punch drawn out by Ban had an incomprehensible impact on me and was cool. After all, men, at some stage, desire to be strong until they forget their dreams as they grow older.

I was at that stage.

'As expected, seeing it from afar is much clearer than seeing it close. So cool!!' I thought entertained and amazed as I laughed and clapped like a monkey seeing magic.

Then, I tried copying his movement.

I wasn't naive and understood human values. That's why I will never ask him to teach me how he did it.

In this world, no matter how much you wanted to impress someone, there is a certain line you definitely won't cross.

In short, I instinctively understood that Ban's bottom line was teaching the secrets of his Ghost Thrust that I admire so greatly.

In the process of my attempt to do what he did just now, I kicked the ground ten times but perhaps because of my current power, I failed to generate enough explosive force to disappear from the spot like Ban.

In the end, I resembled a child throwing a tantrum with my furious stomping...  In fact, if not for the hardship I faced in my early days, I would really become that child throwing tantrums due to how hard the first step was! 

In the end, I dejectedly went back to my seat, looking all sad as I continued to fiddle with the pencil and paper, drawing the letters taught during the class.

In contrast, both Mistella and Ban were surprised at the unexpected performance I had put on. Perhaps because of being raised by him, Mistella exactly mirrored Ban's reaction.

'T-this guy, with just a second look, he already understands how Soru works!'

Even the way they stuttered mid-thought was the same!

"It took even me a week to understand how you moved at high speeds," Mistella almost cried at the unequal result.

In her frustration, she even reached for the pistol hidden under the floor though, the motive for this action is unknown whether it's her suspicion toward me being a spy or because she's just jealous. The answer was known only to the little girl.

"Calm down, calm down. Maybe he just has an exceptional visual acuity. When it comes to physical strength, you undoubtedly surpass him. Don't be hasty; remember he's just a child," 

Ban desperately stopped Mistella.

'I'm just a child too!' Mistella inwardly complained.

'What a hell of a child I nurtured! Where did it go wrong...' Ban reflected on his life events.

A traumatic event she experienced inside the Research Institute during her infancy, a near-death event during their escape, and the lonely childhood she spent on Nanimonai Island.

'Crap! Everything went wrong from the very beginning,' Ban finally noticed his failure only now because Mistella never showed it on her face. When a child was supposed to be nurtured in a loved environment, Mistella was nurtured through cruelty.

'She desperately needs a friend, god damn it,' Ban resolved to improvise his parenting.

"B-by the way, Heylail, are you interested in becoming (Mistella's friend) my disciple? I can teach you my Karate," Ban stuttered as he invited me to be his disciple.

Although I didn't initially comprehend what he was saying at first, Ban used the power of gesture to convey what he intended to do with me.

As thrilled as I am to know that I can be taught by him to learn how he did those disappearing moves, I shook my head and declined him.

I put my hand inside the purse before pulling it, indicating that I had no means to exchange with him to be able to be his disciple.

Ban who observed my action was shocked at my common sense. While it was true that nothing is scarier than 'free food,' this level of logic wasn't something a child, not to mention, a three years old should understand.

Though he had suspected it, seeing my actions and mindset personally, greatly saddened the old man.

"Uohhhhh! *sobs* It's okay kid, whether it's food, shelter, or even teaching you Karate, I'll provide it all for free!" Ban cried, shedding bountiful tears of youth.

'Why the fuck is this old man crying?' was my thought at the moment 

Even Mistella who had been opposed to me, held my wrist with her soft hand. 

Despite how cruel she acted against me, it was all because I might pose a threat to her and her grandpa and a little bit of jealousy. Although the possibility that I may pose a threat to them didn't disappear, she noticed that she didn't need to treat me like an enemy who killed her grandpa.

In the end, I was creeped out by the two so I decided not to look at it and averted my gaze at the notebook I was diligently writing letters.

'That's why you're so naive and got caught by the world government,' a sudden voice echoed inside Ban's mind.

"What the heck!" In response to the unanticipated voices, Ban shouted in surprise, directly attaining Mistella and my attention.

'Don't shout so suddenly. You're ill,' the mysterious voice could only heard by Ban and no one else.