Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage Chapter 930: Master Sahira Nefaru II

CH0930 Master Sahira Nefaru II

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Alex’s eyebrows furrowed.

"I think you are misunderstanding something, Master Sahira. I have no intention of using my relationship with Asta to form a connection with you. Asta is Asta, and you are you, Master Sahira.

"I merely expressed my interest in Space Magic to her to satisfy my academic curiosity. I care not if my introduction to the discipline comes from Asta. In fact, I would prefer it, as I doubt I can pay the price for a lecture from someone of your status," he said.

"It seems you have maintained your distance from our Empire’s aristocracy for a reason. I will not use my relationship with Asta to change that," he added.

Master Sahira pushed up her round, bespectacled glasses.

"A principled one, I see..." she commented.

"Alas, the opinions of you or I matter little anymore. Once Asta reveals herself as your retainer, I will be grouped into your faction by default," she said.

"You can publicly announce her graduation from your tutelage and distance yourself from her before she makes the announcement," Alex suggested.

Asta held the side of her gown.

"I refuse," Master Sahira said calmly. "She is my student. I can accept her graduation, but I will not allow her link to me to be severed.

"Besides, I don’t believe someone of your status is na?ve enough to think that simply distancing myself from her would be enough in the eyes of foolish people who have already made up their minds.

"We would need to take extreme measures to prove it to them, and I am not about to scar my student just for a few fools."

"Asta is lucky to have you," Alex said.

He bowed in a show of respect to the Master Space Mage before sitting back straight.

"In that case, Master Sahira, what do you wish to do?" he asked.

"Since I am in a situation I cannot avoid, I might as well take advantage of it," Master Sahira said.

"A pragmatic and apt decision based on the circumstances." Alex nodded.

Master Sahira continued dispassionately, "What I wish for is to enter into a mutually beneficial agreement with you. However, as you should have surmised, I have a deep-rooted dislike and distrust of the nobility. For that reason, it is difficult for me to bring myself to express the basic level of trust that would be required for any agreement to be reached between us."

"That being the case, I have concluded that it would be best for me to observe you for a while and come to my own understanding of your person."

"Observation, testing, hypothesis and conclusion... fair enough. I accept," Alex replied.

Master Sahira’s eyes fluttered for a moment, almost betraying her surprise behind her expressionless mask.

"Since you wish to understand Space Magic, I will teach you the rudiments of our field of study. Your ability to understand will determine my motivation to teach you and how deeply into the subject I will go," she said.

"A good opportunity to observe and evaluate my intellect, vision, and perhaps thought processes. I accept, and am grateful to you," Alex said.

Asta looked between the two, relieved for a moment.

She had an agreement with her teacher regarding the meeting with Alex. One of the conditions was that she wouldn’t speak—or at least, speak up for Alex—during the meeting.

From the looks of it, she realised that Alex hadn’t been oversold himself when he said he could hold conversations with pretty much anyone.

Many people were put off by Master Sahira’s cold, emotionless voice, as well as her constant judgemental statements.

Not only was Alex not put off by it, he spoke almost in kind with the Master Space Mage. So much so that her teacher sounded comfortable and at ease speaking with him.

Others might not realise it, but she had spent a lot of time with her teacher over the last three years, so it was obvious to her.

"Asta, go and bring some rudimentary textbooks for Young Master Alex’s perusal. I will leave it to you to choose which ones," Master Sahira suddenly instructed.

"Yes, teacher." Asta smiled.

She cheerfully left the private meeting room to carry out the instruction.

"Now that the foolish lass is gone..." Master Sahira’s face suddenly dropped—well, at least as much as Alex could tell.

He unconsciously sat even more upright, as he knew they were about to discuss something serious.

"Let us speak candidly, Young Master Alex. The girl, Asta, she has feelings for you. I have a feeling you know that. Am I wrong?" Master Sahira asked directly.

Alex was stunned by the straightforward question, but then he sighed.

"No, you are correct. I am aware," Alex answered honestly.

’I would be blind not to notice,’ he added inwardly.

"Then, what do you think of her?" Master Sahira asked.

"I... do not feel the same way," Alex admitted.

"Why? Is she not beautiful enough for you? Is she lacking something?"

"No, of course not. Asta is not only a beautiful lady, she is also a brilliant one—her achievements speak for themselves. However, she doesn’t move my heart... not in a romantic way, at least."

"Why is that? For as long as I have known her, she has only had you in her heart. She is so devoted to you that she hasn’t looked at any of her suitors," Master Sahira pressed with her usual stony expression.

"Love is a complex emotion, Master Sahira—one that very few people can claim to understand. However, what everyone agrees on is that it is a choice.

"To love me is a choice made by Asta herself. Whether to love her back or not is likewise my own choice. And I have chosen not to," Alex said.

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Master Sahira, I can understand your worry for your student. It is not because she is lacking in anything or because I consider her beneath me. I simply do not see her that way. There is no grand reason behind it. It is just what it is.

"This is the best answer I can give you, Master Sahira," he said.

"If it is as you say, and you have no feelings for her, why do you constantly shower her with gifts and coin? I investigated and also found out that the scholarship she supposedly won was organised by you."

"Asta is a stubborn and proud person. She wouldn’t accept charity from me, so I had to go about it in a roundabout way to help her. As for why I am helping her, it is simple. She is my retainer, and more importantly, I consider her my friend. And I take care of my people. Always," Alex replied.

"Hmm, I see..." Master Sahira nodded as if comprehending something new.

The Space Mage surprisingly took out a notebook and jotted something down in it.

"I think I can understand the matter a bit better from your position now. Thank you for your honesty. You have opened my eyes to such a personal topic. I see now why people say emotions are complex," she said after jotting down whatever it was she had written.

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