"———Hah!"
"You're awake, Scáthach. To wake up in just five minutes, you're truly on another level."
Scáthach, who had fainted, was now awake. Her physical prowess was truly absurd. The fact that she fainted at all was a miracle in itself.
"...I, lost?"
"Yes. It was a miracle that happened against incredibly low odds."
"...Ha, haha... hahahahaha! Is that so, I have lost."
She looked up at the sky and laughed. Was this her first defeat in her entire life?
"I have never lost to anyone since the day I was born. In my childhood, I surpassed my father, the lord, in my very first training session, and I overwhelmingly defeated my twin as well. Not just my peers, but no warrior could stand against me. No demonic beast, no divine beast, not even the gods could match me. Of course, if my first opponent had been a divine beast or a god, I might have lost. But... I continued to grow stronger. My talent was just that great."
"Ah, yes."
Is she suddenly boasting...?
"And so, in the end, even the gods feared me and exiled me along with my domain. This Isle of Skye, the Land of Shadows, is the very place where I was born and raised. It was the domain my sister coveted. She is probably still training somewhere, seeking to reclaim this place."
"Is she still alive?"
"Even if not to my extent, she has likely used elixirs of the fae and other means to attain a similar constitution to mine. However, in my case, I have entered the realm of immortality, so my body does not age. Aífe is probably still maintaining her youth as well. Since she is my twin."
Aífe... I don't know who she is, but is she a monster too?
"Fergus, Fergus mac Róich. Heir of Ulster... Ha, to think that the one to hand me my first defeat would not be some otherworldly being, but a pure human with not a single drop of divine blood... Well, among the clairvoyants, the purely strongest mage was the King of Mages, so perhaps it is only natural. To be born human and to have entered a realm beyond humanity, only to be defeated by a human. That, I suppose, is the infinite potential of humanity."
"It was purely luck. The same technique would not work a second time."
"That goes without saying. Luck is also a part of your skill, but I have never personally experienced such a technique. I, too, know countless techniques like that. And yet, no one has ever used such a technique on me... You are like the Heracles of Greece."
"You flatter me too much... though I did get the idea from him."
It was purely a miracle with an extremely low probability. To defeat Scáthach, no, even to stand on the same level as her, would probably take decades, and even then, it would be difficult.
"A win is a win. You did not resort to cowardly tricks, and even if you had, I would have acknowledged it. A loss is a loss. The moment one starts arguing about a warrior's pride or ethics, it becomes nothing more than the lament of the defeated. In war, there are only winners and losers, the living and the dead. Nothing more, nothing less."
"That's surprising. I thought you held a warrior's pride in high regard."
"Of course, I have pride. However, pride is just pride. It is a separate matter from victory or defeat. You fought a fair fight. In the first place, it was not a fight with any rules, so my defeat is a defeat. Therefore... from now on, I am your property."
"Ah... that. To be honest, I did consider the possibility of winning, but I wasn't particularly interested in that offer. Still, to have the legendary God-Slayer, the mistress of the Land of Shadows, as my property... honestly, now that it's happened, it's a bit of a burden."
"———Are you, rejecting me now?"
"No, that's not it... it's just, well. I don't like the idea of a slave or anything like that, and I'd prefer if we could have an equal relationship. In the first place, I came here because I wanted to become your disciple. In a master-disciple relationship, for one to be someone's property... it's a bit problematic, shall we say. It's a matter of my conscience. So, how about a relationship where you grant my requests... or something like that?"
"Hoh... have I been rejected?"
"No, no, why is the conversation going in that direction!? It makes me sound like a scumbag!"
"One confession, one rejection, is it? A first for me, following my 0 wins and 1 loss record."
"———Was that a confession!?"
No, is she being serious? Her expression is so cool, I can't tell!
"A confession, if you will. Did you not know? I only allow those who have fought and defeated me into my bedchamber. And so, you would have been my first man. It is not arrogance, but I am, in name and in reality, the strongest warrior in the Celtic lands. And also the most beautiful woman."
I'll admit the former, but as for the latter, there are goddesses too, so that's quite a bit of confidence... She is beautiful, but I don't know if she's the most beautiful... I hope we don't have a repeat of the golden apple incident from Greek mythology here.
"To refuse ownership of me."
"It's not a complete refusal... a rain check?"
"So you find it a waste to simply discard me, is that it?"
"Haha... I apologize for being a lesser man."
"No, it is fine. It was my promise in the first place, so even if you refused, I was planning to force it. I will even make a geas."
"A geas, you say..."
A geas and a gesh are practically the same thing, but a gesh is a slightly higher-level vow. It is an absolute geas that binds not just one's life, but one's very soul. It goes beyond simple ruin; it is a geas that stakes a Celtic warrior's honor, pride, and very reason for being. If it is broken, the result is the same as a geas, but one becomes a wretch who has thrown away everything they are. Especially for someone of Scáthach's level, the stakes are on the level of a god.
It's on the same level as Zeus declaring he would give up his throne and become human if he broke his word. This is on a much grander scale than I imagined.
There's a famous line from a manga. Having defeated a god, one can no longer remain an ordinary human...
"...I understand. If you're going that far, I can't refuse. But, until I say otherwise, we'll have a normal relationship, alright?"
"Understood. That should be sufficient."
Scáthach drew a Primordial Rune in the air and placed a gesh upon herself.
"With this, I have become your property."
"Well, this is an ambiguous feeling... By the way, aren't you unable to leave the Land of Shadows?"
"In the form of a familiar, I can send a clone."
Is it like a Servant... that in itself is an outrageous thing. With this, I can change the fate of Ulster, the fate of Erin. If I can just twist the fate of Conchobar and Setanta, the most problematic ones, then at least the time I am alive will be safe.
"So, it will be night soon... will you bed me?"
"Excuse me..."
"For a woman of Ulster, no, for any Celtic woman, it is a matter of course. Or, do you dislike it?"
"Well... jumping straight to sex is a bit much... let's take some time to get to know each other. Even if we're adults, the pace is a bit too fast, don't you think?"
"...Understood. If that is what you wish... tch."
Did she just click her tongue? I know she has a forward personality, but... how desperate for a man was she? Well, she's been an old maid for a long time, so I suppose it's understandable. Her preferences aside, it's because she herself is too strong...
"Are there any spare rooms here?"
"Are you even going to sleep separately...?"
"Is that not allowed?"
"...Understood."
She looks extremely dejected. If it were a child like Medb, it would be different, but with a beautiful, buxom woman like her, I don't think I could control my own lust. I'm not the type to turn down what's offered, but let's take some time to get to know each other. This isn't some adult comic; we're not just going to jump straight into bed.
"And so, we will be staying here from now on, Medb."
"...You two look close."
"Well, we are master and disciple from now on. I will teach Medb what I learn from Scáthach. That way, it won't go against tradition!"
"Ah, right..."
For some reason, Medb's gaze is cold.
"...Fergus is closer to me."
"Hoh... is that so. Such a bold child. But the relationship between Fergus and I is deeper. It would more than make up for a few months of time."
"You've never even slept with Fergus."
"...Do not boast about purely platonic co-sleeping."
"You're one to talk, an old hag who hasn't even done that?"
Crackle, crackle...!
"Now, now, you two, calm down. We're all going to be living together from now on, alright?"
"..." "..."
The two of them turned their backs to each other without a word. I have a bad feeling about the future.