Chapter 3: Anon Again
“Well, well, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
Anon, a figure whose gender and age were shrouded in mystery, welcomed me with a flourish reminiscent of a Takarazuka male performer, arms wide open.
“Indeed, it has been a while.”
“Yeah. I was certain you would come back here.”
“Um, I actually wanted to consult you about something—”
Before I could finish, Anon held up a hand in front of my mouth.
“Wait a moment. Let’s not be so formal. We’re on friendly terms, aren’t we? I understand perfectly well what you want to say.”
Anon’s home was a small house located on the outskirts. It was an unremarkable building, equipped with the bare essentials: a Magic Tool for refrigeration, a kitchen, a guest room, and a few other basic facilities. While it seemed sufficient for living, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was a distinct lack of personal touch in Anon’s lifestyle.
“I’ve been waiting for you to arrive.”
With that, Anon beckoned me and her (or rather, their) inside.
“I’ve prepared quite a bit for your arrival.”
Anon poured warm tea into cups with a gentle clink. I sat beside her, while Anon took a seat across from us. Anon had mentioned preparing for my visit, but I couldn’t help but wonder what had led them to trust me so deeply after our recent encounter. Perhaps it was Milan’s kind words about me or the unintentional good deed I had done in town that had earned me this level of trust. Still, it left me puzzled.
“Do you take sugar?”
“Ah, just half a spoon, please.”
“And what about your companion, Row? Sugar?”
“Hmm. I’ll take a generous heap on the spoon.”
Plop, plop, splash. Anon piled a mountain of sugar onto the spoon and tossed it into the tea.
“Here you go. Drink it while it’s hot.”
I thought to myself that consuming that much sugar would surely lead to illness, but considering her otherworldly nature, I wouldn’t be surprised if she absorbed some mysterious power or had a strange energy source within her. Illness seemed impossible in her case.
“I could predict Row would come, but I never imagined you’d bring someone along.”
Anon said this while facing her, who was sipping tea with a slurp.
“Now that we’re here, let’s introduce ourselves, shall we?”
“Ah, this person is—”
I hesitated, unsure of how to introduce her, but Anon cut me off.
“My name is Omi.”
With that, a sudden silence enveloped the room.
Her posture was poised, her raven-black hair shimmering with elegance. The one who had introduced herself first was my companion, Sensei.
Her grace and poise reminded me of an untouchable peony. The beauty she exuded—one could call it an irresistible force—captivated both me and Anon.
The gaze, expression, and demeanor she displayed before me were unlike anything I had seen from her before. There was an air of dignity and refinement that was unimaginable from the usual Sensei.
“Ah, Omi-san, then.”
Despite Anon’s typically flamboyant and teasing manner, they seemed slightly taken aback by the aura of sanctity that Sensei radiated.
“You don’t need to use ‘san.’ Just Omi is fine.”
“Then, Omi. We’ve talked a lot about Row, so you probably already know, but let me introduce myself anyway. My name is Anon. I hope we can have a long relationship moving forward.”
Sensei smiled mischievously, “Hehe, I look forward to working with you, Anon,” she said with a gracious nod.
“By the way, Row.”
Anon turned their head toward me with a swift motion. I jumped slightly at the sudden attention.
“What kind of relationship do you have with Omi? It seems you call her Sensei, but it doesn’t look like a typical teacher-student relationship.”
My relationship with Sensei? I struggled to find the right words to describe it. Was she just my “partner teacher”? Sena felt a familial affection toward Sensei, and I felt the same. Since we started living together, we had spent a considerable amount of time together. I couldn’t see her as merely a “teacher.”
As I struggled to respond, Sensei raised the corners of her mouth like a mischievous cat and chuckled softly. A sense of foreboding washed over me.
“My relationship with—ah, ahem, my relationship with Row is—”
“What kind of relationship?”
Anon eagerly echoed her, leaning in.
“Row is my daughter’s son-in-law. So, that makes Row and me in-law parent-child.”
Wha—what did you just say?! My heart screamed in shock, echoing the incredulity of MMR within me.
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