Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Bitter Elixirs and Rigorous Training
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“Wow… Young Master… Isn’t this spoiled?”
“You’re telling me to eat this right now?”
“Wow, Cain, I’m disappointed. Can’t handle spoiled food?”
The viscous slime swelled up roundly as if gas was building inside, then burst with a pop, making me reflexively pinch my nose and chuckle.
“It’s good for you.”
“If you want to cancel the contract, just say so. Don’t try to poison me.”
*Ah, this is so unfair. Do you know how expensive one cup of that is?*
It was a secret elixir said to perfectly temper the spirit core, and I’d gone through hell just to remember the recipe.
I gestured at Cain, who was glaring at me with eyes full of distrust, urging him to drink up, then shot the same look at Luna.
“Uh, me too?”
“You think I’ll drink it? I get nothing out of it.”
But for combat units like them, that stuff was pure honey.
I hurried along Cain and Luna—who was pressing her long ears flat over her nose—and her pink eyes started glistening with moisture.
“Drink up quick and let’s move. Time is money, what are you waiting for?”
-Pop
The constant popping bubbles had me flinging the window wide open and barking at them. Under my sharp urging, they finally pinched their noses and downed the elixir.
Oh, good, chug it down. Yeah, just like that.
“…….”
“Urk…….”
They both looked like they’d taken mental damage, but it was fine. They wouldn’t die.
“They say good medicine tastes bitter.”
“Who says?!”
Even timid Luna was snapping back. Good thing I didn’t eat it.
Keeping a straight face, I pulled out two boxes about the size of two fists put together.
Opening the lids released a lavish floral scent that overpowered the foul elixir smell.
The fact that such a strong fragrance didn’t feel cloying meant it was top quality.
“This is body cream. Oh, Cain, over there. Don’t sneak out without a word.”
“I refuse.”
“Um, I’d love it if you gave it to me…….”
“You can tell he’s thinking stuff like ‘a real man wouldn’t use that.’ A real man feeds you, doesn’t he? This is good stuff. I plan to use it too.”
It toughened and strengthened the skin, and with long-term use, it subtly boosted base regeneration too. Plus some resistance.
In the game, it was junk for raising NPC or heroine affection, but here in reality, its value was different.
Human skin got cut by leaves if you moved rough, thorns could fester if they pricked wrong—but a simple post-wash application fixed that. A fragrance like blooming flowers? No obstacle at all!
I handed one tube each to Cain, whose face looked even more reluctant than when downing the “green juice” I’d decided to call it, and to Luna, whose ears were flapping wide open, then hammered in the order to apply it morning and night after washing.
“And Luna, sorry, but you’ve got work starting today.”
“Huh…….”
At my words, Luna hugged her shoulders with a what-could-it-be look, so I flicked her forehead and spoke with blank eyes.
“I’d like you to learn how to handle horses and tack.”
“Horses? I love horses. Back on the plains, I rode wild ones sometimes…….”
She added that she’d ridden bareback without saddle or stirrups, then scampered off excitedly with a happy neigh. I beckoned to Cain, who was finally starting to look human.
“I have things to do.”
“What, running laps in the garden and push-ups? Do that later. You’ve got other issues too. You know your letters?”
“…I memorized some by peeking back then.”
Probably when he was a black mage’s test subject.
Even then he was scarfing down sweet potatoes like crazy…… I inwardly cursed the author Gureuneun Dol Igki and headed to the bookshelf lining one wall.
“You want to focus on building stamina right now, sure. But you can’t do that 24/7. When resting, don’t just veg out—read whatever in the spare time.”
Genius traits branched out in every direction. No need to limit a talent that could master both pen and sword to just one.
The shelf—thanks to Adelian’s show-off tendencies—was packed with impressive-looking books, from bestiaries to chronicles to magic tower theses.
“Anything?”
Cain, rummaging after me, seemed to pick his read and tossed out the question. Glancing back, he held a thinner-than-expected book with no title.
*Isn’t that what I think it is?*
…You’re a man too, huh.
Adelian was one too.
In a shelf full of finger-thick tomes, a short nameless one? Obvious.
I gave Cain a look that said I totally got it and nodded; he looked surprised, like he’d wanted me flustered.
“Read it all and put it back.”
So I can too.
* * *
Tough bastard.
I sipped my tea as Cain flew back from a kick to the gut.
*Look at that, blood trickling from his mouth.*
I’d told him I’d save him with potions as long as he didn’t die, and he was charging in recklessly just like the Cain from the novel.
*Your starting point changed, but you’re still Cain, huh.*
Even if he’d been at rock bottom in filth and mud with nothing but malice, no other choices—he’d have crashed headfirst, broken, and kept going.
Even now, slacking a bit unnoticed, acting like instant death was fine—must be because he was the protagonist.
“I have a request.”
“What.”
“Put me in the knight order. Now.”
I called it insane. Cain’s stamina was just barely up—what could he do parachuting into the continent-top-tier Kruger Knight Order?
They might take out their dislike of me on him.
“Doesn’t matter. You told me to become the best. I need to get stronger ASAP.”
That shut me up, so I had no choice but to drag Cain to Vice Captain Mark.
He’d raged that bringing one in Hallon’s place insulted the order.
I really thought I’d get decked right there, bloodline or not.
“Ah, seriously, I can get stronger than Hallon, this guy.”
“Understood. If Young Master overestimates his talent that much, I’ll prove you wrong. In one hour!”
Snorting like an angry boar, Mark declared he’d test Cain and was now beating him black and blue.
“Give up yet?”
“Never…….”
Cain gripped the wooden sword awkwardly with his torn hands and lunged at Mark again.
But his strength was drained—his toes dragged, the sword rose slower.
His eyes read Mark’s attacks, but his body couldn’t keep up.
Mark’s wooden sword finally whipped Cain’s body.
Whether Mark pushing rough to make Cain quit himself.
Or Cain forcing his aching limbs to rise despite the pain.
I needed the image where no matter my antics, it was “just Adelian”—so outwardly calm, sipping tea, watching them. But I was a man too; seeing them made me want that strength.
*If you were dropping me here anyway, couldn’t you have picked a decent body, Rachel?*
Then I could help you more directly.
Not as some extra like this.
* * *
*Got hyped on action fumes for a sec there—nearly did something stupid.*
I snickered at Cain, face deathlier than before, chugging potion then green juice.
“Whew, you can survive your face doubling in size, huh.”
“Shut up…….”
The potion had swiftly shrunk it back, but what a sight.
Thinking back on my earlier thought gave me chills now.
*What? ‘Directly help’?*
Seeing Cain crawl up desperately and Mark maximize pain without killing—classic ‘action high.’
*No matter how I say it, it’s not too much.*
Kang Suho, Kang Suho. Your party didn’t fail from lack of muscle.
Stay on mission. For real. I need to be the brain for the brainless party, the mouth for the voiceless.
“Um, I’m back.”
“Good, did you have fun learning about horses and tack? Eat this.”
“Eugh…….”
I grinned and handed green juice to Luna, who smelled flowery from washing up.
“So, what’d you think after trying it today?”
Cain, who’d somehow gotten permission for knight training sans official knighting, and Luna, my exclusive maid strategically placed in the stables for the future—I asked them both.
“It was fun…… Grandpa was nice, the horses pretty…… Um… Everything good. Stirrup stuff fun too.”
“Just the beginning.”
I had a maid swiftly clear the nearly empty but massively ominous green juice cup, then hummed thoughtfully.
“Listen. In two months at latest, I’m leaving here to travel.”
I held up two fingers and grinned.
“Just the three of us.”
Ditching the escorts supposedly “protecting” me but really spying from the shadows.
“Huh? No, Young Master… What about the family?”
“Isn’t that too hasty? I’ve never seen a high noble like you move without attendants, details aside.”
“Yeah, I get what you’re both saying, but the point is I want to.”
Anyone got veto power over what I want? Anyone?
“No real combat, no real growth… Right? And isn’t it sad, me cooped in this speck of a city at my young age?”
Even the beaten-down Cain had mutual-killed the demon king. That party lacked power? No.
*My party was top-three among stagnant ones raised by Innocent Saga old-timers—and still.*
Not levels—probably some special item or Cain’s ‘Unyielding’ trait.
*So level them faster. Cain grows in real fights anyway.*
In-game, one combat event outdid any training camp for his gains.
“Plus, Cain, you can’t last in this castle.”
“What’re you talking about.”
“You wanna chase their tails right now, find out where someone is, whatever.”
I shrugged and met eyes with Luna fiddling her soft ear.
“Luna too—coming from the plains, this place must feel cramped.”
“That’s… Yeah… True.”
“So both of you, go all-out till then. Especially Cain—you can suck up the knight order’s basics, routines, swordsmanship like a sponge.”
No need to teach one-by-one; he’d steal their know-how over the shoulder.
Cain was a genius.
“And Luna, better than aimlessly sticking with other maids or me—use that time checking your body, learning chores, right?”
Partly her timidity, partly her beastkin race.
Animals felt closer inevitably; fine for me, but other maids weren’t kind to Luna.
*Lately I’ve been quiet, so.*
They’d forced her into the exclusive maid spot for a noble heir like me to hassle her—but now that I was chill, the bullying was obvious even to me.
So better she practiced footwork alone or did odd jobs to become an all-rounder. Easier for both of us.
“And there’s something else important.”
I propped my chin, lowering my voice like it was serious business, whispering.
“Cain.”
“…What.”
“I recommend greatsword.”
Man’s romance!
Greatsword warrior!
Cain trained as assassin used dual daggers flashy-style, but eye candy only.
Huh? Isn’t man = greatsword? Dual Cain was fine too—killed demon king, did it all. But why duals with greatswords around?
“Not twin daggers on that paper-thin frame. Bulk up thick, go greatsword. Real man’s greatsword.”
“No clue what nonsense that is.”
“Your dedicated weapon.”
“Um, I’d like mounted lancer or lancer. Love horses.”
Luna, possessed by horse spirits, and Cain frowning at my man-obsessed talk.
“Snap out of it, both. Spear’s whatever, but lancers or greatswords as mains? Why bother when longsword’s universal.”
“Wow, Cain, no man’s romance in you?”
“Y-Yeah…… Wanna see lance charge…….”
“Efficiency over romance. Worth studying once in hand, but no need to main specialized weapons.”
“Ah… Yeah… True…….”
I shot a side-eye at practical Cain and turned away.
Bad guy…….
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