Chapter 12
Chapter 12
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Grueling Runs and Lakeside Picnics
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The pleasure I felt while petting Luna and Cain?
It was really just a fleeting moment.
“Hoo, haa…”
This useless body of mine.
It was exactly like that morning after drinking all night and dragging myself to work on time—stomach churning, legs feeling like someone was yanking them downward, whole body aching like I'd been pummeled by every god in the pantheon.
What kind of body gets a hangover from a few laps around the training grounds?
“Huhk, heuk… no more, hua.”
I gasped out that I couldn’t run anymore, slowing to a crawl, but someone shoved my back hard, forcing me to pick up speed again.
“Mark…!”
“Young master. That kind of running wouldn’t shake off a goblin.”
My legs moved against my will. Whenever I looked like I’d topple, he’d grab my collar to steady me, then shove again and again.
Doesn’t it feel easier if someone pushes you from behind while you run?
Not at all. Only if you had some energy left to begin with.
Being forcibly pushed when you’re already running on fumes was nothing short of torture for my body.
“S-stop…!”
My throat burned from gasping, my mouth parched and dry as I staggered along. In the midst of it, I caught sight of Cain overtaking me.
‘This bastard?’
That faint smirk at the corner of his mouth, barely there but unmistakable.
Are you mocking me right now?
Do you have any idea who I’m running like this for—caught by Mark?!
Still, at Cain’s insistence that even if I couldn’t talk my way out of things, I’d need basic stamina to travel.
I got suckered into thinking, why not try some running alongside riding? What an idiot I was.
My grand plan to take it easy, maybe watch Cain roll around in the dirt, had gone completely sideways.
“Urk.”
I finally escaped Mark’s iron grip, heaving for breath and dry-heaving.
“Young master. It’s not a bad idea to start building your stamina now. Come out every day from here on.”
Business is business, huh.
I could tell Mark wasn’t thrilled about me, but there was a hint of goodwill in his tone.
Is that the difference in discipline?
The regular knights shot me dirty looks or whispered behind cupped hands, but Mark was different.
Even after I snatched Hallon from him and parachuted Cain in, Mark had looked ready to kill me with his eyes…
Still, maybe he gave Cain some credit for passing his tests and enduring the knight order’s training with a body still close to that of a commoner.
But that line crossed the boundary.
“Every day? What are you talking about? I’m a busy man.”
“See you tomorrow, young master.”
My legs were jelly—if I tried to walk, they’d wobble like a newborn giraffe’s.
‘Every day like this? No way in hell.’
Dodging Mark’s smug, predatory grin, I slunk away.
* * *
“What did you say?”
No way you misheard that—your ears and brain are working fine.
“Just what I said. Run an errand. By yourself.”
Behold, Cain Has Changed, Episode 1.
I met Cain’s bewildered stare with an innocent expression, flashing a gentle smile to show I had no ulterior motives.
Absolutely not because you smirked at me while lapping me during morning PT.
I’m not that petty.
“Scared? Worried you’ll get scammed again if you go out alone?”
“Cut the nonsense.”
“Or maybe you’re afraid of getting clocked from behind and waking up to a strange ceiling? Don’t worry. You think your big bro would let you get sold off? After all the investment I’ve sunk into you.”
“What should I get? Talking to you is stressing me out more than just going already.”
Feeling a bit offended?
But judging by results, Cain had volunteered to interact with outsiders on his own, even if just for a bit.
I handed him one of the gold coins I’d prepared in advance.
“Heard the bakery in the market’s the hot spot right now. Get me a green grape tart.”
“Um… I’ll have carrot cake.”
“Order more if you want, Luna.”
“Then… carrot cake and… the Lovey-Dovey Honey Cookie.”
“…What?”
I cackled as Cain struggled to even roll “Lovey-Dovey” around in his mouth.
“Oh, that sounds tasty. Lovey-Dovey Love Honey Cookie. Anything else with a similar name?”
“Thrillingly Sweet… Berry Berry Tart?”
“Yeah, that too.”
Ignoring Cain’s glare that screamed, *You’re making me buy this crap?*, I carried on.
“Got all that, Cain? Don’t write it down—order it verbally. And don’t forget to get something for yourself that you actually want.”
“Definitely?”
“Definitely.”
Wow, he’s got expressive eyes. Starting with a glare and ending in a scowl—he kept throwing that death stare.
Did I develop mind-reading powers or something?
[Adelian Protector Krueger — Owner of Boundless Wealth]
Representative Traits: [Golden Might (SS)] [Arrogance (S)]
Hidden Traits: [Wealthy Aura (S-)] [User’s Eye (SSS)]
Nah, no way.
“Once you’ve got everything, meet us by the artificial lake in the inner garden.”
I waved him off cheerily, shooing Cain away with my eyes, then turned to Luna, who was already licking her lips in anticipation.
“You’ve been working hard too, Luna. Let’s have some fun today.”
“Ah… no, I’ve been having fun… I like it.”
But can’t a person live on work alone? We’re all grinding for that wedding ending—gotta enjoy the picnic parts together.
“Let’s go, Luna.”
Even as I said we were heading out for a picnic today, her cheeks flushed with excitement. She clutched her ears, rubbing her face like she was washing it, and nodded vigorously.
As expected from the heroine whose cuteness is lethal in overdose quantities.
If I weren’t such a big-sis type with endless tolerance, that’d be dangerously devastating.
I gave her a thumbs-up without thinking and mounted up with Luna.
Behind the opulent Krueger manor lay everyday gardens and greenhouses, but further in, dense trees parted to reveal a side path.
Now fairly accustomed to riding, I galloped fast enough to whip my hair back, veering onto the path. Soon, only thick woods filled my view.
Who knows what countermeasures they have, but someone could be hiding out here and I’d never spot them.
A low hill, a sprawling forest, and an artificial lake—this was the Krueger estate’s “back garden.” Did it even qualify as a garden?
The clip-clop of hooves, the rustle of leaves in the wind, distant birdsong—it all felt so healing.
Glancing sideways, I spotted Luna riding along, her shoulder-length pink hair and white ears fluttering.
‘Those ears flapping like that—doesn’t it hurt?’
A silly thought crossed my mind just as Luna turned her head absentmindedly, our eyes meeting.
Even though we’d grown closer, she was still painfully shy, so she quickly averted her gaze and spoke up.
“At first… I didn’t get why we were riding horses. But now I think I do.”
“Yeah? What’s your theory?”
“Because if it runs… you can’t stop midway.”
She beamed like her logic was ironclad, and I glanced at the bunny girl’s legs before looking away.
“Luna… normal people are slower than horses.”
Her ears shot straight up like, *No way, are those even humans?*, and I shook my head.
No wonder she was so clueless about the world—back when the no-hope party was rolling, they got ripped off left and right.
Regular extra NPCs sold items at the listed store prices.
But weirdly, the no-hope party always got hit with “But you’ve been overcharged!” messages and bled money.
Then Cain would grind low dungeons without potions to make up for it, wearing down his sanity.
*Man, what a hopeless party.*
Recalling it gave me chills; I shuddered.
Even just watching on screen made me cringe—living it? Straight-up life-shortening.
“…He’s not getting overcharged at the bakery too, is he?”
I’d given him a generous budget.
Thinking of Cain fumbling through “Lovey-Dovey” whatever, a cool breeze brushed my cheek, snapping me back. I looked ahead.
“Money really is the best.”
I couldn’t hide my genuine admiration.
Who digs an artificial lake like this and sticks it behind their house?
The fact that the backyard was big enough to ride horses around was ridiculous enough.
I reined in under a tree with a good lake view, letting the horse graze freely, then pulled a thick blanket from the saddlebag.
“While we wait for Cain, wanna hang out just us?”
A team-building without the protagonist still counts, right?
Just Luna and me now, but someday Gadia, Rachel, all the other heroines—we’d all be together, laughing and chatting.
Everyone but Rachel had their own traumas, so the daily life parts in the novel were pure healing…
“Wow… the breeze feels nice, young master…”
“Go ahead and explore a bit. Cain won’t be here for a while.”
Luna smiled shyly at my words, nodded, and dashed to the lakeside.
I leaned against the tree trunk and caught my breath.
The road ahead was long, plenty to do, but you can’t whip people endlessly.
‘Don’t rush. Technically, we’re starting two years ahead of schedule.
Deep down, my inner Korean gamer was screaming “Hwaiting, fast and furious!” but the ones with me now weren’t game units with status screens—they were people.
‘Don’t forget that.’
No pushing too hard out of my own impatience.
‘They’re all still kids.’
I had to make sure Cain didn’t overdo it with his revenge drive and sister worries—time to play interference.
“Is it because no one fishes here… Wait, what’s that?”
I watched Luna hike up her maid skirt and kick fish right out of the water, then half-stood, wondering if I should start a fire…
“Wait, she only went in to her knees—how are there fish?”
“There are… lots of little fish.”
Knee-deep water, and she’s kicking fish out? How?
Her white feet squished the lush grass, toes wiggling as bits stuck between them, tickling.
No calluses in sight—do all bunnyfolk have feet like that?
“Still, your skirt’s getting splashed, Luna.”
Good thing I stocked up on travel gear ahead of time.
Swapping the Krueger ring for another sub-space ring, I pulled out flint, gathered twigs, and lit a fire.
I’d imagined a pastoral, poetic picnic—now it’s straight-up survival vibes.
“Want me to grill some fish?”
“I’ll clean them, young master.”
Luna, seeming more lively than usual—like this suited her better—gathered the flopping fish from the grass.
“Not bad…”
Plus, hoofbeats in the distance meant Cain was coming.
We’d grill fish amiably as a trio, then have those Lovey-Dovey cookies for dessert.
*Wonder if he pulled it off.*
Cain Has Changed—possible?
Eagerly, I turned toward the growing sound of hooves. Cain rode up on a black horse flecked with white, reining it in one-handed as he dismounted.
“Got it?”
“Yeah.”
“Overcharged?”
At my question, Cain’s brow furrowed slightly before he tossed a few silvers my way. I fumbled, catching some, dropping others, grumbling as I picked them up.
“Look at that attitude. Look at it.”
“You don’t even act like nobility.”
“We’re alone, that’s why. Didn’t you see last time when I slotted you into the knights? They all eyed me like I was throwing my weight around.”
The watchdog-slash-guard Kai assigned would just chalk it up to my quirks anyway.
Pocketing the silvers in a small sub-space, I was quietly impressed.
No overcharge for once. Whoa, Cain—you can actually buy stuff without getting ripped off!
I looked at him with a hint of pride, which only scrunched his face more.
“Young master, I’m here.”
I praised Luna—gutted and skewered on sticks like a pro—by tugging her ears, then stuck them by the fire and sat on the blanket.
“Let’s see what you bought first.”
Time to inspect the Lovey-Dovey and Thrilling Sweetness.
Cain sat across from me, face like he’d bitten something sour, and unpacked the basket one by one.
My green grape tart, Luna’s carrot cake, those round ones must be the Lovey-Dovey Love Honey Cookies.
The heart made of dark purple and red berries—that’s the Thrillingly Sweet Berry Berry Tart.
“Yours?”
Under my skeptical eye—like, *you didn’t forget, right?*—he sighed and pulled an apple pie from the bottom.
I let out a groan.
*Cain’s favorite: the apple pie his mother made.* Straight from the official profile.
Ugh, this is emotional assault. Should’ve skimmed the original less.
Before I wallowed in solo creation angst, I grabbed a slice of green grape tart.
“So, how was it out there? The vibe outside.”
Crunch!
Fresh, bursting grapes, cream, and pastry harmonized in my mouth.
*This is killer.* I divided slices for the two and eyed Cain.
“Wow… it’s so good…”
“Nothing special. But… I heard they’re holding more Ain and beastkin slave auctions lately. Average prices are down from last year, so now’s a good time to buy, apparently.”
“Hm?”
I raised an eyebrow, sinking into thought.
*More Ain and beastkin slaves on the market?*
Something tugged at my memory, just out of reach…
I crammed the last of the tart into my mouth, racking my brain.