Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Betting on Potential
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The torches clinging to the walls were nearly burned out, flickering on their own without a breath of wind before snuffing out, leaving only wisps of white smoke rising.
“Groooar… *cough*…….”
The soldier who was supposed to keep Cain from sleeping had, at some point, slumped in his chair, his head lolling as if his neck might snap, dead to the world. Only Cain remained awake in the darkness.
“Crazy bastard.”
He was insane. A total madman.
Otherwise, he never would have smashed a mana stone so precious its value was beyond reckoning, right in front of Cain’s eyes, just because Cain himself had refused it.
Cain swept his gaze over the now-cleared floor, bare of anything.
‘Humans can’t be trusted.’
If someone could read Cain’s mind, they might label him thus.
Chronic distrust of humans. A human hater.
Someone who thought the Ain were preferable. A racist.
Canines excel in loyalty, while Joins obsess over honor. Ser are cunning, but everyone knows that trait and guards against it.
But humans are different. With a hundred of them, there’s no single racial trait that applies to all.
From Cain’s childhood, when he believed in his fellow humans, right up to now.
How many times had he been betrayed?
Cain started to dwell on the past, then let out a scoff. The taste of blood filled his mouth.
‘Too many to count.’
How could a single life be so skewed when gods exist?
A sip of water offered in kindness led to his family’s death. Pleas braided with tears brought a life at rock bottom.
He didn’t deny the gods’ existence, but any god looking down on him like this had to be evil.
That was why. Why he decided to trust no one, expect nothing from anyone, and believe only in himself.
Because no one else would ever look out for him anyway.
Because even he had to believe in himself.
‘But.’
Why do you say you believe in me?
In the darkness, bound and leaning against the wall, Cain’s eyes gleamed fiercely.
I have no one on my side, so I have to believe in myself. I don’t even know what my talent is, but I have to hone it somehow and destroy them all.
He repeated this to himself, whipping himself into belief, but deep down, he knew.
Objectively speaking, he was just a young, powerless weakling. Even if someone wanted to use him, he was running out of utility.
No one, not even in their wildest dreams, would look at his starved, broken body now and think he could grow strong.
And yet……
“Why assume I couldn’t see your potential?”
“I want someone stronger than anyone.”
Cain recalled Adelian’s words. A voice laced with conviction firmer than his own.
From the guards’ chatter while keeping him awake, he’d learned the kid’s name was Adelian, and he was a powerless nobody. No proper traits to speak of.
“What a joke.”
Those eyes that had looked at Cain.
They weren’t the eyes of an ordinary person. Not by a long shot.
“Someone stronger than anyone.”
If his life’s hardships were the gods’ will.
If the traits bestowed by the gods defined a person’s worth.
Cain licked his blood-tasting lips and scoffed.
“Then I’ll believe in humans instead of gods.”
* * *
Ah… what a shame. Such a waste.
Sure, with my current wealth, I could buy a hundred of those mana stones, but a waste was still a waste.
“Owuu… Young master… really, just… just give me… instead…….”
“…You’re getting bold with your words now?”
How heartbreaking must it have been for Luna to whimper like that? I stared at her in disbelief.
Well, she was always so timid she’d clam up around anyone but close friends, practically communication-impaired. And she was the most normal of the bunch.
Guess I count as close now?
“Hey… still, I’m your bodyguard, young master… we’ll be together from now on, so isn’t it good to chat a bit…?”
“You’re a bit… for a bodyguard. And don’t call me young master… never mind. Call me whatever. Casually.”
I waved her off as she fondled her soft ears and rubbed them against her cheeks, then turned away.
What if that guy doesn’t budge in the end? Should I really go through with the dirty trick I was bracing for…….
If I can’t erase Tenacity, it turns into hardcore mode where I can’t let Cain overexert himself.
The more he pushes with Tenacity triggering to endure, the more his humanity chips away until he becomes a walking slaughterbot……
‘Or maybe that other method…….’
Actually, I had another approach besides drugs.
But the backlash later would be a problem……
‘Future me. You got this, right?’
I shook my head at the thought, as if curses would fly from somewhere, when the training grounds caught my eye through the distant window.
“Hmm.”
Given Cain’s personality, he’d shred a divine contract on sight, so I’d splurged on three of those pricey things just in case.
Wouldn’t it be profitable to use them elsewhere?
Fiddling with the contracts—prized even among nobles, who struggled to afford one a year, even as donations to temples—I grinned.
“Luna.”
“Yes, young master?”
“I trust only you.”
“M-Meow! W-What, what do you mean?”
Gotta earn your keep. Without prep, I grabbed Luna—who’d just sergeant-jumped a meter high—and headed to the training grounds.
Since I’ve possessed a noble house’s wastrel, might as well do some power-tripping, right? That’s how you live it up. Yeah?
“Haat. Ha!”
“Faster. More!”
The grounds were wider than a soccer field, packed with nothing but men.
A sour sweat stench hung in the air… felt like military PTSD was creeping in.
My dreams of reenlisting had finally tapered off……
“Busy, huh?”
Grinning with what was probably an utterly punchable face, I called out to the oldest among them.
[Mark Heton—Vice Captain of the Gold-Biting Raven Knights]
Key Traits: [Strength(S)] [Toughness(S)]
Hidden Traits: [Cooking Fiend(C)] [Poison Crafting(C)]
…Wait, traits like that exist?
I committed Mark’s face to memory. Better not eat anything he offers, just in case.
“Yes. Very busy, young master. Please head inside the castle. Wouldn’t want some blind blade slipping from a hand and hurting you out here.”
Wow, he really hates my guts.
I bought time with a hearty laugh, scanning the knights on the grounds.
‘Ah, there it is. I glimpsed it before.’
[Spear Arts(B)] [Sense of Smell(C)] [Justice(B)] [Loyalty(C)] [Martial Prowess(A)] [Art(B)] [Speed(C)] [Romance(SS)] [Riding(B)] [Composure(C)] [Baldness(S)]
Hold up, did I just spot a tragic trait?
I turned back that way, only for a sudden sharp headache to make me squeeze one eye shut.
‘Using this too much really hurts the head.’
“Our knights lack that much skill? Dropping swords and all?”
“To give an example, yes. You never know when or where someone might get hurt.”
“Is it time to boost the budget or cut it? I get injured amid all these house knights? How pathetic is that?”
I snarked to stall while the headache faded. Luna alternated wide-eyed glances between me and the red-faced, furious Mark.
“Even as young master, please don’t insult our knight order.”
“Come on. It’s a waste funding knights who can’t protect one person. Right? Either pump the budget to hire better knights than these or cut it back. Isn’t that how capital flows?”
I said it loud on purpose, and the shouts and clashing swords fell silent.
Man, I felt like a superstar right then. All these eyes on me… thrilling……
“Well, I can just trust Luna here. What was I even worrying about? Right, Luna? You’re my. Body. Guard.”
“Y-Yes yes yes? N-No… yes? …Y-Yeah…….”
Mark snorted at the tiny rabbitkin girl on the verge of tears.
“No knight here is inferior to that girl, young master.”
‘Found it!’
With the headache gone, I slyly rolled my eyes, internally cheering, then met Mark’s gaze with a smile.
“Ah, we’ll see about that. Wanna bet?”
“Bet? What do you mean?”
“Simple. One of your knights spars with Luna. If she wins, that knight loses his status, and I take him.”
Mark’s brow twitched at my taunt.
“If our knight wins, you formally apologize to the order. Can you manage that?”
“Deal. And I’ll boost the budget big time. But.”
I flashed a smile dripping with arrogance.
“I pick the opponent knight. You never know. Maybe even you, Vice Captain.”
“Fine. Choose. If he loses, I’ll personally swear loyalty to you.”
“Me too.”
“Count me in.”
Mark’s words lit a fire; knights pledged loyalty left and right.
Jackpot! I screamed ‘Call! Cool!’ inside while coolly snorting outside, then eyed Luna.
[Luna Index—Crybaby Rabbitkin Maid]
Key Traits: [Timidity(S)] [Cuteness(A)]
Hidden Traits: [Leg Power(A)] [Berserk(C)]
Temples only reveal key traits—the standout talents and features.
Slightly lesser traits, or ones even the person can’t gauge, go hidden, unverifiable by self or temple.
So no one believed Luna’s claims of being a rabbitkin warrior or her bodyguard talk.
‘But I’m different.’
In the original story and game, Luna was main party material. Main parties were monsters who sacrificed social skills for power.
Here’s Luna’s stats I’d built before coming here.
[Luna Index—Berserk Rabbitkin Kick King]
Key Traits: [Leg Power(SS)] [Berserk(S)]
Hidden Traits: [Bloodlust(A)] [Insomnia(D)]
Like how original Adelian beat Cain for sword traits, traits can be nurtured postnatally.
If even a sliver of talent exists, growing it isn’t impossible.
Meaning Luna had talent.
Just needed to ditch the timidity.
I’d ground her hardest alongside Cain to erase that trait, but she snapped and became a female slaughter-Cain……
“I believe in you, Luna. You’re a warrior, right?”
At my words, teary Luna met my eyes for the first time.
“Y-Yes. I’m a proud warrior of the grassland rabbitkin.”
This time, I’ll protect your sanity! Go, Luna!
“Knight, uh, the one with olive hair. Yeah, you. You there.”
I pointed at a knight standing blankly at the far end. I swallowed a laugh at Mark’s subtly shifting expression.
[Halon Devrin—Regular Knight of the Gold-Biting Raven Knights]
Key Traits: [Keen Eyesight(S)] [Dexterity(B)]
Hidden Traits: [Paperwork(S)] [Intelligence(A)] [Commerce(C)]
Keen Eyesight is S, but not combat-related, so Luna’s Leg Power(A) would edge out in real fights.
Doable. Plus, I really need that guy. Look at those hidden traits. They’re mine.
“Get him, Luna. Win, and a whole carrot cake tub’s yours.”
Grinning, I shoved her back.
* * *
“Tasty?”
I slid a massive carrot whole cake toward Luna, her eyes and cheeks ballooned like a glutton.
“So! Tasty! So goooood!”
Who knew Dexterity would shine like that. When sword angles failed, she punched with sword in hand.
I’d underestimated Keen Eyesight and Dexterity as non-combat. She dodged every kick visually, twirling that long sword like a pen to adjust angles on the fly.
Dangerous as hell. But success is success. Her relentless pursuit landed a chin-cracking kick.
Proudly, I petted her head, then gently tugged her drooping twintail ears, smiling.
Truth is, Luna’s my only person in this house.
But if plans go well, I’ll leave soon, so I need to plant at least one or two of mine here.
And to prevent betrayal, get oaths on divine contracts worth thousands in gold, donations included.
So the childish taunt worked wonders.
Fainted-then-awoke Halon slumped, promising to return his badge tomorrow. Contract then.
If Cain had folded today, we’d cake it up. How fun.
Once he does, feed him elixirs… official profile was 190 cm, right? He’s my height now, so protein up……
Watching Luna devour the huge cake, I sipped tea when a knock echoed from outside.
“Who is it.”
“Alkaido, young master.”
“Come in.”
Alkaido entered, his neat Kaiser mustache impeccable, bowing slightly.
“Lady Gadia has arrived nearby. She’ll enter the castle early tomorrow morning.”
…What?