Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Squat Training
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Dietrich followed obediently behind me, though he shrank back a little.
He just couldn't control his overflowing energy, but he wasn't a bad kid at heart.
He must have been blaming himself hard for hurting the nurse.
'Anyway, he's heard plenty about it.'
The last time the butler got hurt, hadn't this seven-year-old kid stepped right up in front of me to block my view?
Just so I wouldn't have to see the rough scene.
He collapsed right away, so I hadn't even been able to thank him properly since then.
After my past-life memories resurfaced, it was the first help I'd received in this world... and the first warmth I'd felt.
"You came out when I told you to, at least. What a runt."
That had been really touching back then... wait, runt?
"If I can do it, then Ditri can do it too!"
"What? Why am I a runt?!"
"Look at your face right now. You were bawlin' earlier, and Ditri's eyes are still all puffy like a frog's."
"Wh-when did I cry?! I didn't cry!"
Saying that with his eyes still red wasn't helping...
Anyway, the nurse had been there earlier, so he'd come quietly instead of arguing, but he had no intention of just obeying me.
I glared at Dietrich, who was pursing his lips.
"Ditri hurt the nurse."
Dietrich had no choice but to clamp his mouth shut at that.
"Every time Ditri causes trouble, me and the nurse and the other servants and maids have to clean it up."
Like that time he broke the vase.
Laura had said it was nothing, that she wasn't hurt, but there was a little cut on her finger.
Who had apologized on his behalf and even put ointment on that wound? Me.
Did it make sense for the nurse, who was already busy covering the butler's duties, to worry about fixing the kitchen cupboard doors too?
'And soon, the servants Grandfather's sending from the main estate will arrive.'
The servants who'd been working at our mansion from the start overlooked most things because they'd watched me and Dietrich grow up.
They adored us that much.
But the ones from the main estate would be different.
The nurse had already told Betty to keep quiet so the new servants wouldn't catch her out.
That meant if he caused more trouble, word would get back to Grandfather through those main estate servants.
And they wouldn't let things slide easily.
If Dietrich kept messing up in front of people with no affection for us, he'd end up on their bad side.
'No matter that we're the masters, Dietrich's only seven, and I'm barely three.'
It was obvious life would get tough if we fell out of the servants' favor.
He was my brother, after all, and still just a child. I couldn't leave him like this when I knew exactly how it'd turn out.
"Keep causin' trouble, and people gonna hate Ditri."
"What do you know, you little show-off?!"
Those words must have hit a nerve, because Dietrich yelled right at me.
"Ditri's tall and strong."
I suddenly started praising Dietrich, refusing to back down, and he froze, staring at me with his angry face unchanged.
Physical talent was a gift.
Honestly, I'd been shocked earlier when he climbed the curtains almost to the ceiling.
Most kids couldn't reach that high without gear.
If this were Korea and I were an adult meeting Dietrich, I'd have tracked down his guardian somehow.
Then advised them to nurture that climbing superstar.
For someone with that natural athleticism to just grow up as a walking disaster was a loss for him too.
"So Ditri gotta be good at sports too. If you're good at sports, you won't cause trouble anymore, and everyone says you grown up nice."
Dietrich needed positive attention.
The kind from showing off athletic skills, not the negative kind from causing trouble.
Plus, it'd burn off some of that excess energy.
"I hate when Ditri keeps causin' trouble. If you get hurt, it goes ouchie."
Kids trying desperately to get attention, only to end up hurt.
It reminded me of my own childhood, and I felt sorry for Dietrich.
Just like Director Kang had taught me exercise back then and shown me how to earn positive recognition from people, I wanted to do the same for him.
Dietrich stood there for a long while, head down, staring at his toes.
"Mariella... do you really think I could... get good at sports?"
"Yup."
"Why? I just cause trouble all the time. What makes you think...?"
"Ditri climbed the curtains super high. Ditri strong."
When I gave him a concrete example, Dietrich's face flushed bright red.
"Th-then what do we start with? If it's annoying, I'm not doing it!"
He grumbled unnecessarily, even though he didn't have to.
Good. No matter what he said, the important thing was he'd turned cooperative toward exercise.
Before he could change his mind, I spat out the first workout that came to mind.
"Squat!"
When it came to bodyweight exercises, squats were the place to start!
They strengthened thighs and glutes evenly, with simple rules anyone could learn fast.
"S... squat? What's that?"
"Before squats, gotta loosen hands and feet like this first."
Stretching was essential before proper exercise.
I demonstrated loosening from wrists and ankles to knees, then the whole body.
Stretching might seem boring, but it was like a preventive shot, greatly reducing injury risk by warming up the body. It was non-negotiable.
Dietrich followed my instructions, stretching his legs straight out and perfectly loosening his lower body muscles.
"Just do this? It's easy."
Seeing his innocent cluelessness, I grinned like a devil.
"Now I'll teach you somethin' really fun."
If stretching was yawn-inducingly easy, it was time for anaerobic training.
I immediately spread my feet to knee width.
Squats were something I'd done like meals in my past life.
If I just went down like this...
"Ack!"
"Hey, don't just stick your butt out like that! What if you get hurt?!"
Weird? This shouldn't happen?
After falling flat on my butt and barely getting up with Dietrich's help, I tried again, careful not to push my hips back, lowering slowly...
"Ack!"
"Are you... an idiot?"
"Not idiot! Just showin' squat, but body too heavy. Hiiing..."
My muscles!
Give me back my past-life muscles!
This three-year-old body, packed with baby fat and weakened from days of illness, couldn't handle squats.
The moment I tried bending my short legs, my body toppled backward.
Tears welled up involuntarily, my lip starting to pout.
Dietrich, watching me, hurriedly covered his mouth.
"Pfft."
His neck turned red from holding back laughter.
I could even see his shoulders shaking.
"Don't laugh!"
I snapped, and Dietrich burst out laughing, unable to hold it.
He bent over, laughing hard, and I glared daggers, but it was no use.
"It's not just my body that's heavy! Bet Ditri can't do it either?"
"What, like sitting in that chair earlier? Piece of cake. I can do it."
"Nuh-uh? Nuh-uh? Bet Ditri can't?"
"Nuh-uh? Nuh-uh? I'm not a runt, I'm your big brother, so I can do it right away?"
After teasing me plenty, Dietrich assumed a horse stance and slowly lowered his hips.
Born with athletic talent, apparently—he nailed the squat form after just my clumsy demo.
"See? Nailed it. Squats, right? No big deal."
I gritted my teeth watching him strut.
"You did good. So let's do a simple 100."
"...What?"
"Don't disobey your instructor. That's an order for 100."
If squats were so easy, I'd have him do 100.
Hands on hips, I smirked at Dietrich.
His face paled a little. He slowly began the hellish 100 squats.
"Hold out till ten! Eight, nine, nine and a half!"
"Hey, that's not... huff... fair!"
"Tsk. Knees go past toes, can't count to ten. Knees back!"
Dietrich grimaced but barely corrected his form.