Chapter 148
Chapter 148
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 148
Chapter Title: 15. Adding Insult to Injury? (9)
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“Haa… haa… haa…”
I let out ragged breaths, my lungs burning up to my throat.
The chill had finally faded, but it was still early spring.
Some days, cold winds whipped through, making it bitterly cold, and I had no shirt on.
As the saying goes, you’ve got to go shirtless for training!
I don’t know the reason. My master from my past life just taught me to do it!
Sure, he said it was to observe muscle movements more closely and avoid the sticky feel of sweat-soaked clothes…
But after seeing him make the handsome senior disciples strip first, I lost all faith.
Especially seeing the gleam in his eye as he smugly watched women pay steep tuition fees just to become disciples…
Yeah, his real reason was probably what I suspected.
Of course, in a world like this, to attract female students to his rundown, dingy dojo, he had to offer some service.
And with women showing up in a dojo full of men, the male disciples got a mood boost!
My salary for teaching basics went up too!
A happy ending for everyone!
“Ugh…”
But enduring this post-workout chill was impossible.
In a world where baths were a luxury, sweat-soaked clothes were disgustingly sticky.
I avoided exercising in winter partly because it meant wearing the same clothes for days—sweating was a hassle.
To honor my master’s philosophy and avoid the bother, I’d stripped off my shirt for morning training, but man, it was freezing!
“Dwarves would be perfect right now.”
Even the evil organization Howling had surprisingly good welfare, including showers.
The imperial palace, crawling with nobles, had full bath facilities.
Even Yuglasia Academy, with its pricey tuition and top facilities, had showers.
But the craftsmen who could build those? Dwarves, at best.
A few elite human artisans existed, but they wouldn’t come to a backwater village like this.
So in a rural spot like this, washing meant the lake, streams, or river.
Of course, bathing in this weather would freeze you solid!
“Just gotta run.”
Running made the wind feel even colder, but it shortened the time.
Feeling the hot sweat from the yard to the house cool rapidly, I dashed home…
And there was a guest to greet me.
Thud.
A shiver ran down my spine for a second.
My daughter really is too cute.
Ever since I banned chicken, she’d stopped talking to me, but here she was, waiting the moment I opened the door.
With a steaming hot towel ready!
The key here was her tossing the towel without a word and sauntering off coolly.
Wow, just how many traits is this seductive daughter trying to stack?
Adding kuudere and tsundere to her moe points!
Whoever falls for my future daughter is in for some suffering!
At least two digits’ worth of guys will fall for that charming girl!
“Keu…”
Warm.
The towel was warm, but knowing my frail daughter got up early to heat it warmed my heart even more.
“I was a bit worried.”
She was 12 now—no, 13 after her recent birthday.
In my past life terms, sixth grade.
Just two years from awakening as the legendary middle school second-year.
And everyone knows that stormy age for middle and high schoolers!
Even for my mature daughter, it might come early, starting with petty rebellion and spiraling out of control.
But my daughter was growing up perfectly!
“I should give a daughter like this a little gift…”
If I asked what she wanted most, she’d say “Chicken!” so I couldn’t.
The temptation of chicken was too strong.
Once I perfected my body and maintained it, I could make some occasionally, but not now.
The way to beat temptation is to avoid it altogether.
Even if I made it for her alone, the aroma would fill the first floor—could I resist?
Knowing myself, I could say with certainty.
No way in hell!
“So hang in there a bit longer, daughter dear.”
Summer’s farming season.
All that fieldwork burns calories and aids dieting!
When it comes, I’ll make chicken for my daughter anytime!
#10 Their Circumstances: A Certain Daughter’s Circumstances.
It was a few years ago.
Not long after I’d accepted Dad as Dad.
Back when I was still scared of the dark.
One sleepless night, I hugged my pillow and went to Dad’s room.
Dad welcomed me with a gentle smile, laid me beside him, and told me stories until I fell asleep.
One of those stories was this:
“Long ago, the god of summer and the god of winter made a bet.”
“A bet?”
“Yeah. To prove who was greater, they bet on making a passing traveler shed his coat.”
Child me thought, “Gods are such perverts.”
Making a random traveler strip?
How baffled must he have been?
“The god of winter confidently went first. He thought a blast of cold wind would blow the coat away.”
“Must’ve been freezing~”
“Yeah, but the coat stayed on. It’s cold up north here too, right? So the traveler huddled tighter and trudged on.”
Obvious.
Just being north made our winters harsher than any I’d known.
How cold must the god’s wind have been?
“In the end, winter gave up, and summer tried. He showered warm sunlight. What do you think the traveler thought?”
“The weather’s gone mad!”
“Uh… yeah, that fits.”
Dad’s voice trembled, a bit flustered.
Why? It was the obvious answer.
Cold wind, then sudden warmth.
Thinking back, the local farmers must’ve suffered terribly.
“Anyway. The traveler loosened his coat and eventually took it off in the summer god’s warmth.”
“Dad, at that point, wasn’t it hot, not warm?”
Spring god, maybe warm, but summer god?
Even here, summers were hot—imagine the heat he whipped up to strip the guy.
Maybe the traveler suffered under scorching blaze, desperate to strip naked.
And the farmers? Weather-sensitive crops hit by cold, then blazing sun.
No sleep, fearing it’d happen again.
“So, what’s the point of the story?”
“In Dad terms, the poor traveler suffered while the gods played unfairly!”
“Uh, yeah… you’ve got me there, kiddo.”
Dad went silent then, stroking my hair.
After some coughs, he said:
“The lesson is sometimes wisdom beats brute force. Or, even with someone you see as bad, kindness can be better than fighting.”
“Got it!”
I never forgot Dad’s words as he stroked my hair.
Dad’s always right.
So if I follow his advice to win him over, victory’s mine!
“Great!”
Seeing Dad wipe himself with a pleased look, I sensed victory drawing near.
Dad said last winter: See relationships big-picture.
Tiny mistakes can spark fights or bonds!
Lately, I’ve been ignoring him.
Then show this caring side!
Using gap moe perfectly from our winter training talks.
Cold and distant usually, but caring in small ways!
Dad banned it as man-melting, but he’s Dad, not a guy, so(?) fine.
“Next phase now…”
I check my prepared plans.
Full war with Dad? No chance for me.
Little by little, lay traps for his self-destruction.
Make him so moved he brings me chicken.
Until then, suppress desire, keep lips sealed, play cold rural girl!
“Oh, gotta wake Misha and Kkoko.”
Breakfast time.
Today’s potato-planting day—busy from morning.
Yawn.
But mornings are tough.
Yawn brings tears.
No choice.
All for the grand plan.
All for chicken!
Sleepy me will burn this body to get chicken.
Definitely!
#11 Their Circumstances: Certain People’s Circumstances.
The four in suspicious black robes overlooked the village from the mountainside.
“Filthy few humans in this country.”
“Barren living spots too.”
“Really, the one we seek is here?”
“Places like this are great for hiding.”
One pulled something from his bosom.
A small disc, like a noble lady’s compact mirror case.
He checked it, shook his head.
“No one in this village, at least.”
“Shame. Northward then?”
“Land’s small, people sparse, villages too spread. Hassle to search.”
“Split up instead?”
“Not bad.”
“No. One tool received, lord ordered all go together—unknown dangers. Forgot?”
The other two clicked tongues.
“Tch, we know.”
Their regret showed despite words; the objector sighed.
All skilled, but ambitious.
Better with underlings, less friction…
But secrecy paramount.
Enemy snatching the target ends everything.
So send the four most skilled and loyal together.
He knew the lord’s thinking.
But.
“Ugh, wanna just smash through.”
“Grab hostages, threaten—they’ll come out.”
“Ooh, good idea?”
Overconfident bunch.
Dragging them country-to-country made him want to quit.
Suppressing a sigh, he addressed them.
“No choice. No solo action, scan country fast as possible. Won’t take long here. Fulfill lord’s order ASAP.”
“Can’t be helped.”
“All for the lord’s will.”
“Following the path of hegemony.”
Loyalty solid, at least.
Emphasize lord’s command, they obey.
‘Wonder how long that lasts.’
Find the target first.
The black-robed figure headed further north.
To find their goal.