Class (3): The Brat's Payback and the Subjugation Quest
“…Hah!”
Ashu sucked in a sharp breath and opened his eyes.
“Where….”
A bed…? He’d clearly been strolling in the garden. Then he’d run into his father—
“Ugh….”
His stinging cheek made his face scrunch up involuntarily.
‘Useless brat.’
Even so, spewing such abuse at his own son? ‘Isn’t that a bit much, Father?’
His chest felt tight. He knew why his father hated him.
“Mother….”
His birth mother, whose face he couldn’t even remember. He’d heard she’d died giving birth to him, so of course the man wouldn’t look kindly on him.
“…Mm.”
Just then, a groan came from somewhere, perking up Ashu’s ears.
‘Sounds close by.’
Glancing around for the source, he spotted someone collapsed in the corner of the bed.
Looking closer, there was a woman curled up in the corner of the bed, fast asleep.
“…Ideal?”
Why was she here?
“Ah.”
Memories started trickling back like shards. Fragments of Ideal hoisting him up and running around everywhere. This must’ve been the final stop.
“…It’s dark.”
The room was dim, making it hard to see Ideal clearly. Pulling back the curtains, the moonlight revealed her sleeping form in full.
Silver hair shimmering like it was embroidered with threads of light. Long lashes, translucent skin. Soft-looking lips.
A sticky desire welled up in Ashu to see her even closer.
“Burruru.”
Poking her lips with his finger made her brows twitch. The toy-like reaction drew a suppressed chuckle from him before he knew it.
“Ugh….”
“You’re unpredictable.”
What an odd person. It’d only been a few days since they met, but now the thought of her gone left a strange emptiness in his heart.
“Ugh… damn… disciple….”
Then Ideal started murmuring something.
“?”
Ashu leaned in close to her face. Her steady breaths tickled his earlobe.
Feeling his heart pound, he inched even closer.
“Damn disciple… rude little golden brat….”
“….”
The next day after Ashu woke up.
“H-Hiiik!! Why, wh-whyyyy!!!”
“Just because.”
Ideal was forced into martial arts training with Ashu.
When she’d seen Ashu collapsed, it felt like her heart dropped out of her chest.
‘No…!’
If Ashu died, she’d be done for—framed for it, no doubt! In this power-driven medieval world, that’s how it worked.
Something about the duke’s expression earlier had seemed off.
‘What the hell did he do to the kid!’
Even after seeing him for the first time in ages, the man had passed by coldly. That brutal face screamed something bad had gone down.
‘But these crazy bastards…!’
The kid—the heir of the grand ducal house she was supposed to serve—no one even tried to help him.
Thank goodness there was a temple nearby. He got healing there, but it cost her a whopping 3 million gold of her own blood money….
She’d jotted it in the ledger, begging to pay it back from her salary.
By the time she’d wrapped everything up and returned to the ducal estate, her body was utterly spent. She’d gently laid Ashu on the bed and passed out beside him without realizing.
Then the next day, out of nowhere, Ashu demanded to head to the training grounds.
A bad feeling prickled, but his expression was so sour she followed anyway.
—Realizing she shouldn’t have was far too late.
“H-Hiiik!! Disciple, what’s gotten into you?!”
Whoosh!
A wooden sword whistled over her head. A few strands of hair fluttered down, severed.
“Hiiiik!”
What did I do wrong!! Why’s this crazy golden brat suddenly like this!!
“Dunno.”
Ashu sheathed his sword, lips curling into a devilish grin that made her shiver.
“Bored?”
“Hiyaaak!”
Goosebumps erupted on her right shoulder.
Whoosh! She twisted away, barely dodging Ashu’s next swing.
Her occasional training was paying off noticeably. Ideal’s body was freakishly sensitive—like full-body motion sensors. She could predict most attacks. And her body moved on autopilot, like ingrained forms.
She’d been shocked by her own reflexes more than once.
‘Like Spider-Sense.’
This meant the tutorial perk was only for real emergencies.
But that wasn’t the point right now.
‘This is too much!! I busted my ass yesterday!!’
She’d saved his collapsed ass, and this was how he vented? Give her back her 3 million gold!! What’d she even do?
‘Status window!’
Character: Ideal
Strength: C | Agility: S | Intelligence: F | Luck: B
Trait: The One Who Lost Her Memories.
You are Ideal, but not her. Raise Ashu Kan Hart to reclaim your lost memories.
Trait: Locked
Trait: Locked
Trait: Locked
P.S.: May you reach a happy ending.
Ashu Kan Hart Training Degree: 9%
‘Training degree went up…?!’
Then what the hell—why was this crazy golden brat doing this to her!!
Screaming internally, she barely dodged his sword.
“Hoo….”
Only after a long while did Ashu finally sheathe his blade. His face looked dissatisfied, but sweating it out seemed refreshing.
“H-Hack, hek, hiiik.”
…She was sprawled on the ground like a dog.
Kids’ stamina was no joke, that was certain.
‘No idea why he snapped like this.’
Endure it. Endure. She was the adult here.
…And after that parental abuse, his heart couldn’t be fine.
‘Still, this is unfair…!’
But the training degree had hit a whopping 9%. Her 3 million gold and yesterday’s ordeal weren’t for nothing.
Plus, with the advance paid, it was time for the real payout. She had to uncover Ashu’s past somehow.
The entire household treating him like this? Too suspicious.
“Disciple.”
Ashu turned at her call. His swollen cheeks looked pitiful. Even the temple hadn’t fully healed the puffiness.
“You okay?”
She patted her own cheek as she asked.
Ashu glanced at her and smiled faintly.
“Thanks to you.”
Wh-what? Did he just smile? Their golden brat who only smirked venomously?
“H-Hup….”
She clamped her mouth shut, and Ashu tilted his head curiously.
“What’s wrong.”
“N-No, I just didn’t know our disciple could say thanks….”
“…You’re not really a coward, are you.”
“Ah, I really am.”
She was genuinely shocked. Ashu saying “thanks to you”?
Was he turning into a good kid after all?
Wait.
‘Thanks to you…?’
That meant… he knew she’d busted her ass yesterday!!
Cancel! Total cancellation! This ungrateful golden brat!!
She glared daggers full of protest, but he didn’t seem to care.
“Hungry. Make food.”
Now he was brazen too!! Aigoo, her neck ached.
“Wh-who’d think you’re the type to have someone cook for you….”
“What?”
“Hiiik!!”
Ashu, who she thought had wandered off, suddenly shoved his face in hers.
“Ah, n-nothing….”
“Put a fried egg on the meat again today.”
Like ordering a servant. The contract did treat her more like a nanny than a master…!
‘I’m supposed to be a proper master…!!’
Tears of injustice welled up, but what could she do? To get paid, she had to care for Ashu properly.
‘Wait, he just ditched me?!’
Ashu had vanished in a flash. She trudged back alone.
Bad disciple.
Ashu polished off his bowl in seconds. His sated expression was languid. Who’d guess he’d been beaten unconscious by his own father?
This probably wasn’t the first or second time. Otherwise, a boy couldn’t brush it off so casually.
“Disciple.”
“What.”
“Got a question.”
The mood was different from usual. Ashu looked like he’d been expecting it.
After much deliberation, she carefully voiced her inference.
“D-Disciple. You’re not… like, an adopted kid or something, right?”
“Yesterday was nothing—what?”
Ashu’s face hardened coldly.
“H-Hek! S-Sorry!!”
“…Haa.”
Ashu sighed deeply, like of course.
Silent for a moment, he muttered softly.
“…Yeah, maybe not wrong.”
“Huh?”
Ashu got up abruptly. Then he dropped a bombshell.
“In a week, there’s the monster subjugation battle. Happens every three years in the north.”
She knew. It’d come up in the novel.
The one time the reclusive north opened up. Heirs and their protectors participated. Winners got fame, recognition, wealth. A proxy war of noble pride. Every heir gritted their teeth for it.
But why was her disciple bringing it up now?
His follow-up was shocking.
“Join as my protector there.”
“Whaaaaat?!”
No, you have an escort knight!! Why her?! It was a massive event with all nobles present. As a wanted criminal, she couldn’t show her face.
Regrettably, she’d have to refuse—
Quest: Ashu Kan Hart requests you accompany him as protector in the monster subjugation battle!
Reward: Ashu Kan Hart Training Degree +10%
On Failure/Refusal: Ashu Kan Hart Training Degree -10%, Ashu Kan Hart Distrust
“…I-I’ll do it.”
This was straight-up blackmail with a sword.
Tears in her eyes, she could only nod.