Chapter 43

Catherine and Lily returned to their domains around the end of summer.

Before leaving, they told me they would send letters and asked me to reply.

They also added that if I ever got fired from Eristirol, I should come to them.

They were both quite eager to acquire talent.

“By the way, young master, what is this…?”

“I thought we could exercise together for once. Miss Sofia, you haven’t exercised in a while, right? Let’s exercise together to build up your stamina.”

I wondered what was going on when Kyle suddenly brought me to the training grounds.

As Kyle grew older, we no longer had time to exercise together.

“So what kind of exercise are we going to do?”

There are many types of exercise.

Sports, bodyweight exercises, yoga, pilates, and many others.

But which one does he want to do?

Since it’s to build stamina, maybe some cardio?

“Let’s start with stretching together.”

“Yes…”

A servant being trained by her master.

I wondered if this was appropriate, but since Kyle suggested it first, I had no choice but to follow.

Anyway, I started stretching according to Kyle’s instructions.

At first, it was normal stretching, but gradually it became more difficult.

“Uhhaaah…”

Like now, a position where we face away from each other, link arms, and straighten our backs…

“Young masterrr… this isss…”

-Crack… pop…”

“Hyaah…”

It was challenging, but certainly effective.

There were a lot of cracking sounds while stretching.

The problem was that I seemed to be using all my energy just on stretching.

Had my stamina weakened this much…?

I really had become so weak…

“Miss Sofia, turn around.”

“Yesss…”

For the next move, as Kyle instructed, I turned my body in the opposite direction from Kyle.

Kyle suddenly lifted me up!

“Uh… young master?”

I don’t understand why he’s suddenly lifting me.

If he wanted to lift something heavy, shouldn’t he lift a dumbbell instead of me?

“Why are you suddenly lifting me?”

“Hmm…”

“Young master…?”

Kyle holding me up without saying anything.

It kind of feels like couple exercise.

Isn’t this how couple exercises are usually done?

“Um… how long do I have to stay like this?”

2 minutes? 3 minutes?

Anyway, I remained still while being held by Kyle.

There was no reason to resist since he wasn’t trying to harm me, just holding me.

“Young master, please put me down now.”

I was a bit scared since my feet weren’t touching the ground.

At this point, I hoped he would put me down quickly.

“…I just wanted to try lifting you once. I’m sorry.”

“…?”

Eventually, Kyle put me back down.

I just wanted to try lifting you once? What does that mean?

Do I look heavy?

Have I gained weight?

“Um… have I gained weight? Is that why you lifted me?”

“No. I just wanted to try lifting you. Let’s continue exercising.”

“Yes…”

I don’t know what that was about, but we started exercising.

The exercise with Kyle was ordinary.

Basic bodyweight exercises.

Push-ups, sit-ups, squats, burpees, planks, and similar exercises.

It was so ordinary that it was almost boring.

“Huff… huff… young master, how long do I have to do this…?”

I was maintaining a squat position.

I used to make Kyle exercise when he was younger – was this how he felt back then?

It’s incredibly difficult.

It’s really, really difficult!

“Young… mas…ter… huff…”

“…Let’s do just one more set.”

One more set?!

From here?

More?

My legs are already trembling.

If I have to do more, I’ll definitely collapse as my legs give out.

Absolutely.

“Young… master… couldn’t we take just one break…?”

“No. Your stamina has decreased too much lately.”

“Huuuff… young masterrr…”

“Just 15 more seconds and you’re done.”

“Huaang…”

This is disgustingly difficult.

If I had known this would happen, I would have gone easier on Kyle when I made him exercise as a child.

If I had known I would face this revenge, I wouldn’t have done that…

“Phew… haah… uaah…”

“From now on, we should make time to exercise like this on weekdays when we have time, Miss Sofia.”

“Young master… how about we do this once every two weeks…?”

“Three times a week.”

“That really doesn’t seem possible…”

“Then how about going on a date with me instead?”

“What?”

“A date. A date.”

Where did this talk of a date come from?

Why would Kyle need to go on a date with me?

Seriously, why?

“I just want to spend time with a nice lady.”

“Uh…”

I don’t understand why he’s asking me if he wants to spend time with a nice lady.

If he wants a nice lady, wouldn’t someone like Elin be better than me?

“There must be better ladies than me.”

“You’re the only close female friend I have.”

That’s true.

He’s not as close with Elin or Louise as he is with me.

If we’re talking about close female friends, I’m the only one.

“Well, I don’t mind.”

I felt like I could do anything if it meant reducing this deadly exercise.

That’s how difficult it was.

Besides, I’ve gone out with Kyle to tour the village outside the castle several times, so it wasn’t an issue.

“Then let’s start dating from next week.”

“Yes…”

More than that, I felt like I was about to die from exhaustion.

I don’t know how many years it’s been since I properly exercised in my twenties.

It must be at least 2-3 years.

“Young master, more importantly, some water… I’m struggling…”

“Ah, here. Let me feed you.”

“Uh… thank you…?”

I simply drank as Kyle held the water bottle to my mouth.

I was so tired that I couldn’t use my strength, so it was actually easier to drink while sitting.

So this is why baby birds always get fed by their parents.

It’s super convenient.

“Gulp… gulp… g…ulp… phew… haah… thank you…”

“…It’s getting late. I need to go for my lesson. You’re going to wash up, right?”

“Yes. I’ve sweated too much.”

“Then shall we go together until the bathroom? Our paths overlap halfway anyway.”

That’s true.

The classroom where Louise and Kyle have their lessons is past the bathroom.

I got up and walked with Kyle down the hallway, parting ways at the bathroom.

He said we would exercise together, but it feels like I exercised alone.

“Ha… that was disgustingly difficult…”

Even trying to take off my clothes in the bathroom was hard.

I was definitely going to have muscle pain tomorrow.

For real.

“Ughh…!!”

My sweat-soaked shirt was extremely damp as I tried to take it off.

If it was this damp, Kyle must have definitely smelled it.

It’s a bit embarrassing…

Even though I was a man in my past life, it couldn’t be helped.

Even men would feel awkward if others smelled their sweat.

It couldn’t be helped.

“Well, this happened because Kyle made me exercise.”

It doesn’t seem like it was my fault.

I never suggested exercising, right?

Kyle suddenly suggested it, and I went along with it.

“But about this date…”

I’ve never been on a date until now at this age.

Somehow Kyle has become my first date partner.

Seeing how he said he just wanted to spend time with a woman, he probably just doesn’t want to play alone.

“Has Kyle never been on a date before?”

What we’ve done until now wasn’t really dating.

It was just a servant touring the village with her master.

So isn’t what Kyle is suggesting not really a date either?

After all, he’s going with me, a servant?

“Hmm…”

I would have gone if he had just asked to hang out together.

Did he need to put on airs by calling it a date?

“Well, Kyle is getting older, so he probably wanted to sound cool.”

But he shouldn’t ask just any woman for a date.

That would be real flirting.

Since I understood the circumstances, it wasn’t a problem, but other young ladies would have been overjoyed if he had said this to them.

“Ah.”

He probably wants to practice with me before going on dates with other young ladies.

Yes, that’s why he deliberately used the word “date” this time.

As expected of me.

Amazing deduction.

“This is what being in the top ranks at boarding school is all about.”

By the way, in just a few months, Kyle will become an adult.

It’s quite amazing that the child I’ve half-raised is becoming an adult.

I wonder if this is how parents feel.

Though in terms of age difference, we’re more like sister and brother.

“Hmm…”

Anyway, I’m going on my first date.

It’s a bit sad that I’m having my first date at 24, but I was also happy in a way.

It’s a date after all.

Since it’s with Kyle, it won’t be the kind of date that makes my heart pound, but the act of dating itself seemed like it would be fun.

“Borrowing… clothes isn’t an option. There’s no one my size…”

It’s really frustrating.

These lumps of fat have never been helpful in my life.

Because I wear formal clothes, it’s uncomfortable every day, and I always had to order underwear separately.

They said they didn’t have my size in regular stores.

“Sigh…”

What can I do?

I had no choice but to order from other regions.

And by letter!

Because of that, it took forever for underwear to arrive!

If the size was slightly small, I just had to wear it.

It took so long to return it and get a new one…

So the underwear I’m wearing now is actually half a size too small.

“I should go shopping for clothes before going out with Kyle.”

It might be good to go shopping with Louise or Elin.

After all, those two were the closest female friends I had in the castle.