episode_0056
by fnovelpia
56. Adel
I rode toward the mine alone with Adel.
Normally, we would’ve taken a carriage, but since it was urgent, we chose to go faster on horseback.
We rode for hours until my inner thighs ached.
Just before departure, Alice offered to assign attendants or guards….
“Why would we need guards when I’m here?”
As Alice had worried, we encountered a few bandits along the way, but Adel slaughtered them effortlessly.
After just a few swings of her sword, burly men were instantly butchered…
The sight of her slicing through people and their crude armor like tofu was still shocking.
Even now, remembering it makes my stomach churn….
Or maybe it’s just motion sickness from reading my notes while riding, like Guan Yu* (*a Chinese general known for reading while riding).
After roughly seven hours of riding, I finally asked Adel:
“How much further?”
“For the mine? About another day. The inn’s two hours ahead.”
“An inn?”
“Yeah, there’s a village near the mine.”
Likely built for mining purposes.
Even in this era with developed transportation, villages still sprouted near mines.
Plenty of labor was needed for both work and storage, making such settlements inevitable.
We were probably heading to one of those.
As I processed that, Adel—riding skillfully beside me—broke the silence, perhaps bored by the endless journey.
“Hey, can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
I answered absently.
She hesitated briefly after seeing my reaction, then spoke.
“You have no loyalty to Lady Erika, right?”
“…….”
How should I answer?
Honestly, I have less loyalty than a speck of dust in an ant’s eye.
If she accepted my resignation, I’d moonwalk all the way back to the countryside while dancing in joy.
But social decorum—no, more importantly, I must remember nobles exist.
Especially since the voluptuous woman beside me could slice me like a pizza with her sword.
Or kill me on a whim and walk free because she’s nobility.
Noticing my unease, Adel smirked reassuringly.
“Relax, I won’t bite.”
“…Honestly, loyalty isn’t really there.”
I answered truthfully.
But despite her strong devotion and affection for Erika, Adel remained calm—almost like she’d expected it.
Unfazed, she continued questioning me seriously, as if genuinely curious.
“Then why do you work so hard?”
“Huh?”
“No loyalty, oblivious as heck, always submitting resignations…
You could just quietly run away. Why push yourself so hard for her sake?”
Her words left me speechless.
Why *do* I work so hard?
“Well….”
Half-jokingly, it’s residual grad school slave DNA.
Seriously? Maybe trauma from my corporate days, where I invented *that thing*, messed up, and fled.
But one thing’s certain:
“I….”
I laughed self-deprecatingly and answered quietly.
────────────────────
I despise Cain.
Honestly, when we first met during the Penrose War, he didn’t leave a bad impression.
But after the war, when summoned to the imperial court, he gradually became unlikeable.
“Sister, you chose *that useless bastard* over us?!”
The imperial ball.
Rules dictated attendees could bring only one subordinate.
At least the lodging allowed others to travel to Romania separately, but…
My fury and jealousy only grew.
“Infuriating… Leaving me behind…!! At least take Vivian or Luna!”
A sudden outsider had displaced the longtime loyalists.
Before Sister took control of the Grace family, we’d devoted everything to her.
Raised together, bound by blood, we’d always obeyed and served Erika.
But watching her prioritize some random man made my blood boil.
“Hey, what do you think?”
“Squishy?”
(*”말랑이” is a nickname here, combining “soft” (말랑) with Cain’s name (카인) into something like “Squishy.”*)
“Drop that stupid nickname… Aren’t you pissed?”
I seemed to be alone in my anger.
Vivian unbotheredly used the nickname, and upon arriving in Romania, she immediately left to guard Cain.
Luna, who stayed behind in Prezia, also seemed favorable toward him.
“He helped greatly in the war. I view him positively.”
“Personal feelings?”
“Adel, I’m a soldier. My lord’s feelings are mine; my lord’s judgement is mine.”
“No fun at all.”
How could they not resent this interloper stealing Sister’s favor?
Sure, my romantic feelings for Sister fueled this rage, but dislike is dislike.
“Still, he *was* helpful….”
Sister, Vivian, and Luna weren’t wrong.
Due to a traitor, Sister’s brilliant ambush failed, prolonging the war—yet his hot-air balloon secured victory.
For a week, Cain agonized over blueprints, worrying: *Will it fail? Hurt us?*
I tried tolerating him because of that, but…
“Ugh… Where’d he go…? Did my petty jealousy make things harder for him…?”
Upon arriving at the ball, Sister sat guilt-ridden in our lodgings.
Driven by jealousy, she’d demanded three impossible inventions—something no genius could deliver.
He left, sulking like a kicked puppy (*”고추 달린 값도 못 하고” lit. “like a chili-peppered dog”), to work.
Two days passed with no sign or word from Cain.
My lord, my beloved angelic Erika, suffered in anguish.
And that wasn’t all.
“Where the hell is this bastard hiding?”
I searched to discuss commercializing his inventions, but he’d vanished.
Despite Erika’s favor, Cain was a commoner.
For nobles like us to hunt down some peasant was absurd.
“Was discussing Guano Island and other ventures, but you’re so scarce I thought you’d become a duke~.”
“M-My apologies.”
“Oh no~ The esteemed Cain, now *so* busy, needn’t lower himself to meet a mere lesser noble~.”
When we finally faced each other in the carriage, sarcasm dripped.
Had things ended here, I might’ve tolerated him—since business exposes you to far worse.
I’ve met nouveau riche scum pretending nobility.
But…
If only it *had* ended there….
“Vivian? Where’s this bitch gone?”
During our week-long return to Prezia, I once searched for Vivian.
With frequent camping due to exhausted horses, locating her took time.
When I finally found her….
“Y-You’re too rough ♡”
“Isn’t this what you wanted?”
Deep in the woods, Cain and Vivian were *occupied*.
Cain, carved like a statue with his muscles and handsome face.
Vivian, objectively lovely despite being my infuriating cousin.
The sight of them coupled like beasts, clothes shed, moaning….
“…Mother*fucker*.”
Rage shot through me.
Everyone knows—no matter how delusional—
That our goddess-like Erika loves this lowborn trash.
Yet after winning her heart, he rutted with Vivian like an animal.
Meanwhile, bound by blood, I can’t even pursue Sister romantically?!
Swallowing jealousy, I branded Cain irredeemable.
Now.
For Sister’s sake, I accompany Cain to the clay mine.
My professionalism prevents trouble—but had this been personal, I’d have carved his cock into sausages.
Then again, Erika’s possessiveness is terrifying.
What’s hers *stays* hers. Harming Cain would’ve meant death by her fury.
So I shelved my rage.
Even after beheading bandits mid-journey, we rode diligently.
Keeping pace with Cain—still awkward on horseback—I studied this undeserving man.
His eyes bored into the notebook gifted by Sister.
“Please let there be high-alumina clay…
Are Brooke and Eightree managing without me? Ugh, I need cloning jutsu….”
The man who stole my beloved Sister’s heart.
Even while riding, he worked tirelessly for her—despite zero loyalty and constant resignations.
Why?
“Hey, can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
Had I no love or loyalty toward Sister, I’d have schemed betrayal or lazed about.
But Cain?
Whined, yet delivered impeccable results every time.
How could someone so disloyal persist?
After thought, he answered:
“I hate running away.”
Simple.
“Chivalry or something?”
“No. I’m no knight—just a commoner who wouldn’t know.”
That baffled me.
Without chivalry, knights are just strong thugs.
Without morals, humans are just smart beasts.
Years in business had taught me responsibility was rare.
So I pressed:
“Then why strive so hard for Sister?”
A commoner with no greed or ambition—why?
Cain pondered, then replied:
“Once, I ran.
People trusted me—brilliant minds from afar, investors too.
But something went wrong. The product flopped… I fled in fear.
My family suffered for it.”
“First I’m hearing this.”
Recent arrogance aside, Cain’s genius was undeniable.
What could’ve failed so badly?
His story continued:
“They say humans learn, right? This time… I didn’t *want* to run.
One experience watching my family struggle was enough.”
“Commendable responsibility. Impressive.”
I meant it.
In all my ventures, responsible people were rare.
It didn’t erase my disdain, but… it was something.
Then Cain murmured, faintly smiling:
“And… seeing Lady Erika sad or burdened…”
“Yes?”
“…Felt bad? Not something a commoner should say, but…”
…….
Now I *almost* get why Sister fell for him.
And why he screwed Vivian guilt-free.
From *his* perspective, imagining Erika’s romantic interest would’ve been blasphemous.
The Grace family’s head—a former ducal house—loving a commoner?
I spurred ahead, muttering:
“Decent guy.”
“Huh?”
“Nothing! Let’s hurry.”
Sure, he cheated with Vivian.
No loyalty, painfully oblivious…
But compared to marrying some rotten noble for politics?
Maybe Sister found true happiness.
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