As Lucas led his group of four—Mina, Annie, Amelia, and Elisa—out into the castle courtyard, the War Wolves were already waiting, their disciplined efficiency evident in the polished carriage prepared for the journey. The morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of dew and freshly baked bread from the nearby market. The horses snorted softly, their breath forming faint clouds in the chill, while the wooden wheels of the carriage creaked in anticipation.
"Thud, thud, thud…"
Chris, ever the reliable driver, cracked the reins, and the carriage lurched into motion, rumbling along the cobblestone path toward the research department on the city's outskirts. Inside, Lucas sat at the center, his posture relaxed but attentive. To his left were Mina and Annie, the fox-eared girl flipping through her notebook with a focused frown. To his right sat Elisa and Amelia, the elf's emerald eyes glancing curiously at the passing scenery, while Amelia's expression remained as impassive as ever.
"Annie, what's wrong with the sick horses?" Lucas asked, turning to the fox-eared girl. "If it's a minor issue, have someone nurse them back to health."
In this era, a warhorse was a treasure, often worth more than a human life. A prime steed could fetch a price in gold coins, akin to a luxury car back on Earth. While a car could be repaired, a horse's ailment often meant death, its meat repurposed for food. Those that could be saved tended to with care that rivaled the treatment of nobility, a testament to their value on the battlefield.
"No chance, young master," Annie said, shaking her head as she scanned her notes. "Their hooves are rotted. They can barely walk."
"Rotted hooves?" Lucas's brow furrowed, his mind racing. "Did they step on sharp rocks or something?" Sharp objects were a horse's worst enemy, capable of crippling even the sturdiest mount.
"Exactly," Annie said with a sigh, her fox ears drooping slightly. "It happened during transport. They stepped on jagged stones." The loss of those horses, before they'd even seen combat, was a bitter blow.
"Looks like it's time to put shoes on the horses," Lucas said, his voice calm but decisive. The concept of horseshoes—metal plates nailed to hooves to protect them—flashed in his mind, a practical solution drawn from his Earth knowledge.
"What?" Annie's jaw dropped, her brown eyes widening as she stared at Lucas. Her expression was a mix of disbelief and amusement, as if he'd just suggested the horses wear silk slippers. "Young master, you're joking, right?"
Elisa blinked, her emerald eyes flickering with confusion. Had she misheard? Shoes for horses? Lucas was brilliant, a visionary who'd transformed Sedona City, but this sounded absurd. Her mind struggled to reconcile his intelligence with such an outlandish idea.
"Young master," Mina leaned in, her voice a hushed whisper near his ear, "putting shoes on horses affects their agility." Her cat ears twitched, her tone gentle but cautionary, as if worried he'd overlooked a critical detail.
The idea wasn't new. In this era of cold steel and knightly warfare, horses were cherished by their riders, who went to great lengths to protect them. Long ago, someone had tried outfitting horses with makeshift "shoes," mimicking human footwear. The result was catastrophic: the horse stumbled, the knight fell, and both met a tragic end. The incident became a running joke in knightly circles, a cautionary tale of overzealous innovation. To suggest "shoes for horses" was to invite ridicule, akin to calling someone a fool. Knights hurling insults might sneer, "Why don't you put shoes on your horse, idiot?"—the subtext clear as day.
Amelia turned her head, her eyes fixed on Lucas with her usual blank stare. "Stupid," She said flatly, her voice devoid of emotion. A flicker of doubt crossed her mind. If Lucas was spouting nonsense like this, was his promise to take her "to the sky" without wings just another empty boast? She remembered her sister's scolding words from long ago: 'What, are you dumb enough to put shoes on a horse?' The memory stung, sharpening her skepticism.
"Young master, you're kidding, right?" Annie said, her lips curling into a grin. To her, this was Lucas's playful side at work, a jest to lighten the mood. The idea of horses in shoes was so preposterous, it could only be a joke.
"What?" Lucas blinked, his dark eyes narrowing as he registered the group's reactions. Confusion, amusement, and outright disbelief stared back at him. "I'm serious. Horses need shoes. What's so strange about that?"
He reached out, playfully pinching Amelia's cheek and tugging gently. "You're calling me stupid?" He teased, his tone mock-offended.
"Idiot," Amelia said, unfazed by the cheek-tugging. Her face remained impassive, even as her cheeks stretched under his fingers. "Dumber than what my sister said."
"Huh?" Lucas's brow arched, sensing something amiss. He turned to Elisa, only to catch her stifling a laugh, her shoulders trembling as she looked away, her face a mask of barely contained mirth. The elf's attempt to hide her amusement was painfully obvious.
"Hehe… young master, you're hilarious!" Annie burst out, collapsing onto Lucas's lap in a fit of giggles. Her laughter was bright and infectious, ringing through the carriage like a bell. Outside, passersby paused, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the source of such unrestrained joy.
"What's so funny?" Lucas asked, his dark eyes blinking in genuine confusion. Annie's laughter was contagious, but he was utterly lost as to why his suggestion had sparked such hilarity.
Mina, catching sight of Lucas's bewildered expression, couldn't help but smile. Her hand rose to cover her mouth, her cat ears twitching with amusement. This was a rare sight—her usually sharp, composed young master looking utterly clueless. It was endearing, a glimpse of vulnerability that made her heart skip.
"Are you all hiding something from me?" Lucas said, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. The pieces were falling into place. He'd stumbled into one of this world's infamous blunders, some long-ago fiasco that had turned "horse shoes" into a punchline. His Earth-born perspective had collided with local culture, and he was the odd man out.
"Hahaha!" Annie's laughter escalated, her body shaking as she clutched her stomach, tears of mirth glistening in her eyes. Lucas's innocent confusion only fueled her glee.
The corner of Lucas's eye twitched. He raised his hands, fingers wiggling menacingly as a mischievous grin spread across his face. "If it's that funny, let's see how much more you can laugh…"
"Tickle, tickle…" His fingers dove for Annie's most vulnerable spots—her stomach, her armpits, anywhere that might elicit a squeal. His attack was relentless, his hands moving with the precision of a seasoned prankster.
"No! Hahaha… stop… hahaha… young master, I'm sorry! Hahaha!" Annie writhed, her laughter turning breathless as she squirmed to escape his tickling onslaught. Tears streamed down her cheeks, her fox ears flattening as she pleaded for mercy, her voice a mix of giggles and gasps.
Elisa watched the scene unfold, a soft smile playing on her lips. She hadn't expected this side of Lucas—playful, almost childlike, engaging in such lighthearted antics. It made him feel more human, more approachable, stripping away the imposing aura of "city lord" and revealing the man beneath. Her heart warmed at the sight, a sense of belonging stirring within her.
After what felt like an eternity, Lucas relented, leaning back with a satisfied smirk. Annie lay sprawled across his lap, her chest heaving as she gasped for air, her face flushed and her limbs splayed like a starfish. "I… I'm done… no more laughing…" She wheezed, her voice weak but still tinged with amusement.
"Young master, you're mean," Annie said, her brown eyes glinting with mock indignation as she caught her breath. She pouted, then shot a sly glance at the others. "Mina and Elisa were laughing too! Why am I the only one getting tickled?"
"You little sneak!" Mina growled, her cat ears perking as she caught Annie's attempt to shift the blame. In a flash, she pounced, straddling Annie's stomach and launching her own tickle attack. Her fingers danced across Annie's ribs, eliciting fresh peals of laughter.
"Hahaha… stupid cat… stop! I'm sorry! Hahaha…" Annie flailed, her legs kicking as she tried to fend off Mina's relentless assault. Her pleas were drowned out by her own giggles, her energy sapped by the double dose of tickling.
"Hmph! That's what you get for running your mouth," Mina said, a wicked grin on her face. She paused, then grabbed Annie's cheeks, squishing them playfully until the fox-eared girl's words came out in a garbled mumble.
"Stu… pid… cat… you… wait…" Annie managed, her voice distorted by Mina's cheek-squishing.
Lucas turned to Elisa, catching her subtle retreat as she edged back in her seat. He rolled his eyes, waving a hand dismissively. "Relax, I'm not tickling you."
"Phew…" Elisa exhaled, her shoulders relaxing. She glanced at Annie, still at Mina's mercy, and shuddered at the thought of enduring such an undignified ordeal. Her noble composure would've crumbled under that kind of playful torment.
"Alright, spill it," Lucas said, leaning back and crossing his arms, his brow arched with curiosity. "What's so hilarious about putting shoes on horses? I want to hear about this pioneer who turned it into a joke." His tone was light, but his interest was genuine. He needed to understand the cultural landmine he'd stepped on—and how to navigate it with his horseshoe idea.
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