After bathing, Lucas went straight to bed.
By morning, he woke up feeling half-dead.
Every joint protested. His back ached. His arms felt like they'd been flogged by a divine bureaucrat.
He sat up slowly.
"Urgh… damn it… guess this body isn't used to hard work yet…" He rubbed his neck.
Then he flopped back down.
"Five more minutes… or…"
His eyelids began to sink.
"Tomorrow… I'll wake up tomorrow… today's a rest day…"
But before sleep dragged him back—
his mother's face appeared in his mind.
That exhausted smile.
That forced cheer.
That weak voice:
"I'll eat later… you go ahead. I have work. I'll eat afterward…"
Lucas's blood surged instantly.
"Tch… why did you always postpone important things…?"
He shot upright, anger giving him strength his body didn't have.
[DING! DING! DING!]
(งಠ_ಠ)ง Morning Laziness Test: BARELY PASSED
+12 EXP
+3 Progression Points
Reason: You defeated humanity's strongest enemy — 'Five More Minutes'.
---
His mouth felt dry as cracked soil. His eyes burned from sleep deprivation.
But he stood anyway.
"Very funny…" he muttered flatly.
[DING! DING! DING!]
(.•̀ᴗ-)✧ Daily Discipline: MORNING MODE ACTIVE
+2 PP
Note: Host woke up WITHOUT perverted thoughts. Rare occurrence.
----
"Whatever. Give more points if you can…"
tok… tok…
Liona appeared with a tray of food.
"Y-Young Master… your breakfast…"
Lucas snatched the bowl before gravity could test him.
Elegant? No. Noble? Definitely not.
He ate like someone who'd escaped a week-long kidnapping.
Liona froze.
No perverted comments.
No lusty staring.
No disgusting orders.
Just eating.
Aggressively.
Like he was yelling at himself with every bite.
[DING! DING! DING!]
(｀・ω・´)ゞ Breakfast Before Work: THE CHOICE OF A FUNCTIONAL HUMAN
+6 EXP
Reason: Nutrients acquired before life begins punching again.
---
Silvara was waiting outside.
When Lucas stepped out—messy hair, messy face, stomping like a storm—
"…Hey. Are you… mad?" she asked cautiously.
Lucas walked past. "Why do you care?"
"Hah?! Freak…"
Of course she didn't get it.
No one would ever guess the trash Young Master was furious at himself for almost being lazy.
Lucas marched to the bathroom, splashed water on his face, done.
Then came out again, walking faster, jaw tight.
"Why are you walking like you're about to kill someone?" Silvara asked.
Lucas ignored her.
[DING! DING! DING!]
(¬‿¬ ) Emotional Control: Logged
+4 EXP
Note: Host didn't explode at the pretty knight. Suspicious.
---
Yeah… I won't deny she's pretty, he thought grudgingly.
He headed to the tool shed and grabbed a common hoe instead of summoning The Great Hoe.
Silvara blinked.
"Huh? Why just one? Didn't you have—"
Lucas rested the hoe on his shoulder.
"Shut up."
[DING! DING! DING!]
(￣▽￣)ノ Ooo… so colddd…
+5 PP
Reason: Host avoided an argument = sudden mental development detected.
---
From the second-floor balcony, the Baroness watched her son—
disheveled, carrying a cheap hoe, walking briskly toward the gate.
Oh dear… don't tell me… my son can't hold it in anymore…
Is he craving the parties?
The brothel ladies?
Or—did Silvara interrupt his private time last night?
Oh my poor son… please be patient… times are hard…
She had no idea Lucas was down there cursing himself for almost falling asleep again.
Lucas and Silvara walked toward the fields.
Lucas's face was stiff, annoyed, and still burning with embarrassment.
Villagers took one look at him and instantly misread everything.
"Look at him… he looks miserable."
"Finally forced to work."
"Good. Let him suffer for once."
Some even smiled—genuinely relieved to see Lucian Voss looking "oppressed."
Meanwhile, the System started talking again.
[DING!DING!DING!]
(＾▽＾) Host, your walking speed has increased by 12%. Are you excited? Nervous? Guilty?
----
Lucas winced internally.
Enough with the triple ding… you only need to ding ONCE…
The System obeyed.
[DING!]
A blank panel popped up.
Lucas frowned. Stop playing with me!
DING.
DING.
I said one... He screamed inwardly.
[DING!]
"...." Lucas exhaled.
[DING!]
[DING!]
[DING!]
"SHUT UP!!"
His voice exploded across the street.
He didn't realize how loud it was.
Villagers flinched.
Baskets fell.
A dog ran.
Silvara stared at him like he'd sprouted horns.
"…What is wrong with you?"
Lucas sped up, face burning.
"I—I'm fine."
"No, you're not. Who were you yelling at?!"
"JUST—SHUT UP—DON'T ASK."
He practically fled the scene.
Villagers watched in fear.
"…Did you see that? He snapped."
"Don't get close to him."
"Don't look him in the eyes."
"What if we become the next victim…?"
"Victim? Victim of WHAT?" someone asked.
A woman leaned in, whispering dramatically:
"…Geralt was the victim yesterday. His dignity was destroyed."
Gasps erupted.
"What?!"
"Geralt?!"
"The old man?!"
"Saints protect him…"
Someone protested:
"But I saw Geralt this morning! He looked… happy!"
"Because he was THREATENED!" the woman snapped.
"Of course he'd act cheerful if Young Master forced him!"
Chaos erupted.
"Poor man…"
"Someone needs to protect him…"
"Young Master's gone too far…"
"This is disgusting…"
The noise spread down the road.
A woman in a brown healer's robe paused—
herb satchel in hand.
Mae.
The village healer.
Strict. Moral. Fearless.
She narrowed her eyes.
"What is happening here?"
Villagers rushed over.
"Healer Mae! We were talking—"
"Young Master destroyed Old Geralt's dignity!"
"He… he did something bad to the old man's backside…"
Mae's eyes sharpened, tone dropping cold.
"In the laws of the Saints," she said,
"violating another's purity is a grave sin.
Even a noble child must face judgment."
The villagers—already fed up with Lucian—
erupted with renewed fury.
"Yes, Healer Mae!"
"He must be punished!"
"Make him answer for it!"
Silvara turned just in time to see the crowd growing hostile in the distance.
"Healer Mae? Is someone hurt?"
She wondered if a sickness or outbreak had been discovered, judging by the crowd's reaction.
But the Young Master was already far ahead.
"Tch… damn it—"
She hurried after him immediately.