It might have been mistaken for a blunt tone that would start an argument, but by now, I knew better than anyone that Ashton’s words were meant as a sign of concern, having observed him for a while.

“It’s okay. And thanks to someone, I’m much sturdier than before.”

As I folded my arms, emphasizing my strength, Ashton smirked.

“Still got arms like branches, huh?”

“Ugh. They’re not like branches. Have you ever seen branches this thick?”

Even with my feeble retort, Ashton responded seriously.

“You can find them if you go to the Whitewood Territory. The white winter trees there, symbolizing and defining the identity of the place, have branches thicker than most military commanders, and when fully grown, they are tall enough to pierce the sky.”

“…Wow.”

“So, can I not worry when I see the Duke’s arms? If the hard-earned muscles all disappear, it’ll be sad for me, the instructor and possibly the master.”

That’s right.

Thanks to that, the level-up of was progressing at an astonishing speed, and I wondered if it might reach the master level with just a little more.

Grateful yet at the same time annoyed at how ruthlessly this man manipulated people, I couldn’t help but find it amusing.

…But I didn’t hate him at all.

‘He talks with a face that doesn’t show any sadness. Being handsome adds credibility.’

“Okay, okay. I’ll start taking care of myself from tomorrow.”

I leaned over the desk in my office with a bored expression.

‘I don’t have to act like a villain anymore, which is good, but it’s frustrating that I can’t do much as I try to solve things sensibly…’

Despite things seemingly going well, I felt dissatisfied as if I were the only one struggling.

The sound of footsteps, whether stomping or shuffling, reached my ears while I rubbed my cheek against the list of relief supplies.

“Are you sleepy? If you sleep here, your mouth will go dry.”

“I won’t. And I’m not trying to sleep. I just want to rest for a moment.”

As Ashton came closer, grabbing the edge of the desk with his right arm and bending his waist, he lowered his head, and our eyes met.

Seeing his lively, vivid ruby-like eyes, I felt a scream involuntarily rising inside me.

‘Yikes!’

Whoa, he’s incredibly close.

Sometimes, it seemed Ashton couldn’t gauge the distance from people well, and he approached those he felt close to without hesitation.

I remember Benedict once snapped at him to back off a bit… but I didn’t expect him to do this to me.

In surprise, my breath stopped, and my lips trembled. Ashton, with a very serious expression, said to me.

“Duke, I’ve seen you say you’re going to rest and then sleep in the war room.”

“…”

This is terrible.

My heart pounded in a different sense from earlier.
“I’ve seen plenty of that too. The Duke’s stamina is much weaker compared to what I aimed for. It has improved since the beginning, but it’s not enough. To handle the recoil of the magical bullets steadily and prepare for close combat with zombies, stamina and strength are essential.”

“Ugh… I don’t want to hear this…”

‘I know, I know!’

Damn Elizabeth Kitten. Why didn’t she increase her stamina if she liked hunting! I felt like crying. Romance is a load of crap. All I could do here was train my stamina for battles against zombies and quests.

As Ashton continued lecturing me, I plugged my ears.

“Unpleasant truths are usually hard to hear. Now, get up. If you lie on the desk like that, it strains your back. A proper posture leads to a clear mind; you need to manage such things proactively.”

“Ugh.”

While shivering at the lecture, I reluctantly corrected my posture.

Ding.

Zero had opened a system notification window as if urging me to look. ‘Hey, you…!’ Zero, this guy. Even though he ran away from me, it seems he was watching.

I shook my head, trying to figure out through which route this guy had seen me. Did they have CCTV here? Even if I, an intern, used all the magic available, I probably couldn’t find Zero just by looking around, but I stubbornly gave it a try.

As I did that, Ashton gave me a strange look. “What are you doing?”

“Well, that’s… Zero gave me the same lecture as the Grand Duke. He said to sit up straight quickly.”

“That small hamster god said that?”

“Yes.”

“Receiving love from a god. Quite enviable.”

‘What nonsense. How is this receiving love…’

I grumbled internally but then sighed.

Looking back on the painful days Ashton had gone through, it made sense.

The winter he, the exiled second prince, had to endure was severe and lengthy after being driven out of the royal palace.

It turned him into an emotionless adult who didn’t know why he was alive, as the crying child grew up.

“I didn’t even know the god existed until you showed me that little hamster god.”

Saying he didn’t know was a gentle way of putting it.

‘In reality, he probably thought there wasn’t any…’