Initially, the stable managers were skeptical about a young maid coming to see the horses, but they were surprised by Lina’s skillful handling of the horses and often sought her assistance when they were shorthanded.
“There are so many horses now!”
“They’ve increased with the return of the knights with the master. You’ve come at a good time. I was so busy with the sudden increase of horses; it’s good you’re here to help.”
“Just tell me if there’s anything I can do. I’ll help you.”
“Thank you. Oh, but stay away from the black horse at the end. He’s very sensitive, and you could get kicked by his hind legs.”
Lina looked at the horse placed in a stable twice as big as the others. Without any loose flesh, it had a moderate build, and its shiny black coat made it a precious steed.
“He looks like a precious horse.”
“Oh, don’t even mention it! I’m nearly dying because of that horse. He’s so finicky and badtempered; it’s no ordinary task managing him; it’s not a horse but a bull, a bull!”
The black horse that Uncle Rick pointed to was snorting as if it couldn’t adapt to the sudden change of environment.
“He throws a fit if a stranger tries to touch him. Since coming here, I’ve barely managed to feed him! He’ll get fat and, if he gets sick, it’ll be a big problem… I’ve told the steward, but… Sigh.”
A horse’s daily ration is about 0.2% of its body weight.
But feeding this much without exercise was detrimental to the health of an animal evolved to run.
“What’s his name?”
“They call him Thunder.”
Lina approached Thunder with careful steps, locking eyes with him.
“Thunder.”
“Lina! Be careful……”
Rick reached out to stop Lina from approaching Thunder, but he closed his mouth at Lina’s gesture as if quietly commanding him to stop.
“Thunder, good boy?”
Lina reached out to Thunder with a gentle gesture. The excited snorting of Thunder subsided, and he began to accept Lina’s touch quietly.
“That’s right, he’s a good boy.”
Rick clicked his tongue, watching Thunder accept Lina’s touch as meekly as a gentle sheep.
Whenever they approached, he seemed ready to kick them, but Thunder seemed not only to tolerate but even enjoy Lina’s touch.
“No, Lina, what did you do? How did that wild horse become so tame! And how do you, a young girl, handle horses so well?”
“I told you last time. I grew up with horses under my father, who was a stableman.”
“I’m a stableman too…… Huh… Well.”
Hearing Rick’s words, Lina simply smiled softly. After all, being a daughter of a stableman, such things were mere talk.
A commoner girl who had no chance to even touch a horse would undoubtedly arouse unnecessary suspicion if she managed to handle one well.
Lina quietly cast a calming spell on the horse with the tip of her fingers, making her scent feel familiar to it.
‘Maybe it was sensitive because it couldn’t adapt to the strange environment.’
“Would it be alright if I took it for a walk?”
“If you do, I’ll be grateful! This one probably needs to stretch its legs! Go and come back soon!”
Lina took the reins of Thunder, leading it to the open ground behind the stable.
The sound of the horse’s hooves following her seemed quite cheerful when it got out of the narrow stable after a long time.
When Lina let go of the reins, Thunder began to run around as if it were excited.
‘It seems excited.’
Thunder, which had been running around wildly, approached the smiling Lina.
It circled around her, pulling at her clothes with its mouth. Then, it bent its front knees and lowered its body.
“What? Do you want me to ride you?”
“Neigh.”
It seemed to respond to Lina’s words. Although it was fine to walk the horse, it was not acceptable for a commoner to ride a noble’s horse.
“No, Thunder. I can’t ride you.”
But when Thunder neighed again and pulled at her clothes, her heart, which had always loved riding, began to waver.
“What should I do? I want to ride…”
After a moment of hesitation, Lina looked around to see if there were any people nearby.
“Now, there are no other horses out for a walk, and we’re a little far from the stable… It’s okay for a while, right?”
After a brief hesitation, she moved her body onto Thunder’s back.
“Then, shall we go?”
Lina, who got on the horse with an uncomplicated movement, kicked the horse’s side and started to ride carefully.
The cool breeze that brushed past her face made her hair pleasantly tousled.
Her mood lifted with the vibration of the horse’s movement and the smell of earth that softly entered her nose, and she began to pick up speed little by little.
‘It feels good…’
Riding and running seemed to shake off all the worries and miscellaneous thoughts in her head. It was indeed a feeling of freedom that she hadn’t felt in a long time.
Among the noble young ladies, there were only a few who could ride, and a woman riding was not a common sight.
Therefore, Lina, being a commoner, riding a horse was a behavior that stood out.
Lina had been worried about too many things in recent days. Although she gave in to temptation and rode, it would not be good if this were seen.
Soon, her mind became clear, and she gradually reduced the speed of the horse and dismounted.
“Thank you, Thunder. Thanks to you, it was a lot of fun.”
Lina, who smiled softly, thanked Thunder as she stroked it. Thunder closed its eyes and rubbed its face against her hand.
Soon, she led the horse back to the stable. Her footsteps were as light as Thunder’s, thanks to the freedom she felt after a long time.
“Is the walk over?”
Until the voice that sounded like the winter chill was heard from the side.
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
