031: Freya Is Suspicious, and He Is the True Flamboyant Wind-Chasing Youth (Please Follow!)

For Li Cha, in his previous life, completing a 400-meter obstacle course in under a minute was something he would never have even dared to imagine. Instead of worrying about running, he would have been more concerned with whether he could swap shifts or beg his superiors for a pass to leave, just to avoid being late.

But having arrived in another world, where Goddesses of Light and Flame Knights exist, former world records no longer held much weight.

Ready… Begin!

Li Cha’s time: 1 minute 16 seconds.

Again!
1 minute 09 seconds!

Again!
59.87 seconds!

After crossing the finish line for the last time, Li Cha’s speed slowed. He stumbled a few more steps out of sheer momentum, and then, in a single word: collapse.

Freya said, "Congratulations, Private Li Cha. You have completed the first phase of recruit training. As a reward, you are granted a day off tomorrow. I expect to see you here, on time, next Monday at noon."

Li Cha’s vision was swimming. He thought to himself, wasn't there supposed to be sword training afterward? Had Freya developed a conscience?

After a long recovery, Li Cha successfully claimed his experience points and attribute boosts. Just as he was about to offer Freya some praise, he suddenly realized it was already 5:30 PM.

Heh. This emotionless woman hadn't found her conscience; the time was simply up. She was tired and wanted to go home to sleep.

Li Cha muttered, "For the sake of skipping that mission..."

Currently, Li Cha was more than halfway through level 6. He had closed half the gap toward level 10—the threshold of a Tier 1 Adventurer. Once he reached Tier 1, his "Class: None" would finally change. At that point, saying he had the power to protect himself in the Loren Continent would be no exaggeration.

Taking a deep breath, Li Cha stood up. Had he cheated again? Naturally. No one could maintain four or five hours of high-intensity training without it. Even if they could, a level 6 rookie like Li Cha wouldn't be capable of it. Especially during that final push, without stamina replenishment, it would have been impossible for him to break the one-minute mark.

With mixed feelings, Li Cha headed for the stairs leading back to the surface. He showered, changed clothes, and stepped out of the hidden door to find Freya, as usual, half-reclining on the sofa.

Yesterday, Li Cha had made a blunder. He thought he was done for, but nothing happened. Perhaps because of the recurring nature of their trades, Li Cha and Freya no longer needed words or formal contracts. When she lay there, Li Cha simply had to think "Trade" to initiate the exchange of time.

He stepped forward and sat on the sofa beside her. On an impulse, he rested a hand on Freya’s leg. One second, two seconds—Freya lay still, offering no reaction. Then, Li Cha slid his hand upward, past her slender waist and the parts that couldn't be grasped, and pinched her cheek.

Still no reaction.

At that moment, Li Cha finally realized: there was something wrong with Freya. She kept coming to him for help with her sleep, and it wasn't just because his time-trading allowed her to rest well; there was something else going on that he didn't know about! Because of this, she interpreted his offense from yesterday as normal. Or perhaps, deep down, she was craving a man. Or maybe, beneath that icy exterior, she actually enjoyed being insulted?

Li Cha’s heart raced. He had watched enough anime in his past life to know that seemingly perfect heroines often had unexpected, simple weaknesses.

Li Cha spoke up: "Freya, you bitch!"

*Swish.* Those phoenix eyes snapped open, cold and piercing.

"Damn it!"

Li Cha quickly snapped his fingers and, without lingering, returned to the outer district. "Hell, I guessed wrong."

When he got home, Li Cha wasn't strolling leisurely; the first thing he did was drink water. He had suspected something was off with Freya and made a bold attempt, but the attempt had failed. "Anime is unreliable. I really thought I could turn the tables and become the master today!"

But as time passed, after eating dinner and playing solitaire against himself, his mood stabilized. Just like yesterday, he faced no retaliation. Perhaps the trading system was working its magic again, making Freya unable to distinguish between dream and reality.

"Yeah, how could a lowly person like me dare to mess with my superior, let alone curse at her?" Li Cha’s lips curled into a smirk. "But this means my attempts are infinite."

Infinite attempts meant infinite save-scumming. Even if there was nothing wrong with Freya, he could make something wrong with her.

Military Intelligence Six provided him with his current life, but even a fool knew that as a member of the intelligence agency, the dangers he faced were far greater than those of an ordinary adventurer. So, unless he had no choice, who would want to be a damn private? And considering the hellish recruit training, he wouldn't consider the matter settled until he made Freya pay for every bit of it!

Li Cha waved his hand to summon the trading system. Two hours of gathering missions, here he came. Because of the training, his stamina was depleted almost daily. Gathering missions provided experience and were the most cost-effective way to stockpile stamina—a must before bed.

...

Meanwhile, at Old Shock Tavern, Randolph the craftsman and Ram from the Adventurers' Guild were drinking together. Randolph no longer had a craving for alcohol, but Ram insisted on treating him, promising that even if they didn't drink, there would be plenty of steak.

Randolph had told his wife he was out with a friend. Emma didn't like her husband smelling of alcohol, but she understood social obligations. Mr. Ram worked at the guild and had introduced many jobs to her husband; for that alone, she couldn't make him lose face. So, Emma just told him to be careful and said no more.

At the table, Ram laughed, "Haha, Randolph, you’ve really grown a backbone. You used to complain that Emma didn't give you any face and nagged whenever you went out for a drink. How come she doesn't control you anymore?"

Randolph gnawed on a fresh steak, grease glistening on his lips. "That's right. I'm the head of the household. I'm just out for a bit of fun at night, not seeing another woman, so she should just shut up."

"Hahaha!"

"Haha, Randolph, you haven't even started drinking yet—how are you already drunk?"

Randolph flexed his arm muscles. "Get lost, all of you! This is real strength; you bunch of roughnecks couldn't dream of it!"

Truth be told, having a wife and kids and still being able to go out and play recklessly was indeed enviable. Of course, that didn't include Ram. If Randolph relied on his "strength" to go out, Ram—who had shaved his head—bringing his wife along to the tavern was truly terrifying. Everyone who knew them knew Ram’s wife was beautiful and flirtatious, while Ram was an honest man. Everyone expected trouble at the Ram household sooner or later.

But tonight, Ram proved them all wrong. He was the one being the flirtatious, free-spirited youth.