BTTD 10

As Devon’s voice rang through the training grounds, announcing a break, the knights leaned against the walls and gulped down water.

As I chugged a bottle to quench my rising thirst, I could feel eyes gathering on me.

‘Well, it must be fascinating to see a beast holding a water bottle with both hands and drinking from it.’

At this point, I decided to just enjoy the attention.

Most of the gazes directed at me weren’t fear or terror, but curiosity and doubt toward the unknown—some even tinged with competitiveness.

It would’ve been strange to fear me, considering each knight’s physique and skill were terrifying in their own right.

I shook my head as I recalled the solid upper bodies of the knights who had casually stripped off their shirts.

‘What am I even thinking?!’

“You were impressive again today.”

I thought I’d been caught having improper thoughts. Cold sweat prickled down my back as I slowly rolled my eyes to the side—it was Neumann.

“Me?”

“Of course. Sir Nathan, the Berenice Knights’ ultimate weapon.”

Neumann teased me as he naturally came to stand beside me.

Neumann Kraus—always the first to approach and talk to me. While everyone else busied themselves with their own tasks, he was the one who explained things to me.

Like a max-level gym veteran rescuing a lost newbie.

Glancing at my empty bottle, Neumann handed me a fresh one he’d been holding.

“Your movements just now were so fast everyone was staring in awe.”

I tilted my head, wondering if the stares were really as positive as he made them sound.

Especially these past few days—there had been a particularly burdensome gaze that seemed intent on drilling a hole through my face. It made it hard to believe him at face value.

Realizing where my narrowed gaze had landed, Neumann burst into hearty laughter.

“Oh, George Teller.”

At the end of his gaze stood a knight with fiery red hair—George Teller.

Did he think I wouldn’t notice?

Whenever there was a spare moment, those reddish-brown eyes were fixed on me. And there was nothing ordinary about them.

‘Well… if it were me, I’d feel humiliated too.’

Getting knocked away in one blow in front of everyone. Not great for a knight’s pride.

“He must resent me a lot, right?”

When I spoke in a gloomy tone, Neumann’s eyes widened.

“Not at all. He’s reflecting on himself. He attacked you without even confirming the facts. That look right now? I’d say he’s looking for a chance to reconcile.”

I frowned at the unexpected answer.

‘Staring at me with that burning glare is supposed to mean he wants to apologize?’

I’d actually resolved to let him hit me once if he came at me again.

Seeing that I couldn’t hide my dubious expression, Neumann continued gently.

“He did attack you with quite the ferocity, so I understand your reaction. I mentioned it briefly before, but… George lost his parents to a monster. He hates them more than anyone.”

The Teller viscount family had governed a small village in Berenice. Without warning, monsters attacked the village, and Lord and Lady Teller fought to protect the people.

Though he didn’t want to, George obeyed his father’s final order and fled with his only younger sister.

Neumann turned his eyes toward the wide-open sky, as though looking somewhere far beyond reach.

“When George returned… what greeted him were the unrecognizable bodies of his parents and the villagers.”

At the time, Valentin—who had just received his ducal title and was touring Berenice—killed the monster that attacked the village and settled the situation.

Burning with a desire for revenge, George Teller begged Valentin to let him become a knight of the ducal house.

To grow stronger.

“George was already a knight, but unfortunately, he didn’t meet the Duke’s standards. So he started over as a squire and, after grinding his teeth and training for two years, he was officially admitted to the Berenice Knights not long ago.”

Neumann looked at George as though he were a beloved nephew.

“Well, in any case, since the Duke declared that Sir Nathan isn’t a monster, George is at a loss for what to do. That’s why he’s acting like that.”

I was speechless.

Now I understood why he had charged at me alone the moment he saw me.

Wasn’t I the one who should feel more sorry for slamming down someone who had clawed his way up through sheer determination? Do they really all think I’m not a monster—but a puppy?

I clicked my tongue at the knights’ loyalty. What a fanatical group…

When I abruptly turned my head, George Teller quickly averted his eyes and struck up a conversation with a passing knight.

His awkward movements were so stiff that the other knight teased him for looking like a wooden puppet.

‘I hope we get a chance to talk someday.’

Though I was still suspicious about why he kept observing me so intently.

As I watched George’s ears turn red with curiosity, a sudden noise came from the entrance.

Something being dragged.

“Don’t tell me… again today?”

Drooping my eyebrows, I turned toward the entrance and saw a large cart filled with minerals.

At the same time, the knights who had been scattered around rushed to gather around me.

‘Because those minerals are for measuring my strength!’

Seriously, where were they getting so many? Every day they brought in different minerals of varying hardness.

And they all just crumbled. Are they really that tough?

“What are you planning this time?”

I stared at the tall figure strolling in. The moment Valentin stepped into the training grounds, his green eyes narrowed as they found me.

‘That meaningless capitalist smile.’

He gave the knights’ greetings a perfunctory response and immediately beckoned me over.

“No trouble today?”

“I behaved.”

My posture naturally turned crooked.

Sure, I’d smashed parts of the training ground and accidentally sent a few knights flying—but that couldn’t be helped.

‘What am I supposed to do if I’m strong?’

Reassuring myself that I was at least trying to control my strength, I looked at the minerals lined up beside Valentin.

Several differently colored stones lay on the ground.

“What are they today?”

“The green one is Duten, the purple is Darbim, and the red one is Nicetra. Imported from across the sea.”

As Valentin recited their names, the knights gathered around reacted with interest.

“The Kingdom of Amisia on the Lisvan Continent built its eastern gate out of Nicetra. It’s said to be impenetrable.”

“There’s even a joke that even if the walls fall, the gate would still stand,” Neumann added.

They imported something that incredible from across the sea? Just for this?

I stared at Valentin in disbelief, but he didn’t care. Instead, he pointed to the green mineral first, as if telling me to break them in order.

‘So Nicetra is today’s highlight.’

Reluctantly, I looked down at the three minerals lined up before me.

Breaking them wasn’t difficult. I just had to brace myself for the pain and strike with all my might.

But I didn’t like flaunting monstrous strength in front of so many people.

‘They’re already staring at me with those unreadable eyes!’

Even now, they were watching closely, eager to confirm just how terrifying I was.

As I loosened my wrists, I considered.

‘Maybe I’ll go easy. I don’t have to shatter the Nicetra.’

Before I could indulge further in the lazy thought that this mineral-breaking show might go on forever, Valentin gently scratched under my chin and called my name.

“Nathan.”

Why did that simple touch…

All my senses rushed to my throat, and my eyes closed on their own.

‘I wish he’d scratch the right side too.’

Before I could even move, Valentin found the exact spot I wanted, as if by instinct.

It felt so refreshing, so good.

The world had gone so quiet that all I could hear was the soft rustle of my black fur brushing against his fingers—but I didn’t notice.

Only when Valentin stopped did I open my eyes in dissatisfaction.

Why stop now? Just a little more—

“Ahem.”

Neumann cleared his throat repeatedly. Only then did I realize I had been fooling around with Valentin in the middle of the training grounds.

My face burned hot.

‘What must everyone be thinking?!’

While I desperately searched for a hole to crawl into, Valentin held out a round tin I had no idea where he’d gotten.

On the lid was an illustration of a puppy wearing a backpack and standing on two legs. The tin was painted in pastel tones.

It was—

‘Reynold Bakery’s special cookies!’

My mouth flooded with saliva. My breathing grew rough as I inhaled every scent in the air.

Sweet, nutty butter.

My tail shot straight up.

Watching my reaction, Valentin smiled and opened the lid.

He didn’t forget to firmly command me in case I lunged at it.

“Wait.”

Like I can wait.

If the person in front of me weren’t Valentin, I would’ve already pounced. The cookies were a perfect sight.

Just looking at them, I could practically taste their fluffy texture and the unique buttery flavor of Reynold cookies on my tongue. Without exaggeration, they were the best dessert of my life.

A flavor beyond comparison.

‘My life can be divided into before and after tasting Reynold cookies.’

“If you break all the minerals, I’ll give you the whole tin.”

That enticing offer fell into my excited ears.

The whole tin?

When I looked at him suspiciously, Valentin shrugged as if to say, Believe it or not. I shook my head vigorously.

‘Good is good.’

Without hesitation, I smashed the minerals in order.

Bang! Bang!

They were definitely harder than yesterday.

‘Still shattered in one swing, though.’

As for Nicetra—the famed eastern gate mineral—I firmly planted my feet and brought both hands down.

With a sharp crack slicing through the air, red fragments scattered everywhere.

That did it.

“……”

Ignoring the stunned silence around me, I proudly held out my palm.

‘Cookie.’

But instead of handing them over, Valentin simply smiled slyly.

What now? That smile was suspicious.

When I tilted my head fiercely to demand them, he finally spoke.

“There’s still one more.”

The moment Valentin finished speaking, the sound of another cart being dragged echoed again.

While everyone else turned toward the entrance, I alone widened my eyes.

‘What is that?’