Chapter 7. The Count Family’s Scoundrel (2)
Frost Trial Ground.
Literally, it meant a place of trials where frost falls.
But it was really a training ground where people practiced martial arts.
To put it simply, it was a ‘training ground’ where the count’s soldiers did military training and physical conditioning.
That meant Adrian was at the training ground right now.
Kai’s shocked expression made sense.
Even Seraphia, who was quietly listening, tilted her head.
“That bastard is—”
“Sir Kai!”
Seraphia shouted suddenly.
Kai quickly corrected his words.
“…Are you saying Master Adrian is at the Frost Trial Ground right now?”
“Yes,” Bernard nodded immediately.
Of course, Bernard had no reason to lie.
That meant Adrian really was at the Frost Trial Ground.
But that made no sense.
How could someone who wasted his days on gambling and pleasure be at the Frost Trial Ground?
“What’s he doing there?”
Kai frowned.
There’s only one thing to do at the Frost Trial Ground: training.
But it was hard to believe.
Kai had known Adrian for ten years, and not once had he ever trained there.
In fact, Adrian had never even gone near it.
What kind of wind suddenly blew through him to make him go train?
Unless the person himself changed, that would be impossible.
And people don’t just change like that.
There must be some other reason he went there.
“He’s training.”
Bernard’s answer made even Seraphia ask instead of Kai.
“My brother is training?”
“Yes.”
Bernard’s answer didn’t change.
They all knew Bernard wouldn’t lie.
Even so, Kai just couldn’t believe it.
“What kind of training is he doing at the Frost Trial Ground?”
That was a fair question because Adrian had no talent in swordsmanship.
Not just swordsmanship.
No talent in spear, magic, archery — nothing.
To be more exact, he had absolutely no talent with ‘Auror.’
Saying he was terrible wasn’t enough — he was a disaster.
If talent could be measured in numbers, Adrian’s Auror talent would be zero.
And did he have talent in magic?
Not that either.
He couldn’t use mana at all.
So, in total, his magic talent was also zero.
What kind of training could he be doing at the Frost Trial Ground?
“Well…”
Bernard hesitated.
He looked a little troubled.
“The training he’s doing is so strange that I don’t even know how to explain it…”
“My brother’s doing strange training?”
Even with Seraphia’s question, Bernard didn’t answer easily.
What kind of training was it that Bernard — who rarely showed emotion — was visibly troubled?
“I’ll go check for myself.”
Kai headed to the Frost Trial Ground on the edge of the Whitewolf estate.
A simple wooden structure stood on the dirt.
Inside were wooden poles and thick ropes connecting them here and there. Heavy stones and large logs were scattered all over.
Old shields and swords for practice hung on the walls.
Stuffed dummies tied with rough leather belts were standing around.
Despite the brutal cold of the snowy mountains, the place was filled with heat and sweat.
[Frost Trial Ground]
This was the training ground of the Whitewolf estate. Many soldiers gathered here for its purpose.
But the soldiers weren’t training.
“W-what is that…?”
They were all just watching someone train.
Everyone’s eyes were fixed on one man.
A man who was focused on his training.
Dark black hair and a very handsome face.
The eldest son of the Whitewolf family — Adrian Whitewolf.
“Huff! Huff! Huff!”
His breathing was rough, almost frantic — but it was steady.
Strong and controlled.
But it wasn’t from martial arts practice.
“Huff…! Haa…!”
It was the painful sound of lifting something heavy.
It was just heavy breathing from doing intense weightlifting.
In other words, Adrian wasn’t training with weapons — he was doing physical training.
More specifically, Adrian was focusing on muscle building.
Building muscle is very important for knights.
It changes how well they can use Auror.
Even with the same amount of Auror, a stronger body produces much more power — from a few times stronger to hundreds of times.
Strong bodies make strong power.
Even with Auror, this doesn’t change.
So building muscle is just as important as Auror training.
But still—
“Ughhhh!!”
—this was too much.
Training muscle doesn’t mean destroying it!
“C-Coach… Is that even possible…?”
One of the soldiers asked. Leberton, the knight and training coach of the Whitewolf estate, didn’t answer.
He didn’t have the mind to answer.
“!!!!!!”
He was practically shocked speechless.
“Huff! Huff! Huff!”
Just look at Adrian lifting that insanely heavy barbell.
It looked like it weighed 300kg, and he was using it to train his lower body!
‘Even I can’t lift that…!’
How could he do this?
It should be impossible without using Auror.
So, is Adrian using Auror?
Absolutely not.
Adrian has zero talent in Auror.
Everyone in the estate knows that.
Which means—he’s doing this with pure physical strength.
“O-Oh my God…!”
Leberton just couldn’t believe it.
How could a human do that?
And it was Adrian, of all people.
The playboy and gambler of the Whitewolf family.
A pampered noble who had never trained a day in his life.
He looked so fragile, like he’d break from a tap.
Leberton used to be a mercenary before becoming the estate’s training coach under the old Count.
He’s been training knights for over 10 years.
But he had to admit it—
…This was a first.
‘That crazy bastard…!!’
He had never seen someone so insanely determined.
Crazy?
That word wasn’t even enough to describe Adrian now.
What he was doing was not something a human could do.
Crack! Crack! Crrrack!
With every lift, weird sounds came from Adrian’s thighs.
The sound of muscles tearing — even rupturing.
‘That guy…!!!’
This wasn’t training — this was destroying his own body!
Humans have limits.
Auror lets people go beyond those limits.
But Adrian can’t use Auror.
Right now, Adrian is just a human.
Crack! Crack! Crrrack!
‘How the hell…!!’
Leberton’s idea of “normal” was breaking apart.
Muscles grow through recovery.
You damage them, then they heal stronger.
But there’s a limit.
If the damage is too much, like a rupture, and can’t be healed, you lose the muscle forever.
Limits are called limits for a reason.
Crossing them comes with serious consequences.
But then—
Grrgle, gurrgle…
…What was that sound?
Thud! THUD!
When Adrian dropped the barbell, the ground shook.
His skin was not just red — it was glowing hot.
Steam rose from his bare upper body.
His muscles were beyond repair.
His torn muscles couldn’t support him anymore, and he collapsed to the ground.
◆ You are not in your right mind!!!
A message suddenly popped up in front of him.
More messages followed.
◆ You can use the skill ‘Regeneration [C+]’ to heal the torn muscles.
◆ Required Nutrient – Protein
◆ Will you use protein to regenerate torn muscles?
The skill he got by consuming the Ice Troll — Regeneration [C+].
No need to think — he accepted.
But with all his muscles torn, he couldn’t even move a finger.
Luckily, the skill only needed his will to activate.
◆ Skill ‘Regeneration [C+]’ activated.
◆ A large amount of protein is consumed to regenerate torn muscles.
As soon as the message appeared, all his muscles began to squirm like clay.
As if they had their own will.
The torn fibers were rebuilt, twisting even tighter.
The new muscle fibers were so dense that there wasn’t even room between them.
Once regeneration was done—
◆ Your muscle fibers have broken past their limit!
◆ New muscle fibers have formed!
◆ Strength stat +4!
His strength stat had increased by +4.
“UWAAAAHHH!!”
Leberton screamed without meaning to.
Just look at that!
Grrgle, gurrgle…
Adrian’s muscles were moving.
It clearly showed that his torn muscles were being healed.
“Wh-What…?”
“W-What is that?!”
Leberton and the soldiers were all speechless.
How was this possible?
Human healing has limits.
You can heal cuts and wounds.
But if a limb is cut off?
That’s the end.
Humans can’t grow back lost limbs.
And Adrian’s torn muscles were that kind of injury — totally hopeless.
But they were healed instantly.
That… that’s not human healing.
Even with magic, that shouldn’t be possible.
‘Magic? You call that magic?’
No, not even magic could do that.
Maybe with divine power — the power of a Saint from the distant Holy Kingdom.
Only then might this make a little sense.
It was as if Adrian had a Saint as his personal trainer.
Her divine power was making his body grow at an insane rate.
This was what people called Emperor-Level Training.
‘Emperor training…?’
No — it was more like Adrian was the Emperor doing the training.
“This… this makes no sense…!”
“How could something like this be possible?!”
Leberton and the soldiers weren’t just shocked anymore — they were completely overwhelmed.
