After figuring that nothing he did was wrong, Cassius walked over to the weights he had set in a corner of the room. He put on the whole ‘Newbie 1’ set, then got into perfect push-up form while looking like a taller, buffer Jackie Chan. His appearance was superior as well, though he wasn't one to gloat about something so superficial.
Leaning low to the ground, Cassius began to count.
‘1…’
Again.
‘2…’
Again.
‘3…’
Again.
‘7…’
Again.
‘28…’
Each and every push-up strained every muscle group in his upper body, as he had definitely been worrying about nothing when it came to obtaining the Idle 1 Benefits. It was clear that the Idle Evolution System would continue adjusting the weight of his Newbie 1 Equipment just enough to push him to his limits.
If yesterday the ‘Newbie 1 Equipment Set’ had a total weight of roughly 1,500 pounds, then now it was around 3,000. It surely wouldn't be long before the weights became heavy enough to crush through the floor…
Cassius was already surprised that it held up this long, but considering the nature of this new world, there were likely many improvements made to things like infrastructure compared to what they were in his previous world.
After working up a sweat.
Cassius let his body slowly fall to the ground. He could feel the fatigue that had built up in his body, yet he could also feel a lot of it disappear with each passing second. By the end of a thirty-second resting period, his body was ready to go again. From push-ups to sit-ups to squats—Cassius completed them all, and did so with… extreme difficulty.
‘Everything looked so easygoing in novels, but reality is so different… Haiz… Why am I so unlucky…?’
Even though Cassius thought like this, he learned to find a bit of joy in pushing himself to new heights. It made him feel a sense of accomplishment that he never was able to experience because of his extreme hyperthyroidism, which had barred him from even attempting to change himself for the better.
It wasn't like Cassius hadn’t still tried to work out even when he was told straight to his face by a doctor that no results would come from it. However, just as the doctor had said would happen, nothing he did made a difference. He still remained morbidly obese, with his appearance akin to that of a goblin’s.
Now, however, Cassius had the potential for improvement. And though it was incredibly tough and taxing on both his body and mind, he would still cherish and thrive on this chance.
After finishing up all the inside exercises for the day, Cassius took a minute to recuperate, then he sauntered over to a different corner of the room, where a heavy wooden katana lay embedded in the ground. While picking it up and surprisingly feeling no difference in its weight, the Idle 1 Benefit rang out.
*Ding!*
[Idle 1 Benefit: 3 AP] - [✓]
“With that out of the way, I just need to swing 150 times, then get my work clothes on and leave before 6:30,” Cassius commented, a small smile gracing his lips.
With his Newbie 1 Equipment still equipped, he swung the Newbie 1 Training Sword around like a madman. Contrary to the day prior, 1,000 odd pounds no longer posed much of a challenge to him. It still pumped the veins in his arms and upper body, but it was nowhere near as coma-inducing as yesterday.
Cassius made quick work of the swinging task for Daily Quest #2, then he wiped himself off and put on his modest work uniform while glancing at the system notifications.
*Ding!*
[150/150 Sword Swings] - [✓]
[15/720 minutes] - [_]
After adorning himself in a buttoned dress shirt and a pair of long khaki pants, Cassius viewed himself in a nearby mirror. There, he saw someone with medium-length, slightly curly black hair, a thin nose, a chiseled jawline, and a pair of striking blue eyes that glowed with a docile lethality.
For a moment, he was left standing there in shock. He knew that the Charisma stat worked in miraculous ways, but he hadn’t expected it to make him look like a model straight out of a runway magazine. The difference between his self a few weeks ago and now was like the difference between heaven and earth.
“It’s no wonder Miss Sasha was unable to figure out who I was,” Cassius commented casually as he rolled back his sleeves, unintentionally showing off his veiny forearms. “I really have changed… both inside and out.”
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
His eyes glazed over as he took another moment to gauge his current self before heavily exhaling. His expression hardened, then softened. Walking away from the mirror, he approached the door to his room and opened it, only to once again be greeted by the charming sight of his stepsister in pajamas.
Yet, like a deer in headlights, the moment she saw him, she ran for the hills, her soft steps on the stairs echoing through the house.
“Hmm…” Cassius momentarily glanced at Aya’s reddened figure bounce down to the bottom of the stairs and run toward the door, where she then made her flustered exit.
After making it down the stairs himself, though in a far more relaxed manner, Cassius caught a whiff of a heavenly pomegranate perfume. He looked toward the source of this divine scent, his eyes quickly making out the backend silhouette of a voluptuous woman. Cascading down her curves was her bright golden hair, its strands shimmering under the rays of sunlight seeping in through the windows of the front door.
To Cassius, she appeared kind of… sad.
Approaching the beautiful, dazed figure in a casual way, he spooked her a little, saying, “You worry a lot about Aya, don't you?”
After the initial jolt, Sasha’s flickering eyes of sparkling gold settled on the tall, handsome blue-eyed young man standing to her right side. Perplexion formed on her beautiful face as she thought about what he had just said.
A troublesome look marred Sasha’s exquisite appearance as she let a melancholic sigh escape her perfectly parted crimson red lips. “It’s not that I don't understand that she can take care of herself, it’s just that… Haiz… Sometimes, it seems like she is struggling with something that she can't bring herself to tell me about… She didn't even eat breakfast…”
Cassius glanced over at the laid-out pallet of food on the kitchen table. Seeing a total of three plates on the table made him feel especially conflicted. It was also at that moment that he realized part of this whole ordeal was his burden to bear. He turned toward Sasha’s saddened side view, prompting her to hold his smoldering gaze. Although still extremely taken aback by how much he had changed, she still listened to every word he was about to say.
“Aya is a very hard-to-understand person, and she surely has many things troubling her at school,” Cassius began with an earnest tone. “And though she believes it to be too much trouble to bother us about it, we are, after all, a family. As such, I will help figure out what has been happening with her summer school life.”
Looking at his sincere expression made Sasha feel a warmth that spread throughout her unholy figure. A kind smile soon graced her lips as her eyes domed into crescents. “I would appreciate that very much, Cassius.”
Cassius nodded. Committed, he said, “We are family; there is no need for thanks.”
“Mhmm!” Sasha’s previously glum mood improved by leaps and bounds. Radiantly smiling, she motioned to the food she had prepared not too long ago. “Would you like to have some before you head to work?”
Seeing that almost pleading expression on the face of someone possessing such mature beauty made Cassius’s heart waver. He liked to arrive early, but denying Sasha now would surely break her heart. Realizing this, he cracked a wry smile and replied, “Sure…”
“Good, good!” Sasha bubbled up in gleeful joy as she hurried over to the kitchen table in an oddly adorable manner, which greatly contrasted with her mature charm. “Please, come sit!”
Cassius complied, and he quickly found himself dining on homemade biscuits and gravy, with his gorgeous stepmother watching his every movement with sparkling eyes. She seemed to be expecting something, and after understanding what she wanted, he wholeheartedly complimented, “What you made is extremely good, nearly on par with a top-tier restaurant.”
Seeing him speak from the heart with that gentle smile touching upon his abnormally handsome features made the jittery milf twitch a little in embarrassment. She wanted to hear his thoughts, but she hadn't expected them to be so heartfelt. It made her squirm a bit in her seat, with her plump butt finding it difficult not to slide off the edge. A hint of scarlet colored her features, with her round golden peach blossom eyes looking slightly off to the side.
Not wishing to repeat his previous mistake with Aya, Cassius changed the subject. “So, where is my father at? Another business trip?”
Reason suddenly returned to Sasha as she nodded, trying her best to conceal her grievances. “He told me he could be gone for many weeks, possibly not returning until after summer break ends… I don't want to say this, as he is your father, but he has been acting… weird as of late…”
“Weird, huh…” Cassius could sense the loneliness in his stepmother’s gaze, yet he could also see a weariness lurking about. “Maybe the stress from work has just been doing a number on him. I am sure that he will recover soon enough.”
“I hope so…” Sasha sighed deeply, with her hot, fragrant breath creating a wave of… pent-up lust?
Cassius couldn't believe it himself, but that was most definitely the case. Furthermore, it seemed like his stepmother became more and more restless the longer he stayed near her. His eyes suddenly brightened in realization. ‘The Charisma Stat definitely affects more than merely my appearance. Just like all the other stats, it has its own side effects, and one of those likely has to do with appeal. This is also probably why Sasha flipped her attitude toward me in a complete °180.’
Upon realizing this, Cassius speedily finished up his plate of food, which left Sasha feeling very pleased. Yet, when she saw him rush to his feet and make his way out the front door, a sense of emptiness filled her heart.
“I will see you later, Miss Sasha. Oh, and thanks for the meal,” said Cassius as he waved behind himself, a warm smile plastered across his face. “And don't worry about Aya; I will figure out what is vexing her so greatly.”
“Ahh… Alright… Have a good day at work,” replied Sasha. A complicated look formed on her face as she twitched a bit, yet still maintained a friendly smile.
However, in the last moments before Cassius vanished from view, she murmured, “...But you really don't have to leave so soon…”
But, by that point, Cassius was already ten feet outside the driveway. And even with his improved hearing, he could not make out what Sasha murmured under her breath.
He briefly looked behind for a moment, yet quickly shook his head and resumed his trot to work.
Passersby whispered as he walked by, not only because of his superior appearance but also because of the wooden katana he held close to his hip. Many wondered if he was an actor heading toward a shoot. A few bold girls even approached him and asked for his snap or phone number, which he gave without further contemplation.
It wasn't like he especially fancied any of them, even though they were pretty. It was just that they must’ve had a good reason for asking for his contact information. Perhaps they saw his sword and assumed he was a bodyguard for hire?
Either way, Cassius couldn't just leave a bunch of obviously desperate girls to fend for themselves. Not after what nearly happened to Aya, or even with the hooligans that bothered both Grace and Aya.
He was simply a dense, noble… idiot.