The Northern Grand Duke’s Hamster

The carriage continued on without rest. The barren lands of the North had more untouched wilderness than places touched by human hands. The road was barely wide enough for a single carriage to pass, and even a slight change in direction risked the wheels getting caught in the overgrown vines or dense underbrush.

Because of that, our progress was slow. The ground was so rough that whenever the wheels hit an uneven patch, it sent a jolt through my whole body, making my backside lift off the seat.

“…Uuugh.”

Fuck, motion sickness.

Even in my past life as Baek Soo-hyun, I’d never felt this nauseous. Maybe I was just fundamentally incompatible with riding on horses or carriages. Every time we moved, my stomach churned like I was on a damn boat.

Pale-faced, I leaned against the carriage wall and rolled my eyes toward the man sitting across from me.

Even in this chaotic, rattling hell of a ride, Kyle was calmly handling his paperwork. It was like he existed in a completely different space.

So, what? I was the only one stuck on this turtle-shell road while Kyle was on smooth pavement? Was that it?

“…Do you not get motion sickness?”

I couldn’t hold back my curiosity and asked. He glanced up from his documents to meet my gaze.

“Not at all. Are you struggling?”

“…I’m dying here.”

“Try getting some sleep.”

“…….”

Of course, I’d love to. Honestly, if I could just pass out and have someone wake me up once we reached the capital, I’d gladly take that deal. But that wasn’t an option. That damn ‘Reload’ only lasted a couple of hours.

The trip to the capital would take at least three days, and my limit was barely two hours. If I tried to sleep it off, I’d just revert back to a hamster before we even got halfway there. The only reason I was still holding on was because of the cookies I bought from the shop earlier.

I rolled my eyes toward the floating system window beside me. ‘Reload’ still had a little over three hours and thirty minutes left before it reset.

“…No, I’ll be fine.”

“We’re not far from a nearby village. I’ll wake you when we arrive, so get some rest.”

“Ugh…”

I wanted to be stubborn, but I just didn’t have the energy.

I crossed my arms over my hamster house and rested my cheek on them. Then, in a low voice, I called out to the system. Hey, show yourself.

[:(´ཀ`」∠): ]

“…….”

…Are you fucking motion sick too?

Is that even possible?

I stared at the pitiful-looking emoji in disbelief, but before I could process it further, the carriage jolted again, making me squeeze my eyes shut.

“Hey… system… set an alarm for two hours. I’m begging you….“

At this rate, I was going to pass out from motion sickness before anything else.

The emoji nodded, and a two-hour timer appeared in midair. Ignoring the ticking countdown, I pulled a [Emergency Toffee Nut Candy] from my inventory and popped it into my mouth.

Not that anything major would happen while I was asleep, but this was just a precaution. I couldn’t have Kyle peeking into my hamster house while I was unconscious.

The hard, sweet candy slowly melted on my tongue, filling my mouth with the rich taste of caramel syrup. Clinging to that fleeting sense of comfort, I forced myself to sleep.

Beyond my fading consciousness, I could feel the wind brushing through my hair.

Please, let it be the village when I wake up…

***

Beep, beep, beep—

A familiar mechanical noise rang in my head.

The small, rhythmic beeping was easy to ignore at first, but when I started dismissing it, the system changed tactics. The sound warped into something absurdly grand, like the intro to an over-the-top morning alarm.

Just ten more minutes… no, five…

I scrunched my face in irritation, turning my head away. Shifting my position, I tried to find a more comfortable posture. Yeah. Just a little longer like this…

Then, an eerie chill ran down my spine like a sharp blade tracing my skin.

I jolted awake, my eyes snapping open.

Kyle was right in front of me. So close our noses were nearly touching.

“Wh-what the—what are you doing!?”

The words tumbled out of my mouth like a broken answering machine.

Reflexively, I pulled back and clutched my hamster house tighter. Kyle stared at me for a moment before speaking in his usual, unbothered tone.

“You looked uncomfortable, so I was going to set you down properly.”

His gaze briefly flickered to the hamster house in my arms.

No, you dumbass, the uncomfortable part isn’t the hamster house—it’s the fucking carriage.

“I’m fine, seriously. More importantly… we’ve stopped?”

The rattling had completely disappeared.

I glanced down at the still floor before peering out the window. Outside, several people were gathered in small groups, chatting amongst themselves.

“I decided it would be best to take a short break. You’re not the only one suffering from motion sickness—some of the attendants are struggling as well.”

“Honestly, I’d be more surprised if they weren’t sick…”

“…Since you’re awake, take a moment to step out and get some air.”

I sighed and nodded. As I slowly scooted forward with my hamster house still in my arms, Kyle reached out his hand again.

“You don’t need to!”

“…….”

Before he could say anything else, I hurriedly hopped out of the carriage.

Now that we were a little farther from the capital, the wind carried a faint trace of spring. Of course, most of the landscape was still a vast expanse of white snow.

Anyway…

That eerie sensation from earlier must have been the effect of the Toffee Nut Candy.

Even if a ghost had been lurking right behind me, it wouldn’t have felt that disturbing. More than being surprised, I was outright disgusted by it. No wonder the system gave me five of these things for just 0.5 miracle points… Yeah, the remaining four were getting permanently sealed away.

“I need to come up with my next move soon.”

I couldn’t just keep shoving cookies down my throat while clinging to the hamster house forever.

At this rate, I’d not only run out of miracle points, but there was a real risk of transforming back into a hamster inside the carriage. If that happened, all the trust I’d built so far would collapse in an instant.

He’d definitely think I was a mage.

And worse, he’d assume I had lied to him.

From Kyle’s perspective, it would be completely reasonable to suspect magic. How else could a person suddenly transform into a hamster? Hell, even with magic, I wasn’t sure if such a thing was possible.

More importantly, I had interacted with him as both Cashew Nut and Shu. There was no way he wouldn’t think I had approached him with ulterior motives. Even if I insisted otherwise, who would believe me when the evidence was right in front of them?

I shook my head, forcing out those unnecessary thoughts. I needed to focus on finding a way out of this situation now.

“That village should be just up ahead, right?”

“Yeah. It was half-destroyed in a beast attack a while back, but I heard it’s been regaining some life recently.”

“That’s all thanks to His Highness Kyle’s efforts, isn’t it?”

“Exactly! He really is incredible.”

I perked up and tuned into their conversation.

A village… one that was destroyed by beasts once before?

A brilliant idea popped into my head. Slipping into their group, I casually joined the conversation.

“It’s a relief that it’s been mostly rebuilt. I haven’t been back since I lost my family.”

“Your family? Was that village your hometown?”

“Yes. It’s been quite some time since I left.”

“Wait, when you say you lost your family…”

“It was a long time ago. An unfortunate accident… My old home is probably still empty, but I do miss it. I’d like to visit my parents’ graves and pay my respects. If I could stay for a little while, that would be nice.”

“That’s… such a tragic story…”

“If you ask His Highness, I’m sure he’ll gladly allow it!”

“Of course! His Highness is incredibly kind!”

The servants, now moved by my supposed tragic backstory, nodded fervently, their eyes shining with determination.

Feigning emotion, I wiped at my eye with a finger and stole a glance at Kyle. He seemed too preoccupied talking to one of the knights to have noticed my little act.

Satisfied, I allowed the servants to stuff my hands, pockets, and even the top of my hamster house with snacks before I climbed back into the carriage. By the time Kyle finished his conversation and returned, I was already settled in my seat.

“What’s all that?”

“Snacks. Do you want some, Your Highness?”

As he took his seat across from me, Kyle let out a small chuckle without answering.

Lately, this had been happening more often—Kyle looking at me with an inexplicable smile. And whenever I turned to glance at him, our eyes met far too easily.

…It’s oddly embarrassing.

Avoiding his gaze, I focused on unwrapping a biscuit. Then, I casually extended a piece toward him.

Kyle hesitated for a moment before leaning forward and taking a bite directly from my hand.

Not with his fingers. With his mouth.

What the hell, man?

“Does it taste better when you eat it straight from my hand?”

“Quite.”

“Oh, by all means, Your Highness, indulge as much as you want.“

Grumbling, I shoved the rest of the biscuit into my mouth as the carriage started moving again.

Perhaps because the horses had rested well, the carriage rolled forward more smoothly this time, even over the rough terrain.

That didn’t change the fact that I was suffering, though.

Seeing my complexion grow paler, Kyle eventually laid me down across his lap. If not for that, by the time we reached the village, I probably wouldn’t have been able to tell whether I was in the land of the living or the dead.

We traveled for who knew how long before the carriage finally began to slow.

“Uuueeuuuhhh…”

Letting out a groan worthy of a zombie, I stumbled out of the carriage.

Unlike the last resting spot near the forest, a small village now stretched out before us.

It’s livelier than I expected.

Considering it had supposedly been devastated by a beast attack, most of the buildings seemed intact. Aside from its smaller scale, it didn’t look too different from Blake’s territory. There was even an active marketplace.

Kyle, having stepped out after me, scanned the gathered knights and servants before announcing a ten-minute break before departure. It seemed he was in a hurry, given how far we still had to travel to reach the capital.

Just as he finished speaking, I quietly raised my hand.

All eyes turned toward me.

“I’ll be staying here for a little while.”

“What do you mean?”

“This is my hometown. Since I’m here, I’d like to take a look around before continuing.”

“I cannot allow anyone to leave under any circumstances.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll catch up quic—”

“But, Your Highness, it’s his hometown!”

A servant suddenly raised his voice, speaking out on my behalf.

“Exactly! He lost his whole family and wandered all the way to Blake’s territory. Can you imagine the hardships he endured to make it there in that frail body?”

“That’s right. He never talks about himself, yet he brought up his hometown first this time!”

More voices chimed in from all around, supporting my plea. Some called me pitiful, others said that with a horse and a map, I’d easily find my way back on my own.

Technically, it was against protocol, but it seemed that non-combat personnel were sometimes granted leniency when it came to visiting their hometowns.

Kyle stared at me, his expression making it clear that he was not at all pleased with the idea. He let out a deep sigh before finally nodding.

“Shu.”

He stepped forward and held out a heavy-looking pouch.

I hesitated, unsure how to take it without hands, so Kyle took my hamster house from my arms and held it himself.

“This should be enough to get the best carriage in the village. Use it all if necessary.”

“…Thank you.”

“Are you really sure you’ll be okay alone?”

His voice carried genuine concern as it came from above my head.

I hesitated for a moment before lowering my gaze, mumbling awkwardly.

“I’m not a kid. It’s been so long… I just want to see them peacefully. Just my family and me.”

“Alright.”

His hand passed over my head, then brushed my cheek before trailing down to my nape. The soft, well-worn leather of his gloves grazed my skin, warm and lingering for just a moment before retreating, as if reluctant to part.

Without thinking, I opened my mouth.

I didn’t want to make promises anymore, but if I didn’t say something now, it felt like I wouldn’t be able to walk away.

“I’ll be there soon.”

So go ahead and wait for me.

As soon as I finished speaking, Kyle smiled.

And the moment I turned my head even slightly, our eyes met again—just like before.

As if he had never once looked away from me.