The grassland was filled with magnificent horses of various coat colors and mane types. Some were resting, while others galloped freely across the plains.
It was the first time Luo Ran had ever seen a scene like this.
“This is another form of entertainment left over from Old Earth. Very few people know about it nowadays, and not many know how to ride horses anymore,” Lucas explained. “It’s all from Old Earth, but it’s a little more fun than that amusement park of yours. If you’re going to ride something, ride a real horse like this. What’s the point of riding a little wooden horse?”
This was far better than Luo Ran had expected, and he happily stepped forward, wanting to get a closer look.
“Wait.” Lucas grabbed Luo Ran’s wrist. “Some of the horses haven’t been tamed yet. They can be quite wild and might kick people. Stay with me and don’t run off on your own.”
Lucas took Luo Ran to a farmhouse and asked the owner for a saddle and a lasso.
Lucas raised an eyebrow. “I’ll take you for a lap first, then teach you how to ride.”
“Okay.” Luo Ran gazed at the equipment in Lucas’s hands with eager anticipation.
The elderly owner had never seen Lucas bring anyone here before, let alone someone so beautiful. He smiled warmly and said, “Have a good time, young master. I won’t tell Madam Marshal.”
“You’ve got it wrong. He’s my secretary.”
Lucas led Luo Ran off to choose a horse.
Luo Ran asked curiously, “He called you young master?”
“Mm. The Aldo family bought this ranch some time ago, so it’s private property now.”
Luo Ran nodded.
Those members of Lucas’s family who had retired from the military, or who had never wanted to enlist in the first place, had mostly gone into business. The family was enormously wealthy, with influence in both the military and the Empire’s economy.
As he explained, Lucas continued examining the horses in the stable, going from one to another and taking quite a long time to make his choice. If he were choosing for himself, he would have preferred a spirited horse, or even tried his hand at taming a wild one. But this time, he wanted the gentlest horse available—and a good-looking one, too.
The horse before them was pure white, with smooth, silky fur and large eyes that seemed to hold pools of water.
At Lucas’s gesture, Luo Ran reached out to stroke it. The horse even lowered its head and nuzzled his hand.
Luo Ran glanced at the wooden plaque beside it, which listed the horse’s breed and name, and smiled. “Hello, Lisa.”
Luo Ran had a foundation in combat and was physically fit, so Lucas wasn’t particularly worried about him.
Lucas taught Luo Ran how to mount the horse. Once Luo Ran had climbed on, Lucas mounted it as well.
Feeling the warmth and pheromones of the person behind him, Luo Ran immediately stiffened a little.
He cautiously asked, “Do we really have to ride together…?”
Lucas reached an arm around Luo Ran’s waist and held the reins with him. He sat behind Luo Ran in a posture that looked as though he were loosely embracing him.
Lucas sneered. “It’s your first time riding a horse, and you already want to ride one by yourself? You’re pretty bold.”
“…”
Lucas controlled the reins and saddle, guiding the white horse as it leisurely carried the two of them out of the stable. They took a lap around the grassland before gradually picking up speed.
They weren’t going very fast, and Luo Ran could feel the breeze blowing against his face. It was wonderfully refreshing.
Sitting atop such a tall horse, he suddenly felt as though the world had become much more spacious. He could even see a lake in the distance.
“Is it fun?” Lucas asked with a smile. “Isn’t it much more fun than the amusement park?”
“They’re both fun!” Luo Ran’s eyes were filled with laughter.
This was Luo Ran’s first time going out to have fun like this. Everything felt new and exciting to him.
Lucas curled his lips into a smile. With one arm firmly encircling Luo Ran’s waist and the other holding the reins, he called, “Hyah!”
The white horse immediately broke into a fast gallop.
“…!” The sudden force threw Luo Ran backward, sending him crashing against Lucas.
The ride became much rougher, but once Luo Ran grew accustomed to the movement, found his balance, and learned to follow the horse’s rhythm, it became incredibly comfortable.
Lucas urged the horse to go even faster, letting it run at full speed.
Luo Ran felt as though he had plunged headfirst into a current of air. At such incredible speed, it seemed as if everything in the world had disappeared, leaving only the vast expanse between heaven and earth.
It was just like the feeling described in books—the feeling of freedom.
Lucas noticed that Luo Ran was gripping the reins so tightly that his palms had become slightly red from the friction at high speed.
“Let go,” he said.
“…?”
Lucas smiled. “Trust me.”
Without thinking, Luo Ran did as he was told and released the reins.
Lucas held Luo Ran firmly around the waist. Luo Ran could feel the strength in that arm, and Lucas’s position behind him didn’t shift even an inch.
“This feels amazing…! So amazing!” Unable to contain himself, Luo Ran raised his hands and felt the wind passing through the gaps between his fingers.
Luo Ran’s long hair streamed in the wind, the ends brushing against Lucas’s ears and lips.
As the horse raced across the grassland at a speed that made the path ahead almost impossible to see, Lucas kissed Luo Ran’s hair.
…
——— XXXXX ———
Lucas took Luo Ran horseback riding and even taught him the basics of horsemanship. By the time they finished, night had already fallen.
The two found a nearby restaurant for dinner and rode their horses there. The restaurant even had its own stables, making it exceptionally convenient.
Lucas glanced at the little wooden cottage nestled among the trees, decorated with droplet-shaped lights and tiny bulbs, and looked a little surprised.
“I’ve never been here before.”
The place was close to the ranch but lay outside its boundaries, so it wasn’t part of the Aldo family’s property.
Whenever Lucas came here with members of the Aldo family, everyone would return to the family estate and gather around a long table for a formal meal.
Luo Ran said, “It’s romantic and beautiful.”
As they stepped onto the restaurant’s wooden deck, they could also see the sheer curtains, tassels, and candles used as decorations.
“Welcome, both of you… It’s the general and his secretary!” The proprietress was a young married woman. The moment she saw the two men, she became visibly excited.
“Who?!” Her husband was cleaning the deck behind the restaurant. Hearing his wife, he immediately hurried over as well.
“Oh my goodness!!! It’s the general and his secretary!”
Luo Ran couldn’t help laughing helplessly.
“Hello.”
“Please, have a seat! Come on in!”
The proprietress immediately led the two of them to the balcony on the second floor, where they could enjoy the most beautiful scenery and dine accompanied by the evening breeze.