Training Program (2)

'She is doing better than expected.' Theo thought.

She said she doesn't remember having any sword training but she wields the wooden sword in perfect posture like she had done it thousands of times.

"242 . . . 243 . . . 244 . . ." She counted out loud every time she thrust the sword in the air. The droplets of sweat continuous to soak her training clothes.

"What is wrong with your right arm?" Theo asked, interrupting her count. He notices that her right arm is slightly trembling. She tried to hide it but she eventually answered.

"This happens when I use it too much." She showed her shivering right arm.

Theo had always thought that she was right handed. He always sees her holding her spear in her right hand. Even her stance shows that her dominant side is her right. Now that he thought about it she defended or attacked using her left hand as dominant force and right as support.

'I wasn't a strategy?'

"Are you left handed?"

"No, sir, I am right handed."

". . ."

"I can only use my right arm in battle for a few times only. The greater force I give or receive the harder it trembles."

"I see."

This is troublesome.

'huh? Why is it troublesome? Isn't this better she will not pass the training.'

"Practice using your left"

"Yes sir." She nods and returns to swinging her wooden sword again.

Haaaaaaaa. really troublesome.

"Have you memorized your homework?" Gio asked right after she settled down in her seat.

" . . . "

"Guess you didn't." Gio said it indifferently and waved his hand in the air three books floated from the other side of the table and dropped in front of her.

"The Millano Kingdom's Royal Lineage"

"The Millano Kingdom's Royal Lineage Vol 2."

"Events and Celebrations in Millano Kingdom"

"Memorize these books also." Gio continued as he lifted his tea and sip on it.

'Are these necessary?' she asked herself internally.

She grabbed 'The Millano Kingdom's Royal Lineage' book and started reading.

The book is a list of the previous kings of Millano Kingdom, his queen and their children, the names of acknowledged bastards were also written. Their name, physical characteristics, their spouse and age when they die . That's the book all about.

She glanced up to Gio. He leisurely drinks his tea while reading his own book.

"What? Are you done?" Gio asked without averting his eyes on his reading.

"Not yet . . . sir."

'There's something not right here.' She thought.

****

On the third day of her training, Luna returned to her room and stuck to her almost all the time. She is reading the second book of royal lineage when she called Luna

"Luna" Luna's head perked up and his yellow eyes looked up.

"Can you understand what I am saying?"

". . ." Luna remained quiet. He jumped out of the bed and curled a ball inside his own bed.

'He can't?'

"Luna." The young black wolf glanced back at her call.

'He can.'

"Come here."

Luna stares at her again then tilt his head slightly before he returns to his sleeping position.

'. . .'

It's been five days since the first lesson started. Theo's weapon training had been consistent since the first day.

50 run laps

100 sit ups

100 push ups

500 sword swing

500 sword stab

Even after she finished this, he made her repeat the sword training.

For Gio's lesson, it can hardly classify as a lesson, since he never taught her anything. She was given a book she had to memorize then test her. If she does not ask questions, he won't explain.

'Something that bugs me.' She frowned at her book before putting it down. She is about to open her mouth.

"In a few days, my brother and I will go back to Monster Forest. Train and study on your own." His cold tone never changes.

"How many days will you be gone?"

"11 to 13 days."

"What were you doing in the Monster Forest?"

". . ." Gio stares at her silently like he is deliberating whether to tell her or not.

"I am almost finished memorizing all the books. Please give me something about the Fore---.

"The Monster Forest is the responsibility of Millano kingdom just like the other Monster territories to other kingdoms." Gio interrupted her

Monster Territory is a place where the population of monsters is overwhelming. There are many Monster Territories all over the world and every Kingdom has at least one Monster Territory that is assigned to regulate. Empires which are 2 - 3 times larger than kingdoms are taking care of bigger or larger scale Monster Territories like the two of the famous deadliest Monster Territories, The Deep Sea of Monsters and The Sealed Mountain.

"This year we won the bidding to venture inside the monster territory."

"Bidding?"

"Nobles are not bidding to kill monsters. They bid for the exclusive harvest rights to resources found inside. "

"Shouldn't you be extracting resources right now?."

"If that is easy then the royal family would have already monopolized its resources. There are two things to watch out for inside the Monster Forest, First is ofcourse the monsters second is the poisonous air."

Her eyes grew big. This is the first time she heard about the poisonous air.

"Ordinary people mostly suffer from illness after 2-5 days of stay inside the forest, that's why only trained knights are allowed to venture inside, but even the trained knights can only hold up around 10 days, but even if they are trained to withstand the poisonous air they will still need to undergo, medical monitoring to contain the poison they've inhaled. "

"That's why the venture only happened once a month." she accidentally voices her thoughts out.

"How did you know?"

"...?"

"How did you know the venture is only once a month"

"I counted."

"You what?"

"I count time."

". . ." She was given a very suspicious look.

"When I was locked away, there was no other way to tell time, so I counted time . . . in my head. "

****

"Does she count time?" Konrad repeated what Gio had reported. Theo knit his eyebrow.

"She said it's a habit she developed to tell time."

"For what?"

"To know what time the keepers will come."

"Keepers?" Konrad asked.

"That's what she calls her abductors."

Konrad put together his hands on the table and thought for a moment before saying. . .

"That's how she know . . ." He was reminded of the days when he visited that child.

It was odd when he first heard the shadows report that in the middle of her activities she will stop and unwrink her clothes, stare at the door and in a few seconds Konrad will enter.

"How many days do you need to build that kind of habit?"

"...!" Theo and Gio stiffend at their father's question. They are all aware how nearly impossible to keep a part of your brain to actively more so count it even in a state of sleep. Silence filled the room.

"Gio, You have more to report?" Gio is frowning while thinking about the previous question.

"Yes Father, She wants to meet you regarding the next venture."

"That child is not coming."

"She said she has a proposition."

The next day, instead of meeting the count and his sons in her room. She was escorted by Gio to the parlour.

The parlour was ordinarily dull, plain brown and blackwood. The only thing lively about that room is the huge window terrace where you can see the landscape of an unattended floral garden filled with tall weeds.

She and Gio arrived first. They sat down at the couch and she was served with hot chocolate and assorted sweet delicacies. Gio is sitting across her right.

The parlour door opened. Konrad and Theo entered. She greeted them by bowing and placing her hand on chest.

". . ."

". . ."

". . ."

". . ."

It was a long silence.

"Is that what you usually wear?" Konrad finally said something but it was unexpected. She was puzzled.

She is wearing her training clothes which were provided to her.

Konrad has always seen her wearing her pajamas. He didn't expect anything grand but she is wearing training clothes at afternoon tea.

"Your grace, I plan to train after this later."

". . ."

". . ."

"I see. take your seat" Konrad sat and they all followed.

"What is your proposition?" Konrad asked right away.