_ It’s workout time!

It was early the next day. Afina had woken up way too early as she barely slept well because of thoughts of her duty which chose not to free her.

Also, she had woken up early because she was used to doing so back at home. She and mama Xylia would be awake as early as 7 AM to finish chores before mama Xylia leaves for work.

She watched Gia sleep soundly and wondered if the maids were allowed to sleep this long or if she was the one who had woken up too early.

The wall clock says 6 AM so maybe she was the early-to-rise one.

She strode to the luxurious bathroom and wondered if it was okay for her to use the tub. Deciding she might get in trouble if she used the tub, she settled for the shower.

After a refreshing bath, Afina went into her closet to pick one of her uniforms which Gia had hanged neatly on the cloth hangers.

It was not until 7 AM that the phone rang and when she picked it up, "Time for morning workouts, time for morning workouts" the recorded voice sang nonstop.

Afina grumbled upon hearing it. For some reason, she found hearing the recorded voice annoying.

Maybe because every time, she wanted to speak on the phone formally but the recorded voice always ruined it.

Just as Afina turned, she found Gia sitting on her bed instead of being as sound asleep as she left her.

"Heavens!" she jumped startled.

Gia looked perplexed to see Afina jump like that.

"Did you see a ghost?" the girl said as her eyes widened.

Afina had to roll her eyes at her ridiculousness. "You scared me. I thought you were still fast asleep" she said as she settled to sit on her bed.

"Yes, I was. The phone woke me up. Is it time for the morning workouts?" Gia inquired.

Afina's brow raised in curiosity. "How did you know already?"

"We the selected ones to serve the high house scholars undergo high house scholar training before your arrival" Gia was getting off the bed now.

Afina only nodded in understanding.

"Did you come with your workout suits?" she heard Gia ask her.

Work out what?

She needed no workouts in the slum. The running about running errands was enough of a workout.

"I don't have one" she shrugged nonchalantly.

The look on Gia's face made Afina wish she had said she forgot to bring it along instead of not having one.

But what was the use of wasting a lie over such a petty thing?

"Wait here, I will go get you one. We can't arrive late at the finish line and that is where you all will be meeting the butler personally for the first time" Gia sounded like she was in a rush.

Afina's brows curled into a frown. "Are we time-bound for a workout? I thought it was a mere workout. Why do we have to meet the butler again?"

"The butler needs to see you all just to recognize each and every one of you, I guess"

"So why set a finish line again?" Afina was about to ask but Gia had gone past the door and out of the room hurriedly.

Afina threw her hand which hung in the air down with a shrug. "That's it, ask a question Afina, and get snubbed!"

She returned to sitting on her bed while she waited for Gia.

It did not take the girl more than a few minutes to arrive back in the room holding a new workout suit still packed in a transparent nylon bag.

"Why are you in your uniform?" She asked Afina with a perplexed look as though she was just noticing Afina was already dressed up.

Afina unconsciously gazed at her body as though she was also just realizing she was in her uniform or perhaps, she was searching for the wrong thing in being in her uniform. "How about getting dressed for the day as an explanation?" she had her face creeping into a frown.

"Geez! Silly me for not briefing you about the schedule. Please get undressed little miss. We go for workouts every morning before anything else" Gia had settled the suit on the bed before rushing to have her bath.

"Since they have all our schedule planned, why don't they plan when we use the toilet too?!" Afina grumbled as she began to pull her uniform off.

Her jaw slacked when she saw just how revealing the suit was.

Was she complaining about how short the uniform skirts were?

This was more than revealing. It was a mini jumpsuit with all the space in the back opened and the two sides right under the armpit cut into an O shape.

She could only stare on at it without any movement on her part.

The creaking of the bathroom door as Gia stepped out of it all wet caught Afina's attention and she turned her face in the girl's direction.

"What are you doing? Get changed!" Gia hollered in surprise at finding Afina in her uniform still.

Afina gulped down the mucus in her throat. "Am I to wear this?" she asked.

"Yes. It is your workout suit!" Gia who was dumbfounded by Afina's act hollered again.

Afina threw the suit on the bed with a sigh. "There is no need for getting dressed. I might as well go naked"

"If you want to go naked then so be it. Do you know I will get punished in your place for any mistake you make while you are under my watch?" Gia asked.

What?

With dimmed eyes, "You will?" Afina threw the question another question.

"Yes so please little miss, get dressed. Revealing or not, trust me nobody cares"

Afina wondered if little miss was what the maids call of the scholars or if it was just a title Gia was fond of using.

Now, she had no choice but to change. She pulled off her uniform aggressively and wore the suit.

"Easy— I doubt you have more uniforms to change into if you rumple this one. Don't forget you are going to serve the prince after breakfast. I haven't had the time to do your laundry yet" Gia scolded her.

Afina pouted at the girl. "I brought ten uniforms. Thank you"

.

In a few minutes, both of the girls were done dressing up.

"Oh my God, you look— so— so" Gia cupped her face in utmost idolization.

Afina was hoping the girl was not about to mention deity.

"Sexy!" Gia shrieked after examining Afina's hourglass shape coupled with her blue hair which had the bun had gotten loosened as a result of pulling off and on the clothes.

The noises coming from out of the door showed that the other girls were ready and leaving.

"We better go" Afina instructed, ignoring all the admiration remarks from Gia.

"Right" Gia nodded vigorously and out of the door the duo went.

Two of the other scholars and their maids were right in front of Afina, descending the staircases.

"There is no limit to these brats' absurdity!" Afina gasped in a whisper at Gia.

Gia who was shorter than Afina brought her gaze up. "Why?"

Afina pointed in front of them at the two girls. "Are those workout suits or stripper's suits?"

"Don't be silly little miss" Gia chuckled. "Nobody cares what you wear here. Just don't mess with the rules" she shrugged.

"Well, if it's not blue with the blue qi" somebody suddenly said from behind.

It was a voice Afina had come to get familiar with.

The girl from the waiting room, whatever her name was.

Afina was about to turn and protest when she heard a voice counter the girl.

"Divine girls with a first-stage yellow qi have no right to taunt," the voice said.

Two mockery giggles followed the voice. One of the giggles came from Gia and when Afina turned, she saw where the other giggle had come from.

It was from the tree line girl's maid and it was the tree line girl who had come to her rescue.

Afina had a big appreciative smile on her face but the tree-line girl did not even give her the luxury of a glance.

"How did you know what my qi is you freak!" The waiting room girl seemed unashamed of her first stage yellow qi.

Now, the tree line girl finally turned and once though short, she looked at Afina before she shot the waiting room girl a blaring gaze.

"By a mere look, I can tell what qi you all have" she supplied and proceed to take another step down with her slim maid walking beside her while their shiny heels piped with the tiled floor.