Episode 109 - Dark Speculation 5 ‘First Death‘

Last Chapter: Everyone passed the first training session and realized that a person is missing. Aedelak recounts her peasant tale. She lies by saying she saw a snake when the truth was that she stepped on an animal poop; enabling her speed run.

.

.

Day 3, 2nd training session, section ⅔…

The sun illuminated 15 people standing in the middle of the training field. Though the sun felt delectating a few hours ago, without any cover, it now felt scorching.

For a while, Duke Rodriguez observed the children who stood in one line. His eyes squinted slightly before curving up with a smile.

‘Sure enough, they look more strong and more fit than they did yesterday!’ he nodded to himself with a satisfied look before moving to the side for Duke Marleigh to take charge.

In a calm voice, Duke Marleigh spoke, “Circuit fitness, have you heard of this exercise or training?”

“No sir!” Everyone but Aedelak and Aeselak replied.

He nodded, walked in front of the children, and stopped when he was close enough, “Circuit fitness training is a combination of 6 and more exercises. These exercises must be performed with little rest in between for a set number of repetitions. This time, we will be doing 6. Doing 6 exercises will amount to one circuit completed.”

Everyone gulped nervously, ‘Six exercise amounts to one?’ Again, whatever the Dukes said sounded so simple to tackle on. But it was the simple things that were so dreadful and deathly that they almost died!

Everyone stood stiff as they all had one thought in mind! ‘Don’t underestimate this training!’

Only Eugene and Aren looked at Duke Marleigh with high expectations. Even for Eugene, it would be her first time trying out circuit fitness which was incredibly popular in her former world! As for Aren, he felt excited because of the unfamiliar training term he just heard!

Duke Rodriguez continued for Duke Marleigh who looked at him in the eyes with looks that said ‘I-spoke-more-words-just-now-than-I-do-with-my-parents-all-year!’, ‘I-am-done!’,

“This training is an excellent way of improving your basic core and muscular strength endurance. It will elevate your heart rate to the max and keep it high through the circuit due to short periods of rest, as well as your entire muscles working together.

Because there are 6 exercises in one circuit training, each of the 6 exercises will be separated into stations.” He said as he pointed to 6 different areas spread out 20 meters apart from each other.

“Pair yourself up with your new friends and line up. You and your partner must work together and aid each other as you go through the circuit fitness training. You are required to finish 3 circuits. As you go into the 4th circuit, whichever pair finishes their circuit fastest can be excused. And those who come after the 1st place must do one circuit again until you manage to claim your first place!” as he said this, his lips tugged up into an evil smile, sending shivers down the children’s spines!

Eugene's eyes widened slightly, ‘Doesn’t this mean that those who finish last will have completed up to 9 reps of circuit fitness?’ she sucked in her breath as she stared at Duke Rodriguez’s evil smile.

‘Scary…’ she couldn’t help but think silently.

But just as Eugene's scary term was about to be put on Duke Rodriguez’s head permanently, he turned to her and said, “Ah. Eugene, Aernest, and Euria are too young to partake in too much strenuous training so you will be excused after completing 3 circuit fitness. However! Even if you stop training, you must stay close to your partners and walk with them to every station until they reach first place!” he reminded them in the last sentence.

Eugene nodded. ‘Yes, I am young.’ She agreed with Duke Rodriguez, ignoring those who were staring at her with jealousy in their eyes. Though she was excited about training, she was still happy to not have to partake in the whole training and be excluded. - It was a wonderful superior feeling. Hehe.

“Alright then, let me show you how it's done.” Duke Rodriguez said as he took off his outer garment, keeping only a thin T-shirt that accentuates all his ripped muscles.

Duke Rodriguez walked to station 1 and started jumping, “30 seconds jumping jacks” he shouted 1-30, 30 indicating 30 seconds. After completing a set of jumping jacks, he then walked over to the next station slowly.

As he walked, he lectured, “After each exercise, you can rest for 30 seconds. You can use this break by walking slowly to the next station to conserve energy. Please remember to count to 30 and use your time wisely!” he reminded the children.

After that Duke Rodriguez continued 5 more exercises, explaining and showing the children how the exercises are properly done.

“20 push ups for men, 15 for women, and 10 for children.”

“30-second planks”

“30 push up for men, 25 for women, and 15 for children.”

“30-second side planks”

“20 jumping lunge”

and “40 jump ropes”

Everyone nodded that they understood everything completely and got ready by strategizing with their partners. Only Eugene and Con remained silent by giving each other a nod as if they already knew what to do.

With a flag in his hand, Duke Rodriguez stood firmly to the ground as he watched the children line up with their partners, “6 exercises amount to one circuit! You must complete a minimum of 3, and remember that the sooner you get 1st place, the less circuit fitness training you have to do.

Now, on your marks, get set, go!” On ‘go’, he waved his white flag down!

In unison, everyone began to walk, or run to the first station.

The Dea-Louis pair maintained a neutral pace this time as they watched the rest walk slowly or rushed to complete the circuit training. Ramon switched with Argen and paired up with Aren instead of Aedelak. He then followed behind his brother and Dea and maintained a neutral pace like them.

The Aedelak-Argen pair walked slowly behind Ramon and Aren.

The Euria-Aernest-Aeselak pair did each exercise at a quick pace. In their mind, all they could think of were Duke Rodriguez’s last words and completely forgot to pace themselves and conserve energy. Like the 3, this method was adopted by the Ron-Arie pair too. Before anyone else, they wanted to be the first pair to finish the circuit fitness training.

Oddly enough, the Eugene-Con pair completed each exercise with a pace that was a few seconds slower than the Euria-Aernest-Aeselak team, and the Ron-Arie pair team. Unlike the Louis-Dea pair who maintained a neutral pace, they could be considered to be fast. Contrary to everyone’s expectations, the few seconds Eugene and Con saved, was enough for them to be the 1st pair to complete the circuit fitness training!

After completing 2 circuits, as expected Euria, Aernest, Aeselak, Ron, and Arie fell behind everyone. The Dea-Louis pair emerged 2nd as the Eugene-Con pair steadily remained first.

And before long, it was the end of the 4th rep! With a very surprised and delightful face, Duke Rodriguez roared out in happiness!

“The first pair to complete the circuit training is Con and Eugeneia! Congratulations, you two!” he patted the two who didn’t look tired after 4 reps of circuit fitness. Instead, they looked calm and nonchalant as they sipped on water.

‘Hehehe..’ Eugene laughed evilly inside her head. ‘According to plan!’ she nodded in acknowledgment of herself as she cleaned away the sweat from her forehead.

The 2nd pair to complete the circuit fitness training was Louis and Dea, followed by Ramon and Aren who almost tied with Aedelak and Argen. Aedelak and Argen then took first place on the 7th circuit rep. Ron and Arie took the 8th circuit, whilst Aernest, Euria, and Aeselak had to do all 9. Well, only Aeselak did all 9 as Aernest and Euria were excused after doing 3 circuits.

Aeselak laid dead on the training field… alone. It was then discovered that Aeselak fainted from exhaustion.

After that…

She never woke up until everyone completed their 3rd training.

---

Day 3, 3rd Training session, section 3/3

“......”

Duke Rodriguez tilted his head to the side and looked at the children with confusion. With a nervous voice, he asked, “Why are you staring at me like I’m some kind of monster?” his eyes darted left and right and showed uncertainty.

Everyone pouted! ‘That’s because every training we did today was brutal! Too brutal!’ They shouted in their hearts in unison but didn’t dare say it out loud.

Even Aren who was head over heels over Duke Rodriguez had a lifeless look in his eyes. Contrasting his behavior earlier in the morning.

Duke Rodriguez sighed and shook his head lightly. ‘Puberty sure be hitting them pretty hard.’ he thought silently.

Duke Rodriguez walked over to the children and waved his whistle in front of them, “The next training will be your final training of the day! You will not pair up with anyone for this training as this will be your individual training.

There is no win and no lose. This training is to see how much you can endure in your exhausted state. This training is called the ‘whistle-test.” he blew on his whistle after finishing.

“....” Eugene stared blankly at the whistle that was rarely used.

She has seen this silver whistle hanging around Duke Rodriguez’s neck the first time she met him at the Imperial Palace 3 years ago when she still had to be breastfed by Moniqua. From then on, she will always see him with this beautiful whistle but never has she seen him touch it. If he didn’t wave the whistle around just now, she would have assumed that the whistle was just an accessory and was not a well working mechanism! Because why else would he always wave around his white flag that always pops out from who-knows-where?

Eugene glared at the whistle for a while before she suddenly felt a chill. She blinked rapidly, ‘Whistle test? Why does this sound like the infamous Beep test?’

And as soon as she thought of the infamous beep test, Duke Rodriguez confirmed it with his next few words.

“You will run back and forth between these two lines” he explained as he pointed to two lines that were approximately 20 meters apart.

He continued, “After you run from the 1st line to the 2nd line, you may pause to rest. However, after I blow my whistle, you must run back to the 1st line immediately. And if I blow my whistle again, you must run again to the 2nd line. This will keep repeating until you choose to drop out yourself.

After every minute or so running will become more difficult because the time I take to blow my whistle will become shorter and shorter. If, after I blow my next whistle and you fail to reach the white line, you will be ousted immediately.”

Eugene’s eyes widened, ‘... It is the beep test!!’

She was not unfamiliar with this test! In fact, she has been doing this test ever since she entered elementary school back in her former world. This test system was popular all around the world, and she even had to take this test during her mandatory military training days as a form of training!

“Do you get it?” Duke Rodriguez shouted.

“Yes sir!”

“Alright, get ready… set go!”

.

.

.

10 minutes later…

With a loud voice, Duke Rodriguez shouted, “Aernest, and Argen!” This indicated that the two failed to reach the white line before he had to whistle again.

15 minutes later…

“Ron, Aren, and Arie!”

16 minutes later…

“Euria, Ramon, and Aedelak!”

20 minutes later…

“Dea!”

Ron, Aren, Arie, Argen, Aernest, Euria, Ramon, Aedelak, Dea stared at Eugene with a blank look. Unlike them who dropped out, she was still enthusiastically running and keeping Louis on track! She was running tirelessly as if this was her first training of the day.

27 minutes later...

“Con!” Duke Rodriguez shouted!

Everyone gasped in shock at Eugene and Louis.

“Haa… Ha… Haa..” Eugene panted as she stared at the back of Louis running in front of her.

‘Why is he still going?!’ She frowned as she shouted in her head.

“.....” Louis ignored the blazing glares coming from behind him and continued running.

31 minutes later…

Eugene voluntarily gave up.

1 lap after Eugene gave up, Louis too, dropped out.

Eugene’s jaw dropped as she stared at Louis in speechlessness, ‘I knew it! I knew it! He was only doing this to put me in my place!’ she thought as she glared at Louis!

She was displeased. Very displeased!

Louis rolled his eyes as he walked to Dea naturally.

“Hmph.”

And so, the third day of training finally ended!

However, just when they thought “Ah... A peaceful in Zene for once..” Three dreadful news came like a slap in their faces.

The first news.

The city occupied by the white-eyed tribe was attacked and set on fire. An estimate of 1000 armed civilians entered the city in the morning and slay anyone they saw on their way. It is assumed that half of the tribal people have passed away. The other half was saved however by no means were they healthy. Half the people saved suffered from some form of injuries, whether it be deadly injuries or a small scratch.

However, as if the heavens were sending down retribution for this vile and disgusting act, the wind picked up and spread the fire to the capital city. As of current, a quarter of the capital city was set on fire and was filled with people rioting!

The second news.

Sir Ario has passed away amid conflict between the tribal community and the armed civilians.

The third news.

Everyone, including the Zene knight trainees, is to enter the Royal Palace as a safety measure.