Chapter 215 - A Lot To Practice
Captain Desmo watched the little girl practicing diligently under the hot sun as he sat under the shade of the canopy sipping the cold tea the Butler had left for them.
"What is this called?" He yelled out so that the girl swinging the sword in the middle of the training ground might hear him.
Yvonne did not stop repeating the steps she had been taught and glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
"Iced tea. Perfect for a warm and sunny afternoon." She answered his query without halting her movements.
Captain Reel nodded as he went back to enjoying the refreshments placed on the table for him.
"Elbows up!" He corrected her after noticing her clumsy stance.
Yvonne huffed trying to catch her breath as she raised her elbows higher, following his instructions to stand properly.
The man reclining on the chair was pleased with her form and did not interrupt her any further.
She had a lot to practice and very little time to do it in.
After all, tomorrow was the day her brother would return from the Royal Academy and take her assessment.
For the past two weeks, Captain Desmo had made it a point to train her ruthlessly so that she might be ready for whatever field it was that Howard St. Claire chose to test her in.
The little girl followed his every word and paid heed to all of his instructions.
They spent hours practicing horse-riding, archery, and sword fighting to prepare for the day of the assessment.
Though the training he had given her was not on par with the one given to the knights in training at the Red Scorpion Training grounds, he was sure that she could compete with the youngest and weakest squire in his squadron.
'That is a big achievement for her.' He applauded her will to carry on even when it got tough at times.
However, his praises stopped when he recalled something he had observed about his old friend's daughter.
His gaze became complicated as he watched the child who had now stopped to wipe the sweat off her forehead.
He had kept his training level according to what her body could manage to deal with but at the same time, he tried to make her push her limitations.
This was something he was taught by the Duke of the Tanner estate.
Using this method, one's potentials would be increased and they might touch new heights in their progress and capabilities.
However, the road to reach new extremes was a painful one to tread.
He had been expecting his little pupil to cry and whine when facing this pain but the result of the training had stunned him.
Not only had she progressed under the strict training and the painful exercises he made her do each day, but she had also done so at a monstrous pace.
'Ford's blood truly runs through her veins.' He associated her quick progress to the man who once was a prodigy among the young knights.
His complicated expression did not stem from all of these factors but it was the reaction of something strange he had observed.
'She truly is a masochist!' He scowled when he recalled the almost euphoric face she would have during her training.
The little girl would lose herself in the practice and each time she fell, she rose up stronger than before.
Two weeks ago, he had begun sparring with her and this was when he noticed the anomaly in her behavior.
His recruits at the Red Scorpion Knights dreaded the days he would spar with them.
Contrary to the fearful and crying expressions he was used to seeing he found her gazing at him with excitement and eagerness.
This only increased his doubts about her liking pain which was completely proved when he saw her maniacal and dazed appearance during training.
What he was denoting as her masochistic tendency held a different meaning for the little girl.
Each time she was dealt a blow from the wooden sword held in Captain Reel's hand, she was reminded of her grandpa Leo and how he would train her.
While Captain would not accept it, he was going easy on the girl unlike her grandfather in her previous world.
That old man would use his full strength without worrying about the pain that she might feel if she was struck by the attacks.
The pain Yvonne had felt only made her learn to dodge and deflect the attacks faster, improving her speed and her awareness of the surroundings.
Grandpa Leo's attempt to increase her agility and her perception of where the next attack would land worked wonders as she would do everything to not get hit again.
The memories that had shaped her life were coming back to her which was also helping her progress faster as she utilized the knowledge from both her lives.
Captain Desmo Reel's every strike proved that she was far from the level she once was on.
This shortcoming of hers, she was adamant to recorrect and overcome which made her rise higher each time she was struck.
The euphoric look on her face was because she could feel the improvement she was seeing every single day.
Unfortunately, her joy for her progress was being labeled as her tendency to enjoy the sensation of pain she felt during training.
"Can we take a break?" Yvonne's request brought the Captain back from his thoughts about the events of the last two weeks.
The little girl stood in the same place, not daring to step under the shade of the canopy which she desired to experience.
'I've been out here for hours now and I deserve a break!' She gritted her teeth as she waited to receive his permission.
Ever since the first day that she had agreed to follow every instruction he had for her, she did not do anything unless she was told to do so.
This was the condition he had for being her trainer and she was willing to accept them.
He was strict in his teachings and she needed that discipline and stern lessons.
Therefore, the little girl was obedient to his every command as this was a win-win for both of them.
"Alright. Come on over here." Captain Reel was benevolent as he allowed her to get under the shade.
'Thank you, oh generous one!' Yvonne rolled her eyes as she stepped towards him.
She placed the wooden sword in her hand onto the table and poured herself a glass of cold water.
There was no servant here to serve them so she could only do it for herself.
Plopping on the chair next to the man, she sprawled out on it without bothering about being ladylike.
"Tsk!" The man next to her clicked his tongue after noticing her actions.
Her eyes which had just shut to relax, snapped open as she glared at her trainer who was staring at her.
Captain Desmo was amused to look at her indignant face but he did not say a word to appease her.
"We will go on a horse ride next." He announced instead which elicited a frustrated groan from the little girl.
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m