The sound of water splashing can be heard in the room Avol was given. As Avol stirred awake, he was alerted by the sound of a whiplash and a loud female voice.
"Young Boss, it's time to get up and begin your training. You can't be expecting that you can sleep in. This isn't your home and while here you have to follow my instructions since I'll be in charge of your training for the next two years. So, for today your first task is five laps around the training field and any time your speed drops, you'll add an extra lap. Any question before we begin?"
The owner of the voice was Annabeth the Vice-captain that he met yesterday. Avol just groaned as he got up from the bed and stretched leisurely but quickly straightened his back when he heard another whiplash. Annabeth straightened the whip in her hands while giving Avol a kind eye smile that was anything but that anything but kind, while there was a tick mark on her forehead. She then repeated herself
"Any questions?"
Avol quickly shook his head while internally thinking how scary this big sister of his was.
'Yikes! She kind of reminds me of mother. In fact, now that I look closely, they actually kinda look alike. Yesterday when she introduced herself, I thought she was a big sister that was kind and like to tease little kids. Alas, as mother said, you can never judge a book by its cover.'
He was brought out of his reverie by Annabeth who continued to speak,
"Now meet me at the training ground in two minutes. There are clothes for exercises in the bathroom so change into those before coming." Having said her piece, she then left Avol to do his morning routine.
Two minutes and thirteen seconds later, Avol came running into the training ground where he found multiple of different genders, statures and skin tones training while some were sparring against each other.
When he came in, all eyes turned towards him causing him to feel pressured unconsciously which made him nervous. He would have taken a step back if Annabeth hadn't intervened in time.
"Alright everyone! Get back to training and stop pressuring the young boss with your stares. He will be staying with us for the next seven years so try to get along alright."
With that said everyone went back to their training which look like professional MMA matches in Avol's eyes causing him to unconsciously sweat drop. He then turned towards Annabeth who was by his side and asked
"Do you guys train so intensely every time or is it because I am here and you need to keep up appearances that you are training so serio usly."
Annabeth carefree face morphed into a frown and then reprimanded him
"Do not put down the efforts of others just because you are above them. The hidden corps of the Lancaster family are the ones who do the heavy lifting for the Lancaster family. They are all members of the Lancaster family either by blood or proof of worth. They are also in charge of protecting various members of the Lancaster family which also includes you. If not for the hidden corps, you would have died several times over due to all the assassination attempts on both you and your Family."
Avol then sheepishly scratched the back of his head and apologized
"AH! Forgive me for judging you guys before experiencing it myself." Annabeth regained her smile while saying
"Well, I get that you were just surprised by the intensity of their training but if they don't train this much, they can't really be of much help to the family members who have also gone through training as well. Well, I forgive you but you have to earn their respect after bad-mouthing them." She then pointed at the rest who were training causing Avol to follow her line-of-sight btu what he saw made him take a step back because all he saw were eyes of people who had felt that all their efforts were stepped upon. At that moment, he made a promise to himself in his heart to not make any rude or unnecessary comment while being here while also being determined to prove himself and earn their forgiveness and respect.
Annabeth then went straight to the point.
"You were thirteen seconds late so you will add an extra lap for every five seconds extra and half a lap for the last three seconds. This makes it seven and a half laps for your training today and you have to complete it before breakfast by 9 am. Its currently 8:15 am so you have about 45 minutes to finish up."
Avol just nodded and then did little stretches before he started around the path at a steady jog. He went for the first two at the same pace before his pace reduced quite a bit at the third but he maintained said pace up till the fifth lap before his pace once again slowed down to a crawl with him panting heavily. But if one were to look in his eyes, they would see and unusually strong determination which seemed to have been forged from the tempering of uncountable experiences which should not be possible for a child of his age. This will of his helped him to complete the seventh lap but he collapsed after that.
Annabeth immediately appeared by his and then checked his condition before picking him up on her shoulder like a sack of potatoes while telling the others to continue with their training while she began walking away with him.
After she lay him down on his bed, she changed his clothes and wiped him clean of sweat and sooth from the ground before putting on a new set of clothes for him. She then sat at his bedside as she began to pass her hand through his hair with a loving expression.
She then left his room while wondering how fate was quite funny as she held a truth that if told would cause chaos all around the cosmos for the secret, she holds could decide the fate of the Omniverse.
As Annabeth stepped out of his room, she ran into Gerard who looked at her skeptically before he proceeded to walk beside her for some time before breaking the silence by saying
"I see that you are beginning to get attached to the young boss but please be careful so it doesn't get unhealthy. We know that no one can stop you from getting your grubby hands on what you want but do remember that this is the young boss that you're dealing with so you don't go overboard."
Annabeth just looked at him with confusion before nodding her head sagely. She then gave Gerard a look of disgust and then pity before saying
"I see that you also have a thing for the young boss. Ah… I knew you had a lot of fetishes but I didn't know that you were a gay pedophile too."
Gerard looked at her in shock and disbelieve and almost blew his gasket but calmed down and took a deep breath as he was already used to her antics. He then released a heavy sigh and then said
"Alright! I get it. I'll stay out of your business, okay? Just be careful with the young boss. After all he is still in an impressionable state and you corrupting him this early will cause a lot of problem with those stiff old fogies."
Annabeth just giggled and then replied,
"Don't worry, I won't do anything…for now. But once he turns eighteen, a lot of things are going to happen so I'll just wait a few more years before I step in." Though in her mind she was saying 'I've already waited for close to fifty years now. Waiting some more for my beloved isn't going to be an issue. It's not like I'm going to die anytime soon even if my strength doesn't increase. The[D1] [D2] best part is that I get to be close to him from the start of his journey, hehe.'
Gerard just hummed and dropped the matter as they continued to walk towards the training ground to conduct training for the rest of their colleagues.
Before they arrived though, Gerard made a comment about Avol
"I don't think I'm the only one who has noticed this but it seems that the young boss has some sort of inferiority complex and tends to want to prove himself to others."
Annabeth didn't reply immediately and thought for a moment before answering,
"It's probably because he has always grown in the presence of adults who have huge responsibilities and have all achieved great things and probably wants to prove that he can be of help to them. And although that in itself is good, it also makes such a person gullible. And with how the Lancaster family is, I won't be surprised if those old coots try something like that after his training. But don't worry. Sis already told me about this and I already have something in place immediately after his training for him to get over that." Gerard saw the look on her face and deadpanned at her words before she quickly added
"Don't worry I won't be harsh"
Gerard's stare never left her though and she continued
"Alright I won't be too harsh"
Gerard's stare stayed on her for sometime before he just sighed and dropped the matter but not before telling her to be careful as they continued walking toward the training ground.