A full day has passed since the start of the mountain trial. The injured were immediately treated and sent to rest in their rooms. With the advancements in medicine, a night of rest was sufficient for most injuries. Those with a physical boast had it even easier. Although the advancements were astronomical in the last thirty years, broken bones still took a couple days to heal for most people. For the superhuman physique of those in the combat class, none had taken longer than twelve hours to fully heal.
With the lesson for today being squad driven, Instructor Summers gathered the entire class to discuss the outcome. First and Fourth Squads were victorious in capturing the flags. Although they had also won, Fourth Squad had suffered just as many injuries as Third Squad. They barely managed to come out on top and would receive decreased MP because of that.
Contrary to that outcome, First Squad not only had the fastest clear time in the history of the trial, the also suffered zero casualties. With a new precedent being formed by these twenty-six members, the lost MP from Fourth Squad was added to their total.
"I wasn't expecting much out of you lot before today. The trial is meant to show you just how much you are lacking as a squad and yet, First Squad blew all instructor's expectations clear out of view. The moved as a singular unity despite dividing their forces and balanced themselves between varying ranges of attack.
They were able to move with such confidence because they thoroughly knew the strengths and weaknesses of themselves. Squad leaders, take note of their example and structure your training with that as the goal from here on."
A heavy but brief statement was given by Instructor Summers before she turned the squads to their training. First Squad was afforded the option not to partake because of their landslide victory but no member took that option. Before her eyes, they each began their training with the same tenacity they had before the trial bean. No, their determination had skyrocketed since then.
The reverence each member held for their squad leader was evident in their instant obedience to has commands and guidance. A smile unknowingly bloomed on Shianne's face as she observed the man leading not only his own squad but also giving advice to two of the other squad leaders.
At first, she equated it to only his accomplishments since enrollment. A conclusion that was instantly uprooted when she took note of the way the two female squad leaders were showing their attention to Joe. The biggest of the two was Clara. The usual cold demeanor she displayed to everyone was long shattered as the three talked amongst themselves.
Before she even realized it, a sense of jealousy had crept its way into Shianne's heart. Witnessing the added attention given by his peers, she felt inadequate. With any of them, he could openly show his affection and face no repercussions. The relationship that they had formed was only known to the two of them. Even their daily meetings in her office were only known to the two of them.
Had she known then how Joe saw her, none of these thoughts or feelings would have even begun to take shape in her mind. To him, she was far more than a means of strength. She had long worked her way into his heart as well. The time that they spent together was precious to him and it filled his heart with warmth. If it wasn't for the unusual nature of their relationship, he'd have long voiced his feeling publicly.
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After training had finished for the day, Joe returned to his usual routine. Food, shower, Shianne. Walking into her office today, he felt tension in the atmosphere. A tension that had never existed between them these last few months.
"Something bothering you?"
Looking up from her work, Shianne's face turned woeful at the sight of the cause of her internal turmoil. Without thinking about what may come, her voice turned mildly hostile.
"Surprised you came still. Thought you'd have been spending time with one of your classmates."
Her words carried her insecurities with them and although oblivious to most things, Joe was long used to this now unruly girl.
"Why would I waste my time with them when I could spend it with the person, I am most comfortable around?"
His words were meant to get a rise out of the now sulking redhead. He was expecting some form of retort, yet she fell silent and hung her head as if she was in the wrong. It reminded him of how Sarah would look whenever he would scold her for not studying in the past.
Seeing that he had maybe been too presumptuous, Joe carefully made his way behind the sulky girl and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.
"Don't look at me like that. I didn't think I'd have to tell you this. I figured you already knew but I am in love with you and your sulking won't change that."
His word warranted an instantaneous red tint to creep its way across the entire face of the previously sulking girl. It took a moment for her to calm her beating heart enough to find another retort for him to answer.
"Wouldn't you be happier with one of them? You could go out together and wouldn't be restricted to this room like you are with me."
Joe slightly laughed at that reasoning before he felt a light hit on his forearm. He was now seeing into the worries that had been buried within this girl and was happy.
"At what point did we both agree to restrict ourselves to this one room? We can be together off campus if we are mindful of the where and when. How about we have dinner together Friday? Just so happens that I have an abundance of MP recently."