Amy and Alina were at the road outside of her family estate stretching in the middle of dawn with her maid and two guards keeping surveillance.
Amy wore a simple tunic, baggy pants with a red sash and combat boots. There are no female versions of the outfit so she is wearing unused clothes that belong to a young squire. Though the clothes are not historically accurate, it is very comfortable and she is grateful for that.
"We begin warm up then start running."
"How long?" Amy asked.
"Run for one mile."
"Running a mile?" Her maid says in disbelief. "Lady Amaryllis is far too young. Her body is too delicate to run that much."
Even for an adult, it would take more than ten minutes to run a mile and that is if the person is healthy and in peak condition. Imagine how long it would take for a five year old.
"Your lady is young. She must take full advantage of youth." she says enthusiastically. Her thick accent makes it a bit difficult to understand. "We need to build her body and make it strong if she want training. Children her age in my home already run two mile without breaking sweat. She has much energy in body at young age, has potential."
Ah, she is perceptive. Amy thought as she finished her warm up.
"Do not worry Anna. I will be fine." She said and starts running. "Don't forget to set up a bath and some muscle relief medicine, okay!" she yelled behind her.
The guards are running behind the pair and Amy suddenly had a flash struck her mind.
"Ah, I shouldn't run full force." she said and slowed down her pace to run lightly.
Amy was already panting and sweating despite the cool morning. The sky is brightening up with the rise of the morning sun. With the beautiful view, it helps takes her mind off of things during the morning jog. Her legs started to get tired but she ignored it until it became painful. The moment she stopped, she already regretted it. Her lungs feel like they are on fire and her legs are close to collapsing in of itself.
Dammit. The lack of exercise can really hurt when it shows.
"Miss, you must be tired. Please rest." one of the guards said.
"No. It hasn't been a mile yet. Not until we get to the entrance." She said and drank some water from a bottle she keeps at her waist.
"You are so slow. I already ran more than around mile." Alina said. "I will keep going until you are done." she then ran off so quickly that Amy wasn't sure if she was hallucinating from the fatigue.
"Oh wow, she's fast." the guard says.
Amy looked up to see that the sky is turning brighter. It has probably been around five to ten minutes. "Alright, I will finish this." She got up to continue running until she finally reached the gate. That took around another half an hour.
Amy doesn't even have the energy to rejoice. She saw her maidservant running towards and fell into her arms, panting heavily.
"Where is Alina?"
"She ran past the gate not too long ago. When you guys see her, tell her that I'm done." she said tiredly. "Make sure the head maid shows her around and guides her well on her first day. I'll see her after lunch."
Then the maid servant carries Amy on her back.
"Do you wish to have your bath, miss?" she asked.
"Yes please," she mumbled and closed her eyes.
"WAAAHHHH!!!!"
The sound shook them both. Amy is wide awake now.
Her maid servant looked towards the direction of the sound. "Is that-"
"Viola" Amy groaned.
Viola has sharp sixth sense when it comes to her. Whenever Amy is too far from her, she knows and because of their closeness, she hates it when they're too far apart. Viola seems to be quite upset this time.
"Tell Viola that I'm sorry on the way back."
"Yes, miss." she says with a cringed look.
"I'm sorry for you, too."
"What for?"
"For making you wake up this early and deal with my crazy ideas."
"Nonsense, miss. You are quite a good master to be around. You may not know this but many of the newer servants like you."
"They do? I don't remember doing anything for them. Viola likes to give out candy and sweets time to time and they all like to play with her."
"After you help that girl, people see you as brave and compassionate. You may not show it as much but people see you as kind. They can't wait to see what kind of person you would grow up to be."
Amy can't help but blush and bashful. Kind, huh...
Her maid servant then hurries her inside where the bath is prepared. Viola is quiet now that she is back in the house. She should really do something about her sister's separation anxiety.
"Should I prepare some muscle relaxer?" Her maid servant says as Amy strips out of her sweaty clothes.
"Yes, please." she says and got in the tub and didn't think the water would feel this good.
Then the maid started scrubbing. She lets herself loose as she lets her clean her. Her body is sore and screams at her in protest. Hell, it even hurts to touch but she doesn't care. This is relaxing.
Then Anna got up and dried her up. "I'll prepare the muscle relaxant."
Amy sat back while she applies some sort of ointment on her legs. It literally works in an instant which baffles her.
"What is this stuff?"
"The master heard you took a morning jog. Instead of stopping you, he prepared a muscle relaxer potion instead of a regular one."
"Father personally made one?"
"He believes that you are striving to be healthy and that he is proud of you."
Amy was unresponsive.
After she finished her bath, she went to the dining room to eat breakfast where she saw her father sitting there alone.
"Amy, come sit by me." he says. She quickly joins in and he happily fills her plate of food which she eats silently by him.
Since her father is the deputy minister of agriculture, he is to assist the Minister of Agriculture. He wakes before sunrise and after breakfast, he leaves to the ministry.
"I am happy that you are so hardworking but don't work yourself too hard. You have the ointment to help you but if you hurt, you'll worry your parents and your sister." he says worriedly.
"Don't worry father. I won't work myself too hard."
He pats her on the head and they resume eating.
Amy chewed her food quickly under the loving gaze of her father. He looked at the book that she placed on the chair next to her. "You are already five years old yet you are reading Herbert. How impressive. Even I never read those books until I was at least eight years old." he then laughed. "You're more of a scholar than I am."
These volumes help her understand the political landscape of Solin and the other nations. The story didn't explicitly explain or provide information about it.
"I have a question, father?" she asked.
"Anything sweetheart." he replied.
"Herbert says that the country is built by those who believe in equality and freedom yet why does the class system exist? Is magic and power the only thing to define a person's life and place in the world?"
Her father's expression softened. "This country is ruled by a king. The very first King was the Great Hero Solin who was elected and his descendants who all became kings are also elected and influenced by the people and their parents in order to prepare them for the crown. The same goes for me. I work hard and I got my job because of my family and my life led me here. The class system exist because we are to prepare for those at the bottom."
That's a nice way of saying it's because that's just the way it is.
According to Rockwell in the story, the country may be run by a monarchy but it values merit over class and nobility. It may as well have been a meritocracy. Nobles that just sit around and do nothing while they still get paid by the government are looked down upon so unless they are retired, they all usually have local or government positions.
She had no knowledge of politics in her original life whatsoever. She heard that her father was interested in herbology and plants when he was younger and after graduating, he became an official then secretary and now deputy minister. In the story, he is the Minister of Agriculture and one of the upstanding nobles who is interested in improving the lives of the people.
Before Leon's ascension to the throne, the idea of a meritocracy is a joke because only nobles have the education and resources to know how to run things. Corruption is quite evident that forms in the kingdom's shadow.
Leon actually cares for the development and growth of the younger generation. If it weren't for him, half of Aron's friends and classmates would not even be admitted into the academy.
"Thank you father." She said.
Her father pats her on the head and got up.
"You should begin your morning lessons," he says. "and make sure you check up on Viola." He then left with his servant behind him.
Amy finishes her meal and head to her morning lesson. As for Alina, she will be shown around and do morning chores along with the other servants. She did a 5K while Amy struggled to run one mile.
When she got to the room, she saw her sister waiting for her.
"Amy! Where have you been?"
"I ran a lap around the mansion."
"Why?"
"To exercise." she replied. "Also, don't cry or scream like that again."
Viola hugs her sister tightly and silently. "I won't."