I woke up early and called a maid to help me get myself ready, I wore a violet corset style puffy sleeve blouse, a black pants, a half knee brown boots with sash, my long hair that is always on down, is now in a high ponytail, I am also wearing a arm and knee pad, I didn't let them out a make-up and jewelry to me since It will be a hindrance to my training.
After that the housekeeper escorted me into the training grounds and I immediately saw the back of Lyle, he was wearing a plain with blouse, a black pants and a boot. He is examining wooden swords.
He may have felt my presence since he immediately turned around to look at me and bowed to greet me "It is a lovely morning, Lady Madeleine" he greeted and I smiled at him "It is, Sir Lyle" I formally said.
"You won't need to address me like that"
"No, you will be my Trainor and since you are a sword master, a Marquis and a captain knight of course you deserve this." That is the truth. Even in the book I have a high respect for him, he is a standard. Evern in our world back then, all the fans were saying on how Lyle become a set standard of their dream man.
And experiencing it in person makes me feel incredibly special, what is written in the book is the same on who he is in person.
Well, he usually has this unbothered, bored, and stiff face but he is an incredibly talented and caring person.
"We will start on working on your stamina" he said and looked at his notebook, he even listed all the training routine that we will do.
"First, you need to run at least five laps from here" he instructed "Drink water first" he said I drink the water and I without any complaint start running.
When I was midway into my first lap, I could feel that my heart was beating abnormally fast, I was catching my breath, and my thighs were trembling.
What? Is this body weaker than I thought? I am still midway, and I am very tired?
I stopped and caught my breath. When I can breathe even, I start running again and every time I am tired, I will stop and catch my breath. When I finished Lyle handed me a water "Are you feeling thirsty?" He asked "A little"
"You should wait a minute before you drink" I did not protest and just comply, since he is my Trainor, I should listen to him since he knew what he was doing.
After a minute he let me drink a glass of water. After that he gets into the training, well it is like a simple basic exercise, it is like jogging, jumping jacks, pushups, curl ups and so on.
While I was doing that, he carefully watched me and noticed something in his notebook. This body is terrible. It is too weak, and I did not know that.
Of the things he instructed me to do he let me seat in a bench, and he is standing in front of me "Well before we go in sword training you must enhance your stamina and strength. You are too weak to even lift a real sword that's why we will need to focus on your stamina, exercise well and eat much food that can make your muscle build and strengthen your stamina, you will need to rest appropriately and never stay late." I was surprised by what he said. I mean that is the first time I heard him talk like that.
That was the longest talk. "O... okay" I just answered.
After that Lyle offered a wooden sword "I want to see if you can even pull out the posture." He said and I smiled at him and immediately grabbed the sword.
We are standing, he is on my back, and he straightens my back, lifts my hand in whatever direction it should be. After that he stood meters away from me and made a pose "Take a look at my posture, this is how the correct t posture whenever you will hold your sword and stand, it is a ready attack posture" he said.
I nod and memorize every little thing he instructed. He teaches how to properly hold the sword, the block, the steps to take to attack and to block.
After that very tiring morning I freshened myself and ate my breakfast, went to the library and Lyle taught me again.
My everyday life went like that, until a month and a half passed. My body is already keeping up with all the training that Lyle had, all the techniques that he is teaching. I can say that I am immensely proud of myself since this is the first achievement that I accomplished.
This day Lyle and I were trying as usual however my left hand were bind, my left eye is wearing a patch eye, I was wearing something weighing my right leg and he is Lyle is also in these same situation like mine "this is how you will learn on how to use your hand even it is got cut, or you eye got blind, or your leg got paralyze, or cut" he said.
Last time he put some blindfold into me and attacked me from somewhere with an arrow while I was using a real sword to defend it. Because of that I already have a very keen sense that even a small sound makes me alert.
I can even hear their footsteps and differentiate them, my hearing sense become sharp and sensitive, same to my eyesight and to my sense of smell.
I must say that he is an exceptionally good teacher and he never failed to amuse me every time.
I immediately saw him sprint towards me and I swung my sword, we were clashing our swords at each other however there is something that makes me really upset regarding this training.
That is, I never even get the chance to attack him or imply any scratch on him, instead I always ended up being hurt. Bruises all over my body and being knocked out.
I want to even point my sword into his neck and make him surrender! This is frustrating!
His movements were not consistent, unlike to the other knights, his movements were always different, and he never used it again when he noticed that I already read it, when I already caught up on his movements, he will distance himself and will move faster that I will not even saw what happened.
Is it because of his power? Is he really taking me seriously for him to not let his guard down!
When he sprinted away from me, I noticed how he takes a step back, a two step back means he will slowly approach me from below. I bit my lower lip and instead of standing I took a step to sprint into him.
A second, he changes his pose from attacking below to sprinting ahead to me while his sword is at his side. Means he will aim for my neck.
When he got near, he moved his hand and lifted his sword readying to slash it into my neck however before he did that, I took a one step back and stopped.
He had an accessible area, his left ear where his neck is found is the only accessible area where I can point the sword, I gripped my sword and swung it up and ready to point it to him.
However he managed to block the attack, he took a step back and placed the sword where I was aiming, however since it took him a surprise, by the lack of time and preparation his blocked was not that complete.
I was stunned. I was left dumbfounded standing in front of him as I was staring at his neck where a dark red flowing into his neck down to his clothes making it red.
I should feel glad that finally I scratched him, but my body got froze the moment I saw his blood dripping down and too shocked that I even dropped my sword and just looking at him while some knights were running to him and release him, and we are panicking.
I did not know why I was feeling so shocked like this, "Are you alright, Lady Madeleine?" How could he ask me that? Can't he see himself? The one who needed to see the physician was not me but him.
Unknowingly, my hand reaches his neck where blood is still dripping. I am not doing this kind of thing! It is this body! Why am I doing this!
I want to pull my hand, but my body will not listen to me, does Madeleine really have something from him?!
"I'm fine, it will heal after a minute" he said with assurance. I looked at him with a wide eye and pulled my hand.
What? When did Lyle know how to talk like that? And why do my checks were burning? Am I blushing? Seriously?! In this kind of situation?
I bit my lip hard enough that I could taste a blood "My Lady!!" A loud voice of Lyle calling my name with an angry tune of his voice shocked male and everyone on the training grounds.
Why is he yelling at me? But then before I asked him his thumb was wiping something on the corner of my lip. He is trembling and I do not know why.
"Let's go inside" he firmly said, and I just followed him. He had this very dark aura on him, he frowned too much. Why? Is he upset about something?
Did I do something? Wait... I bit my lip and bleed is he angry because of that?!
Oh, my goodness! No! No! No! I should not think like that! It is not like that right!
Is it really nothing.... Lyle's reaction is not normal, and this body of Madeleine is also not normal! It cannot be that they had some feeling for each other?
I let out a very loud and heavy sigh, calm down Adeline.... It cannot be like that, there is nothing even brought in the book, so it only means that they only care for each other since they knew each other for a long time.
I nod and agree to whatever my mind is saying.
The doctor examines both of us and when he is finished treating us, he leaves. "Does it hurt?" I asked well, it is me who got related because Lyle can heal himself.
I did not know about that. There is too much information that has not been brought into the book also, and there is not any scene in the book where he got hurt that is why. "No" he answered.
And I brushed off my thoughts and feelings because I need to focus on my plan, such unnecessary things should not be a hindrance into my plan.
"The succession ceremony will happen next month two days before the coming-of-age ceremony of Laura, how is the preparation?" I asked
"The Archduke already had a meeting to the vassal houses and already got their stamp as a token of their agreeing" I nod at him
"You will have a meeting to meet all the heads of the Neutral Houses along with their companion"
The reason why we choose that day is because, actually Madeleine's birthday were the next day of Laura's birthday, Madeleine is only a year younger to Laura and the reason why her birthday were never celebrated us because the Emperor won't take the effort to make a two grand celebration that's why Madeleine always celebrates it into his room with a cake and a gift from some filthy people.
That is the very most perfect day to throw an especially important celebration and ceremony and it will leave an impact on all the people leaving gossip to talk.
"The Neutral Houses were, The Augustenburg, The Windsor, The Borgia, and The Bavaria" the theme and setting of this story has a remarkably like the German or European Monarchy, even the timeline were in some Middle Ages.
Well, the author said that at his book signing event when some fans asked in where did she get the idea or the setting of her character and story.
"Did you already get what I have told you?" I asked him, I spent all my time on finding the best information guild that the book mentioned, it was not that easy because I forgot the name.
The only thing I remember is the name of the owner and founder Abelard. Lyle already finds him after one week and through Lyle's name I sent some messages and a request for work.
"Yes, he already gave an envelope to me I forget to bring it here the other day" I just nod at him
If things go wrong in the meeting, I will use that envelope. I do not need Abelard's information as I already know their weaknesses, but it would be too suspicious if I just said that without anything base.
"Are you still having a nightmare?" Lyle asked and looked at him blankly, nightmare? What is he talking about?
I blinked multiple times "About to your death" he said I formed an 'o' in my mouth when I realized what he is saying
"I am not dreaming anything anymore, maybe because I have been exercising my mental health improve" well that is half a lie and a truth.
There is a dream that I keep dreaming and that is Lyle's cries.
I do not know what the meaning of that dream is, but it is just a memory of Madeleine back then.
"I'm glad to hear that you are well, My Lady" he said and I just nod. I stood up "I'll get back to my room and rest" I said and left the room.
I need to prepare for the meeting. Even though they are neutral houses I know that they will not give their approval that easily and for that I need to think of the simplest and fastest way to get their approval and end the meeting.
It is a battle, and I should come prepared. If not, I will end up losing and dying.
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