As Mira opened her eyes while lying on her soft and large bed, she reminisced about the events of the previous day.
She moved her hand across the bed, feeling the softness and smoothness of the sheets. Moments later, she sat up and admired the spacious room and its luxurious decorations.
"I wish you were here so we could enjoy this together," she muttered.
Mira couldn't fully enjoy everything she received, knowing that Kaviel lived a hard life. She found happiness in the moments when she had company. Yet, her determination to find Kaviel never wavered.
"Please, hold on until I find you," she whispered in the air.
As Mira was having her moment, someone knocked on the door.
"Ms. Mira, your breakfast is here."
The door slowly opened, and a trolley table with stainless-covered dishes was brought in.
When the covers were lifted, there were various breads, jams, and butter to choose from, along with chocolate drinks and milk neatly arranged.
"After breakfast, your training starts at 8 AM," the maid informed her.
Mira nodded in understanding. "Thanks."
"How are the others?" she asked, concerned about their well-being.
"No worries, ma'am. They are being treated well, just like you, and they are also in the palace, where they will stay near the camp area," the maid assured her, easing her worries about her companions.
Mira felt relieved and recalled the events of yesterday. After they met with the king, the three of them were given their rooms, each connected to a shared living area where they could see each other's doors.
***
Outside the palace, there was a large training area where 121 students would train together.
"Wow, Mira and Melvin are so lucky. I bet they eat a delicious breakfast," Bane jokes, slightly envious as they wait for the training to start at 8 am.
Bane, a year older than Mira, had fair skin, short black curly hair, and a slender build. He was the tallest in their group.
A female companion, with concern in her eyes, added, "I'm more worried about her since she's alone. She might be thinking about Kaviel and feeling sad."
She knew how Mira could get lonely and bored when left to her thoughts.
Soon, Lance and Melvin arrived at the training area, greeting everyone who had come from the church yesterday. The recruits were eager to hear about their meeting with the king.
Melvin noticed that the number of youths who took the aptitude test decreased greatly compared with yesterday. "It looks like many failed," he commented.
One of the boys replied, "As far as I know, some were transferred to another town for training. But many failed and ended up in the military because their ranks were considered too low."
"Anyway, what happened after you were called?" one of them asked Melvin, eyes wide with curiosity.
"We spoke with the King," Melvin replied, "Don't worry, we're eating the same food as you, but we have our large rooms."
"Wow, that is great for both of you," someone responded, impressed.
While they were talking, they noticed Mira walking down the hallway toward the training area.
When Mira stepped into the training area, the sunlight bathed her in a golden light, highlighting her striking features and making her beauty shine even brighter. It was almost as if she were glowing, and her presence commanded attention.
Almost everyone, especially the boys, turned their heads to look at her; their eyes sparkled with admiration.
Mira waved and smiled at her friends as she approached, her smile warm and genuine.
"Hey, guys!" she called out. She felt a wave of relief and happiness wash over her, knowing she wasn't alone in this grand place.
"Nice entrance, girl. How's your stay in the big room?" one of her female friends asked, a teasing smile on her face.
Mira chuckled softly. "Hehehe, just a bit lonely," she replied, shrugging lightly.
As they chatted, the sound of approaching footsteps caught their attention.
Four soldiers wearing blue military uniforms entered the training area, and each of them had a sword sheath on their waist.
Leading them was Crixus.
"Attention, everyone!" Crixus's voice boomed across the field, instantly silencing the chatter.
Mira straightened up, her heart racing with anticipation.
"Each one of you has a mark on your hand. Each mark indicates the level of your ability," he added. "One hundred of you are rank 4, eighteen are rank 3, two are rank 2, and one is rank 1, which is Mira."
As they expected, Mira was indeed at the top among them.
"But the marking is not the basis for who will become the strongest; it will be determined by your performance," Crixus explained.
"Today, we start your physical training as elite knights! And all of you are prohibited from using your aptitude for now!" Crixus announced.
"Why don't we use it right away?" the youths whispered to each other in their confusion.
Crixus heard this and said, "It's dangerous to use the Aptitude if your bodies haven't built up yet. Anyone who disobeys this order will be expelled and punished! Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir!"
They stopped whispering and immediately followed Crixus.
Mira exchanged a nervous glance with her friends.
"The first thing you need to build is your stamina," Crixus continued, his eyes scanning the group. "So today, you must run 5 kilometers or complete 20 laps around the training area."
Lance took a deep breath, feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety. "This is going to be tough," he blurted out.
"Maybe for you," Melvin replied, clenching his fists, determination setting in his eyes.
"Whatever," Lance answered him.
Crixus appeared more serious, strict, and formidable compared to his gentle demeanor yesterday.
But Mira, Melvin, and Lance weren't affected, knowing they had to take the training seriously. They knew their missions could be a matter of life and death, and they were prepared to give their all.
But for others, doubt was evident on their faces, unsure if they could run non-stop.
Before they could speak, they saw the three higher ranks start running immediately.
"Hey! Is this for real?" one recruit exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief.
The other, who is determined to become a knight, followed suit without complaining.
The 121 recruits began running, the sound of their feet hitting the ground in unison. The crisp air was filled with the smell of sweat and earth.
Naturally, some were ahead, including Lance and Melvin, who competed with each other, while Mira trailed closely behind.
"Can you keep up with this?" Lance challenged.
But Melvin just smirked and sped up.
After two hours, most recruits were jogging and walking, their faces flushed and their breaths heavy. They couldn't run anymore, but Mira, Lance, and Melvin had completed many laps.
"Aren't you going to slow down?" Lance panted, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
"Don't worry about me! I'm not your rival here," Melvin responded, knowing what was coming.
Lance didn't understand and looked back, seeing Mira not far behind. "What do you mean?"
As he stepped on the line for the last lap, he saw Melvin speed up even more.
Despite being out of breath, Lance tried to keep up with Melvin. But within seconds, a fast-moving shadow overtook them both.
"How did you catch up to us?" Lance asked, astonished that Mira had overtaken them. His eyes widened in surprise as she passed them effortlessly.
Mira glanced back, her expression focused yet determined. She left them behind, widening the distance with each stride.
"I told you, I'm not your opponent," Melvin blurted out, a hint of admiration in his voice.
"Wow, it's like she's not human with how fast she is. She truly is Rank 1," Lance said, shaking his head in awe.
A couple of hours later, their stamina training ended just before lunch. Most recruits were exhausted, some nearly throwing up from the effort, and their legs were trembling like leaves in the wind.
The sounds of labored breathing and groans of fatigue filled the training grounds.
The next day, despite their legs still aching, they pushed forward, continuing with their rigorous training.
Each step was painful, their muscles protesting with every movement, but they persevered.