Kyle and Reo sprinted down the academy's grand hallway, their boots slamming against the polished marble floor like a pair of panicked drummers.
The bell had rung five minutes ago, which meant they were officially, undeniably late—and Instructor Hale didn't tolerate tardiness.
"Clang!"
Kyle nearly tripped over his own feet as they skidded around a corner, narrowly avoiding a group of first-years who yelped and scrambled out of their way.
"This is your fault" Kyle hissed between ragged breaths his lungs already burning.
"Why did you have to pick right before class to vanish into the bathroom?"
Reo shot him a glare his ponytail whipping behind him like an angry tail.
"Oh sure, blame me! You are the one who spaced out like a zombie after Carter's lecture! If you hadn't been staring into the void like an idiot, we would have left earlier!"
"I wasn't spacing out—I was thinking!" Kyle snapped back, dodging another student.
"Unlike some people who just act without using their brain!"
Reo barked a laugh. "Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that genius. Just pray Hale's in a good mood today."
Kyle groaned. "He's never in a good mood."
They rounded the final corner and the massive double doors of the combat training hall loomed ahead like the gates to their doom.
From inside, they could already hear Hale's booming voice tearing into some poor student.
"MAGGOTS! IF I SEE ONE MORE LAZY STANCE, I WILL PERSONALLY DRAG YOU THROUGH THE MUD FOR A WEEK!"
Reo paled. "We are dead."
Kyle wiped sweat from his brow, trying to steady his breathing.
"No—we are strategically delayed. Big difference."
Reo snorted. "You tell him that. I will stand back and watch."
With matching grimaces, they pushed open the doors—and froze.
Instructor Hale stood in the center of the massive training hall arms crossed over his barrel chest, his glare sharp enough to cut steel.
The entire class had already formed neat rows, all standing at attention and every single one of them turned to stare at the two latecomers.
Kyle swallowed.
Hale was a mountain of a man—bald with a jagged scar running down his left cheek, his black military uniform stretched tight over muscles that looked like they could crush boulders.
"WELL, WELL, WELL!" Hale's voice boomed across the hall, loud enough to rattle the windows.
"IF IT ISN'T THE TWO BIGGEST MAGOTS IN THE ACADEMY, GRACING US WITH THEIR PRESENCE AFTER THE BELL!"
Reo, ever the reckless one forced a grin. "Uh… sorry, Professor! We uh… got lost! Yeah! Got really lost on the way here!"
Kyle resisted the urge to facepalm.
Hale's eye twitched. "LOST?" He took a single step forward and the entire class instinctively flinched.
"YOU TWO HAVE BEEN IN THIS ACADEMY FOR A WEEK. YOU ARE TELLING ME YOU CAN'T FIND THE BIGGEST DAMN TRAINING HALL IN THE BUILDING?"
Kyle opened his mouth to come up with a better excuse, but Hale cut him off with a roar.
"EXTRA FIFTY LAPS. NOW."
A few students chuckled.
Hale's head snapped toward them like a predator locking onto prey.
"YOU THREE LAUGHING LIKE A BUNCH OF HYENAS? A HUNDRED EXTRA LAPS EACH. MOVE YOUR WORTHLESS LEGS BEFORE I MAKE IT TWO HUNDRED!"
The laughter died instantly. The three offenders—two boys and a girl—turned pale and immediately bolted for the track that circled the training hall.
Kyle and Reo exchanged a glance before joining the sprint.
****
The combat training hall was enormous—roughly the size of four football fields combined, with a track running along the edges and training equipment scattered throughout.
The usual routine was brutal: 100 laps, followed by 200 push-ups, 200 sit-ups, and then sparring sessions that left even the toughest students groaning.
And now, thanks to Reo's brilliant excuse Kyle had an extra 50 laps on top of that.
Great. Just great.
Kyle settled into a steady jog, his muscles already protesting. The combat suits provided by the academy were lightweight but clung to sweat like a second skin.
Around him, the rest of the class was already halfway through their laps, their faces flushed with exertion.
Reo, ever the show-off, smirked as he matched Kyle's pace. "Come on, slowpoke. You run like an old man."
Kyle shot him a glare. "Shut up before I trip you."
Reo just laughed and picked up speed leaving Kyle behind.
***
Kyle was on his 30th lap when someone fell into step beside him.
"Hey, Kyle."
He nearly stumbled.
Princess Eleanora D'Argent was jogging effortlessly beside him, her light blonde hair tied back in a neat ponytail, her blood-red eyes glinting with amusement.
"Ah—Princess! You scared me!" Kyle blurted out.
She gave him a playful frown. "I told you to call me by my name."
"R-right. Eleanora."
She smiled. "Good."
Kyle nodded, trying to ignore the way his heart was suddenly pounding harder than it should be from just running.
"Uh… thanks again for helping me pick my sword the other day."
She waved a hand dismissively.
"It was nothing. The tachi suits you."
Kyle grinned. "Yeah, it does feel better than the Jian."
Before he could say more, a voice like a cannon bolt cut through the air.
"PRINCESS! DID I SAY YOU COULD CHAT LIKE A GOSSIPING MAID? FIFTY EXTRA LAPS WITH THESE TWO IDIOTS!"
Hale's roar made several students flinch, but Eleanora… smiled.
"Yes!" she whispered under her breath, pumping a fist.
Kyle blinked.
"Uh… why are you happy about extra laps?"
Eleanora's cheeks turned pink and she quickly looked away. "It's nothing."
Kyle frowned but didn't press further. Maybe she really liked running?
***
By the time they finished their punishment. Kyle's legs felt like jelly, his lungs were on fire, and Reo was sprawled on the ground like a corpse.
Hale standing over them with his usual scowl, barked.
"NOW THAT YOU ARE DONE WASTING MY TIME, GET UP AND JOIN OTHERS FOR PUSHUPS. AND IF I SEE ANYONE OF YOU SLACKING OFF, YOU WILL BE CLEANING THE ENTIRE TRAINING HALL WITH A TOOTHBRUSH!"
Kyle groaned but forced himself up.
Reo, still lying on the floor wheezed, "I hate my life."
Eleanora somehow still looking graceful despite the sweat on her brow, offered Kyle a hand. "Come on. The sooner we finish the sooner we can spar."
Kyle took her hand, pulling himself up. "You are way too energetic for someone who just ran a million laps."
She smirked. "I have good stamina."
Reo, still on the ground groaned. "Ugh. Flirting while I'm dying over here? Its Rude."
Eleanora's face burned.
"We are not flirting!"
As she walked away, leaving Kyle to glare at Reo.
Reo grinned. "Oh, you are so doomed."
Kyle kicked him lightly. "Shut up and do your push ups."
As he dropped to the floor and started the agonizing routine, he couldn't help but glance at Eleanora.
'Why did she seem so happy about extra laps?'
Something told him he would find out sooner or later.
And knowing his luck? It would probably be the hard way.