I wake up the next day.
Did I mention that sleep became rather off and unsettling for me?
Whenever I get into the right state, I hear voices in my head, the sound of battle, and see a lot of unsettling images.
Nonetheless, I manage at least to get a semblance of rest out of this.
Although, I need to say that I found it quite difficult to wake up this morning.
As if my dreams don't quite want to let me go.
However, I also need to say that I feel a little spent.
I guess my energy levels could be better.
Maybe the dogs I drained yesterday just weren't enough.
Which isn't really a thought I want to have.

I'm somewhat confused that Relia didn't come to fetch me today, but that is only in my favor.
After all, I feel ridiculously sluggish after waking up.
So I keep it slow.
I rise up, stretch a bit.
Something that is very important to my constantly stiff body.
Then I lie back down.
It's not every day that you can just doze a bit.
I don't even need a breakfast.
Also, do I have to wash my face?
I did until now do so out of habit, but with my body as it is, is there an actual need for this?

 

"Knock, knock, knock"

 

Suddenly, there's knocking at the door.

 

"Y-yes? Come in." (Y)

 

Is it Relia?
But no, that one simply kicks the door in, without knocking.

Instead, it's the officer who was assigned with watching me.
Yet he looks a little bit disapproving.

 

"Miss, are you aware that you are expected on the training field?" (K)

"What!? I am!?" (Y)

"Commander Relia left clear instructions for you. You should follow them." (K)

 

She said to meet up at the usual time.
Did she not mean she’d come get me like normal?

Oh, no!

 

"Then why did none of you come and wake me?!" (Y)

 

His face says it all.
Because nobody wanted to walk into the room with the creepy living corpse and do so.

Knowing what I've got to expect if I keep on delaying training any longer, I get ready.
Uniform, boots.
Just get them on quickly.

As I run towards the training field, the general daily business tells me I'm already far too late.
Unfortunately, my sluggish body won't allow me to push any faster.
That, and the dread at what I've got to expect upon my arrival hold me back.

Nonetheless, of course, I can't prevent getting there in general.
Yes, Relia doesn't seem happy with me.
Though, who's that girl panting her lungs out next to her?
She doesn't seem older than me, but she has a certain mature way of carrying herself.

 

"Are you finally gracing us with your presence, Yomi? I expected you half an hour prior." (Relia)

 

While appearing somewhat casual, everything inside me is alarmed at her.
Relia has an undeniably bad temper.
There's no way to say differently.
Maybe I can distract her?
She's likely intent on punishing me, but perhaps I can change topics, so she won't be too intent on getting back at me.

 

"Sorry. I know I'm late. There were... circumstances. Ehm, who is this?" (Yomi)

 

Truth be told, I'm actually quite curious.
Until yesterday, nobody was allowed to come too close to me during training.
It was as if some invisible barrier was there to prevent anyone from approaching me.

So, who's this young girl who gets to be trained by Relia?
Just saying, this is less of a complaint and more pity from my part.

 

"This is Elin, a special case whom I'm supposed to teach the basics. Therefore, she's going to train with us, which means that she's here at the right place. Now, on the other hand, I'd like to know how it came that you weren't here. We have a fixed meeting every day, and you failed to be on time.” (Relia)

 

Fixed meeting…
The only fixed meeting we’ve had is you tearing me from my sleep!
How would I know what time we’ve arrived in this field every day!?
My internal clock is all wonky right after waking.
A part of me just wants to sleep and never wake up again.
This gets even worse, the greater my energy deficit.
Seriously, given my condition, me waking up at all is nothing short of a damn miracle.
Yet I doubt telling her that will get me very far.

 

"Uh, you know, I didn't quite get out of the bed. It's just, I have trouble waking up since... well, you know." (Yomi)

 

Can I even talk so openly in front of this girl?
I don't recognize the uniform she's wearing.
It looks like some form of ranger garment, light, with a focus on mobility, while still offering a degree of protection, but it isn’t standard military issue.
For some reason, the quality is far above what a girl this age, and assumed rank, ought to be wearing.
It’s certainly custom-made, which I've an eye for, after all my years in the business.
Perhaps she’s wealthy?
Someone with a rich family, who provided her with top-quality equipment?
But why would someone like this end up with the army?
The only other explanation is that she’s just joined an elite unit, but this just makes even less sense, that some special unit would take someone this young, nor would Relia need to teach her basics.
So, I can't quite tell if my person is the kind of thing this unaffiliated person should learn about.
Especially, in regard to what I am capable of.
Relia's look at least is nothing I can discern in this regard.

 

"Mhm, mhm. I understand. Yomi, would you come a little closer?" (Relia)

 

What does she now want again?
Maybe whisper me something about our guest?
In the first place, I can't ignore a direct order.
But... I kinda don't like the way she's looking at me.
Although, it's not like I would have much of a choice here.

 

"Whomp"

 

Suddenly, a fist plunges into my stomach.
This heavy impact makes me lose the ground below my feet and sends me flying.

That was certainly too much.
Just good that I'm too dead to get nauseous enough from this to puke.

 

"Yeah, I see. You seem to be quite sleepy. If you were awake, you could've dodged this." (Relia)

 

I don't like that woman all that much.

 

"Gruh, you know, just because you can doesn't mean you have to." (Yomi)

 

I kinda feel that I cracked two ribs and maybe something in my stomach tore.
It may be healing at this very moment, but I could definitely go without punches.

 

"It's what you're responding best to. Now then, you'll start with thirty rounds around the field. Let's see if this gets you going." (Relia)

 

Seriously, I only have so much energy to spend!

 

"I doubt it. Urgh." (Yomi)

 

Yet from experience, I can tell there's no bargaining with Relia.
So I have to run the distance.

While I'm at it, I observe how Relia beats up the new girl almost worse than me, and she's not just dead meat.
Instead, she apparently chugs down healing potion after healing potion.
I'm not sure why Relia goes so hard for physical pain, but it seems to be her concept.
I can't believe that the marshall would just let her torture us for the fun of it, so there has to be a hidden meaning to it.
At least I hope there is.

Well, I can't say that I didn't already improve in terms of my motions.
I'm still stiff, but simply because I know what I'm doing, I’ve gotten faster and more flexible.
I can even run these rounds now at a decent speed.
And probably with better stamina than before.
Though that likely won't get me through today.

The issue is, between my already low reserves from yesterday, the regeneration of the damage Relia just caused with her punch, and the general expenditure I need to keep on running, my energy is dwindling rapidly.
While I at first do decently well with this workout, as I already have quite some experience with this way of moving, the lowering of my reserves makes me increasingly sluggish.
I'm not quite sure how much longer I can keep going like this.
And I only made a bit about half the rounds.
Yet if I say anything about it, Relia will just have me devour some poor animals, more than I already do.
I don’t want that.
Ah, talking with her may not be possible right this moment anyways.

From the sidelines, I see Relia leaving the courtyard, yet that sure as hell doesn't mean I can stop here.
I know that everyone here is going to report even the faintest hint of slacking.
Otherwise, they'll be facing her wrath.
No, I need to keep on running.

After a bit longer, it starts getting black in front of my eyes.
Also, I start hearing these voices again.
Argh, I lost my balance.

I can't catch myself!

 

"Whock"

 

I fell.
No, if I don't get up again, Relia will punish me!
But I can't.
Everything feels so constricted.
It's as if I'm suffocating.

Someone is coming.
Help me, please!

I can't keep on.
But I need to get up.
Even though I'm empty, I need to get moving.
I need to recover.

 

"I need to breathe!" (Y)

 

"Whooooooohhhh"