Two months. Two fucking months through which I went a real nightmare.

First, "warm-up"- runs followed by a series of squats, crunches and push-ups. YES, PUSH-UPS! This bastard told me to do it despite the lack of a hand, saying that if I did not make 20 in one fell swoop, I would repeat it until I did it well, or the training time would end, although then I could not count on a meal anymore.

What's worse, when I started to get used to it, he increased the time devoted to training to 6 hours and added next exercises such as cross-country race where if I tried to stop, Edmund caressed me with electricity AND THIS WAS VERY NO COOL!

My body gave me a clear message that I would not be pulling it for too long.

But that was not the worst thing. I could somehow get over the fatigue, the current, the burning sun or heavy rain which this guy also considered an important part of the training.

Yes, I could bear it. But as soon as I saw his cursed, smug smile, I had almost an urge to tell Xena and Bast(my Barghests) to tear him apart. Recently, I managed to get a bit of revenge and when he did not look, I gave him laxative to lemonade. It is true that after this he increased the training time to 8 hours a day, but as soon as I remember his groans that came all day from the toilet, I feels that it was worth it.

In the last stage he threw me into the middle of the forest and told me to find my way back on my own, and the barghests had to stay in the manor house. Bastard did not even give me any food or a tent. Happiness in misfortune that it was only the beginning of September and the night was not so bad. Which does not change the fact that there was no lake in the area, no river or even a stream that I could take water. In addition, there were no berries, etc. And without any equipment I could not catch any animal. For the moment I was pushed only by the desire to kick Hoarfrost where it hurts him most. I wanted to throw this amulet in the devils and try to let go the forest with smoke by myself, but first of all I wouldn't burn or blow up with the forest, if half of what he said is true, and secondly ...

"If you take off the necklace before you come back, you will have a repeat of entertainment, and winter is closer than before, right?" He said.

The return took me 2 days. My clothes were dirty and damaged, and I probably did not look any better. At the sight of the residence I wanted to cry, but I did not have enough fluids to do it. At the entrance I was greeted cheerfully by my familiars, apparently longing for me. At that moment I heard a slow clapping behind me.

"Well done, I thought I would have to go there and look for you, but you positively surprised me." Looking at him, I felt that my lust for murder was almost palpable.

"For what the hell was it supposed to serve ?! That's so fucking funny to you? "

Edmund calmly replied

"I did it for several reasons. First of all, watching your struggles was very fun, and secondly it was a lemonade penalty.

"And what, that's all?"

"No. Third and most importantly you had to overcome your own limitations. I know from experience that magic is not a golden mean for everything, and sometimes you will only be passed on your own strength, so you must be ready both mentally and physically. Some missions will require patience. Once, when I gave up all my power during a job in South America in Colombia, I had to run away from mercenaries armed to teeth and almost died from exhaustion. "

"That means they had their own mages or weapons like yours?" I pointed to his Desert Eagle

"You think that only another magician can kill a magician? Nothing more wrong, even if we are stronger than the average person, we are an easy target without magic. Several series of machine guns can just as well exhaust magical shields as a hostile spell so you must not underestimate them. I have almost paid for this lesson with my life, so be better to be grateful that you already have at least a pale idea about it. "

"Oh yes, at the earliest opportunity I will repay you." I snorted

"In any case, you are must be hungry, so go eat and take a shower , because you stink mercilessly and you look like taken out from behind a bush. From now you have 2 days of rest, after which we resume training.

I looked at him with despair in my eyes.

"Do not worry, physical training will last only 4 hours a day, the other four will be devoted to learning about magic."

All the tiredness has evaporated from me. Finally, I will learn magic. Edmund probably deliberately put it this way, because he immediately put out my hopes.

"I told science about magic, not magic itself. You will learn first about particular types of magic and the history of magicians and all basic theories. "The smile again adorned his face.

(Yes, definetly this bastard have incredible pleasure with that.)