I crashed face-first onto my bed and, miracle of miracles, passed out instantly. It was the kind of sleep where your soul finally clocks out from existence.
Until—
KNOCK! KNOCK!
You've got to be kidding me. I just slept.
"Wake up, Eri. It's a new day. Training time. Do not be lazy."
Kirill's voice stabbed through the door like a sword through my peace.
I groaned into my pillow. I'd slept so deeply last night that even if Kairan had burst into my room riding a dragon, I wouldn't have noticed. But of course, my beloved brother had to come ruin the morning.
The knocking didn't stop. He was relentless.
I threw the blanket off and stomped to the door, yanking it open.
"Kirill," I hissed through clenched teeth.
He had the nerve to grin. "Good morning to the young lady of Solterra."
I stared at him dead-eyed as he held up a bowl filled with... something. It looked like swamp vomit.
"Here," he said cheerfully, "medicine for your sore muscles."
I blinked at it. "What is this rotten soup? Did you make this yourself or did you steal it from the basement drains?"
"It'll make you feel better and strengthen your body," he said, still smiling like the sun had personally hired him.
"Is it bitter?" I asked suspiciously.
"It was bitter," he admitted, "but I told the physician to add the juice of sweet berries. Shouldn't taste too bad now."
Huh. Thoughtful of him… still looks like poison though.
I reluctantly took the bowl, eyeing the thick, murky liquid like it might start speaking Latin.
"Drink it while it's warm," Kirill said, crossing his arms. "It'll lose its effect otherwise."
I sniffed it and instantly regretted that decision. "It smells like… boiled feet."
He snorted. "It's herbs, Eri. Not everything in life smells like roses and pastries."
I gave him a slow glare. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"Maybe a little."
I groaned but finally brought the bowl to my lips, gulped it down, and immediately gagged. "UGH—what the hell! Sweet berries my ass! It tastes like someone buried the berries first!"
Kirill burst out laughing, actually doubling over. "You should've seen your face!"
I thrust the empty bowl at his chest. "You're evil."
He caught it easily, still grinning. "Evil brothers make strong sisters."
"Strong sisters make funeral plans," I muttered, turning around to slam the door.
But before I could, he called, "Meet me at the training grounds in ten minutes!"
I paused, glaring over my shoulder. "Ten minutes? Are you insane? My body still thinks it's part of the bedsheet!"
"Then drag the sheet with you," he said smugly, walking away.
I shut the door and leaned my forehead against it.
One of these days, I'm poisoning his tea.
Ten minutes later.....okay fine, twety minutes..I dragged myself to the training grounds, hair still half tied and face looking like the ghost of sleep deprivation.
Kirill was already there, sword in hand, looking fresh as if he hadn't spent yesterday tormenting his baby sister.
"Finally decided to show up," he said, smirking. "I was about to send Kael to drag you out of bed."
L
. "So, what torture session do you have for me today, dear brother?"
He raised a brow. "Stretching. Then stance practice. Then endurance drills."
"Sounds manageable," I said hopefully.
"And after that," he continued, lips curving, "running ten laps around the field."
I blinked. "Ten—TEN!?"
Fenric chuckled under his breath. "Make it fifteen."
Kirill gave a sharp nod. "Good idea."
"WHAT!?" I threw my hands up. "Are you both trying to kill me?"
"Not kill," Kirill said calmly. "Just build you." He motioned toward the ground. "Now, down. Planks. Hold for a minute."
I dropped to my elbows with a groan, trembling halfway through the first thirty seconds. "This is hell. I'm living in hell."
"Fifty more seconds," Kirill said cheerfully, crouching beside me.
"FIFTY!?"
He leaned closer, voice deceptively gentle. "You said you wanted to fight, remember? You can't even fight gravity right now."
I glared up at him, sweat dripping down my forehead. "Keep talking, I swear I'll bite your ankle."
He laughed and pushed my shoulder lightly to correct my posture. "You're not supposed to tremble like a leaf in a storm."
"I'll show you a storm when I can stand again."
By the time I finished, I was face-down in the dirt, panting like a dying fish. My hair was sticking to my neck, my arms refused to move, and Kirill was still standing there not even sweating.
"You've got potential," he said, annoyingly proud.
"Yeah?" I gasped, flipping onto my back. "Potential to haunt you after I die."
Fenric and Kael both tried to stifle their laughter and failed miserably.
Kirill just smirked, tossing me a flask of water. "Drink up, ghost girl. We've only just started."
Somebody dig my grave now.
Training dragged on for a whole damn hour until the other trainees finally trickled into the grounds.
And of course, the first thing they saw was me lying flat on the dirt like a corpse the crows forgot to collect.
Their murmurs were immediate.
I didn't blame them. Meredia used to be elegant, pristine, always spotless.
Meanwhile, I looked like I'd been rolled across the ground by angry buffalo.
Kirill, naturally, didn't give a single damn.
He had already grown used to my… new personality, if we could call it that. Duchess, Duke, even Esther had too.
But these poor trainees? They stared like they were witnessing a fallen goddess.
Kirill nudged me with the flat of his sword not enough to hurt, but enough to be annoying.
"Get up, Eri." His tone wasn't unkind, but it carried that no-nonsense edge he reserved for training.
I groaned and tried to peel myself off the earth. My body felt like it was made of wet sand.
Meanwhile, Kirill's gaze snapped toward the trainees. His eyes went cold, the "paladin commander" expression settling on his face.
"Stop staring and start running," he barked. "Ten rounds. Now."
The entire group stiffened and scrambled like terrified chickens, sprinting off without hesitation.
I watched them go, exhausted and dead inside.
They were lucky. At least they were running with working legs.
Kirill turned back to me, completely unfazed by my near-death state.
"Get up," he said again, wiping his sword on a cloth. "You're done for today. Go rest."
I glared at him like he'd personally ruined my bloodline.
"Rest? My soul left my body twenty minutes ago!" I snapped. "You demon in human clothing!"
He only lifted a brow. "If you have the energy to yell, you have the energy to walk."
"Oh, go choke on your own sword," I muttered, then cupped my hands around my mouth and screamed,
"FENRIC!"
A moment later, Fenric came jogging across the grounds like the loyal knight he was. "Yes, lady?"
I extended my arms toward him dramatically. "Back. Now."
He blinked. "Back… my lady?"
"Yes. I am not touching my feet to the ground ever again. Pick me up."
Fenric hesitated just a split second then dutifully turned around and knelt so I could climb onto his back like a suffering grandma being carried up a mountain.
Kirill snorted behind us. "Pathetic."
"Shut up!" I yelled over Fenric's shoulder. "You did this to me!"
Fenric rose to his feet with surprising ease, and grabbed both my hands tightly around his neck.
Kael followed right behind us, practically bouncing, trying his best to encourage me with his… creatively broken attempts at motivation.
"You are strong, lady! Very strong! Like… like… big mountain goat!"
"…Kael, please," I whispered. "Not now."
"You win sword one day!" he insisted proudly. "Maybe two sword!"
I buried my face into Fenric's back in despair.
They carried me all the way through the halls, earning confused looks from passing maids, guards, and even a few merchants who probably thought I had lost my mind.
Finally, Fenric stopped in front of my door.
"We are here, my lady."
He lowered himself so I could slide off.
I landed on my feet like wet spaghetti.
Kael opened the door for me, beaming. "You survive today! Great success!"
I didn't even answer.
I just dragged myself inside and shut the door with the energy of a dying moth.
I didn't even bother changing. I just collapsed on my bed like a corpse that had clocked out of life for the day.
A few minutes later, the door to the bathing chamber creaked open and the triplets stepped out, perfectly synchronized as always.
"Lady, your warm bath is ready," they chimed.
I let out a groan that sounded like it came from my soul. "I don't want to take a bath."
They exchanged looks and the horror on their faces was almost comical. Then they spoke again, voices matching perfectly.
"Warm baths relieve pain, my lady."
They weren't wrong. My muscles were screaming, my shoulders felt like Kirill had personally smashed them with the flat of his sword, and dirt was basically glued to my skin.
But even the idea of standing felt like torture.
Still… they were right.
I pushed myself upright with the enthusiasm of a dying snail. Every muscle in my body protested… loudly. My knees cracked like ancient wood as I stood, and the triplets hovered behind me like anxious little shadows, ready to catch me if I face-planted.
By the time I reached the bathing chamber, steam curled through the air, carrying that soft herbal scent they always used when someone was injured.
I dipped a foot into the water and almost moaned. The heat hit every bruised inch of me, softening the stiffness, easing the aches.
Lowering myself in was its own battle. The moment I sank fully under, the pain loosened its grip, just a little enough to breathe.
I let my head fall back against the edge of the tub, eyes closed, soul leaving my body.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
"Milady," the butler called, "His Grace has convened a meeting and requests your presence at once."
"I will be there shortly," I called back, aiming for dignity but sounding like a ghost paying rent.
Of course. Of course the universe couldn't let me have five minutes of peace.
A faint "Very well, milady," came through the door, followed by retreating footsteps.
The moment he was gone, I slapped the surface of the water weakly. "Why does everyone want me today? Why not Esther? He's free. He's useless. Send him."
The triplets didn't comment. they just bowed their heads sympathetically like they were attending my funeral.
I took a deep breath, sank a little deeper into the heat, and muttered, "Let me just regenerate my soul for two minutes, then I'll go and pretend I'm alive."