Six

When Eloise arrived at the training point, her eyes immediately fell upon Amber and Alana, who were already engaged in training without her. The sight stirred a mix of emotions within her. She felt a pang of annoyance and frustration at being left out, but beneath that, there was also a tinge of admiration for Alana's incredible skills.

Amber, determined to make an impact, unleashed her magical attacks upon Alana, but to no avail. Alana effortlessly countered each move, her power and finesse evident in every gesture. Eloise found herself captivated by the display, finding it both entertaining and impressive.

"That's all you've got, Amber, because you're annoying me," Alana yawned, her confidence evident in her voice.

Refusing to back down, Amber mustered her strength and launched another attack. However, once again, Alana swiftly neutralized her efforts. Eloise, feeling a surge of frustration and a sense of being excluded, approached them with a scowl etched on her face.

"It's not fair you started the training without me. You should have waited," she voiced her displeasure, her anger palpable. But before she could finish her sentence, Amber abruptly rushed towards her and delivered a powerful punch to her stomach, causing Eloise to double over in pain. Amber's formidable magical abilities made the blow all the more painful.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Amber? Why did you hit me?" Eloise seethed, her anger intensifying. Thoughts of retaliation surged through her mind, as she contemplated how to take revenge on this girl who had just struck her.

"You're late, and then you dare to tell us that we had to wait? No, but you're really pushing it," Amber retorted defiantly, her eyes flashing with a mix of frustration and superiority.

Amidst the escalating tension, Alana interjected, imposing her authority over the situation. "Well, your punishment for being late will be to walk around the city 300 times. Until you finish, you can't go home," she declared firmly. The severity of the punishment struck Eloise like a bolt of lightning. How could they expect her to endure such an arduous task?

"What? I'm never going to make it! Please, I don't want to do this. I'll never finish," Eloise pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation and exhaustion already taking hold of her.

"You will do this punishment, and if you stop for a lap, you start all over again. Amber, I'll let you watch her and make sure she completes those 300 laps," Alana instructed, cementing the gravity of the task before Eloise.

"Yes, master. Eloise, I would advise you to start now, otherwise, you will never finish. Besides, the city is quite big," Amber added, her voice laced with a mix of authority and amusement.

Eloise couldn't believe what she was hearing. The weight of the punishment hung heavily over her, threatening to crush her spirits. She glanced around, hoping for a reprieve, but the determined gazes of Alana and Amber conveyed that there would be no mercy.

Taking a deep breath, Eloise resigned herself to her fate. "Come on, the sooner you finish, the better," Alana urged, her words holding a sliver of encouragement. Eloise let out a weary sigh, her determination overshadowing her weariness.

With every step she took, the cityscape enveloped her in its bustling energy. Eloise felt a myriad of emotions—frustration, fatigue, and a lingering sense of injustice. Her legs burned with exertion, but she pushed herself to continue, unwilling to give in to the exhaustion.

She persevered through the grueling task, putting one foot in front of the other until she had completed the arduous 300 laps. Overwhelmed by exhaustion, her body gave in, and she collapsed, succumbing to the fatigue that had been building within her. It was Amber who found her, lifting her fragile form and carrying her home to her worried mother.

"Thank you very much for bringing her back to us," Eloise's mother expressed her gratitude, gently accepting her daughter from Amber's arms.

"Don't worry about it. Tell me, can I know where your bathroom is? I would like to use it," Amber asked politely, her helpful nature shining through.

"Yes, it's just on the right, next to the bedroom," Eloise's mother responded, her words accompanied by a warm smile.

"Thank you," Amber acknowledged, making her way to the bathroom. As she passed a room, her eyes caught sight of a fallen picture on the floor. Curiosity piqued, she bent down to pick it up, realizing it depicted Alana, Eloise's mother, and an unmistakable sense of joy radiating from their faces. Thoughts and questions filled her mind as she pondered the significance of the photograph.

"Oh, look, Alana is in this picture, and Eloise's mother too. They looked really happy. I wonder what could have happened," Amber contemplated, her curiosity stirring further.

"Amber, did you find the toilet?" Eloise's mother inquired, breaking Amber's train of thought.

"Yes, ma'am. I found this picture on the floor," Amber replied, handing the picture to Eloise's mother.

"Thank you. It must have fallen before I realized it," Eloise's mother expressed her gratitude, her smile broadening.

"Well, I'm going home," Amber announced, ready to depart.

"Goodbye," Eloise's mother bid her farewell before Amber left their house, leaving behind a sense of mystery in her wake.

"I'd better put my things away. Fortunately, Eloise didn't stumble upon it," Eloise's mother murmured to herself, finding solace in tidying up her belongings.

Returning to Eloise's room, her mother noticed that her daughter was awake but visibly tired from her ordeal.

"You're awake now, Eloise. You must have been really tired," her mother observed, her voice filled with concern and empathy.

"Mum, who brought me back here? I don't remember what happened after I fainted," Eloise inquired, her memory hazy and fragmented.

"It's Amber. She's a really pretty girl, and on top of that, very polite. Just the opposite of you," her mother teased playfully, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Don't say that, Mom. I think I'm way better than her," Eloise retorted, a hint of defensiveness in her voice.

"Ah, my little Eloise is growing up so fast," her mother sang, the words reverberating throughout the house. Eloise couldn't resist joining in, chasing after her mother and pleading for her to stop.

"Well, I'll stop bothering you, but go and take your shower, eat, and go to bed," her mother instructed, transitioning from playful banter to a nurturing tone.

"Yes, Mum," Eloise acquiesced, finding solace in her mother's guidance. She settled back into bed, her body craving rest after the demanding day. The next morning, as she prepared for school, thoughts of the previous day's events lingered in her mind.

Arriving at school, Eloise spotted Maria, her classmate. Intrigued by the cast on Maria's arm, she approached her, concern etched on her face.

"Good morning, Eloise," Maria greeted her before she could utter a word.

"Hello, Maria. But what happened to your arm? How did you do that?" Eloise inquired, her eyes fixated on the cast encasing Maria's injured limb.

"Don't worry, it's nothing. I got it during my training, but it's nothing serious," Maria assured her, carrying a stack of papers in her hands.

"Nothing serious? But your arm is broken, and on top of that, you're carrying a lot of papers. Let me help you," Eloise offered, her compassionate nature driving her to lend a hand.

She took the documents from Maria's hands, assuming the role of an assistant, and decided to accompany her to the council's premises. However, their plans took an unexpected turn when Jade, another classmate, intervened, her anger palpable as she addressed Eloise.

"Calm down, Jade. She's just helping me with my stuff," Maria interjected, attempting to diffuse the tension.

"Tell me, are you feeling better, Jade?" Eloise ventured cautiously, attempting to bridge the gap and ease the strained atmosphere.

"Eloise, I don't want to see you, so just drop Maria's stuff off and then leave," Jade coldly retorted, showing no mercy or willingness to reconcile.

"Well, thank you for helping me. You have the choice of a hug or a kiss from me," Maria offered, her tone teasing and playful.

"I'll take a hug," Eloise responded, not wanting to engage in an intimate gesture with someone she had just met.

"I'm disappointed. I thought you would want to give me a kiss," Maria expressed her disappointment, the playful spark in her eyes slightly dimmed.

Eloise embraced Maria, reciprocating the hug, before making her way to class, where the day unfolded without any major disruptions. The afternoon brought a pleasant surprise as the teacher announced that they had free time to enjoy.

"Today is Wednesday, so this afternoon, you have free time. Enjoy it," the teacher declared, eliciting joyous responses from the students.

"Yes, ma'am," the class chorused, their excitement palpable. Eloise found herself seated next to Alice, a friend with whom she shared a special bond.

"Alice, tomorrow we're going on a mission, but we haven't decided which one yet," Eloise informed her, her voice filled with anticipation.

"Yes, I suggest we go and see the mission announcements this afternoon," Alice proposed, her eyes gleaming with enthusiasm.

"That sounds great. We should choose a mission that matches our abilities," Eloise agreed, realizing the importance of selecting a task suited to their skills.

Eagerly perusing the mission board, Eloise's finger pointed to a specific assignment, catching Alice's attention.

"Look, this mission is to find some robbers," Eloise exclaimed, her finger hovering over the mission description.

"No, not this one. We're not experienced enough for it," Alice reasoned, considering the level of expertise required.

"Beneath it, there's a mission to find a ring," Eloise pointed out, a sense of excitement building within her. "This one seems perfect."

"Yes, it won't be too complicated. It's just perfect," Alice agreed, a smile illuminating her face as they made their decision.

Just as they finalized their choice, a man dressed in black approached them, capturing their attention.

"Princess, it's time to go back to the castle," he declared, his voice laced with authority and urgency.

"But please wait a little longer, Albert. Just a moment," Eloise pleaded, yearning for a few more minutes of freedom.

"Well, I'll only give you five minutes, no more," Albert acquiesced, granting her a brief reprieve.

"Yes, thank you, Albert," Eloise expressed her gratitude before parting ways with him.

"Tomorrow we'll meet in class, and then we'll go to the house of the person who posted this ad. I believe it's a woman," Eloise explained, referring to the mission details they had just chosen.

"Yes, I would like to ask you something," Alice began, her voice tinged with curiosity, leaving Eloise intrigued about the pending question.

"Yes, of course, go ahead," Eloise encouraged her friend, eager to hear what was on her mind.

"It's time to go home, Princess," Albert interjected, reminding Eloise of her responsibilities and the imminent return to her royal duties.

"It's okay, you can tell me tomorrow what you have to say," Eloise assured Alice, understanding the urgency of her role as a princess.

"Yes, see you tomorrow," Alice bid her farewell, leaving Eloise standing alone, her thoughts swirling with anticipation for the mission and the question that had yet to be unveiled.