5 An Interesting Lunch (1/2)
Sebastian lay panting on the ground. He was physically bruised, and mentally broken. No matter how confident he was in his physical abilities, it was nothing compared to Elias' overpowering strength. He could only manage to run away from him for a short time before he was caught and pommeled into submission. When they moved on to the weapons a.s.sessments, the results were even more disastrous. Wooden swords had the appearance of being safe practice tools, but they seemed to mask the pain they administered. Each blow resonated within Sebastian's body, and Elias didn't seem to show any signs of stopping midway. The a.s.sessments only came to a stop when Sebastian fell due to the exhaustion and the pain.
”With this, the physical and weapons a.s.sessment is now finished. I will use this information to create a specific training regimen for you.” Elias picked up Sebastian's sword as well, as he cleaned the blood off it and placed it back on the training rack. ”While you may appear disappointed with the results, bear in mind that this is your first time moving your body in such a manner. You know the basics of movement, but you're very uncoordinated when it comes to defensive and offensive maneuvers. We will work on that.”
Rivie quietly knelt down beside Sebastian as she laid him on his side. Sebastian knew that it was the recovery position, he was surprised that she knew such a method. ”It seems like this is a good point to start a bit of my lessons then. I'll show you how mana is used to treat injuries. Please focus on your injuries and how you will feel in a few moments.” She placed her palm on his arm as she closed her eyes and focused. Her palm seemed to grow hotter, but it was still tolerable for him.
Sebastian focused on the bruises on his arms, as he also closely observed the pain on his abdomen and sides. Elias didn't seem to hold back in his a.s.sessments. As Rivie's warmth spread throughout his body, Sebastian could feel that the injuries he was focusing on slowly dissipated. It felt like his muscles were stretching, but after the initial muscle spasm he realised that he could move it similar to before Elias' a.s.sessment, maybe even better. He sat on the ground with a bewildered expression as he was checking his limbs after the treatment.
”Oh my, you really are full of surprises. Very interesting indeed.” Rivie stood beside him, watching him intently. With her unchanging smile, she gently offered her hand to stand himself up. Sebastian was still puzzled as he took her hand and stood up.
”Full of surprises? I was beaten to the point of exhaustion. Did you mean 'surprise' in a disappointing way?” Sebastian dusted his clothes as he stood awkwardly in front of his two mentors.
”No. You certainly stretched your physical limits, and I think Elias here even broke your spirit. However after I healed your muscles, it appears that it has grown immediately. Humans are really gifted with growth. It always amazes me.”
”So you mean that my muscle fibers are now better than before the a.s.sessment?”
”It's funny how you relate it to fibers, but if you want to put it that way then yes, your muscle fibers are better than they were before.”
”It's just that in my previous world, I was taught that muscles are a group of fibers intertwined together to make up a single working muscle group. People who exercise regularly knowingly damage their muscle fibers and rely on the creation of new muscle fibers that are stronger than the previous ones. With your healing ability, we might have skipped a few steps in the process.” Sebastian was still checking his limbs, slowly realising that his grip and his muscle tone did improve after.
”As expected. Forgotten Ones really view the world differently. I really want to know more, let's continue our discussion as we have our lunch inside.” Rivie opened the door to the room nearest to them. Elias was already inside, preparing the meal as he warmed the pot on the stove and set the table. He looked like a really homely and gentle teacher - if you overlook the fact that he just beat somebody to the point of collapse.
”We are having soup and bread, these are the staple foods here in Kalonia. There are different types of soups and breads, so you can still have variety with that.” Rivie motioned for Sebastian to sit down as they were waiting for the soup to fully heat through.
”Do you have a source of potable water? I would like to wash my hands first.”
”Oh? But you don't have to use your hands if it's dirty. We also have spoons and forks here. You do know how to use them I a.s.sume?”
”Yes, I actually prefer to use a spoon and fork for eating, but my hands have been soiled due to the hard labour and I don't want to dirty the food and get sick later.”
”Is this one of your practices from your previous world? You can get some water from the jug near the kitchen. It's clean so you can use it to wash your hands if you want.”
”Do people not wash hands here before eating? It seems very unhygienic and you can easily get sick from it you know. Whether or not you use your hands for eating.”