Chapter 38: Mistakes (1/2)
”A broken shoulder, a shattered jaw, a pierced eardrum, a few cracked ribs, and other minor injuries,” Lieutenant Dyester read on his phone while Khan prepared the holograms for his usual training. ”They will be out for two entire weeks even if Doctor Parket personally oversees their recovery.”
”They seemed desperate,” Khan commented. ”I don't want to say good things about them, but they shouldn't be so stupid to attack me after three months of training.”
Lieutenant Dyester stepped off the wall and neared Khan to inspect his injuries. The lotions had done a great job on the scarred skin, but he still had a few marks on his face.
The injuries caused by his sprint couldn't heal in a single day, even with the great lotions of the Global Army. Khan had to attend the morning lessons in that state, with a constant annoying feeling spreading from his feet. Luckily for him, his friends didn't investigate further after he justified the marks with his training.
”Did you watch the battle?” Khan asked after Lieutenant Dyester let him go. ”How did I do?”
”You were awful,” Lieutenant Dyester snorted as he picked his phone and activated holograms depicting Khan's battle. ”You have studied it. How many mistakes did you find?”
”Three,” Khan honestly replied. ”The front kick against Bloke and the jumping knee come from my bad habits while letting Samuel hang on me was pure inexperience.”
”What about the initial jump?” Lieutenant Dyester asked. ”Why did you lower your leg both times? You have practiced techniques in that stance. Why didn't you flow into them?”
”I didn't think about it,” Khan said while scratching his head. ”These moves still don't feel completely natural. I kept thinking during the fight.”
Lieutenant Dyester heaved a helpless sigh. He inspected the video again and played with the holograms a bit before lighting a cigarette. There seemed to be some annoyance on his face, but Khan couldn't understand the reason behind that feeling.
”You can't limit yourself to the exercises anymore,” Lieutenant Dyester sighed again. ”It seems that someone is trying to get to you.”
Khan showed a confused expression, and Lieutenant Dyester didn't hesitate to continue. ”Those boys didn't fear breaking the curfew. They only cared about forcing you to break it. They were even quite determined. Their reasons probably had nothing to do with you.”
”Why would they even attack me then?” Khan asked.
”Did you make anyone with some really good background angry?” Lieutenant Dyester questioned Khan.
”I'm as good as they come,” Khan said while wearing a fake smile, but a memory suddenly surged in his mind. ”I might have insulted Alison Blackdell and her friends, but that wasn't much. I wouldn't even recall her name if she weren't at the center of the gossips.”
Lieutenant Dyester stared at Khan with a blank expression. The latter even waved his hand on his face since the soldier didn't seem able to move anymore.
”What did they even put in that brain of yours?!” Lieutenant Dyester eventually shouted while grabbing Khan from his shoulders. ”The Blackdell family has connections with the noble families, and you decided to insult one of its members! She even failed to remain in the special class! I bet she will get back at anyone who dares to speak badly about her.”
”How can anyone remember stuff from months ago?” Khan complained while Lieutenant Dyester continued to shake him. ”You are exaggerating. No one has so much free time.”
”She is a kid born in a family with connections with the noble families!” Lieutenant repeated while letting go of Khan and walking through the corridor that divided the cells. ”She has never faced a problem in her entire life! What do you think will happen when she suddenly finds issues that her name can't solve?”
”Work hard to improve herself?” Khan asked, but Lieutenant Dyester's face told him that he was wrong.
”Do you think that honest excuses will calm her down?” Khan asked when he understood that the situation was quite bad.
Lieutenant Dyester sighed before massaging his temples. He didn't know what to say in that situation. His disciple wasn't stupid, but he had yet to realize how the wealthy kids reacted to some interactions.
”You will only worsen your situation,” Lieutenant Dyester shook his head. ”She doesn't seem the type to let go of this stuff, especially in her state. I can only prepare you for the worst.”
”Worse?” Khan didn't understand what Lieutenant Dyester meant, but the latter suddenly shot forward.
Khan couldn't even react to that sudden event. Pain spread from his chest while his feet left the ground. The attack directly flung him toward the wall.
Khan hit his back and head on the wall. Everything became confused for an instant while he fell on the floor. His vision quickly regained its focus and allowed him to see that Lieutenant Dyester's foot was about to reach his face.