I awake as it was going dark. Unable to sleep again, I wander around the room thinking about what to do. The decision I get to is to take a run through the castle. I couldn't really leave the castle, so why not take the big interior we have to train.
The castle looked different in the torchlights, the walls looked warmer, as the gray was being overwhelmed by the orange light. It made the castle feel warmer than usual, the few carpets did their job in this aswell. In contrary the air was quite cold, but everytime I pass torches it gets warmer a bit.
Compared to the castle I was used to, there were way less people. I pass maids a few times, the kitchen, the dining room and some carpets are being cleaned. They look up as I pass, but don't really seem to care. Or rather like they were used to it.
After my first round, I see Christian at my starting point. He was stretching, additionally he was wearing sport clothes. It seems he was the reasons the maids were used to seeing people run through the halls at night...
I don't stop running, but wave to him as I pass. He seems a little surprised, but starts to run a few seconds later. Catching up to me didn't seem much of a problem for him, so we jogged together for a few rounds. Every round, Christian one upped his speed, so I couldn't keep up in round seven.
My goal is set to ten rounds, so I keep the pace and finish them. I didn't really notice in the time I jogged with my brother, but after Christian joined me, the maids started cheering for us. My smile gets a bit bigger, but I finish my rounds. I copy the stretches my brother did, then go up to our bedroom again. Wiping my sweat of with a towel, I see Christopher still sleeping in his bed.
This time, my attempt to sleep works and I wake up around morning this time. My muscles ached, but it didn't really stop me from doing anything. I take down the stairs, then walk fastly towards the dining room, finding my brothers already starting breakfast. A few slices of bread, a bit of soup and milk will do it, I sit down and hurry with eating, spilling quite a bit of milk. I gain laughter, then hurry to change my clothes.
My clothing was chosen by random, so it might not be suitable for formal occasions, but training isn't considered formal, is it?
I call out my departure to a maid, then hurry down the street to the smithery. There were less people then yesterday, probably because they are already working today. The smitheries door is open, so I knock at the doorframe then enter. Klaus wasn't anywhere to be found, but I hear him shouting from above.
K:" Hey Cecil! Your weights are laying on the anvil, just take them. You can also put them on for now"
Putting those things on was pretty easy. They were curvy metal thingys, atached to a kind of leather belt. The only question not as simple was which part was supposed to be on what part of my body. After a few tries, I figure out the most. Ten parts in general, there were four on my legs, two on thighs and two on my shin. Also, four on my arms, covering them, but with a gap around my elbow to allow me to move. I had no idea where the other two belonged, so I tried every part that was still open.
Success was found at my chest and my back. It was a full metal armor, rather than weights... As I had this thought, Klaus came down.
K:" Ah, perfect. You are already finished."
Ce:" Are you sure this is right? This is more of an armor..."
K:" Sure, it is similar. But there is two things about this. First, there is still two parts missing. Secondly, the materials I used make this weights way easier to bend. It is unsuitable for fights this way, but easier to adapt if your muscles grow."
So this has a practical reason. True, I felt the weight on my entire body so I am training it as a whole in the first place. But what parts are missing?
Ce:" And what are the missing parts?"
K:" Well, right now you simulate wearing armor, but what about weapons?"
Ce:"...."
K:" Here, take this." He hands me a leathery band and points to my bracers.
I look at them closely, then attach the leather he gave me to a hook on it.
K:" Right, now take these, put them into the leatherbelt, then take them into your hands." He hands me two long metal pieces. Their weight was a little lower than the swords.
Ce:" I suppose the edges are unsharp?"
K:" No, why would they? You have to control your arms in a fight!"
Well, I was carrying two fully functioning swords with me, additionally to the weights on my body.
Ce:" And what am I supposed to do with this on?"
K:" Live! Train! And try not to hurt anyone."
Wait, I was supposed to keep these on for the entire time?