I fell, writhing, at Jack's feet and begged, "Please forgive me. I won't do it again."
Jack said, "All right. I forgive you."
At that moment Prince Phils grabbed my hand tightly—his grip made my hand hurt so much. I thought to myself, what have I done now? Then Prince Phils threw me out. He shouted, "Your training starts tomorrow. And tell me what you can do."
In pain I screamed, "I can't do anything."
Prince Phils glared at me angrily and yelled, "Do a hundred push-ups right now! If you stop, you'll start from the beginning again—did you hear me?" His eyes were terrifying with fury. I nodded weakly and began.
After ten push-ups my body gave out; after so many blows my strength had left me. I collapsed onto the ground.
"Stop, her body's weak—she can't do this right now," Prince Sam said.
Then Prince Phils kicked me hard and snarled, "Get up. Who will do the remaining ninety push-ups?" His anger showed no sign of easing; that kick had been brutal.
A soldier approached and called, "Commander, I've been looking for you."
"Yeah, I'm coming. But Well—watch her. Don't show any mercy. She doesn't deserve it," Phils ordered.
"Commander, just tell me what to do and I'll handle the rest. You just make her do the hundred push-ups and don't let her stop," phils said.
Phils turned and left. At last I took a breath and I breathed a sigh of relief and finally lay back on the ground . when I was hit hard on the head, by Well. Blood started dripping from my nose. "Who told you to stop? Get back to it," he said in a cold, calm voice, as if there were no peace at all.
I dragged my aching body up and, trembling, finished all one hundred push-ups. Well sat down and stroked my head. "You actually did it, Welldone," he murmured, his eyes distant, like he understood nothing. He had beaten me many times before; my nose bled, my body hurt, and yet his manner was oddly normal—until he finally patted my head.
I sat there half-dead and pointed, asking Jack with a finger, "Who is he? Do you know him?"
"He's the youngest prince of our kingdom—Prince Jack," Well said.
"Wellness, you said bad words to the jack, that's not the reason phils beat you," Prince Sam said.
"So Why did Prince Phils hit me so much?" I cried.
"Because those who have powers and stones can easily read the minds of ordinary people—some can," Prince Sam explained calmly. "As for Phils, he can. And I don't read anyone's mind."
Now I understood why I had been beaten so badly. With my battered body I stood up. "Show me my room. I just need to rest," I said to Prince Sam in a tired voice.
"Your care has been assigned to Well—he will take you to your room," Prince Sam said with a smile.
"What a trouble," I muttered irritably.
"Follow me," Well said quietly.
I followed him; he walked ahead and I stumbled behind. It felt like we were circling the palace. I stopped. "Sir, don't you think we've been walking in circles around the palace?" I asked.
"I don't know where your room is," Well replied calmly.
"What!?" I shouted. "You don't even know where my room is—and you're responsible for me? How foolish!" I looked into his eyes; he remained completely calm and kept walking.
He was so calm that I decided to apologize. "Sorry for speaking like that. Please forgive me," I said gently, but he gave no answer and kept going.
At last he stopped in front of a room. "Sleep in my room for tonight. I have work ahead, so I won't be able to sleep," he said. His eyes, his body, and his voice were all calm, as if he had no interest in anyone. In Well I saw what I had been for years—alone. I thanked him and fell asleep.
Prince Sam asked Jack, "How did your master give you leave?"
"The master wanted to be alone for a few days, so he gave everyone two weeks off. But I can't stop my training," Jack answered.
"So this means Wellness will have to endure the Phils for two weeks," Prince Sam said with a laugh.
"How did you even think of killing Wellness?" Prince Sam asked calmly, with a smile.
"I wasn't going to kill her at first, but I thought she was a threat to the kingdom, so I attacked," Prince Jack said.
"No problem—everyone makes mistakes," Prince Sam said with a smile.