Chapter 95 - A Positive Response

What were Rutherford and Desmo talking about? 

To understand that we would have to know about the course of events that took place after Yvonne started her final laps around the training ground.

When Yvonne had passed the canopy and her parents, that marked the beginning of the ninth round.

She huffed and puffed as she dragged her exhausted and weary body onwards.

'I still have time! I can make it, so come on Yvonne!' She cheered for herself and continued jogging.

Her ankles were swollen and the leather boots were beginning to clamp down on her feet, causing a brutal obstruction to the blood flow down in her feet.

'Could we not have proper sports shoes in this world? Where are the people who always asked us to just do it when we need them the most?' She sneered at the company that made sports shoes back in her original world.

However, her demands were unreasonable and fueled with bitterness thanks to the leather shoes which were chafing her even though they felt slick on the inside.

As she moved along, she came across the beautiful artwork that she had created on the ground with the contents that had been inside her stomach not too long ago.

'Don't look at that and recall that shameful memory!' She immediately looked away and increased her pace to leave that spot behind.

The thought of being closer to her goal made the adrenaline pump to her brain which made her finish the ninth lap after a lot of struggle.

The last lap could be called her slowest lap since she had begun as by this time, she was close to walking rather than running or even jogging.

"Just a little bit more!" She exclaimed with a worn out and soft voice as she got closer to the finish line.

This was the last sprint before she reached the canopy which seemed so close to her, so she gave it her all as she ran ahead.

Raylene and Rutherford had not taken a seat ever since they had been her vomiting and they came closer to the edge of the canopy when they saw her running towards them.

Desmo Reel glanced at the girl who was doing her best to finish the task that she had been given and then at the scorching sun.

A complicated expression developed on his face when he looked down and saw that she was just a few tens of feet away from reaching their position.

'What should I do now?' He clicked his tongue and then continued watching the child.

Yvonne could feel their gazes focused on her movements and she ran even faster to make sure that she looked good in their eyes.

She did not realize that she was working so hard and going as far as straining herself to make a good impression on the people whom she called her 'colleagues'.

'One more step!' She cried out in her heart as she took the final step, thus marking the completion of her task.

Relief and exhaustion engulfed her entire body and the very next moment, she could only watch as her body went on a downward trajectory.

She could not move her body and all she could do was shut her eyes and wait for the pain to arrive.

Surprisingly, once again, the pain that she was expecting did not appear and in its place, she felt a warm embrace around her little body.

'This body seems to have some crazy luck!' She let out a weak chuckle when she felt the familiar arms carrying her.

Just as she had guessed, it turned out to be her father who had swooped in to save her from falling to the ground.

The last time it was Damien who saved her from crashing to the ground at the Kiron's tea party and today it was Rutherford, her father who had done the same.

'Looks like I can't be knocked to the ground no matter what.' She jested and sighed because she no longer had to stand on her own two feet.

Now safe and secure in her father's arms she could not help but close her eyes and smile with satisfaction.

Rutherford was already anxious when he saw how red her cheeks were when she was close enough to them.

His paternal instincts were cursing him for letting this precious child of his complete that hellish task she was assigned.

All of those thoughts were washed away when he saw that she was on the verge of collapsing the moment she reached their position.

His feet moved forward and within a second he was before her to catch her.

"Vonna, are you alright?" He questioned and tapped her cheek lightly when she did not open her eyes after a few seconds.

His panic came to an end when the little girl in his arms fluttered her lashes before her amethyst eyes came into his view.

Raylene was sobbing at the side as she held her husband's arm.

"Oh thank Asmodeus, that you are fine!" She cried out and rubbed her daughter's warm cheeks.

'That blue bird did nothing! It was all me!' Yvonne scowled inwardly at the words she heard in that god of thunder's favor.

She simply nodded her head and after glancing at her parents she turned towards the man who was standing by the chair he has been seated at.

The St. Claire's all turned in the same direction and fixed their gazes on the Captain of the Red Scorpion Knights.

He had promised Yvonne that he would accept her as his pupil if she could complete the task he had given within one hour.

Here she was now, after completing her task to the best of her abilities.

Yvonne smiled with contentment and a slight tinge of pride as she stared at the man who had hoped that she failed today.

"Have I passed your test? Am I eligible to be taught by Sir Reel?" She inquired of him while resting her head on her father's chest.

Desmo Reel was silent as he stared at the flushed cheeks of the little girl who was nestled in her father's arms and then at her father.

Rutherford maintained a stoic expression as he held onto Yvonne's body closer than before as though he was transferring his warmth and strength over to her.

While Yvonne awaited the answer for the Captain, she heard her father whispering something into her ears which made her smile.

"No matter what happens today, know that I will support you, my lovely Vonna." He spoke words of encouragement and comfort as he gave her a soft smile.

The smile which blossomed on her face felt radiant enough to cast a spell of silence and awe on the ones around her.

"Thank you, Papa." She appreciated his words and wrapped her arms around his neck to give him a hug.

Captain Desmo Reel had had enough of these sweet family moments that he had been force-fed ever since he arrived here at the St. Claire Estate.

He took a few steps in their direction and stood face-to-face with the three people who were huddled together.

"I accept Yvonne St. Claire as my student from this day forward." He announced and then flashed an eerie smile at the little girl.

Yvonne was suddenly filled with an ominous dread when she saw that glint that flashed in his eyes.

"We will begin our classes after two days." He declared and turned around to leave this place.

The little girl frowned when she heard his instructions but before she could voice out her concerns, Rutherford shook his head.

"You need to recover from your exhaustion before you start any other training." He explained as he agreed with his friend's intentions.

He then looked up and when he noticed that Desmo was about to leave, he called out to him in a hurry.

"We have a lot of catching up to do, old friend." Rutherford smirked when Desmo turned around.

The Captain had been hoping to escape without getting caught but it seemed as though that would no longer be possible.

Yvonne and Raylene glanced at each other in bewilderment as to why the atmosphere had changed so suddenly.

The sparks flying between the two men proved that there was something that she and her mother had failed to notice and comprehend.

She shrugged and then smiled at her mother, signaling that she need not bother about it.

Raylene, ever the simpleton smiled back and then leaned forward to take her daughter away from her husband.

She then wished the two men and walked in the direction of the mansion to give the men some privacy.

Rutherford soon brought Desmo over to his parlor where they had sat in silence until the Earl had thrown that uncertain question at the Captain.

Receiving a positive response, the doting father could not help but frown and feel conflicted.

"So it is true that Yvonne failed to complete her task within the time limit you had set?" He inquired to make sure that he had gotten the facts right.

"By a whole two minutes." Desmo answered as he raised two fingers in the air.

Rutherford had an inkling that the given time had passed yet he kept his doubt to himself when Desmo had accepted Yvonne as his student.

But now he was being told that his doubt had been right all along and that Yvonne had in actuality failed to complete the task in the aforementioned time.

"Then why did you agree to train her?" He posed another question to get a better understanding of what was going on in the other man's brain.

"Let us just say that she is a unique one and has succeeded in piquing my interest." Desmo uttered as a charming yet devilish smirk appeared on his face causing Rutherford to narrow his eyes in suspicion.

'What is he planning?' The skeptical father of the little girl could not help but be wary of his old friend.