Instructor Lawson went to his desk on top of the podium and opened a drawer. Inside it were bottles of pills. Each transparent bottle held eleven pills.
The bottles were supposed to contain ten pills for the top ten. But the management of the training facility added an eleventh pill because of the little boy joining this year.
A boy of seven years old joining the training program is unprecedented. It shows that the boy has immense potential, so instructor Lawson had been instructed to give Arthur a blood pill as long as he showed some dedication and performed decently for his age.
Arthur didn't need to reach the top ten to earn a blood pill because no one expected a boy his age to compete with older kids. They didn't even expect him to take exercise seriously. So they wanted to encourage him if he takes exercise seriously.
But the instructor didn't tell him that. Instead, Instructor Lawson said to Arthur, "Since you did so well for your age, you will earn two blood pills. As long as you reach the top ten every day, I'll give you two blood pills, not one."
Arthur became happy after hearing that. He said, "Really?"
Instructor Lawson replied, "Really."
Gray couldn't take it. He grumbled silently, "Why does he get to have two?"
He wasn't complaining openly. He was just grumbling under his breath, but instructor Lawson still heard him.
The instructor glared at him and replied, "Because he is five years younger than the youngest of you and six years younger than you in particular. If he can beat 13 of you to the top ten, then he deserves two."
He looked away from Gray after saying that and said, "Now, open your mouth. You must take your pills right here and now. The pill is for you to use, so nothing must hinder that. I must see you use it, or you won't leave this place."
Then he went down the podium and dropped a pill into each of the kids that made it to the top ten. Arthur received two and swallowed it.
Teacher Lawson watched all of them swallow it and even checked their mouths to make sure.
He is being extra careful because it has happened before that the kids were robbed of their pills or they sold it willingly for money to help out with the financial situation in their families. After all, one pill costs the salary of the lowest servants.
It is his job to make sure that none of that happens. The Dyson family wants to raise capable guards, so the pills must not be used for any other purpose.
Arthur didn't feel anything after swallowing the two pills. He was suspecting that he might have been given a dud, but he didn't want to accuse their instructor of cheating them on his first day in class.
He rubbed his stomach as he thought to himself, "That is at least a second-day accusation. I should ask Mother about it rather than cause more trouble on my first day."
But other kids didn't have his awareness. One of them raised his hand to ask a question.
Instructor Lawson said, "If you're going to ask me why you don't feel anything, it is because it is going to take a while. You will begin to feel its effects in a few minutes. It will last for a few hours before it fades."
"Now go home and rest as soon as you feel like it. Don't try to resist the feeling. You should rest, as you will need your body to be well rested for tomorrow."
Everyone folded up their mats and returned them to the wall. Then they dispersed and began making their way outside of the class. Instructor Lawson also returned to the podium.
As they were leaving, the instructor stopped as if he remembered something. Then he turned back and called out to them, "This regimen will continue every day until you reach the third transformation. I'll advise you to take body-nourishing or healing pills if you can so that your body can keep up. You should also try to eat more protein-rich food."
He resumed walking only to stop a few steps after. He called out again, "And rest. Rest a lot. Especially you ten that have taken the blood pills."
Arthur dragged his body to his lunch box. He picked it up with all of his strength as his arms didn't want to stretch too much. Then he went outside to wash his hands with the water bottle in it.
After washing their hands, he and Thompson sat down on benches outside of their classroom. Then they began to eat their lunch.
What was prepared for them was a sandwich. It was just a light snack of meat and bread meant to help them replenish their energy.
But after two bites, Arthur found that he was struggling to swallow the snack. He found that he felt full and was losing his appetite.
The delicious snack that had got him salivating when he first laid his eyes on it now looks like a chore. He was losing interest in it by the moment.
He looked over at Thompson and realized that the silent boy had his brows furrowed in thought. He had the sandwich in one hand, staring at it with a face that looked as if he was contemplating the mysteries of bread and meat.
It was comical because his face was bruised. It made Arthur chuckle before he asked, "Are you losing your appetite too?"
Thompson looked at him with surprise for a moment. Then he nodded in reply.
Arthur asked, "Do you think it is because of the blood pill?"
He slurred the last part of his question because he yawned.
Thompson considered his question and shrugged. Then he resumed eating his sandwich.
Arthur shook his head and returned his attention to his sandwich. He wanted to eat it, but he didn't have the motivation to do so.