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Chapter 5: Training
Merlin showed me many rooms, starting from the basic classes—history, politics, culture, religion, art, and more.
There were lessons about wars, weapons both light and heavy, cold and hot…
Everyday tasks like cooking, washing clothes, setting up camp, cleaning dishes…
First aid, parachuting…
Driving all kinds of motor vehicles, from four-wheeled cars to one-wheelers, different aircrafts, and more…
And then, the classes I would have to attend for the next four years—mathematics, physics, literature, history, basic and intermediate sciences, sports, and of course, eating well to grow properly. As Merlin said, a twelve-year-old boy should grow taller and stronger with muscles, but I wasn't like that. So, with harder training, tougher workouts, and a stricter diet, they aimed to shape me into what they and their organization needed.
I had no opinion, no desire. Deep down, I only wanted to live. And I thought maybe this training would keep me alive longer—even if this organization put me in danger. As Merlin always said: whatever you gain, you must lose something in return. I agreed.
Forward to harsh training.
Every day, I attended different classes filled with different knowledge.
The history class was the most tiring—sometimes the teacher spoke with passion, sometimes with hostility, sometimes with sadness, sometimes with joy. Strange stories of war were told:
From ancient battles to modern wars, from bows and swords to cannons, tanks, and firearms. From defeats to victories.
From wars against vampires who drank human blood, to humans with strange powers whom people called mutants. Very strange indeed.
And the war heroes of modern times—Captain America, Steve Rogers, fighting with his bizarre shield and always victorious. Or the great scientists of the era like Dr. Arsenic, Howard Stark, and others—most of whom were either dead, missing, or secretly working for organizations around the world, like S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Kingsmen.
But in the end, humans always triumphed—or more specifically, the Great British Empire always triumphed.
Math, physics, and art classes were filled with formulas, calculations, and messy work.
Merlin himself taught me IT—computer languages, information systems, and even hacking.
The sports training was brutal. As Merlin said, "If you want to become like a superhero, like Captain America, then for three years, every single day you must do 100 sit-ups, 100 push-ups, and run 10 kilometers. That will make you unbreakable."
But I doubted it. I only thought: Will this training make me bald like Merlin? God, please no.
And my favorite part—nutrition. Every day: two glasses of fresh whole milk, two eggs, meat, fruits, and bananas.
For four long years, William's daily routine was following Merlin's training programs, or rather, the secret organization of the King's Men—with its long history of operating from the shadows.
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