Chapter 72 - Slipping from her grasp

"Yes!! I did it!" Diana suddenly exclaimed as the word 'SUCCESS' appeared on her computer screen, "excuse me ma'am, I'm done." Diana called on the instructor who walked towards her with a sweet smile and patted her shoulder, "hmm." she hummed.

Before she knew what was happening, the lady picked up the mouse and erased all her saved progress, "try succeeding again, I needed to be sure you didn't succeed through luck but actually understood everything before letting you go." She said and left without paying any attention to Diana's watery eyes as she stared at the monitor.

'This can't be!' she exclaimed in her head. It's true she had no idea how she achieved the success, she was frustrated and kept pressing at the keypad randomly before the word success suddenly showed up out of nowhere, but the thought of actually doing it again brought tears to her eyes, her neck already felt numb as well as her fingers, same as how her eyes has started to hurt from staring at the monitor too much, yet she's gonna start again.

She calmed herself, because one of the things she has come to realize about this place is that, showing her displeasure or making complaint always add to her training and only got easy if she kept her mouth shut.

She began from the start and took it slowly, mastering each process as if preparing for a promotional examination. Soon, her lunch snacks and beverages got delivered. She ignored the delivery and paid full attention to what she's doing.

A few hours later, she, 10 trainees, including the instructor remained in the room. Time seem to be against her as the hours pass by quickly. Now she's left with 2 trainees and the instructor who still seem as if she has all the time in the world, as she neither look tired despite her walking up and down nor showed a displeased expression. It's like she can do this all through the whole week without feeling stressed.

"It's done." Diana said as the word success appeared on the monitor once again, but this time she wasn't as excited as earlier. She had no idea what was still had in store for her.

Most importantly she still has a swimming practice to do, since Aroma wouldn't take any excuses if she found out she didn't do it. Her worst nightmare came to pass when the instructor smiled at her and gave her a thumbs up. What came next was "nice, let's move to something else."

Diana was flabbergasted, 'how could this be?' she questioned in her but made sure to listen attentively to the instructor's explanation, since she knew raising her opinion or displeasure wouldn't help her one bit.

....

It's 7:45 pm, Diana was busy tapping on the keyboard, staring intently at the monitor, her eyes heavy and glowy like she's fighting back her tears, but seriously!, she's suffering right now. She didn't sleep well last night; thanks to the intruders and Nathan's rudeness towards her. She hasn't taken her bath, eat a proper meal. She has been sitting on the same spot, and has been staring at the monitor while typing all day.

Even though she tried to act nonchalant, her body was saying otherwise, she felt exhausted and could barely hold on much longer. She could barely hold on from screaming her lungs out, push away the monitor and sprint out of the room without caring what the instructor will do about it.

But something inside her kept making it clear to her, about how she will really wish she hadn't attempted it after doing it.

The most annoying part is how the lady kept smiling and urging her to keep on like she's kinda nice when she's damn! coldblooded. Making her go through all this with such a sweet smile, really makes her want to punch her in the face 'that's if she could dare try it.'

She finally took the snacks she has strong headedly pushed aside, took her beverages, gulping on the whole content in a go like her survival depends on it. She let out a long sigh of relief. The parasitic creatures in her stomach seem to rejoice at the intake more than she, as the host.

At exactly 11 pm, the word 'completed' surface on the monitor. Diana felt fear instead, she couldn't help but imagined another request and really hope it wouldn't turn out to be so.

"Well done newbie, this is your personal computer for training and competing against your fellow trainees. Secure it however you wish, make it less hack-able as you learn more or I'm gonna punish you for incompetent. Goodluck!" She explained and left the room quietly, but suddenly returned, "also, make sure to come practice what you learned anytime of the day till our next meeting." She added and finally left, leaving Diana alone, deep in her thoughts.

Gradually, the few spare time for napping is slipping away from her grasp.

She had the body workout training, swimming, the compulsory show ups of either Aroma or an instructor at their door, dagger throwing practice, eating which is mandatory if the rest wanna have a chance, and now; there is hacking and annoying coding.