"But if you lose—"
"I won’t," he said simply. "Just trust me."
Alice looked unconvinced. She was about to say something, before Adrian added.
"And after I win, we can hang out again. What was that book you liked talking about? The Fall of the Stars?"
The girl giggled. "That’s not it, dummy. It’s—"
The two looked up, as someone called Adrian’s name.
"Well, I’ve gotta go. Seeya in a bit."
"I— good luck." She called after him. Then she whispered quietly to herself. "Goddess grace you."
Adrian did not hear it, of course. He walked up to Onia. She was waiting with her arms folded, and sword and shield by her side. She tossed one of her pink pigtails behind her back, and picked up her weapons.
"What took you so long? Nervous? Regretting your decision? If you apologize in front of everyone now, I’ll let you off with just being my servant for one year."
"You know, you’re really annoying, right?"
Adrian drew his sword and pistol. He held them in front of him, in a cross guard, as the two duelists waited for a moment.
The crowd watched with bated breath, as they circled each other slowly. They were in a small arena. The ones used for proper sparring by the older students in the Academy. And one of those older students was refereeing this bout.
The boy looked between the two duelers, and nodded.
"You may begin," he declared.
Onia wasted no time. She charged Adrian without any hesitation.
Adrian backed up, and fired two bolts at her. She raised her shield to block. The bolts of stun energy bounced harmlessly off it.
The girl closed the distance in an instant. She was not incredibly fast, but the arena was not huge either. And Adrian could only back up so quickly.
He lowered his gun, and braced for the coming attacks. He deflected a swing at his head. Blocked a strike to his body.
Adrian sidestepped a stab, countering with his own attack. He slashed at the girl, but her shield took the hit.
The boy tried circling around her, attacking her as he went. But her defense was good. What she did not block with her shield, she parried with her sword.
Her face, her body, her arms. There was no difference. Everywhere he swung at, the girl would block.
True to what everyone had said, Adrian was not the most skilled duelist. He was talented, but he was still new to it. Yet, he saw that she was not moving. Her feet were planted firmly on the ground, as she guarded from the onslaught.
Adrian saw his chance. An opening. He went low, straight for her legs—
And he stumbled backwards.
She bashed him with her shield. She pressed him as he steadied himself, and managed to land a hit to his side.
Adrian reeled back from the hit, but he managed to roll out of the way from the next strike.
"Is that all you’ve got? How disappointing, after all that talk you’ve been doing," Onia taunted him.
The boy got back up. He felt his heart racing, as the crowd cheered for the noble girl. Her defense was good. Almost too good.
They were all right. Adrian was not good at dueling. At least, not yet.
As of right now, whatever he learned in the last few months was not enough to beat someone who had been doing it for years. She had to have studied all the basic weaknesses to her defense. She was prepared for it.
Adrian drew his gun, and fired more shots at her. It made no difference. She brought her shield up as she charged him. She watched as he tried to step into her guard.
It was ridiculous. She would just knock him back again—
Adrian grabbed her shield with one hand, and head butted her.
Onia staggered.
She slashed at him with her sword, but he just took the hit. She tried to swing her shield at him, but she struggled as he held on to it. He had tossed away his own sword! Then Adrian raised his other hand.
The noble girl’s eyes widened, as she stared down the barrel of a gun.
Adrian pulled the trigger once, and Onia stabbed him in the chest.
Twice, and she tried to kick him back.
After the third shot, she finally let go of her shield and tried to back up.
On the fourth, fifth, and sixth shot, she dropped her weapon, collapsed, and covered up in pain.
"I yield! I yield!" she cried out frantically.
And Adrian stopped firing.
The crowd was dead silent, as Adrian stood triumphantly over the Onia Octavius. The duel was over.
He had won.
It was a dirty win. And Adrian did not come out unpunished. He had a few bruises on him from all the hits he took. But that did not change the outcome.
The boy refereeing the duel stared at him. He pointed accusingly at Adrian.
"Y-you can’t do that!"
There were a few murmurs or agreement. Adrian just shrugged.
"Why not? It’s not against the rules."
And there was more talking. As everyone realized he was right. It did not go against the rules of a duel. But…
"But if she was using real weapons, you’d be dead!"
"Well it’s not even a real duel. And I’m not dead. So I’m the winner, right?"
Adrian looked at the referee, and the older boy answered. "You are, but—"
"Good," Adrian said, satisfied. Then he walked up to the noble girl, as one of her lackeys was helping her up. "Now then, where’s my apology?"
Onia froze. Ilyse spoke up from her side. "You cheated! That was unfair! She doesn’t have to apologize to you!"
"But I won. He said so." Adrian gestured at the referee, and he slowly nodded. "So give me what I deserve. Apologize."
"I can’t! Why should I apologize to you! You’re a
