Henry listened quietly as Juliet spoke, her voice trembling with memories that carried both strength and pain. Though he had never seen her fight, he could feel the weight of her journey, the countless battles she must have faced to climb her way to the top.
"So, I trained," Juliet whispered, her gaze distant. "I fought in every battle, every dungeon I could find. I wanted to be strong enough that no one would ever pity me again."
Henry nodded slowly, understanding more than his words could express. "I'll be careful," he said softly. "I promise."
Juliet's lips curved into a faint smile. "Good. Because I don't want to lose you too."
"You won't, Juliet," Henry replied, his voice steady but warm.
For a moment, silence settled between them. Juliet studied him quietly, her eyes soft yet thoughtful. Then, as if remembering something, she spoke again. "Oh, right there's also another rule for the duel," she said calmly. "Don't use your ability during the match. If you do, you'll be banned."
'Ability?' Henry thought inwardly. 'Right... everyone in this world has one'
"What's your ability, Juliet?"
She smiled faintly, her tone teasing. "You'll find out when the time comes."
Henry raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. "So... about the duel, are we heading there now?" he asked, standing from the couch.
"Yeah," Juliet replied, glancing at him. "But not in that outfit."
Only then did Henry notice the dirt-stained shirt clinging to him from yesterday's fight. It was torn and dirty.
"Go take a bath," Juliet said, already turning away. "I have something that'll fit you better."
Henry nodded and made his way to the bathroom.
---
A few minutes later, he stepped out wearing the outfit she had picked for him. The fabric was dark and loose, resembling a traditional martial uniform. A red sash wrapped snugly around his waist, giving it a warrior's edge.
Henry admired his reflection. "I look like one of those old masters from the East. Ha-ya!" he exclaimed, striking a mock kung fu pose.
Juliet blinked at him, puzzled. "What in the world is a Chinese?"
Henry laughed and straightened. "It's what I call people who master combat arts. How do I look in this dress Juillet?"
Juliet folded her arms, unimpressed. "It looks bad."
He grinned, unfazed. "You can say that all you want, but deep down you know it looks great."
Juliet sighed, shaking her head. "Thats impossible."
Henry brushed off his sleeves and smiled. "Alright, I'm ready. Shall we go?"
She studied him for a moment, her eyes scanning him from head to toe. Then she said quietly, "Almost. Something's missing."
Before he could ask, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. The sudden closeness caught him off guard.
"Fight safe, Henry," she murmured. "I don't want to lose you."
Henry froze, then slowly returned the embrace. Her warmth, the softness of her body, it stirred something in him he didn't understand.
When she finally pulled away, a small, teasing smile crossed her lips. "I still remember your dream, Henry. It's not going to come true."
He chuckled softly. "Tsk."
With that, they left the house together.
---
Outside, the bright morning air felt calm until Henry stopped abruptly. His expression shifted, eyes widening as he stared at the scene before them.
"What's wrong?" Juliet asked, stepping closer. Then she saw it too.
Four armored knights surrounded a lifeless body in the middle of the street. A woman in a white cloak knelt beside it, her hands glowing faintly as she examined the corpse. Even from a distance, Henry could tell she was a healer.
His breath caught. 'They pulled my leg first... I didn't mean to kill anyone' he thought. The memory of last night flashed before him, the ambush, the chaos, the desperate fight. 'What will they do if they find out it was me?'
"Let's go check what's happening," Juliet said, already moving forward. Her reputation in the village often granted her access others didn't have.
Henry swallowed hard. "No... I'm fine here."
"We're together," she insisted, grabbing his hand firmly.
He followed reluctantly, every step making his chest tighten.
When they reached the edge of the scene, Juliet addressed the healer. "What's the situation, Healer Anninte?"
The knights turned to face them but said nothing everyone in the village knew who Juliet was.
Anninte rose slightly, brushing dust from her knees. "We found three bodies early this morning," she explained grimly. "Two were pierced by arrows. But this one..." She hesitated, gesturing to the corpse at her feet. "This one's different."
At her signal, one of the knights pulled back the cloth covering the dead figure.
Henry's heart pounded as he looked down. The body's neck was injured with a bite mark and only one taught came to his mind.