I have to fight for my life?

"Was it you who cut off Mu's arm and killed the other four soldiers who were with him?" she said with a deeper look in her eyes, as if she could read me.

I was in a dilemma. Should I lie, should I tell the truth, I didn't know what to do. It was true that I was the one who did what she accused me of, but if I admitted it, would she spare me or kill me on the spot? Maybe she cared more about the food I cooked for her than the lives of her soldiers, but that was impossible to know for sure.

Maybe it was better to tell the truth, and face the consequences. After all, Mu's reaction had already given me away. She had recognized me and try to harm me. There was no way to deny it now.

"Yes, it's me," I finally confessed, lowering my eyes and avoiding Zephara's gaze. I wondered if this was the end of my life.

But to my surprise, Zephara burst into laughter. She laughed so hard that she almost fell off her throne. Her laughter was like a balm to my soul, as if I had just released a great burden.

"Why are you laughing?" I asked, feeling confused and curious. I had technically killed four of her soldiers and cut off her captain's arm. How was that funny?

"Well, how can I put it, Mu reported to me that she was attacked by a ferocious and fearsome beast that came out of nowhere and managed to escape alive," she said, still chuckling. "He said the beast had claws and fangs and scales and wings, and that it was bigger than a horse. He was so terrified that hhe ran away without even looking back."

She stopped laughing and looked at me with a serious expression. "But you are a human, right? A very small and frail-looking human. How did you manage to do such damage to my soldiers?"

She examined me more closely, crossing her arms as if to think. "The cut on Mu's arm was too clean to have been done by magic, so I suppose you are an exceptional swordswoman," she said, sounding impressed. "You must have a very sharp and powerful sword. Where did you get it from?"

She didn't wait for my answer. She continued to speak, with a smirk on her face. "According to demon laws, killing a demon without any reason is a serious crime, and it must be punished accordingly. You killed four of my soldiers, and wounded one of my captains. That is a very grave offense."

I felt a surge of panic. I hadn't killed one demon, but four. And they were not just any demons, they were Zephara's demons. Zephara, the demon queen, the ruler of the demon realm. What had I done?

"But they were threatening a dragon, I just wanted to protect the dragon," I said, trying to justify myself. "They were going to kill her, or worse. I couldn't let that happen."

Zephara's smile didn't fade. She seemed amused by my explanation. "Oh, so you were protecting a dragon, were you?" 

She paused, and then added, " She borrowed a large sum of money from me, and never paid me back. Do you know how much she owes me, little human?"

I shook my head. I had no idea.

"Five hundred thousand gold coin," Zephara said, emphasizing each word.

"Five hundred thousand gold coin, and she hasn't paid me a single coin for a year now. So I sent my soldiers to pay her a visit, and remind her of her debt. I didn't tell them to kill her, of course. I just wanted them to scare her a little, and maybe take some of her valuables as collateral. After all, I want my money back, not her corpse."

I felt a cold sweat on my forehead. I had just risked my life for a dragon who was a thief and a liar.

So, I was going to die just for trying to protect someone who didn't deserve it.

"Don't make that face, I'll make an exception for you, and besides, you won't die," Zephara said, seeing my expression. She sounded almost kind.

"Thank you," I said, feeling a glimmer of hope. Maybe she would let me go, or at least spare my life.

"Don't thank me too soon, to earn your life, you'll have to defeat one of my best captain in a sword fight," Zephara said, with a sadistic smile. 

I looked at Zephara with a wry laugh, finding myself in a rather delicate situation. I had the best idea I could think of.

I yawned loudly, stretching my arms and pretending to be exhausted.

"I'm tired and it's been a long day, good night," I said before running out of the kitchen. I didn't wait for her reply, I just dashed into my bedroom and closed the door behind me.

"I can't believe I managed to escape," I said to myself, catching my breath. I was out of breath from running, but also from the adrenaline rush. 

I threw myself into my bed, which was surprisingly comfortable. It had a soft mattress, a fluffy pillow, and a warm blanket. I guess Zephara wanted to treat me well, but that maybe too much for only a cook.

As soon as I put my head on the cushion, I fall asleep. 

The next morning, I was woken by the sound of my bedroom door opening. I opened my eyes and saw two guards standing next to me. They wore black armor and helmets, and carried swords and shields. 

"Well, get ready for your battle in 10 minutes, the queen has asked us to take you away," said one of the guards, before throwing a towel at me. It landed on my face, making me flinch.

I groaned and sat up, rubbing my eyes. 

I sighed and went into the bathroom, showered quickly and dried myself with a towel. One of the guards had put on the clothes I was supposed to wear, a combat uniform. It was black and red, the colors of Zephara's army. It was rather tight, but I've had worse. I put it on, maybe I could win.

I came out of the bathroom and the two guards couldn't help but look away, blushing as soon as they saw me. 

"Let's go," said one of the guards, as he opened the door. He grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the room. The other guard followed behind, watching my every move.

The guards walked very fast and I struggled to catch up with them. They didn't say a word, they just led me through the corridors of the castle. I looked around, hoping to find a way out, but I saw nothing but stone walls and iron bars. I felt like a caged animal.

After only 2 minutes of walking, we arrived at a place I hadn't seen yesterday. It was a large courtyard, surrounded by high walls. There were soldiers training there, practicing their swordsmanship and archery.

They wore the same uniform as me, and they looked fierce and loyal. Zephara was there too, standing on a balcony, overlooking the scene. 

Zephara turned her head towards me and on her face, which was all seriousness, appeared a smirk. 

"I hope you've had a good rest, because you're going to face the strongest of my captains," she said, loud enough for everyone to hear. She pointed at a man who was standing in the middle of the courtyard.

He was huge and muscular, with a shaved head with horns on it and a beard. He had a scar across his nose, and a tattoo on his arm. He held a giant axe in his hand, and he looked ready to kill.

He was the strongest of her captains,he exudes an air of confidence.

"Well, let's fight," said the man, throwing a sword at me. I grabbed the sword and came to stand in front of him.

I'll probably lose, he looks too strong. Well, it's time to die.