Duel

Editor(s): Joker, Speedphoenix

"That sounds like an awful idea, dad. You ain't even close to bein' a match for Master," said Lyuu.

"You'll never know if you don't try, Lyuu," lectured her father.

"But you already did try…" She wasn't very amused by her father's antics. "Master beat you guys up pretty bad even though he was tryin' not to hurt you."

The warwolf chief humphed and turned towards the man sitting beside him as if encouraging him to give his opinion.

"I am afraid that I do have to take milady's side on this one, boss. We've lost any reason to be hostile. Lyuu is safe. I understand that you have your own thoughts and feelings on the matter, but I think that you should just leave her be, seeing as she's both alive and happy."

"Shut up, Bijgal! You know you would do the same if you were in my position!" He crossed his arms and effectively roared in a display of stubbornness, a display that caused both his daughter and the man I assumed to be his aide to sigh.

"Thanks for trying, Bijgal, and sorry my dad's such a blockhead." The exasperated pair began walking in my direction as they aired their grievances.

"Don't be. I've long accustomed myself to the boss' ways. It's why he trusts me as his advisor," said Bijgal. "Don't worry too much about everything that the boss is saying. We're all grateful to see that you're still alive."

The first thing Lyuu did upon reaching me was apologize. "Uhmm… I'm real sorry about my dad, Master."

"I don't really mind," I said with a shrug. "This works better for me than sitting around arguing all day anyway. Especially if it'll actually drill the goddamn point into that stupidly thick skull of his."

We left the inn shortly after the exchange in order to get the duel underway and over with. Our destination? The grasslands, of course. I spent some DP and spawned an arena in order to host the event and provide us with some proper boundaries. It wasn't anything particularly fancy; I went with one of the cheapest options available. Unlike the dungeon's residents, the warwolves hadn't expected the stage to suddenly appear out of thin air. The reactions that followed its sudden appearance were filled with so much genuine surprise that I couldn't help but snicker like the haughty bastard I was. Heh.

Dueling Lyuu's dad wasn't something I felt, by any means, obligated to do. That said, warwolves seemed to be the type of race that prioritized strength over all else, so I decided to abide by their cultural norms and show off a bit, just to get the point across in a way that they would understand. And vent a bit of frustration because Lyuu's dad is kind of a piece of shit and I kind of want to kick his ass again anyway.

The dungeon's residents seemed to regard the duel as a special event of sorts, one whose purpose was clearly, clearly, entertainment and entertainment alone. Leila had not only busted out the picnic sheet, but also decked it in a whole slew of homemade treats. Even Nell had nonchalantly started to dig in. Would you look at that? She's already fitting in. Guess she must be getting pretty used to this whole dungeon life thing.

"Yuki, sir, I'm terribly sorry about our chief. Please know that, while he is our representative, this isn't, by any means, how we as a people feel about everything you've done for us. I would just like to take the chance to apologize once again before the boss completely ruins your impression of us."

The so-called advisor, a warwolf who looked to be in his prime, bowed as he joined Lyuu in ridiculing her father's behaviour.

"Honestly, it doesn't really matter all that much to me," I said. "There is one thing I'm kinda curious about though."

"And what would that be, good sir?"

"How old are you right now?"

"Me? I happen to be sixty as of this year."

Wut?

That can't be right. He looks like he's around forty.

I realized, upon scanning the surroundings, that many of the other warriors looked to be in about the same age group. Does that make all of them 60 too? Maybe looking younger than you are is just a warwolf thing?

"How old does that make the chief?"

"I think he's around 40," said Lyuu.

40? No way. No fuckin' way.

"Is it just me, or do all of you look a good bit younger than you really are?"

"That's just how we warwolves, er, beastkin, are, Master. We live longer than humans. It takes us longer to get old too."

So what you're saying is that you're basically elves? God damn, that's some high tier fantasy bullshit right there. Man, this really is another world, isn't it? Well, I mean, of course it is. But Oh man, that's a thought I haven't had in ages.

Though I found myself lost in thought, I didn't end up missing out on any part of the conversation. Lyuu had also momentarily paused to prepare her next words.

"Uhm… Master, I know it isn't my place to tell you what to do, and I know that my dad's a stubborn idiot, but he's still my dad. And my tribe is still my tribe. So I'd be real grateful if you didn't kill anyone…"

"Relax, Lyuu. Don't worry. I don't plan on losing you. But I'm not going to kill any of your friends or relatives either," I said. "Just head on over to where everyone else is, sit down, kick back, and relax. This'll be over before you know it."

Her cheeks reddened a bit as she gave me a bit of a bow before heading over and joining the rest of my family. Speaking of…

"Do your best, Yuki!" cheered Illuna.

"Yeah! Do your best!" echoed Shii.

"No losing," said Enne.

"Don't worry. I got this!" I appeased the crowd with a grin.

"Let it be known that I am sure to mock you should you manage an unsightly display," said Lefi.

"Yeah! Don't do anything too silly!" added Nell.

"Woooow girls, thanks soooo much for cheering me on. I'm glad you've both got my back," I said as I rolled my eyes.

The only individual who had remained silent throughout the exchange was Leila. She had quietly watched it all unfold with one of her usual smiles.

"You aren't taking this seriously, are you?" asked Lyuu's father as his eyes narrowed into a glare.

"Was I supposed to?" I asked, casually. "I didn't have much trouble beating you guys up last time, and nothing's changed, sooooo…"

"…You certainly do have a point," he said with a wince. "But that means nothing!"

X. Doubt.

The warwolves had proven themselves inferior even to many of the forest's weaker denizens. Even as a coordinated group, they failed to stand up to the monsters' primal violence; many of them were injured in their encounters.

It wasn't as if I was personally capable of defeating everything that lurked within the Wicked Forest. Many monsters powerful enough to thoroughly destroy me lay within its depths. But that didn't mean I was weak. I was still far more powerful than the monsters that had crushed them underfoot. So much so, in fact, that I suspected I could handle any number of them with ease.

"Right, so about this whole duel thing. Were you going to fight? Or did you have a proxy lined up?"

"I would have loved to do it myself, but the honour belongs to another," grumbled Lyuu's father. "Lynaut!"

"Right here, boss!"

The man who stepped forward and entered the space between the chief and I had a much larger build than any other. Wait, Lynaut…? So he was the one Lyuu's dad was trying to set her up with? Yeah, I can see why she ran away from home.

If there was one thing I learned from interacting with warwolves, it was that dog ears did not work well on anyone with male genitalia. They worked on Lyuu. Her ears were adorable. But seeing near-identical structures on big, burly warriors filled me with the urge to throw up everything I had for lunch. Any artist willing to illustrate a battle-hardened male warwolf likely would have been heralded as a heaven-sent genius destined to portray the grotesque.

"Yuki! I thank you! You saved many of us, myself included, from the verge of death!" His loud, booming voice almost seemed to resemble that of an over-enthused gym teacher. It was disciplined, and yet somehow naggy and obtuse.

"No problem," I said. He's one of the ones I healed? I guess that means he must've been one of the ones that almost got himself killed by some weak ass monster. No wonder I don't remember beating him up. He was already down for the count before I started swinging.

"But do not be mistaken! I have not forgiven you for fooling my fiancee with your trickery!"

>Trickery

I mean, I get where you're coming from. It probably feels like you got cucked. But still, you can't be serious. What kind of self-serving bullshit is that?

While I wasn't a fan, I could see why Lyuu's dad had taken a liking to the weird jock that was Lynaut. And why Lyuu wanted to stay as far away from him as she could. The amount he shouted could have potentially made him come off as equal parts intimidating and obnoxious. Intimidation was a survival mechanism, one that suited this world well.

Those with loud voices, be they figurative or literal, distinguished themselves from the crowd. They appeared more reliable, and it was easy for people to see them as beacons around which they could gather.

"I cannot allow you to manipulate the woman who will be my wife any longer, Demon Lord! And that is why I challenge you to single combat!"

"Suuuure."

"Lyuu, milady, watch carefully! Watch as the man you will soon wed demonstrates the extent of his valour!"

"Wow, Lyuu. Someone sure seems popular," I said.

"Good for you, Lyuu!" added Illuna.

"Why the heck would anyone wanna be popular with guys like that!?" shouted the maid. "And stop callin' me your future wife! It's givin' me the creeps!"

"It's okay, Lyuu! I understand you! You're just far too pure a maiden to fess up to your feelings! You're only putting up a front to hide your embarrassment!" shouted Mr. Fit. "Can you understand her, Yuki!? Can you hear her heart whisper its truest desires!?"

"Nope. I've got no idea what you're going on about. And frankly, I don't really care."

"And that is why you are not worthy of her! A real man would be able to see right through her!"

Wow, uh… I honestly can't tell if he's really optimistic or just downright retarded.

"…Sure, whatever you say. Anyway, enough of that. Pick up your weapon so I can finish dealing with your dumb ass."

I was getting tired of his shit, so I made sure to throw in a taunt as I grabbed my weapon and assumed a casual, one-handed stance—if you could even call it that. My 'stance' was so sloppy that it looked even less impressive than what one might see in a third rate B movie.

He wasn't using a training weapon. Under normal circumstances, I would have opted to equip Enne, but I ended up resorting to the wooden greatsword I had used earlier in the day because I didn't want to run the risk of accidentally killing him. Now that I think about it, I could've just used her and kept her sheathed, but it's a bit too late for that. She's already settled down on top of the picnic sheet with everyone else. Oh well.

"Finish dealing with me!? Do not underestimate me! Use a real weapon! Take me seriously!"

"Nah, I'm good," I said. "This wooden sword right here is courtesy of Lyuu. You should really thank her once all this is over. For saving your life, that is."

"Fine!" He grumbled, angrily. "Prove to me that you're more than just all bark!"

With a battle cry, Mr. Fit raised his spear and began dashing right at me.

"My rival… was far… too powerful…for me… to overcome…" Mr. Fit delivered a line as he collapsed in an overdramatic fashion—he stretched an arm out towards me as he fell to his knees, then onto his face.

Ten-odd seconds had been all I needed to deprive him of the ability to move.

Although his statement had almost sounded like a series of last words, they were, in truth, far from them. His character sheet indicated that he still had about a third of his health. Yeah, he's probably just unconscious. If he was really dying, he wouldn't have bothered with all the theatrics.

Wait, he just called me his rival. Yeah, uh, no. Can we not?

Lyuu's father, who had been watching the duel from just outside the ring, clicked his tongue and shouted in frustration, "I can't believe it! He wasn't even able to lift a finger!"

This is going to sound kinda cocky coming from me given that I just won, but honestly, what did you expect to happen? After sighing to myself, I began to reflect on the differences between this world and my last. One of the most notable was the creatures. Those that resided here were far more powerful. Myself included. I was confident, but not overconfident. I knew that there existed both creatures with stats that far eclipsed mine and true masters capable of pulling me off my high horse with skill and skill alone.

The year I had spent in this world had forced me to gradually adapt to it. I too had become capable of putting up a fair fight. But in the end, I relied more on stats than I did martial prowess. It didn't matter whether I chose to employ might or magic. In the end, I was still relying on brute force.

Still, I wasn't going to fall to some nameless warrior.

"It appears I don't have any other choice." Again, the warwolf chief clicked his tongue. "Come, Demon Lord! I will take care of you myself!"

I wasn't the only one that found the old dog's whining annoying. Even his men began to jeer and boo as he engaged in the shameless act of asking for a second duel the moment his proxy failed him.

"Shut up! Do you really think I can go home empty-handed after all this!?" He shouted at his underlings before turning back to face me. "Well, Yuki? Are you enough of a man to rise to the challenge?"

"Ehhh… I mean, fine, sure, whatever. But only if you'll actually shut up once we're done."

"Hah! Let us see how far that hubris of yours will take you!" snorted the warwolf.

***

The result of our duel was nothing if not obvious.

"Not… like… this…"

The chief had lost the ability to rise to his feet. The knee he had on the ground was so weak that it was incapable of supporting his upper body. He had to prop himself up against his fang-like blade just to keep himself from collapsing. His breaths were ragged. Every pant that left his throat was laced with alternating waves of pain and exhaustion.

While he wasn't a match for me, Lyuu's dad had at least proven himself a more worthy foe than Mr. Fit. His movements were much swifter; his attacks were more complicated and required more effort to read. But that was it. Unlike the old butler, who had used his blade to carve himself into my memory, the warwolf was nothing special. He wasn't even able to pressure me.

"Give it up. You can't win," I said. "Hell, you don't even come close to standing a chance. I could take on an army of people just like you and not break a sweat."

"Give it up? Give it up!? You think I can just give up!?" He started with a low, spiteful growl, one that quickly morphed to a hate-fueled scream. "Do you have any idea how I feel!? My daughter went missing! Next I heard of her, she was working as a maid for a man, a demon lord, I know nothing about! And she thinks she's happy!? What absolute nonsense!"

Only then did I finally come to understand why he was being so insistent.

It was because he was a father.

He wasn't just being stubborn.

He was showing that he cared.

He was trying to do what he thought was best for his daughter.

That was why he was willing to endure any amount of physical harm, permanent damage and potential side effects be damned.

That was why he was willing to throw away his pride, even before his men.

That was why their jeers failed to change his mind.

And that was why he was now desperately trying to push himself to his feet.

It was all for his daughter.

And as a man with girls of my own, I understood him.

I understood that I would have done the same.

"Listen…"

"Shut up! I don't want to hear another word out of you!"

My voice only served to fuel his rage and encourage him to tighten the grip he had on his weapon. But it wasn't all bad. His eyes were locked on me, which meant he didn't miss the moment I retrieved a dagger from my inventory and used it to slit open my thumb.

"Now pass me yours," I held the bloody digit forward, presenting it to him.

"…What are you playing at?"

"I'm making a vow. Isn't this how you warwolves do it?"

My knowledge of the ceremony came from Lyuu. While I didn't remember the exact circumstances involved, I did remember that she mentioned that this was how warwolves made promises. I don't think she actually went through with it though. Mostly because whatever she swore wasn't actually all that important. This though…

"I swear that I will keep your daughter safe from all possible harm, regardless of the circumstances. I'll drive away every threat to her safety imaginable, even if it means putting my life on the line. And throwing it away."

"…Are you serious?"

"Yeah. I am," I said. "Lyuu is just as precious and irreplaceable to me as she is to you. I can't even begin to think what life without her would be like anymore."

It was true.

Lyuu had become a key part of my life.

Even the thought of considering that she might suddenly vanish filled me with an emotion so disagreeable I could only call it dread.

"And I swear that I will do everything in my power to allow her to enjoy life to its fullest."

Silence followed.

Neither he nor I spoke.

But the exchange continued.

He stared at me, and I at him. His purpose was to discern my intentions. Mine was to convey them. That was why I refused to recoil. I simply stood there with my hand outstretched, even as my blood dripped down my hand and onto the floor below.

And in the end, he chose to trust me.

"…I understand." He slit his own thumb and pushed it forward as he finally managed to get back to his feet. "But is that something you can truly swear even knowing that I'll do everything in my power to make you suffer if you fail to follow through on your promise?"

"Yeah. It is. I'll say it as many times as you want me to. Lyuu will be safe here. No matter what."

"Fine." He dragged himself over and pushed his bloody thumb against mine. "Repeat after me."

"Sure."

"I make this oath upon the blood of my ancestors. And if it is broken, their vital fluids are to be purged from my veins."

"I make this oath upon the blood of my ancestors. And if it is broken, their vital fluids are to be purged from my veins," I repeated.

"…Then my daughter is yours. You've proven yourself both a worthy warrior. And a worthy man," he said. "But never forget your vow. If you break her heart, my ancestors and I will have you plagued by curses."

"Yeah, that sounds kinda terrifying, so I'll make sure I don't."

"Hmph." He dismissed my gag with a snort. "Then I will allow you to wed my daughter."

His tone made it obvious that he wasn't proposing the idea. It was something that, at least in his mind, was already fact.

I, however, didn't share the sentiment. Wait. What? What the fuck just happened?

"I will be visiting in a year to make sure that you've done as promised."

Dude. Wait. Hold the fucking phone. I've got a ton of things to say about this.

First and foremost?

Not this shit again.

Alright Yuki, calm down. Let's just take a deep breath and evaluate the situation. The first question I have to ask myself is: How exactly did all this happen? I'm going to go out on a limb and assume it was probably something I said.

I mean, I don't think I said anything too weird. All I did was say what any manager would say and tell Lyuu's father that I valued her. And that I would lay down my life to prote—I'm a fucking idiot.

Only after reflecting on my actions did I realize that I had effectively proposed.

"I believe that is the expression he wears upon realizing that he is at fault," said Lefi.

"That's exactly what I was thinking," said Nell. "Yuki's pretty easy to read."

"He certainly is," said Leila, "My Lord's expressions tend to be fairly easy to read outside of critical situations"

"H-hold on, gimme just one sec!"

I held up my hand and asked for him to stop as I dashed towards the rest of my family. Unlike me, they were calm, collected, and treating my mistake as just more of the usual.

"That really didn't work out the way I thought it would! What the hell am I supposed to do now!?"

"As one who bore witness to the event, I fail to see why this outcome exceeds your expectations," said Lefi.

"I know, right?" said Nell. "You totally just proposed!"

Both girls responded with exasperation. Their fed up expressions made it clear that they were judging me.

"That's not what I meant! I was speaking from the perspective of a manager!"

"Your intentions are irrelevant. You should have either made yourself clear or corrected the understanding before swearing your pledge. Now, it is too late," said Lefi. "He is a stubborn man, one likely to throw a fit of rage should you attempt to recant your vow."

She was right. Pacifying Lyuu's father had been a huge pain in the ass, and taking back my words now of all times was sure to negate all of my efforts.

"Well, Yuki, that's just what you get for being so dense and careless," said Nell.

"I concur. While you certainly appear to be fairly reliable, it is rather characteristic of you to make silly mistakes."

"But that's exactly what you love about him, right Lefi?" giggled Nell.

"S-Shut up. You are no different."

"I can't argue with you there."

Girls, please. Can we not? This is way too embarrassing a topic for a time like this.

"What's wrong with making Lyuu another one of your wives, Yuki?" asked Illuna, innocently.

"Yay! The more the merrier!" said Shii.

Ms. Vampire, we need to talk. Wives aren't objects or belongings. You can't just randomly get more of them. That's just not how that works.

After a bit of internal musing, I finally decided to timidly glance in Lyuu's direction. I assumed she was mad at me. She had remained silent with her cheeks red throughout the duration of the conversation. Her eyes peeked up at me every once in a while, but her gaze remained downcast. It was almost like she was expecting me to say or do something.

"Hey, Lyuu?"

"B-Bat is hit, Master?" She fumbled over her words.

"Are you mad?"

"A-About what?"

"Just, you know, about all this happening without your consent."

"No, uhm… Not really." She shook her head before continuing in a voice that only grew quieter with every word. "I'm really happy you think so much of me, Master. And I uhm… feel that way about you too."

Bruh. You srs? The reaction I got out of her was just about the last I had expected. Oh man, this must be what it's like to be popular with the ladies. I guess it really does happen to everyone eventually. Ahahahahaha. Hahaha. Haha. Ha. Fuck.

It wasn't like I disliked Lyuu. She was pretty, fun, and easy to get along with. I knew I could cut loose around her and just be myself. But I had long hit the wife cap. Getting a second had put me over it. Three was way more than I could possibly handle.

"So uh… got any opinions on this, Lefi?" I immediately sought refuge in the form of a refusal.

"I do not mind. She is no stranger to me and you have proven, with this display, that you are worthy of her," said the dragon, indifferently.

"W-what about you, Nell?"

My first magazine proved itself empty, so I immediately loaded a second.

"If you and Lefi are both fine with it, then I am too. Besides, you've known her for much longer than you've known me. And I'm in part only still here right now because of her goodwill, so I couldn't possibly say no."

Shiiiiit. Alright, third time's the charm.

I looked around the room in a desperate attempt to find another card to play. But there weren't any. Leila was smiling along as if none of this was any of her business. She wasn't going to be of much help. The kids, on the other hand, were far too innocent to understand the implications of marriage. As far as they were concerned, all that mattered was that everyone was together forever, which meant they would definitely have supported the strengthening of our ties.

Oh, fuck it! I don't care anymore. Two? Three? There ain't no goddamn difference. Fuck fighting it. I give up. At this point, I might as well just catch 'em all.

"Lyuu." I said her name in a strong, commanding tone, much like that of a drill sergeant.

"Y-Yeah?"

"You're staying right here in this dungeon forever, and enjoying every moment of it. Got it?"

"G-got it, Master! I'll be by your side forever!"

"Alright, next question. You okay with marrying me?"

"Totally, Master! I'd love to be one of your wives!"

"Okay, that's two for two," I said. "Now get the hell over here."

She squealed in a derpy display of surprise as I pulled her into a hug before picking her up, princess style. One of my arms was poised under her knees, while the other was wrapped around her back.

"U-Uhm, Master, this is real embarrassin'…"

"Shut up. Stop complaining."

She looked up at me with her face dyed a deep shade of scarlet. She was begging to be put down, but I ignored her and walked back over to the ring with her still in my arms.

"Well, I guess this means we've reached an agreement. Lyuu's mine now."

"…Very well." He paused for a moment. "Lyuu."

Though his words were directed towards his daughter, his eyes remained focused on me.

"Y-yeah, dad?"

"You're free to come home if you ever get sick of him. But never forget that this is the path you chose yourself. I won't let you go back on your word without good reason."

"I know, dad. It's okay… I'm not a kid anymore. I understand what I'm askin' for here. I won't change my mind. Not now, not ever." Her cheeks remained a shade of red, but she spoke in a serious tone. "This is somethin' I decided a long time ago. I want to live here. With Master and all the others. The village isn't my home anymore, dad. This is."

Lyuu's father closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Only after a few moments did he slowly open them once more.

"I understand. I will speak to Lynaut, and all the others, and ensure that they accept this decision. Our decision," he said. "I've already said this to that husband of yours, but I will come again to check on you in a year. Do your best to make sure you grow into your new role by the time that comes to pass."

Lyuu's expression brightened. A big smile appeared on her face as her father voiced his approval.

"Okay! Thanks dad!"

He finally turned his gaze away from the two of us as he humphed. "What an exhausting day. It's been nothing but one unexpected occurrence after another."

"You're welcome to stay at the inn if you want. You guys are basically my in-laws now, so I'll make sure we give you a nice, warm welcome."

"Thank you. We'll gladly accept the offer," he said. "And as a man about to see his daughter off, I would appreciate the chance to sit down and share a drink with the man who has become her husband."

"Sure. Can't really say no to the in-laws, after all," I said with a shrug.

"No, I don't suppose you can," said the warwolf, with a bit of a reluctant smile.

And that was how I ended up with yet another wife. Wow, uh, is it just me, or does that statement seem kinda fucked up?