31. Chapter 30: A defeated Princess

A breeze swept over the parking, oddly loud in comparison to the sound of the distant cars. For the duel, Pina chose to remove her armor, only keeping her knee-high riding boots, simple dark pants and a bare white linen shirt with her corset on top. In her hands was the familiar weight of a two-handed sword.

Hazama had an even simpler apparel consisting of a dark blue shirt, and what seemed to be the bottom of a black robe up to his ankles with sandals on his feet. She still remembered how angry she was when he initially came with a wooden sword. This was a warrior's duel, not a children's playground! Fortunately, his servant, Yanagida, also came with the very same curved sword she had seen when she got wounded, a few days ago, and gave it to the general instead.

As the one challenged, Hazama had set up the rules, choosing to forbid blows to the head and vital areas and deciding the victor to be the first to land a hit. Whether or not blood was poured was of no importance.

Observing the duel were some members of the healer's guild (or, the "hospital", as it was told her the name of the place was), soldiers from the other side (though most of them had a simple white flag with a red dot in the middle on their shoulder) and her own knights. For the judges, Bozes from her side and Yanagida from his side had both been chosen. She didn't know about this Yanagida fellow, but she knew that Bozes, her closest friend and confident, would judge the fight fairly.

She worked her fingers around the sword's handle, searching for the most comfortable position. Meanwhile, short memories of her apprenticeship flashed into her mind, eliciting a smile which quickly faded.

"Fight!" Shouted Bozes and Yanagida in unison.

Pina immediately lowered her stance, spreading her feet wide and pointing the tip of her sword down, presenting herself at Hazama with the "Medium Iron Gate" pose she had had so much trouble to master during her apprenticeship. Her opponent slowly approached, holding his katana above his head, ready to strike.

Much faster than she expected, his blade came down in a cleaving arc, barely letting her raise her sword in time. His steel glided against hers before stopping at the crossguard, to which she immediately replied by shifting her sword's angle and thrusting at his chest. Hazama pushed the tip away from him with his sword and thrusted as well with a shout.

Jumping back, Pina avoided his steel by a hair's breadth and refocused.

She thought of the Japanese as cowards who only fought at a distance, and for her error she almost lost the duel immediately. Just like the men who fought against her and lost because they underestimated a woman, she underestimated him. From this bout who had lasted less than three seconds, she had already learnt a little bit about him.

And despite the spite she directed at herself, she couldn't repress the glimmer of a smile forming on her lips. This was it! This was how warriors talked!

"EMROY!" She roared enthusiastically, throwing herself at him.

Her steel met his multiple times as both sides looked for an opening. Each hit sending a vibration through her arms, each meeting point between the two blades announced by a loud clash of metal reverberating in the area. The blades wobbled as they fought, the steel absorbing the strain of what both fighters put on their blades.

Sending a haywire of a swing, she forced him back a few steps. The following short pause allowed her to correct her pose and wipe the sweat forming on her forehead. Hazama was in no better state, the sweat glistening on his skin and his mouth open from the need to breathe.

Both combatants grinned at each other. The battle hadn't gone on for long, but was extremely intense. And they both liked it that way.

Once more the fighters threw themselves into a lethal dance as their blades sang with each impact. Pina's blade collided with Hazama's as she aimed at his left hip, to which he replied by using his momentum to swing upwards with a shout.

Putting her weight on her back leg, she narrowly avoided the strike and thrust, but once more the blade was stopped. She stepped back to give herself some breathing room, but Hazama followed, relentlessly keeping up the assault.

To the sides, upward, downward, he attacked from all sides, pushing back the Princess who kept retreating. During the short pause between two hits, she hid her glee as she spotted an opening in his defence. Gripping her blade tightly, she repelled his sword as hard as she could before shifting its angle and cleaving downward, aiming for his shoulder.

In her mind, all was perfect. Hazama's sword had bounced off hers, sending it away, and he was unbalanced from her parry.

Yet, it was all a feint. She realized it when the corners of Hazama's mouth curled into a grin.

Her sword whistled in the air as Hazama moved his back leg and his arms out of arm's way, presenting his side to her. Hitting nothing but her pride, her blade collided with the ground as Hazama slashed upwards, cutting into the flesh of her extended arms.

The pain immediately taking hold of her senses, she lost her balance with a cry, but Hazama caught her with one hand while the other already returned the katana to its sheathe.

"Lord Hazama of the JSDF is declared the winner of this spar!" announced Bozes, while the medical personnel that had witnessed the duel were already pushing the stretcher and emergency medical supplies towards the wounded Princess.

However, as they were about to reach her, Bozes put herself in-between, forcing them to a sudden stop.

"Move!" Shouted one of the nurses. "We need to stop the bleeding before she loses too much blood!"

"No." Simply answered the blond-haired knight. "This is already being dealt with."

Puzzled at the cryptic sentence, they didn't move as the knight stepped aside.

Pina's servant, the one that brought her breakfast this morning, was standing, one hand placed over the wound and the other pointing her wand's tip in the air. Her white robe sporting Elange's symbol fluttering in the breeze, she closed her eyes and started muttering something. The language itself was unknown to those who observed, even to the knights, but soon an orange glow appeared from the wand's tip. The light intensified but remained gentle, just like a comfy fireplace in a closed room would.

The few who weren't completely amazed by the sight took out their cellphones, struggling to pick the "video" option because of the excitement.

Just like a tailor weaving a tapestry, the servant moved the wand in circles, the light following its tip but leaving an orange trail in its wake. Surprised gasps sounded in the audience as they realized that she wasn't moving randomly, she was picking up the trails together with her wand, the light somehow sticking like a cobweb to a stick would, and weaved it together into a thicker strand, which she then pointed right to her other hand. It passed through it, coiling around the Princess' arms, forming runes and symbols none of them recognized, before disappearing into the skin.

Even louder gasps and even shouts rocked the audience when suddenly muscle strands reconnected themselves, body fat recovered the area and skin grew anew to close the wound in the span of a few seconds.

Hazama who was the closest to Pina was amazed as well. He read the reports and seen a few videos of magic in action, but never with his own eyes. He observed with wide-open eyes the last strands of orange light fade away and carved the memory into his mind. Few things in his life could match the amazement he just felt.

Feeling the pain subsiding, Pina slowly unclenched her teeth, carefully feeling with her fingers the recently grown skin. Once she was sure the pain was gone, she stretched her arms, then faced the sister.

"Sister Palatine Leona, you have my thanks. My father the Emperor was right to trust the Sisterhood of Clearwater to treat his family."

The Sister put the wand back at her waist, securing it at the belt. Her hand was trembling and sweat visibly formed on her face.

"Princess, I am only doing my duty, but please do not harm yourself like that again… Using healing magic twice in such a short time span is extremely taxing…"

Taking the Sister's words into consideration, Pina put a hand at the woman's shoulder in a reassuring fashion, then turned to the puzzled Hazama.

"Well then General, now that we know each other, should we speak in a more… official manner?"

Still silent, Hazama could only nod in acceptance.

Back in Hazama's office, Pina took to her lips a cup of wine that the General had poured for her and himself. It reminded her of the wine, albeit more refined, produced in the Lucretia region in the southern Falmart. She let the liquid sit in her mouth, enjoying the taste, before drinking it, enjoying the bitter sensation in her throat.

"What kind of wine is that, General?" She asked. She repressed the need to scratch the newly cured wound, the itchy feeling almost maddening.

From the sofa in front of him, Hazama grabbed the bottle in order to read its label.

"A Bordeaux, Princess. It comes from France, a nation of my world famous for its wines."

"Well, they definitely deserved their reputation…" She said, enjoying another sip.

A minute was spent in silence as both enjoyed the drink.

"If you'd allow me that question, Princess, who was that woman who healed you?" Asked Hazama.

Pina, feeling that she would start to get drunk if she kept on drinking, put back the cup on the coffee table. Despite her good mood, she wasn't here to enjoy a quite literally otherworldly wine.

"That would be sister Leona. A higher-up of the Sisterhood of Clearwater which is a coven of La and Elange worshipers who seek the spread of healing techniques. My father funds their coven and their activities in exchange for their support in healing his troops. Sister Leona was assigned to my Rose Knights years ago… But we aren't here to discuss magic, we are here to discuss the future relation between our two countries. We have fought, Lord Hazama, we have spoken as warriors. And we have confirmed each other to be honorable fighters…"

She shivered with pleasure, remembering the thrill of combat that had taken hold of her mind and body just moments ago. Rubbing her arms, she composed herself and cleared her throat.

"Please excuse me, Emroy be blessed, I can feel His blessing still coursing through my veins… Like I said, you're an honorable man whom I can trust. And through you, I took a glimpse of your society."

As Pina took a pause, Hazama put down his cup, crossed his arms and rested his chin on them. Now was the time for serious business.

"Like I said last time." Began Pina. "I came here as an ambassador to initiate friendly relations between the Empire and Japan. Despite the fact that you built this fortress on my father's lands, and that I was almost murdered the moment I met you…"

She put a heavy emphasis on the last sentence, still offended. The only things that kept her from storming out of the base were her father's orders, Hazama's gift which had awoken her curiosity and the new trust she put in him.

"… I believe a positive relation would benefit both of us. To that end, I would like to visit Japan in order to speak with your leader. Or leaders. After all, one must know who one is dealing with. And I believe that from the traces your soldier's chariots have left in the nearby villages and towns, you already have a basis of knowledge about us. Consider it an equivalent exchange…"

During a fraction of a second, she saw the General frown. And she internally cheered. She had the political high ground, and she needed to capitalize on it.

"I suppose it can be arranged." Answered Hazama. "However, I have to warn you we have taken no stance on the war between the Empire and its former vassals. And because of many cultural reasons, it is hard for us to do so."

She snorted at the mention of the traitorous former vassals, and decided to add more weight to her leverage of the situation.

"You can choose to ally with nations that will turn on another at any occasion, that wage war on us despite the good we have brought. And that still can't beat us despite the weapons someone gave them from your side…"

Hazama's mouth curved downward at this mention.

"Or, you can choose to ally with a nation that has been the dominant power on the whole continent for six hundred years, that has the biggest trade, military and political power. An Empire which also has a great wealth of knowledge on magic, a tool that, according to the traders and travellers we spoke to, none of you can use… I think it is an easy choice to make."

After a short pause, the General sighed then massaged his temples which frustrated Pina even more. Hazama was a true warrior, that much she had gathered from him, and she trusted him not to harbor an ulterior motive. But even as a political point of view, she couldn't understand why he was so reluctant. Was there even a point in refusing to ally with the most powerful nation on Falmart?

"Princess, it is not that your offer isn't enticing for us. And I can say that despite having no deciding power back in Japan, apart the one of a voter. I know for a fact that no nation of our world would ally with the Empire or most of the Allied Nations."

It wasn't even frustration anymore; Pina was starting to forget the newfound respect she had for Hazama. Her teeth clenching and fist tightened, she crossed her arms.

"Then what?" She said, a little more harshly than she intended to. "What keeps you from allying with an entire world, General?"

"Slavery."

Hazama's dry answer came in a single world, and took the Princess off-guard. He continued.

"Slavery is one of the most heinous of crimes in our world. Even the weakest, the poorest nations and those that lack an efficient military do not have slaves. It is the first amendment of many nations. "Men are born and remain free and equal in rights" is one of the cornerstones of our world, and you ask me why we wouldn't ally with a nation that officially conducts slavery?"

His answer struck her as weird, even shocking. No slavery? At all? Then how did they build their cities? Their monsters of metal that spewed fire? Their flying swords that cut wyverns apart? Their terrifying weapons that reduced a Flame Dragon, the equivalent of a natural disaster in Falmart, to a pulp?

His declaration also cleared many of her questions. "Men are born and remain free and equal in rights". It explained why there were no nobles, and why their society seemed humble, almost weak in her eyes. Not in a military way, as their soldiers could likely wipe out armies from Falmart easily, but in a way of thinking.

As she was still dazed, his words took her back to reality.

"Unless the Empire, and also many nations from Falmart, do something about slavery, there is very little chance of any official treaties between You and Us. I know that slaves are in large part what makes your Empire great and I know our leaders wouldn't ask for immediate abolition of slavery, but a step in the right direction would give your father and your people a lot of leniency."

She forgot all about her political image and sunk in the sofa like a deflated balloon. Abolishing slavery? That would sign the death sentence of basically every form of government in Falmart save for a few and completely crash the economy. The recent campaign against the warrior bunnies had revived the Empire's dying trade… Without it, revolts would have flared all over the land and famine would have settled, not speaking about the vassals which would have revolted much sooner.

Admitting defeat a second time today, she sighed and straightened her posture, resting her head over her crossed arms.

"I think I have… Many things to learn from your world, General." She said. "Abolishing slavery isn't something the Empire can do immediately, and even then, I don't know where to begin…"

Taking a sip of the cup in front of him, Hazama savoured with great gusto both the wine and the political victory.

"I believe…" He began. "That the Alnus school has a library of books translated into Saderan. It is quite small, it only has about fourty books for the time being, but new works are added each week. While it is normally reserved for Falmartians who wish to learn about our world, I can arrange for one of my men to guide you to it and answer to your questions. Slavery was also a part of our world not so long ago, but we made great efforts to completely eradicate it. Would you accept to stay in our base for the time being? I think the study of those history books would benefit you greatly…"

Once again, the superiority of the people from the other side struck her. A school and fourty books in less than a month? That single sentence implied many things, which gave her the beginning of a headache.

"I think… I will, General." She rose from her seat, slightly bowing to him. "On behalf of the Empire, I thank you for housing one of its Princesses."

Hazama smiled with glee.

"You also have a match to win, Princess. I would greatly appreciate a fight against you once again."

Mirroring his complicit smile, she chuckled.

Hello there, author here

This message is a little bit special.

To cut it short, I am tired of throwing chapters at the website for very little gratification. I know my story isn't the best, and is even bad in some aspects, but even then, I don't want to waste my time working on something that people don't enjoy reading. I also have other projects I want to start working on.

I also know I said at the beginning I wouldn't abandon the story, and believe me I hate myself for even thinking about it. I already have started working on the next chapter, and I would like to know if you readers would be interested in reading up to the end (which will probably only take a few chapters anyway) or if you don't care.

With that depressing message out of the way, for those that still read this mess, thank you.And (maybe?) see you next week.