บท 29: Duel Part 1

"Work for you?" The woman scuffed. "You think my servants would just abandon their mistress by such a simple threat?!"

"You will no longer be servants." Joshua explained. "You will be your own people paid a fair wage for the work that you do. You will be beholden to no one other than yourselves."

"You are wasting your breath." The woman said. "Their families have served mine for generations, which is not something that can just be changed."

The woman's words seemed to ring true amongst the servants, none would answer Joshua's call or even make eye contact with him. He would need a new approach.

"Then as a knight, I am requesting your services." Joshua said. It was a gamble because he didn't know the woman's noble rank, or if it was just her family's rank.

"That's just uncalled for!" The woman complained. "That is just improper etiquette!"

"Is that your wish, my lord?" Timothy asked.

Joshua smiled as his gambit paid off. The words of nobles were law, and it all depended on rank. It may have been ugly had the woman held the same rank, but he guessed based on her earlier reaction to him that she was a lesser rank.

"Yes, I will have each of you join me." Joshua said. "Report to the bakery in the lower city at once. After you have collected all of your belongings of course."

Gina tugged on Joshua's pant leg, and he jumped down from the table to listen to her.

"I don't have that kind of room in my shop." Gina said. "How am I supposed to house all these people?"

"We will figure it out." Joshua said. "It has to be done."

"You can't do this to me!" The woman yelled. "Even if you are a knight! This is uncalled for! Uncivilized! It just isn't done! I will be ruined!"

"It appears that you will." Joshua replied swiftly. "Maybe you shouldn't steal from others?"

"No!" The woman yelled. "I won't go down like this! I can't! I refuse! I challenge you to a death match!"

Joshua smiled, he knew he didn't have to accept the match because he outranked her, however, should he best her in combat and end her life, all that she owned would be his. He would be able to just take over this bakery and have two locations.

"I accept." Joshua said.

"Joshua!" Gina protested. "You shouldn't do death matches!"

"I have to do it Gina." Joshua replied. "It is what is best for the future. Now go fetch a guard so they can witness the match."

"Okay, you better not lose!" Gina said as she ran out the door.

"Shall we move to the street?" Joshua asked. "I would hate to make a mess of my future shop."

"You are making a lot of assumptions boy." The woman said. "I may be a woman, but you should not underestimate me. I have been trained by the finest teachers; money could buy. Father was rather adamant that I knew how to fight, in case something undesirable were to occur to me.

Aside from that, my family is wealthy and has been for generations. Sure, we have not advanced beyond that of a squire, but we have not needed to. We live extremely comfortably and don't have any of the other responsibilities that come with being a higher rank."

She walked over to a wall and opened a hidden compartment behind a painting. She opened a safe and pulled out a box. Joshua was taken by surprise when she opened it and pulled its contents out.

She held up a handgun. It appeared to be an old-style flintlock handgun. A terribly inaccurate single shot pistol but still a gun. It was adorned with golden trim and a polished oak stock.

"Over the years my family has invested in certain items." She explained. "Items that we thought may be useful in the future. This is what is known as a miniature hand cannon. It works just like a real full-sized cannon, but it fits into the palm of your hand. We bought it in case we ever had to duel.

It is such a fine weapon. It gives anyone the power of long ranged attack, without the skill of a bow, or the aptitude for magic. With this my victory is assured against your sword. I will enjoy taking all of your money and your title."

"I must say I did not expect this." Joshua said. "But I will still defeat you, because I have to."

Gina reentered into the room. "I found a guard to watch the match." Gina said. "He said he would be here in a few minutes and to wait for him." She then noticed the gun in the woman's hand. "By the gods what is that?!"

"It is the device I shall use to end this young man's life." The woman replied and then started laughing, enjoying her own plan.

"I will be okay." Joshua said as he put his hand on Gina's head and petted her. He then looked at his status plate for the first time since killing all of those skeletons. He was now level forty, with forty in every stat. Making him the equivalent of a level one hundred and twenty. He had four hundred hit points and a maximum mana of four hundred as well, although he was out of mana at the moment.

He smiled at his stats, knowing even if she had a gun, he should have enough hit points to survive. At least he really hoped he did. There was honestly no telling how much damage a gunshot wound would do to him. He was actually really nervous about the whole thing.

The guard entered the shop. "Are you two ready?" He asked. "If so, please move it to the street."

"We are ready." Joshua said as he put his plate back in his pocket. He then walked outside and waited for his opponent.