I gulped a mouthful of saliva, hesitating slightly.

But a moment later, a thought came to my mind, Why are you still hesitating? Is there something left for you to hesitate? How will you do what you want to do if you keep hesitating every step of your way?

I closed my eyes, calming my throbbing nerves. Clarity returned to my eyes as I opened them a short while later with a renewed resolve.

Letting out a turbid breath a moment later, I asked, “Uncle, what’s the condition?”

He nodded before saying, “You have to beat Samuel in a one-on-one duel. If you win, I agree to help you out. If you lose… Well, let’s say you won’t have an easy time afterwards.”

My brows locked together as I asked, “What do you mean by I won’t have an easy time?”

Uncle shook his head, replying, “Some things are better left unsaid. I’ll leave that to your imagination. Putting it aside, let’s discuss the specifics. I’ll make it simple. You both have to duel each other in a limited area and it goes on until one of you is either thrown out of the area or is unable to continue. Standard duelling rules.”

For your both’s safety, let’s add that any fatal or long-lasting injuries are better to be avoided, but it isn’t ruled out of the picture entirely. In a real battle, your opponent won’t show you any mercy, ya’ know. As to make things convenient, you can challenge him once anytime until he gets to leave. There’s nothing to be done after that. Good with it?”

Isn’t it just asking me to go and get beaten up by Samuel for nothing in a roundabout way? No. No. No. Don’t think like that. You’re the one asking a favour. He could’ve refused but he didn’t. He atleast has the right for this much.

My brow twitched, but I managed to hold it in. Hesitation grabbed a hold of my heart once more, making it beat faster.

“William, just what’re you trying to do here? Do you think he could win like that? What sort of absurd conditions are those? Samuel can use magic as well as use Ki to strengthen his body. How is Zack supposed to win in less than a month against that?”

Uncle’s lips twitched as he clicked his tongue before saying, “You’re getting good at this, Aria.”

Aunt had an unamused expression as she answered in a monotone, “Then you can see my helplessness against you, my dear.”

Uncle sighed before making a melancholic expression as he said while shaking his head, “I miss the young Aria. Although stubborn, she was far easier to talk to than her present.”

Aunt rolled her eyes as she said, “You know, although you’re getting livelier now, I still miss the old William. What a shame you can’t understand it. Sigh… Also, I don’t look that old for you to be saying that. And don’t try to change the point here. Zack doesn’t have any chance of winning at this rate.”

Helplessly, Uncle said, “Fiiiiine… Then what do you want me to do?”

Aunt nodded in satisfaction as she said, “First, Samuel can’t use body strengthening or magic. Second, he has to defeat Zack within a time limit, say 5 minutes or Zack wins. Third and last, Zack can try any number of times until Samuel leaves. For Samuel to win, he must not lose for the remainder of time, while for Zack to win, he only needs to win any one of the matches.”

Uncle looked flabbergasted as he said, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Isn’t that a little too easy, milady?”

Aunt rubbed her temples as she said threateningly, “It is. So what? Zack doesn’t have any battle experience. And it would be Samuel’s fault to lose in such a situation.”

Uncle shook his head dejectedly before turning his head away dejectedly, expressing his desire to leave.

He looks really sad. And maybe he is right. This might be too easy. He is doing me a favour, so maybe… I should at least…

Consideration welled up within me as I took a step forward, wanting to stay something.

However, before my foot landed back on the ground, a chill ran down my spine. Looking around, I saw Aunt giving me an icy glare.

A moment later, she said in an icy tone, “If you want to leave, just do it already.”

She really gave him the cold shoulder.

A sense of pity welled up within me as I wanted to say something, but I knew better than to and stayed silent.

Filled with a flattering tone, Uncle’s voice landed in my ears, “Aria, my wife, how can I go anywhere in this condition? I am already having issues again and right now, even standing straight is hard.”

His face now had a fawning expression, looking as if the dejected person from earlier and the one before me now were two different people entirely.

It left me dazed for a moment before a pat on my shoulder grabbed my attention.

“It’s William’s style to loosen the reins before grasping them tighter. Earlier, he made an absurd demand before lessening it, and then making you pity him so he could give you a relatively harsher condition. Though given how gullible you are, you might’ve even accepted the first condition as if I didn’t say a word. As far as winning goes, it’s still not easy in any way. Don’t think about it too much. As for why this fool doesn’t agree with your decision, he doesn’t want you to get hurt. Just that, his method is lacking.”

Listening to Aunt’s words, astonishment filled my heart as I couldn’t help but think back on how Uncle interacted.

Now that I think, he didn’t give me any time to think. And that intimidation at the start also forced me to decide fast. Later on, using my pity, he might’ve added another condition and I still might’ve accepted it. Not to mention I am going to fight Samuel, someone training to become a full-fledged knight from a long time ago. And I… I don’t even know the ‘F’ of ‘Fighting’, let alone winning against him.

I couldn’t help but look at Uncle in a new light. My emotions towards this man sitting before me grew in complexity by another level altogether.

“I just told you to not think about it much. You’d have a lot of time afterwards for it. Enough of that. For now, what’s important is to get a place for you to live for the time being.”

I nodded, agreeing with her words while being troubled inwardly.