Damon nodded his head slowly. He was a master of combat, and he appreciated perfect technique more than anything else.

"It wasn’t magic," Damon replied proudly, his deep voice carrying a tone of high admiration. "It was pure, flawless physics and perfect timing."

Damon analyzed the brief fight for his friend.

"He did not try to block the heavy axe. That would have been foolish," Damon explained, gesturing toward the fallen giant. "He dropped low. By using the giant opponent’s own massive weight and heavy forward momentum entirely against him, it completely threw the giant off balance."

Damon looked back at the slim fighter. His eyes shone with deep respect.

"Using one’s own strength against him shows that this fighter is a person of incredibly high intelligence," Damon praised sincerely. "And it requires immense physical strength too, to execute that kick so flawlessly against heavy armor."

Damon turned to his loyal aide. He needed to fulfill his end of the bargain immediately. The winner deserved his prize.

"Kade," Damon commanded smoothly. "Bring the reward to the champion."

Kade bowed deeply. "Yes, General."

Kade turned around and walked to a secure wooden box sitting at the back of the platform. He opened it and pulled out a small, incredibly heavy wooden chest bound with thick iron straps.

Kade carried the heavy chest carefully down the wooden stairs. He walked out onto the dusty dirt field, heading directly toward the slim fighter dressed completely in black. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Camilla stood perfectly still as the aide approached her. Her heart was beating fast with pure, greedy excitement. She was about to become incredibly rich.

Kade stopped a few feet away from her. He bowed his head respectfully to the victorious soldier.

He presented her with the wooden chest, holding it out with both of his strong arms.

"On behalf of the General," Kade spoke loudly so the nearby crowd could hear. "Here is your promised reward. One hundred thousand gold coins for your flawless victory and your great service to the Benson family."

Camilla looked at the wooden chest.

Suddenly, her brilliant, practical mind realized a massive, terrible problem.

Those gold coins weighed hundreds of pounds. The chest was incredibly dense and heavily packed with solid metal. Kade, a strong, fully trained military man, was using both of his muscular arms just to hold it steady in the air.

Camilla was very strong for her size, but she was currently disguised as a slim boy. If she tried to take that massive, heavy chest, she would either drop it directly into the dirt, or she would have to drag it across the field and she couldn’t also hide it when she gets back to the mansion.

It would become a big burden for her.

Camilla acted quickly. She raised her left hand. She signaled Kade to step closer.

She pointed a black-gloved finger at her covered face, and then gestured for him to bend over slightly so she could whisper a secret message to him.

Kade frowned slightly in confusion, but he obeyed the champion. He took a step forward and leaned his ear close to the black cloth covering her mouth.

Camilla cleared her throat very softly. She tried very hard to deepen her voice, forcing it to sound low, rough, and highly masculine so Kade would not recognize the sweet voice of the Lady of the mansion.

"Excuse me, sir," Camilla whispered gruffly, sounding like a young man with a sore throat.

She pointed a finger at the massive, heavy chest in his hands.

"Can you please reward me in paper bank notes?" Camilla asked in her fake, deep voice. "Or perhaps a deed to a valuable piece of land or a large property that is completely equivalent to the value of the coins?"

She let out a small, fake, manly cough.

"I am a traveler," she lied smoothly. "I’m afraid I simply can’t carry this massive, heavy chest with me on my journey."

Kade listened to the rough whisper. He understood the practical problem completely. A wandering fighter could not easily protect or carry a heavy chest of gold across the country. Paper bank notes from the Royal Bank were much safer and much lighter.

Kade nodded his head respectfully.

"I completely understand," Kade replied politely. He pulled the heavy chest back against his chest. "I’ll let the General know your request immediately. Please wait here."

Camilla nodded her hooded head once, acting completely cool and mysterious.

Kade turned around. He carried the chest of gold back across the dusty field. He walked up the wooden stairs and returned to the raised platform.

While Kade was walking back, Damon turned his attention away from his champion.

Damon turned his body to face the seething, furious General Howe.

Howe was standing near his wooden chair. His face was bright red with pure, uncontrollable rage. The veins on his forehead were bulging dangerously. He had just watched his most expensive, most deadly mercenary get slaughtered by a nameless boy. He had lost the bet. He had lost his stolen land. He had been completely humiliated in front of the entire kingdom.

Damon looked at the older General. Damon’s face was completely calm, but his eyes shone with cold, absolute victory.

"Your people lost, Howe," Damon stated clearly. His deep voice carried no sympathy whatsoever.

Damon pointed a heavy, armored finger toward the southern borders.

"That valley should be completely cleared of all your troops and returned to my control by tomorrow morning," Damon commanded smoothly, enforcing the rules of their death match.

Damon offered a small, highly mocking smile.

"I know you are a man of deep military honor," Damon insulted him politely. "I know you would definitely keep your word."

Howe’s hands clenched into tight, shaking fists at his sides. He wanted to draw his sword and attack Damon right on the platform, but there were hundreds of witnesses watching them.

Howe stood up perfectly straight. He forced his facial muscles to relax, but his eyes were full of pure, burning hatred.

"Certainly, Benson," Howe agreed loudly.

He gritted his teeth so hard they made a terrible grinding sound.

"My troops will be gone by sunrise," Howe promised through his clenched jaw. "You have won today."

Howe did not offer to shake hands. He did not say goodbye.

He turned around sharply, his red cape swirling aggressively behind him. He walked away angrily, stomping heavily down the back stairs of the wooden platform.

As Howe reached the bottom of the stairs, his loyal aide rushed to his side.

Howe did not stop walking. He marched quickly toward his waiting horse, completely ignoring the cheering Benson soldiers.

Howe leaned his head close to his aide. He spoke in a very low, incredibly dark, furious whisper.

"Dispose of the body and order the troops to leave the valley," Howe ordered his aide, his voice filled with anger.

Howe looked back over his shoulder, glaring at the slim, black-clad figure standing on the dirt field.

"Find out exactly who that soldier is," Howe commanded fiercely. "Find his name, find his family, find his weaknesses. I want to know everything about him."