Louisa's POV
I had never been to a duel before.
I had been beaten brutally by my stepbrother Zion in my father's tribe. Sometimes my stepmother would lock me up and whip me for having a bad attitude. Since I had never fought back, it was definitely not a duel.
Anyway, people had to fight for something in a duel, but I really didn't know what I was supposed to fight for on that day.
Josephine had been a pain in my ass ever since she saw me by calling me servant girl and whore. That wasn't a very healthy relationship. So I had to take some measures to stop it.
So I guessed that was what I was fighting for.
To shut her up.
Apparently, Josephine didn't want to make a duel, either.
She shouted and pointed at me as she walked out of the Luna Tent, "Guards, grab her right now!"
The soldiers followed her out, but they didn't move.
"I've asked you to grab her! Are you deaf?!" Josephine slapped one of them again. She looked as if she was going to explode.
The soldiers looked at one another and eventually said -
"Sorry, Lady. We can't do it."
"Louisa's a nice girl and she wants to protect us."
"We can't possibly do anything to harm her."
"And we won't let anyone do anything to harm her."
"What are you talking about?!" Josephine growled like a boar in a trap.
"I guess we quit. We don't want to work for you anymore," The soldiers put their weapons on the floor and said.
"What?!" Josephine had an incredible look on her face.
"What Louisa said is right. We only worked for you, but we didn't sign up to be treated as your subjects."
"I mean, we have been working for you for almost a whole year, but you don't even know our names."
"And you would always humiliate us in public as if we were some stray dogs."
"We're very good at what we do, and we have saved your life multiple times from all kinds of dangerous situations. Two of us sacrificed their lives for you, and you don't even bother with taking care of their surviving family members."
"So we quit, Lady Josephine."
Josephine shouted, "No way! I don't approve of your resignation! You have to work for me!"
"Sorry, Lady. We don't have to do anything for you anymore."
"You've got family members to support! If you quit, I will guarantee that nobody will employ you in this Kingdom! You will become rogues!" Josephine stomped her feet and grabbed her hair.
Some of the guards looked a bit hesitant.
"You can stay with me." I shrugged and said to the soldiers.
"Really?"
"Are you offering us jobs, Louisa?"
"Do you need guards, Louisa?"
"I need some friends, not guards. If you want, you can stay with me. I don't know your salary, but I'm sure you and your family will be taken good care of. You have my words," I said.
"Great!"
"We can work again!"
"I can't believe we're unemployed and employed at the same time."
The soldiers picked up their weapons and stood behind me.
"We can't wait to work for you, Lady Louisa!" one of them said to me.
"I'm not a Lady. I don't have a title. You can call me Louisa and I would like to know your names," I said.
"My name's Mick. These are Lynel, Biri, Eel, Fokka, Chaser, and Deeler. It's a pleasure to work for you, Louisa."
"Glad to meet you, Mick, Lynel, Biri, Eel, Fokka, Chaser, and Deeler." I nodded at every single of them.
"Wait! What?! Did you just steal my guards from me in front of my face?!" Josephine was as mad as a bobcat.
"I didn't steal anything. They voluntarily joined me. You should go back and reflect on what you've done. You shouldn't have treated them badly. Shame on you, Josephine," I said triumphantly.
"You...! You've stolen Lucas from me and now you've taken away my guards!" Josephine's body started to shiver. I thought she would jump at me, but she didn't.
Instead, she dropped to the ground and started to cry.
"What the fuck is going on here?" I heard Lucas' voice.
I turned back and saw Lucas walk out of his tent.
His marvelous torso was barely covered and dripping wet. It seemed that he had just come from a bath or something.
Alpha Titan was standing next to him, also wrapped in a towel.
"Why is she crying on the floor? And why are these fucking idiots standing behind you? Fuck, I can't have a quiet sauna message anymore?!" Lucas pointed at the seven soldiers and asked vexedly.
"They're not idiots. They're my friends. Josephine's crying because she thinks I stole her guards."
"I'm not paying for any more fucking guards for you. I've already given you that fucking warlock!" Lucas said impatiently.
"I'll pay for their salary, using my own allowance," I said.
Alpha Titan walked towards Josephine and pulled her up.
"Come on, niece. Don't cry and make a scene like this."
"Uncle! That servant girl's so mean! She slapped me and pushed me to the ground! I haven't done anything to her and she pushed me!" Josephine cried out loud while pointing at me.
"I didn't slap or push her." I tried to explain to Lucas. "She fell to the floor on herself..."
I didn't finish my words before Lucas slapped me across the cheek.
I was shocked and stared at Lucas.
Blood started dripping from the corner of my mouth.
"Shut up, bitch," he said. "People don't just fall to the ground by themselves! Josephine's crying on the floor and it's all your fault. If you dare to say one more word, I'll fucking strangle you to death."
Josephine covered her head in Alpha Titan's arms, pretending to weep while actually snickering at me.
Will ran out of the Luna Tent and saw me standing in front of Lucas and bleeding. He immediately tried to jump at Lucas.
I held him tightly in my arms and said, "Stay put, Will. Stay out of this."
"But he's beating you!" Will roared.
"No, Will. He didn't. I fell to the floor by myself." I said in a low voice.
"Go back to your fucking tent and stay with your fucking warlock. Keep this fucking leech on a leash or I'll find a way to restrain him," Lucas said.
With shameful tears in my eyes, I held Will in my arms and tried to walk away.
"Wait!" I heard Josephine's voice. "That servant girl hasn't apologized to me yet!"