The Grand Duelist

Alice and Joseph slept peacefully that night. Plastered on their faces were smiles of relief, joy, and anticipation for the future.

Joseph entered True Sleep Mode, while Alice was even lightly snoring as she slept.

Her peaceful, yet sleazy expression compared to her beautiful visage made such a scene quite strange. 

At this moment, Julie raised her upper body and leaned on the wall behind her adjacent to the stone bed. Hulie who was still so excited about what was happening didn't sleep too deep, so Julie's movements awakened her. She raised her head and found that Julie was crying.

"Ate...?" Hulie whispered in concern.

Julie turned to look at Hulie and revealed a melancholic smile. Then, she turned her gaze to her wrist.

Hulie's expression changed.

Surprise and shock could be seen on her face as she also looked at her own wrist.

"Ate..." Hulie whispered once again.

But this time, it wasn't out of concern...

It was out of fear and anxiety.

Julie stretched her hand out and ruffled Hulie's hair: "It's fine. No matter what happens, we will be together."

Hulie buried herself onto Julie's chest. Her shoulders trembled like a sieve as she said, "Mhmm... But, what do we do?"

She glanced at the sleeping Joseph and Alice.

Julie revealed a rueful smile: "No... Let's just keep everything as it is. We cannot burden them anymore." 

"But..."

"Why is it so painful? I knew that everything was pointless from the start, but I can't just abandon this hope." Julie uttered, her voice was quiet, yet one could feel the upheaval of emotions that she was feeling right at this moment.

The realization that she had this night really was too cruel.

It was the same as killing someone when they were already dead...

Fate was too ruthless.

Hulie raised her head and stared at her sister. Their eyes met in mid-air and they found that their already crimson eyes, was even redder than before. It was as if their tears were about to turn into blood due to the grievances in their heart.

Silence reigned within the cramped room. A suffocating air suffused into the atmosphere which turned the crying of the two sisters into intense sobbing as their shoulders violently trembled.

But after a while, this tumultuous momentum of crying subsided, and what was left on their faces were broken smiles of hopelessness and despair.

Julie suddenly stood up.

She walked towards a book beside a dilapidated notebook.

The book had the title, System For Assassination...

It was Joseph's favorite book. He gifted this book to Julie.

"Ate? What are you doing?" Witnessing Julie's mechanical movements as she madly flipped the book and scanned it with her eyes. Fear grew within Hulie's heart. She was afraid that her sister's mind was already overtaken by madness and despair.

Julie slowly turned her head towards Hulie and replied, "I'm reading... I promised Kuya Joseph when he gave me this book that I will complete it and give him my review of the book." A languid smile escaped her lips as she once again laid her eyes on the opened pages of the book.

"But why are you reading it so fast, ate?" Hulie asked once again.

This time, Julie didn't even turn her head to her sister.

But her figure visibly trembled when she heard her words.

"It is because we do not have the luxury of time, Hulie. The temporary reprieve and the security that we felt was nothing but a mere illusion." 

Hulie hung her head low, it was unknown what she was thinking. Her sister was now doing her best to complete the promises that she made to herself and to Kuya Joseph with what little time she had remaining, yet what was Hulie doing?

She was doing nothing! She only laid on the bed, awaiting the arrival of the inevitable.

Suddenly, she stood up.

She approached her sister, Julie and went for her wrist.

"Hulie, what are you doing?" Julie was startled awake from her reverie. 

"I want to be a doctor..."

Hulie spoke, her voice riddled with hopelessness, yet with an undying desire for her ambitions.

Julie's eyes widened in shock, "You want to be a doctor?" 

Julie was astonished, not because of the fact that Hulie expressed her desire. It was because she didn't understand what Hulie was implying at this time.

"Mhmm... That is why... I don't want to give up. Like sister... Until the end, I don't want to give up!"

Hulie exclaimed at the end of her sentence astonishing Julie who then gave an encouraging smile.

Julie stretched her hand out and ruffled Hulie's case: "So this is why you are holding my wrist." She chuckled before saying, "Okay, my sweet doctor sister, Hulie! Can you please check my physical condition?" 

Hulie chortled at the sight of her sister. But she still nodded and replied, "Aye, aye sis!"

She then took out several medicinal herbs and started her inspection of her sister's body through the use of the primary and standard method of check-ups. 

Look, Touch, Feel. 

"Oh, ma'am. It looks like your body is currently doing well. I don't see any physical problems!"

Hulie then reported her findings, but she plastered some medicinal herbs on Julie's wrist.

Julie lightly chuckled, "Is that so, doc? Thank you for your help. How about the remunerations? How shall I pay?" 

Hulie was taken aback by the question. She stared dumbstruck at Julie and was speechless. 

"Oh, it seems like my sweet doctor still doesn't accept any form of payment when it comes to currency? But how about a kiss and a hug? Will that work?"

Julie sweetly smiled at the end of her sentence and Hulie's astonishment turned into glee as she pounced at Julie and started rolling on the sheets with her sister in tow. 

The laughter of the two sisters echoed like the morning bells. It awakened Joseph and Alice who was still somewhat tired due to the small party that they convened the night before.

"Hulie, Julie. Both of you are early, eh? That's rare. Normally, the two of you would sleep like two cute little pigs until noon, but this time. The two of you are already awake this early in the morning? It looks like we need to eat some red rice today!" Joseph poked fun at the two sisters.

Alice groggily raised her upper body.

Her eyes landed on Joseph and seeing that they slept on the same bed.

She nervously checked her body...

When she found nothing strange, she heaved a sigh of relief.

But then she stood up.

The sheets that covered her body dropped down and her stark-naked body was revealed to the world.

"What the fuck?! You slept naked beside me?" Joseph cried out and even cursed.

Alice revealed an expression of astonishment and her cheeks blushed crimson when she realized what he was talking about, betraying the cold facade that she always wore every day.

"Why are you still looking?" Alice coldly spat.

Joseph turned his gaze away and said, "Why did you even sleep naked beside me? Do you really want to get naked that much? Are you an exhibitionist?"

Alice bowed down and took a dried tree branch on the ground.

She pointed it at Joseph, its tip gleaming with the light of danger as she said, "I dare you to repeat what you said to me."

Joseph helplessly shook his head, he wasn't afraid of Alice's threat anymore: "How about you just tell me the truth and ask for my help? I mean you saw that I had some dress for Julie and Hulie, right?"

"I can fetch you some clothes if you want me to but in exchange. You will owe me a favor again." A sly smile appeared on Joseph's lips.

Julie and Hulie stared at them in amusement. After knowing that Joseph and Alice were just expressing their "love" to each other through the use of arguments. Hulie didn't cry nor object to their argument anymore. Instead, she was staring at them with interest.

Alice was conflicted.

She grew up in an environment where they had to travel to all sorts of places every day.

Due to this, one could say that she was used to harsh environments and she had experienced all sorts of uncomfortable situations. However, in the end, she never adapted to that kind of lifestyle.

As a young woman, she still disliked anything uncomfortable...

One of them was wearing clothes that were unclean. 

Whenever she was in a situation where she had no other choice but to wear unclean clothes. She could endure wearing those clothes, but not when she was about to sleep. That was the reason why she always requested a private room for herself that she could use to sleep.

In that private room, she could sleep naked without worries.

Last night, she stuck to that habit and stripped herself naked.

She felt like she was in a trance earlier... 

After all, how could she not realize the danger of stripper herself naked and sleeping beside a perverted man such as Joseph? Alice sighed in regret. But since everything has come to this, it was useless to cry over spilled milk so she could only move forward.

She bit her lips and stared teary-eyed at Joseph.

How dare he tease me like this? He's such a hateful man! Alice inwardly cursed Joseph in her heart.

Joseph was taken aback. It was the first time that he saw such an expression on Alice's face. He was too dumbfounded that he couldn't say anything. But in the end, he realized that something was wrong as he gave a dry laugh before saying.

"Okay, I admit that I was wrong, all right? I won't bully you like this again so, please... Can you not look at me like that? It feels like I am forcing myself on an innocent woman. I feel like a criminal."

Joseph awkwardly scratched his head...

Alice significantly calmed down.

Joseph then took out a catalog of clothes from his inventory and presented it to Alice.

I hope that the remunerations that I can get after this quest are far higher than what I am sacrificing right now. But wait, speaking of that quest. Back when I was in Reinhardt, I saw that it was updated, but until now I still haven't taken a look at it. Well, after this I'll be sure to read the contents of that newly-updated quest.

Joseph thought to himself.

Alice was happy when she received the list of women's clothing.

Seeing her like this, Joseph couldn't help but feel somewhat weird.

Why am I happy seeing her like this? Hmm, what a strange sensation. Joseph pondered to himself. Afterwards, he saw Alice return to his side with a somewhat embarrassed look on her face. 

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I want this... This... and th...is." Alice's voice sounded more like the droning of a mosquito at the end of her sentence, but this didn't matter since she flipped open the catalog and pointed at the images.

Alice first pointed at a One-piece Dress decorated with the lush colors of Spring, a characteristic of the Kingdom of Nether's culture. Afterwards, she pointed at some shorts, and then a corset?

Why does she want to wear a corset? There are bras here! Joseph thought to himself.

Or could it be that she doesn't know about the concept of corsets? Joseph lightly smiled, In that case, then it shall be my job to educate her.

"Uh, Alice. You pointed at a corset, but doesn't corset make you feel uncomfortable? I mean, aren't they too tight for comfort?" Joseph asked Alice.

The latter was taken aback by the question pertaining to women's underwear.

She felt somewhat suspicious about the fact that Joseph knew the characteristics of the corset and how uncomfortable it was to wear, but she still nodded her head and replied to his question.

"Uhm... Yes, they are indeed uncomfortable. But what? You don't want me to wear any underwear? You..." 

"Miss Alice, can you not jump to conclusions? I am only saying that you shouldn't wear a corset if it makes you uncomfortable. There are other options." Joseph gave his proposal.

Joseph had experience being a salesman before. He calmly approached Alice and opened up the catalog in front of her before pointing to the colorful bras displayed on a certain page.

"You use this thing, this is far comfortable than corsets. Although knowing your size is necessary for this to be comfortable since we don't want this to be loose nor really tight. Uh, as for your size. I think this one's going to fit you well, I also like the color black." Joseph casually said.

Alice was astonished by what she heard, but her expression turned strange as she asked, "Knowing the size is necessary for me to be comfortable on using this, but wait. How do you know my size?" Her eyes narrowed into slits as she sized up Joseph.

Joseph choked on his own saliva: "I... I was just giving you some suggestions! I have nothing but good intentions!" He said in a righteous manner.

"Seeing you insist that you are innocent makes me doubt your words even more." Alice covered her mouth with a hand and chuckled.

"Well, how about it? Do you want me to buy it or not? Are you still going to insist on wearing a corset? In the end, it's your choice and besides. I am not doing this for nothing."

"You are not doing this for nothing? Are you saying that you want me to pay?" Alice glared at him.

Joseph shook his head and smiled, "Alice, don't be so naive. There are no free lunches in this world. If you want to obtain something, you must sacrifice something..."

"Say, you want to play but you also want to study. But since you only have a single body and you do not have the ability to clone yourself and do those things at the same time..."

"You've got to choose between playing and studying."

Joseph acted as a good samaritan and kindly gave his advice.

"Okay, okay. You charlatan. Just buy them already, all right? But let me tell you this, I will not do any perverted things in exchange for these clothes!" Alice said.

But Joseph revealed a perverted smile when she heard what Alice had said, "So if I gave you far valuable things than these clothes, there's a chance that you'll give me sexual favors?" 

Alice froze in place when she heard his words. His eyes dangerously narrowed as she moved and sent a slap directly at Joseph's cheek.

But Joseph was ready.

He knew how violent Alice could be whenever he was teasing her so he knew better than to face her unprepared.

"Parry!"

He cried out and Alice's slap collided with an invisible wall that consumed the strength of her attack.

"You..." Alice cried out as if she was wronged.

"Hey, Miss Alice. I am not so stupid as to endure an attack from someone powerful like you." Joseph replied.

"Then why did you provoke me in the first place?" Alice bit back.

"Provoke?" Joseph scratched his cheek, "I was just joking..." 

Alice was speechless when she saw Joseph's innocent look. In the end, she could only sigh and didn't say anything anymore. It seemed like she had already accepted that Joseph was this kind of a person and could never be changed by any means.

Joseph felt apologetic. He somewhat understood that he may have gone too far with his jokes. He made sure to remember this blunder and as a bonus.

Joseph brought a special gift for her from the Cash Shop.

"Uh... With her skin tone, vibrant colors suit her better. The one-piece dress was a good choice, as for the bra, I guess its also a good choice. But for the special gift of mine... Hmm, since she already has a bra. How about..."

Joseph repeatedly tapped on the air in front of him and soon, the goods that Alice requested appeared in his Inventory.

He took them out and presented them to Alice.

But when she received it, Alice stared dumbstruck at the bra.

Unsure about how she should do with it.

"Wait, could it be that you do not know how to wear it?" Joseph guessed.

Alice shyly nodded.

Joseph awkwardly scratched his head and commanded, "I guess I'll help."

"Mhm..." Alice agreed.

"Now then strip!" 

Sekihan - Rice you eat for celebration.