Duel

The guards escorted Sarah, Ela, and young Shirou back to their shelter tent. Ela instructed the soldiers to wait outside while they packed their belongings, keeping her hand firmly over Shirou's mouth. The moment the flap closed and they were safely inside, she finally let the boy speak.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Shirou demanded, tearing away from Ela. Turning to Sarah, anger seething in his voice, he declared, "And don't think your help out there means I forgive any of you for what you did to Mom. I will kill every last one of you!"

Sarah faced Shirou with unwavering resolve. "I have a deal for you."

"I won't listen to a single word from my mother's murderer," he retorted, the raw memory of his loss fueling his rage.

"Just listen to me once," she proposed, her voice steady and unyielding. "I offer you a chance to face me in a sword duel. If you manage to land even a single hit, I will surrender, and you can have your revenge. I won't resist."

Shirou froze, a volatile mix of shock and elation coursing through him. Just one hit. If he could manage that, he could avenge his mother's death.

Ela, equally stunned, fiercely protested. "Are you mad, Sarah? You don't have to do this! You killed the Demon Queen because she was a threat, but that doesn't mean you owe this boy your life."

"But that doesn't change the fact that I took his mother's life," Sarah replied, her eyes burning with determination. "To him, she will always be just that—his mother."

"Maybe you finally realize what you did was wrong. Fine, I accept your offer," Shirou said, a sly, bitter grin spreading across his face.

But Sarah cut him off. "If you fail to land a hit within thirty minutes, you must come with me and follow my commands without question."

After a moment's tense consideration, Shirou nodded. He accepted, blinded by the immediate chance for vengeance.

Ela stepped closer to Sarah, whispering in an anxious undertone, "Are you absolutely sure about this? If he lands a hit... What about Alica and the other children at the orphanage?"

"I have no intention of dying here," Sarah whispered back, glancing at Shirou, who was watching their hushed exchange with suspicion. "Besides, if I leave him to his own devices, he won't survive the kingdom's knights. He'll end up dead."

Ela studied her friend, a soft smile breaking through her anxiety. "I thought you'd never recover from the shock of losing Max, but you've grown so strong. You still care so deeply for others."

"Hm..." was all Sarah uttered in response, shifting her gaze away.

"Hey! What are you two whispering about? Let's get on with it!" Shirou urged impatiently.

Upon reaching an isolated, open plain, Ela handed wooden training swords to both Sarah and Shirou, taking her position as the referee.

"Are you both ready?" Ela asked.

They nodded simultaneously, and the duel commenced.

The match began in a flash. Shirou dashed forward at full speed, while Sarah stood her ground, perfectly poised. Shirou swung his wooden blade with all his might toward Sarah's head, but she deftly evaded it with a single, calculated step back. The instant his feet touched the ground, Shirou unleashed a relentless flurry of strikes from the left and right, desperately trying to break her guard and force an opening.

However, the vast gulf in their experience was immediately obvious. Having trained for years as the strongest warrior in the entire conflict, Sarah effortlessly dodged and parried Shirou's desperate assault. Sensing a massive gap in his wild offense, she counterattacked. Her wooden sword struck Shirou's abdomen with such precise force that he was sent skidding across the dirt, clutching his stomach in agony.

"Are you finished already?" Sarah taunted, deliberately testing his resolve. "Where is that grand determination to avenge your mother?"

"Silence! I'm far from done!" Shirou spat, dragging himself back to his feet despite the intense pain making his legs tremble. "This is nothing. I will avenge her!"

Regaining control over his shaking body, Shirou charged once more. But as he prepared to swing, Sarah sidestepped seamlessly. In a surprising twist, Shirou dropped his wooden sword mid-motion and lunged forward, attempting to tackle Sarah with his bare hands.

Sarah's eyes widened slightly, taken aback by the unorthodox maneuver. She instantly realized how the boy had managed to best the armored guards earlier—his keen combat instinct and adaptability were remarkable. Yet, she remained entirely out of reach. Slipping through his grasp, she delivered a swift, driving blow to Shirou's exposed back as she moved past him.

Shirou hit the dirt hard. The impact was punishing, but his spirit remained unbroken. Seeing him struggle to drag his bruised body upward, Sarah knew that a physical victory wasn't enough; to save him from a path of self-destruction, she had to thoroughly crush his illusion of vengeance. Closing the distance, she raised her wooden sword and struck him repeatedly, each heavy blow driving home a brutal reality check.

Watching from the sidelines, Ela understood exactly what Sarah was doing. She wanted Shirou to realize right now that pursuing blind vengeance against the world would only bring him endless pain and sorrow. The lesson was incredibly harsh, but entirely necessary to save his life.

As the thirty-minute mark approached, Shirou gathered every remaining ounce of his strength for one final, desperate lunge—but it was to no avail. Deep down, he already knew the truth: he stood absolutely no chance against a war hero. Driven solely by his love for the woman who had given him a name and a home in his darkest hour, his heart ached far worse than his bruised body under the crushing weight of defeat.

Sarah approached the exhausted, battered boy, who lay panting heavily in the mud.

"I..." Shirou began, but his voice choked on a sob. Tears finally spilled from his eyes, betraying the sheer, agonizing frustration of his own powerlessness. "Why is it always like this? Just when I finally find someone who understands me... someone who's actually there when I need them... The person who gave me my name... Why couldn't I save her? Why can't I avenge her? Why am I so weak?!"

Ela stepped forward to comfort the weeping child, but stopped when Sarah held up a hand.

"You are not weak," Sarah said, her voice firm and ringing with absolute conviction. "Strength isn't measured by physical power alone, but by the courage to fight for what you care about." She sighed softly, her harsh exterior melting away as she extended an open hand to help him up. "If you truly wish to become strong enough to face me again, then live with us. I will train you myself. But until you are ready... I want you to survive under my roof."

A warm, encouraging smile finally lit up Sarah's face, extending a lifeline to the broken boy.