After a brief moment of silence, Marcus spoke up with a smirk on his face and asked, "You want to have a duel?"
"Yes, that's correct. I want to have a duel with you. And since it's a formal duel, our grandfather wouldn't be upset with us, would he?" Leon replied while looking at Sirius, who was still in shock from the sudden demand for a duel.
"That's true. As long as it's a formal duel, we can fight without our grandfather being upset with us. Well played, Leon. You're more clever than I gave you credit for," Marcus agreed, accepting the notion of a sword fight.
Both of them appeared to be in agreement about settling their dispute with swords rather than fists.
"But who could have guessed that a weakling like you would have the audacity to challenge me to a duel? The very notion of you challenging someone in a sword duel is already absurd, but specifically challenging me, someone with exceptional swordsmanship skills, is even more ridiculous."
The statement was, for the most part, accurate. As someone who lacked natural talent, it was quite audacious for Leon to challenge someone as highly regarded as Marcus, who was widely regarded as a prodigy in the art of swordsmanship. Challenging a prodigy in the sword without having any talent in swordsmanship is reckless, if not downright foolish.
Leon narrowed his eyes. "Don't be too conceited, Marcus. I may not have any natural talent, but I can still make you kneel."
Marcus burst out laughing, "Pft... Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!"
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing much, Leon. I just didn't expect you to be this bold," Marcus chuckled as he spoke, clearly amused by Leon's challenge. "To make things official, I, Marcus Asura, hereby accept your challenge, Leon Asura. Although I find it entertaining that you would even consider dueling with me, I am willing to indulge you if you insist on making a spectacle of yourself."
With this statement, Marcus officially accepted the challenge to a duel.
"And just to make things interesting, let's make it a wager. If you win, I'll retract my statement. I'll even lower my head and apologize to your parents if that makes you feel better. However, if you lose, you'll have to immediately leave this school," proposed Marcus, with a mischievous smirk.."
"Wha—?!" Sirius finally snapped to his senses when he heard the condition for this duel.
Leon glared at Marcus, "Are you serious? That doesn't sound like a very sane wager."
Sirius, who was initially stunned, finally regained his composure and spoke up, "T-That is not a fair bet, Marcus," he said. "For a wager to be valid, the stakes must be equal for both parties. Your proposition doesn't even come close to being fair."
Indeed, the stakes set by Marcus were quite extreme and unfair to Leon. It's important for the stakes in a duel to be balanced and reasonable for both parties, so that each has an equal chance of winning or losing.
The fact that Marcus was essentially asking Leon to risk his entire future at the school, while offering only a vague promise of an apology if he wins, shows a lack of respect for Leon and his abilities.
In a fair duel, the terms should be equal for both parties involved. If one person proposed a stake that heavily favored themselves, it created an imbalanced situation that could put the other person at a disadvantage.
If the duel was meant to be a fair test of skill and ability, then the stakes should reflect that. Both parties should have a reasonable chance of winning or losing, and the consequences of losing should be relatively equal. If the stakes were too high or lopsided, then the duel could become less about skill and more about the stakes themselves.
The stake proposed by Marcus was imbalanced, with Leon having to leave the school if he lost and Marcus only having to retract his statement if he lost. This created an uneven playing field, with the stakes heavily favoring Marcus.
Marcus merely shrugged, unmoved by Sirius's objections. "It's up to Leon to decide whether he wants to take the wager or not," he said, crossing his arms. "I'm not forcing him to do anything. If he's not willing to accept the consequences of losing, then he shouldn't have challenged me in the first place. Besides, the stakes couldn't be more even."
Sirius frowned, confusion etched on his features. "In what way are those conditions equal?" he asked. It was unlikely that anyone who was aware of the stakes set by Marcus would view them as equal or fair.
With a look of arrogance in his eyes, Marcus explained, "I'm essentially putting my dignity on the line here. I have more to lose, and if anything, I am the one at a disadvantage. Not him. If he wins, I will retract what I said, which would hurt my reputation and pride. On the other hand, if I win, he just needs to leave the school. Isn't that a just and equal wager?"
Sirius frowned at Marcus's words, clearly not convinced. "I don't think it's quite as equal as you make it out to be," he said.
Marcus sneered at Sirius's words, "It's equal, no matter how you slice it." He then turned to Leon and said with a challenging smile, "It shouldn't be a bad deal for you, right?"
His expression seemed to imply that if Leon didn't agree to his conditions, then his life at school was more important than making Marcus retract his insult towards Leon's parents.
After glaring intensely at Marcus for a moment, Leon finally spoke up, "Fine, let's agree to those terms."
Marcus's smirk widened, "Now we're talking."
But Sirius wasn't about to let the matter drop so easily. "What on earth are the both of you thinking?" he cried out in dismay. "This could have serious consequences, especially for you, Leon. If you agree to this, then your life in the school will be as good as gone. You need to reconsider this. Marcus is not someone you can defeat easily!"
"Sirius..." Leon looked at Sirius over his shoulder. "Don't stop me."
Sirius flinched at the iciness in Leon's voice. It was clear to anyone that Leon was determined and would not yield, regardless of any arguments presented to him.
"I understand the risks involved, but I must confront Marcus," Leon continued, never breaking eye contact with his opponent. "I cannot let this matter go unresolved."
He spoke without any expression on his face, and the color of his face indicated that he was determined to prevent anyone from interrupting the duel. At this, Sirius had no other choice but to snap his mouth shut.
Amused by the spectacle before him, Marcus smiled and asked Leon, "So, when and where do you propose we have this duel?"
Leon, with his hands gripping the handle of his wooden sword, replied, "How about we do it right here and now?"
Marcus' smile grew wider. "Impatient, aren't we?"
Leon responded, "Not at all. I simply wish to settle this matter swiftly. Honestly, I'd love nothing more than to punch you in the face at this very moment. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be appropriate for a sword duel."
The tone in Leon's voice revealed his genuine desire to throw a punch at Marcus.
Marcus retorted, "Is that so? Well, that's unfortunate for you. But before we proceed, let's establish the stakes, shall we?"
"Very well," Leon agreed. "If I emerge victorious, you shall retract every derogatory comment you've made about my parents."
Marcus's voice held a note of finality as he declared, "And if I win, you will be compelled to leave this esteemed institution immediately. There shall be no turning back."
Leon and Marcus locked eyes, a battle of wills silently playing out between them. After a moment that seemed to stretch into eternity, they simultaneously inclined their heads in a respectful bow.
This customary gesture marked the beginning of a duel, a ritual observed by individuals of their standing. As they straightened, they reintroduced themselves, a formality that held great significance.
"I, Leon Asura, challenge you to a duel," Leon declared with unwavering determination.
"And I, Marcus Asura, accept," Marcus responded, his voice carrying an air of confidence.
Both Leon and Marcus were well-versed in the intricacies of nobility's etiquette. Marcus, the top-ranked student, led with impeccable grace, while Leon closely trailed behind, the gap between their abilities a mere five or ten points. It came as no surprise that their movements during the bow were fluid and refined.
With the introductions concluded, the long-awaited duel commenced.
As I gazed upon the imminent duel, a voice suddenly spoke from beside me.
"Seems like they're about to begin."
I turned to identify the source of the sound and saw a young woman sitting in a chair adjacent to me. She sat with an effortless poise, holding a cup of steaming tea in her delicate hands, which she brought to her lips with a fluid motion. Her flaxen hair cascaded down her back, and her black, obsidian eyes seemed to gleam in the sunlight.