"Lady Shizuka, Lord Naruto has agreed to the duel," Tokiwa said respectfully before a beautiful young woman, a trace of joy in her voice. The woman appeared to be nearly twenty.
She had long black hair, a curvaceous figure, and a lovely face. She was undoubtedly a rare beauty.
Shizuka nodded expressionlessly and said blandly, "Mm. Then the duel will be tomorrow. If he meets the standards set by our predecessors, we will follow the ritual and hold the wedding soon."
There was not the slightest change in her expression, as though she were discussing something that had absolutely nothing to do with her. Seeing Shizuka like this, Tokiwa felt a faint ache in her heart. Lady Shizuka had not been like this in the past. She had once been so cheerful and lively, but ever since that man died, she had become what she was now...
Sigh... Tokiwa let out a quiet sigh inwardly. She only hoped that, after tomorrow's duel, regardless of the outcome, Lady Shizuka might find a little relief—or perhaps a tiny bit of release in some way.
"Then, Lady Shizuka, please get some proper rest." After saying that, Tokiwa withdrew from the room.
"Hehe, so they'll be fighting the Konoha ninja there tomorrow? That's good news. Once they're all exhausted, I can seize that princess! Hmph! You looked down on me! Tomorrow, I'll make you suffer!"
Not far away, a man wore a sinister smile at the corner of his lips as he spoke viciously.
But the moment he turned around, his face immediately filled with terror, as though he had seen some kind of monster. His pupils shrank sharply, and then he felt the world spin before losing consciousness.
"What a coincidence. To think I'd run into you here as well. Fate really is