I Build a Modern Shelter in Fantasy World

He could have ignored it; fighting to prove who was strongest was pointless. Yet he gave her a steady look.

It was not an ordinary challenge, but one of pride. Queen Anastasya had traveled all the way from the capital to a remote southern village just to beg Gideon, and Hannah needed to know how strong the man was to deserve her mother's attention.

"Are you sure?" Gideon asked, reassuring Hannah.

SLING!

Without hesitation, Hannah drew her sword from its scabbard and held it in her hand. The blade shone, and the hilt was adorned with crystal rose ornaments. It was a specially forged sword, crafted with careful detail.

"Of course. Are you afraid?" Hannah asked, intimidating.

"That's a fine sword."

"Show me your weapon," Hannah demanded.

Gideon smiled, raising both hands and folding them in front of his chest, clearly showing he would fight empty handed, without armor, without a shield, and without a sword.

It was not a sign that Gideon had none, but a show of his confidence that he could beat Hannah, who wielded a sword and knew royal sword techniques.

"This is my weapon," Gideon said.

Hannah looked serious. Gideon's clenched fists became his weapon against her. The woman could not hold back a laugh; her laughter rang out loud enough for people on the main street to hear.

"Is your leader crazy? He will fight me only with his bare hands."

The villagers grew curious. They stopped walking, crowded around the contest site, and began placing bets. One of them even agreed to act as judge.

"Fight until one of you gives up," the judge ordered.

Gideon took a medium stance, eyes sharp and fixed on Hannah, watching the movement of her hands and feet. If he could read her attack patterns, he could take the win.

"Both sides, get ready!" the judge commanded.

Hannah posed in a sword stance, gripping her blue-flower sword tightly. She was very sure she could beat Gideon, especially since she was armed and he was not.

"Fight… begin!"

They moved forward, Gideon running, Hannah running. But Gideon had to anticipate Hannah's sword swings. He could not let his body be injured, or have his hands cut.

Gideon dodged several times, preventing the sword from landing. In some of Hannah's attacks, he only defended and avoided, causing some people to doubt whether Gideon would win.

"Come on! Stop dodging all the time."

"Fight me!"

He was pushed back, overwhelmed by Hannah's attacks. However, he saw openings in each swing of her sword. Her technique still left gaps that could be deadly.

Gradually, Hannah grew tired from each strike. Her sword swings slowed, her breathing quickened, sweat soaking her body. Hannah leaped far back, trying to catch her breath.

"How is it? Is that armor and sword too heavy for you?" Gideon asked.

"Shut up!"

Hannah forced herself to charge forward in a stabbing motion, but Gideon dodged again. It was time for him to counterattack.

He grabbed Hannah's hand and struck it hard, causing the blue sword she held to fall. That opened the way for Gideon to defeat her.

"Ack!" Hannah cried.

Gideon used empty-hand combat techniques to beat Hannah. His fists clenched and he punched her stomach, followed by an uppercut to the jaw and a straight punch to her face.

Gideon's body was strong; the blows dented some of the armor and left bruises on parts of Hannah's body. Hannah coughed up blood, growing weaker.

She tried with all her strength to grab her sword again, but Gideon shoved her away, sending her body flying helplessly. She failed to get the sword.

"W-Why are you… so strong?" Hannah asked, collapsing on her back, limp.

"Physical strength is the primary thing for a soldier, then empty-hand combat technique, then weapon technique."

"You only rely on weapon technique, without learning empty-hand combat or improving your physical ability," Gideon replied.

With his muscular hands, Gideon grabbed Hannah's armor and lifted it. His right fist then kept delivering punches to her body without stopping. It made Hannah more hurt and helpless.

He held Hannah's arm and slammed her body to the ground. That was a finishing blow for Hannah, who could no longer continue the fight. She fainted.

"The winner is Lord Gideon!" the judge declared, met by cheers from the villagers proud that their leader had defeated a royal princess.

Still, Gideon felt pain. The bones on the back of his hands were cut and bleeding from striking Hannah's armor. It was a minor wound compared to Hannah's injuries.

The crowd dispersed. Gideon saw Hannah injured and unconscious. He picked up her sword, returned it to its scabbard, and carried Hannah in his arms.

Back at the residence, the troops stood ready, seeing Hannah messy, hair disheveled, face bruised, and much of her armor dented.

The Blue Flower Order troops immediately surrounded Gideon the moment he arrived on the front yard carrying Hannah. Gideon saw them; most of those troops were women.

"Stop!"

"What have you done to our commander?!" one of them shouted.

"Hannah challenged me to a fight. She lost."

"Lost?! Princess Hannah never loses a one-on-one fight. You must have ganged up on her with the villagers, right?!" one woman snapped.

"I am an honorable man; I would never gang up on a woman."

"If you do not step aside, I will be forced to use my weapon to kill you all!" Gideon threatened.

The residence doors opened, and Queen Anastasya stepped out alone and saw Hannah in Gideon's arms, unconscious and badly hurt. Quickly, she walked forward to check Hannah's condition.

"What happened?" Anastasya asked.

Gideon told everything, including Hannah's ungentlemanly behavior that followed him. If he wanted, he could have shot Hannah during the fight.

However, he had considered other things, one of them being that Hannah was the queen's daughter.

Slowly, Hannah opened her eyes and saw herself carried by Gideon. It was the first time she had been held by a man other than the King of Moko.

"What are you doing?!" Hannah cried, rebelling.

SLAP!

With a gauntleted hand, Hannah slapped Gideon hard enough to startle him. He stepped back, feeling his lip cut and bleeding, a red mark appearing on his cheek.

Hannah rushed forward and hid behind Queen Anastasya's back. The women soldiers acted decisively, throwing Gideon down and pressing him to the ground while pointing a sword at his neck.

"Shall we just kill him?!" one woman shouted.

Queen Anastasya raised a hand, stopping the woman while trying to confirm the truth from Gideon.

She turned and asked Hannah directly. Hannah removed her helmet, and many people saw the bruises on her lip and chin.

"Speak."

"Is it true you fainted and were hurt because you were defeated by Lord Gideon?" Queen Anastasya asked.

Gideon looked sharply forward at Hannah, seeing a different expression on her face, confused. The woman really was a mess.

If her troops insisted that Hannah was unbeaten, she might lie to keep her image intact.

"I… he almost raped me," Hannah whispered, unwilling to look at Gideon and continuing to turn her face away.

Damn! She was lying!

"That is an immoral act, Lord Gideon. I thought you were an honorable man who upholds justice!" Queen Anastasya said, her face flushing with anger and her eyes stabbing at Gideon.

"Your daughter is immoral. She lies to avoid admitting her defeat!" Gideon snapped.

"How dare you, you lowly noble!" Anastasya shouted.

"Behead him!"