Chapter 999 998: Payouts (1)

Chapter 999 998: Payouts (1)

"Sometimes, Anput, it might just be better to keep your confidence down a few notches in things that are out of your control, such as card games that have no strategy whatsoever... That might just save you some heartache in the future, just saying."

I gave my mate a small smile as we walked across the open and surprisingly lush pathways that were within the palace's land, various flowers and trees providing a splash of green to this otherwise golden land that was so sapped of color thanks to the harsh environment.

Kicking her feet out and pouting, the olive skinned Jackalkin - that was dressed once more in her country's garb, showing off that sun kissed skin and her hard earned muscles - glanced at me and said "But if I don't have confidence in everything I do, that means I will be doubting myself in some shape or form! And doubt is terrible for a warrior!"

"Doubt can be healthy; doubt can lead you to question your motives and understand what and who you are. Excessive doubt - like most things done in excess - can and will be excessive and lead to negatives. Understand that, and move forwards after taking a moment to doubt."

The Sultana walked beside us with a confident stride, her veil concealing her expression whilst her body language remained as strait laced as ever, so it was impossible to read her as she continued forwards, unbothered and uncaring.

"Besides, I have doubted many things in my life before. I have doubted my abilities to rise up as this land's ruler, I doubted my ability to maintain the peace, I doubted my skills as a warrior when I first met the Empress. That doubt only made me want to move forwards and improve. It never got in the way of what I was doing though. Never."

That confidence was quickly called into question though as Lady Kio snorted and asked "I seem to recall you doubting if you ever even wanted children, and then doubting if you could ever find yourself a partner! All while I was right in front of you! You didn't move forwards and improve with those things; I pushed and pulled you forwards!"

"Yes, but we still needed to take those steps together, Kio. It... takes two to tango."

"Wasn't much about that 'tango' that required you to do anything at all! I was the one doing all the 'dancing'!"

She snorted once more and brushed past the Sultana, who had paused for a moment as she deliberated replying to that, only to let out a sigh and resume walking, though she nodded when Jahi asked "Is she always that... brash?"

"Watch your tongue blue skin!"

The sharp bark from in front of us made Jahi stiffen, and I had to roll my eyes as I said "Jahi, she is a Caninekin; her hearing is extraordinary. Perhaps wait until she is more than just a dozen feet in front of us?"

"You too, you oversized bimbo!"

That made me roll my eyes again, but I refrained from making a comment lest it create an argument between myself and this woman who was supposedly the same age as my own Mother, who was far more mature and 'sightly' than she was.

"Does this remind you somewhat of how Lady Fenyras acted when we returned?"

I just glanced at Jahi and asked her that, causing the Demoness to snort in amusement as she nodded her head briefly, the memory of her goading one of the most deadly and petty women likely in the entire world bringing a small smile to her lips.

A sigh from Anput made me turn around, the Jackalkin staring at me pointedly as she shook her head and asked "Could you please not wind up my Mother to the point of exploding due to anger? That's my job.", something that didn't seem to go over well with the woman she was talking about since the growling only got louder.

"Alright, alright... enough, please. Some of us still need to reside with her for the rest of the day."

The Sultana's 'placations' had the opposite effect since Lady Kio snarled "No you don't! You can just find yourself that concubine and go to sleep happy! Hmph!", though the Dogkin relented when the Sultana simply stared at her for a few moments in response.

By now, we had reached the center of the plaza, where the Death Jackals resided, the elite warriors now watching on from the sides in obvious confusion even with their veiled faces; their body language was all sorts of odd, the confidence they carried themselves with and the way they tried to minimizing their presence conflicting with the minute tics in their muscles as they glanced at all of us, trying to understand what was happening.

"Well! How are we doing this? Because last time I checked, we didn't have a healer on hand that was good enough to warrant a 'no holds barred' fight, so unless you managed to obtain one..?"

"I did."

That short answer made Anput deflate again, and I had to purse my lips as I curiously asked "Sultana, how would you compare against Lady Fenyras? Would you win handedly, win by a stroke of luck, tie..?", something that drew all eyes towards me as I couldn't help but ask that.

"Fenyras? Tie at best. Worst, one of us is walking away with a very severe injury. We... don't play nice."

"Ah..."

Looking towards Anput, I gave my mate a smile as I said "Well, do your best~! Leone and I can try and aid this healer as best we can to try and get somewhat close to Lady D'Arcon's level, so it should be just like the times you trained with Lady Fenyras!"

She only shuddered at that, and her obsidian eyes began to fill with doubts as she looked towards her Mom, who was in the midst of arming herself with one of the Death Jackal's blades; my mate was clearly not excited about this match against a similarly skilled opponent to the one who had once tried her best to 'break' her, and I couldn't really blame her.

But, that is the consequences of losing a bet against someone as skilled as this, and she needed to learn to be a bit more cautious going forwards...