The Empire of Reimia (3)

"Ah, youth..." Latro watched the two girls affectionately as they exchanged tender gestures. "It's an interesting idea, but I think you're approaching the issue from the wrong angle. You're close friends, right? That means there's some respect and mutual love between you. Doesn't being together bring you joy? Not everyone is lucky enough to have such a bond in life; you shouldn't throw it away." He gestured excitedly. "We're on the verge of a major conflict, in case you haven't noticed! You like shooting, don't you, Elichka? I do too. Look at this!" He pulled out a revolver and weighed it in his hand. "I've been wanting to show it off to someone. Dark got me this – it's amazing, I can't wait to try it out. And let me tell you," he said, nodding the barrel emphatically, "I'm going to fire a thousand rounds from it, maybe even ten thousand. And while I'm enjoying that every day, you'll be stuck in prison – alone and miserable, and maybe even executed. Or, if you shoot her, uh, Reyla, right? Then you'll be in the exact same predicament, and Eli will be feeding the worms in the ground. It's a lose-lose situation. And there's not much honor in being "mercifully" shot by a close friend in the comfort of your own home. A warrior is not a sick animal to be put down. It's much better to take a hundred or so enemies of the empire with you to the grave, or even better, to live for two hundred years and be remembered on the first pages of history books. You're friends, you have an advantage; you can truly help each other." He raised the barrel of the gun towards the sky. "So, here's what we're going to do. If you want to shoot, I'm in, but not with live ammunition! Use this opportunity to become better. To make it more interesting, let's make a bet. For example, the loser has to do whatever the winner tells them to. It's a classic, or anything else you can think of. Just no deaths and no injuries; you'll still have a chance to enjoy both. And, Reyla," he added, "I wouldn't want to lose Eli as a classmate. She's a good girl and a powerful fighter; we need her. Understand that, too. No matter how close you are, you shouldn't be so selfish; Eli is not just your friend."