Chapter 7: The Naked Battle
Eleonora was born in the heart of Kir'ador, a pearl of western Sanflaria protected by the shell of vibrant forests and vast mountain ranges. Her parents, the province's proud rulers, gave her the best education they could, ensuring that Leo was trained in both body and mind. They never forgot about her spirit as well, teaching the young countess Sanflarian values that she'll have to represent as a ruler in the future. There were some Leo couldn't understand until she got older, some she was still doubtful about but followed out of respect for her family, but among them there was one that she never questioned, and which also stuck out the most: Sanflarian females had to always remain naked.
Contrary to men who could wear whatever they wanted and hide behind the clothes at any moment, women of Sanflaria lived just like they were born. They had no other choice due to their biology, but most of them didn't feel like they wanted it anyway. Female nudity was a staple in Sanflarian culture, with many considering it a blessing rather than a curse. The Many-Eyed God itself must've considered women so beautiful that it forbade them from ever hiding their bodies, also granting them immunity to the light of its stars that men couldn't achieve no matter how hard they trained.
Sanflarian women could freely work in the fields under the fiercest sunrays. They painted their god's flaming eye during its most active phases, standing outside with their easels while men hid indoors, afraid of its radiation. Those in the clergy danced under the sunlight, performing their elegant rituals to honor the divine being watching over them through the skies. The men still excelled in many other things, of course, which led to a strict distribution of labor and societal roles. Many Earthians considered this discriminatory, but Sanflarian culture was built on the notion that while males and females were different, unity is what made them strong.
But nudity wasn't without its drawbacks, and that's what Sanflarian women were taught from the start. Lacking clothes didn't just mean flaunting your beautiful form for everyone to see, it also meant being vulnerable for cold, dirt, and all kinds of bruises. Such things were impossible to avoid, so females simply had to accept them as a part of their lives. They learned to tolerate pain and cold weather, always maintained strict hygiene, and did sports that made their bodies look beautiful and toned. It was a battle they had to fight throughout their lives, but the spoils were always worth it.
The pinnacle of such training was a martial art with a difficult name, which roughly translated to English as "windstrike." This style was designed exclusively for females, taking into account their anatomy and even offering varied moves depending on their breast size. Masters of this style moved nimbly yet confidently, a mixture that would be hard to achieve while wearing clothes. They also focused on dodging, either to fully counter an attack or turn a possible wound into a mere scratch.
In Kir'ador, Leo was known as a skilled windstriker with many trophies to back this title up. She trained since childhood, as this was the wish of her father. Originally, the count sent her to one of the best masters on the continent because she was too unruly and hyperactive. The ruler hoped that the discipline required to learn the art would calm his daughter down. It didn't, but at least now Eleonora could pull her own weight if she got into trouble.
There were many competitors from other provinces who could challenge the blonde's style during Sanflarian tournaments. There was Katrina the Red from the south, known for her long braid and strong attacks. Michola, nicknamed the Queen of Frogs due to her swampside residence, was also dangerous, as her speed was far greater than one could expect from her chubby form. But, most of all, Eleonora found herself competing with Viparia of Puranad, often named "Cobra" for being able to finish a fight with one blow.
While the duo rode through the desert, Eleonora described her last encounter with Viparia in great detail. Arnold barely kept himself from salivating when Leo described her opponent's appearance, adding yet another beautiful, naked body to the clerk's imagination. Cobra was a tall, muscular woman with abs and calves that could impress even experienced weightlifters. Viparia's skin was the color of dark chocolate, her lips were always shining with lavender lipgloss, while her long dreadlocks effectively combined black and purple. The main distinctive feature of this girl, outside of her sexy, toned physique, was a giant tattoo of a snake crawling throughout her back and left leg, as if slowly rising from the ground to bite the girl's neck.
"W-wow, you remember her remarkably well," Arnold commented, breathing heavily.
The image of Leo and Ximena taking a shower and making out in public still dominated his thoughts, and now this? It's like the countess tried to make this already hard task even harder... In more ways than one, that is.
"Of course, how can I forget? We're even in terms of wins, but the fights are tough. Especially after that one time when she tried to make me concede by sitting on my face," Leo scoffed, "but no worries, it was me who got the last laugh at the end... I still remember that muffled voice calling out from under my buttcheeks, ha-ha."
Arnold understood that if he'll lose control over himself, he won't be able to steer the wheel either, so he asked Leo to dwell more on the geographical and cultural side of Sanflaria rather than its naked women. He couldn't believe he was doing it either. Well, it turned out that Katrina, Michola, and Cobra were all descendants of lower nobles, and the four of them had a friendly rivarly of sorts.
One of them would be the other, then a third one would beat the previous winner and claim that she's better than the girl who lost the first fight, challenging her to a duel, and so on. Cobra was of the second highest rank after Eleonora, being a younger sister of the most influential baron in Kir'ador. This granted her the honor of competing with Eleonora like they were cousins, since the two could frequently meet and moved in similar circles.
"If only other fighters were here with me, we could take on an army of these shooters without even blinking!" the blonde clenched her fists.
"You ought to be careful with such claims," the clerk shook his head. "Bare flesh is no match for bullets!"
"Have you missed my previous two battles?"
"Just don't get too cocky, because the third might not go as good."
"Now you sound like my father," Leo rolled her eyes like a schoolgirl who didn't do her homework.
"You don't get along with him?"
The blonde let out a somewhat condescending chuckle.
"Of course we do! I was just fooling around. He's a great man who'd do anything for Kir'ador and our noble house. His punishments are sometimes harsh, but always just," Leo added after a second of contemplation, "mom helps him, of course, both to work and to relax. She's a wise woman, but can be incredibly silly at times."
The clerk noted that Leo must've inherited from her parents even more than she thought, but decided not to bring that up.
While the two kept up their banter, they lost interest in the lifeless desert that surrounded them and only paid attention to the road. That's why neither of them noticed a sneaky orange SUV driving out from behind a nearby hill and getting on the road right behind them. Arnold accidentally caught a glimpse of it while balancing his gaze between the highway and Leo, who now sat leaning backward with her hands behind her head, exposing her amazing tits as much as she could.
There was nothing out of the ordinary about the car, so Arnold just got a bit surprised that he didn't notice it earlier and kept driving. However, when he looked at the rearview mirror once again, the SUV was much closer and kept approaching.
"Damn, this guy is in a hurry," the clerk commented and took a bit to the side, letting the SUV through.
The orange car neared them, catching Leo's attention due to its unusual color. She was about to talk with the driver, who clearly began ogling her naked body, yet before she could do so, something odd happened. Instead of passing the duo by, the SUV suddenly swerved and hit the convertible, nearly sending it to the nearby ditch. Arnold tightly grabbed the wheel with a gasp, while Leo yelled something in Sanflarian with such rage that it was clearly not meant to be pleasant. The SUV driver didn't even flinched and instead continued to move his car sideways, trying to get the red car out of the highway.
