Unusual Bet

I looked at Lysander, who was still standing there with a smug, expectant grin, waiting for me to either panic or accept his challenge.

"So?" Lysander sneered, folding his arms. "Do you accept my challenge, human, or are you going to run away?"

I looked him up and down, keeping my arms crossed, and let out a small, amused chuckle.

"Why should I say yes?" I asked smoothly, my voice calm and crystal clear across the plaza. "Just because a random dog barks at me on the street doesn't mean I'm going to lower myself to fight a dog."

Lysander's face twitched violently. For a second, I thought the elf was going to burst a blood vessel right there on the paved walkway. Comparing a high noble scion to a barking dog was clearly a massive blow to his pride, but he took a deep, forced breath, clenched his fists, and managed to pull his composure back together.