Notes:

A huge thanks to yingying57 for proofreading this chapter as well! ❤️It's helping immensely!

Please, follow her on twitter, she creates so many beautiful GoChi arts

In the Duke's carriage, Chichi felt a little anxious. She had no idea where he was taking her and the mere fact that she was alone in a carriage with a man was enough to ruin her reputation. It was wrong. A lady couldn't be unaccompanied by a man, let alone go out alone with him. She had a very proper upbringing and knew what was considered right and what was considered wrong, at least in the eyes of society.

But Chichi couldn't help herself. Common sense dictated that she should have denied the Duke's request. The Duke himself should never have made such an indecent request. Yet he had and she had accepted... Perhaps because, deep down, she knew that what she was doing wasn't wrong. It was just a walk. A simple, innocent walk.

When she was in the recital hall, she started to get agitated and told her aunt that she was going out for a few minutes, just to get some air, even though she knew that the lady probably wouldn't listen to her. But when she stepped outside and spotted the Duke near the dessert table, she realized that perhaps she had just made up some excuse to look for him, and she was glad to find him.

Chichi was not a reckless person and had never put her reputation at risk or allowed any gentleman to get too close to her. She was untouched and intended to remain so until she married a man she truly loved.

However, there was something in the Duke's gaze, smile and voice that was enough to make her trust him. She wasn't afraid, nor was she afraid that he was going to try anything inappropriate with her, but she knew the risks. She knew that if anyone saw them, it would be the end of her and it would ruin any chance she might have of getting married one day.

Her anxiety, however, had much more to do with the man's presence and where they were going. He gave her sensations she had never experienced before, with just a glance from his eyes in her direction and a purse of his. It made her insides warm like a fireplace on a winter's night. But it also made her mouth dry and she found herself needing to wet her lips more than once.

To distract herself from her thoughts, she then asked:

"Where are we going, your... a... Lord Son?" she corrected herself before repeating 'your grace'.

"I think we can drop the formalities now, right?" He seemed slightly amused by her embarrassment. "We're alone in a carriage and sneaking out of a recital at the Royal Palace. You can call me by my first name."

"I think you're right... You can call me by my first name too" she agreed. After all, he had a point.

Goku smiled.

"And, to answer your question, there's no need to worry. We're going to a place where you probably won't be recognized. So, you won't have anyone to talk to about yourself. But just in case, you can use this." He then handed her a black cloak with a hood. It was made of a heavy, noble fabric, although it was clearly masculine in design. "This is my cloak, but you can wear it to ensure you won't be recognized. In any case, no one saw us leave the hall or take the carriage. I'll return you intact and untouched by the end of the event. I give you my word."

Chichi didn't need his word. Strangely enough, no matter how absurd it all was, she trusted him.

The carriage set off for an unknown place, beyond the city center, a place where Chichi had never been. A place where, possibly, no lady of high society had ever been – or would ever go.

On the way, they chatted lightly, although the Duke was reserved about revealing where they were going. Nonetheless, the little chat was pleasant and fun. Goku had a beautiful smile and a laugh that was pleasant to listen to. He was easy to get along with, easy to talk to and Chichi felt extremely at ease with him. She had never imagined that a Duke, a gentleman of such noble title and social power, could be so humble and endearing. Normally, the men she was used to meeting at social events were more formal, and the higher their social status or the more prestigious their family, the more arrogant they were. Only her father was an exception; even though he was a baron, he was a very kind and approachable man.

When the carriage stopped, Chichi looked out of the window at a completely unfamiliar place. It didn't look at all like a place fit for a Duke, let alone a lady. She had never been to a gentlemen's club before, but she imagined that even places like that one would have a more sophisticated appearance. The place she was in front of didn't look sophisticated at all, at least from the outside, but it was still rather fascinating. She was curious to know where they were and what was inside the establishment.

Goku held out his hand to help Chichi down from the carriage. She had a playful gleam in her eyes; it was curiosity, he could tell. He pulled the hood of her cloak up

over her head, drawing the lady's attention to him. He felt a shiver run down his spine when her beautiful dark eyes locked onto his. Her lips of a light shade of red curved into a short smile.

The Duke couldn't resist and kissed the knuckles of her gloved fingers, perhaps to curb his desire to kiss her lips. She was a lady and he was a gentleman. He knew his limits, although they were already breaking several rules of decorum just by riding with her in his carriage.

"So, will you finally tell me where we are?" she asked, and he smiled.

"You'll see for yourself, come on." He took her hand and rested it on the crook of his elbow as he led her inside.

As soon as the door to the establishment was opened, distinct noises and shouts could be heard, as well as the strong smell of sweat mixed with a hint of metal and other things that Chichi definitely couldn't identify. But as they continued walking, her senses soon got used to it and her gaze focused on the center, where there were two men brutally exchanging punches while others stood around them, shouting barbarities and making angry grunting sounds.

Her first instinct was to think that they were fighting, but her mind immediately rationalized what it was all about.

"They're wrestling!" she exclaimed and looked at the duke next to her, who smiled brightly as he nodded.

"Welcome to the Kaioken Fight Club!"

For a brief moment he feared that she might be scandalized by it, by the place, as any lady should be, but he couldn't have been more right about Lady Chichi. She was in awe of it. Her eyes were wide, her mouth slightly open with an expression of astonishment and surprise, mixed with fascination and curiosity. She wasn't horrified when one of the fighters took a punch that made him spit blood onto the floor. She was excited.

"That's... that's..." Chichi had no words to describe it. It was so interesting. So different from anything she had ever seen in her entire life.

Chichi had never witnessed a fight like that, so brutal, so raw and so barbaric. She had, of course, witnessed gentlemen who, for whatever reason, drank too much and ended up getting involved in scandals that led to them exchanging punches with other gentlemen. However, a lady like her couldn't enjoy that kind of spectacle, so she had to watch it all with her mouth shut, although sometimes she had even been amused by it.

Nor was the baron's young daughter scandalized by the fact that they were dressed so scantily, showing their arms and chests. Of course, she had never seen a man with so few clothes on, but she didn't feel uncomfortable On the contrary, her mind rationalized that it was more than appropriate given the conditions and the situation they were in. Obviously, it wasn't suitable for her, for a lady like her to watch, but no one needed to know that.

Goku led her to a place where they could watch the fight, and Chichi kept her eyes on the center where the two men attacked each other without any shame. One was bald and very tall, with dark skin. The other was a little shorter than the bald man and had long dark hair, as well as a scar on his cheek and another across his eye and left eyebrow, which made Chichi wonder if it had been the result of their fights.

"So, what do you think?" Goku asked close to her face to make himself heard over the shouts and roars of the other spectators.

"I can't believe you brought me to a place as hideous as this."

Goku laughed. From the tone of her voice, he knew she wasn't lecturing him or anything like that, she was intrigued, excited.

"I know it's not the kind of place for a lady, and I definitely shouldn't approve of it, but..." She smiled and looked at him mischievously. "It's certainly much more interesting entertainment than a recital."

"Yes, I have to agree. It's not the kind of sport that many of the nobility are used to, or even approve of, or enjoy. But outside here, in other countries, it's very common."

"Really? Like Namek?"

Goku nodded.

"It's one of the places where boxing is very popular, but there are other places too. However, here where we live, it's still the kind of activity that only low-class men allow themselves to enjoy."

"Oh my!" She put her hand to her mouth and her eyes widened as she saw the bald fighter deliver the final blow to the other, knocking him backward to the ground. "Is the fight over?"

Goku nodded and put his arms behind him in satisfaction. He already knew what the outcome of that fight would be, because he already knew those men and their strength.

"And how did a Duke like you end up here?" She blinked those big inquisitive eyelashes at him.

He bent down a little to meet her height, after all, Chichi was shorter than him, and said it in a whisper, as if it were a secret he was sharing with her, but playfully and amusingly.

"Well, as you know, I wasn't born to be the Duke of Paozu. My brother was the one who was educated for that role."

"Yet you were born into a noble and wealthy family."

"Correct." He nodded. "But being the second son and without all the responsibility required of the heir to a dukedom, I had, let's say, my perks. From an early age I was interested in more exciting activities than those taught to a nobleman, but it was when I was at college that I came across fighting clubs and other sports. When I came back here, I took the opportunity to explore other sides of the city and the country that many in high society simply ignored. So that's when I got here." He raised his head and looked around. It wasn't, in fact, a beautiful place. But it was a place where he felt good, a place that made him happy.

Chichi listened attentively to everything he said. Goku seemed genuinely pleased, and she understood that this was part of who the Duke was. Although he was a nobleman, a powerful man with severe responsibilities, and a gentleman, he was also a man in love.

Passionate about fighting, about vitality, about feeling alive.

Something that places, events, and people of nobility couldn't offer. A raw, real place without all the veils that hid people's true nature.

And she liked it. Incredible as it seemed, she really liked it. She would never have imagined that she would find something so intense in such a rustic setting and so different from everything she had always been taught to value.

"I think I understand what you mean..."

The Duke turned towards her again and felt his heart warm as his gaze met hers. Chichi was a true lady, there was nothing about her to indicate otherwise. She was polite, had good manners, wore clothes befitting her social status, and yet emanated an intense ferocity, an impetuous gaze, and a scathing grace that attracted him like a bee to a jar of honey.

Seeing her get excited about something as rough as that – for a lady, of course – only made his heart race faster and faster.

A new duo took their place in the center of the space to start another fight. One was a short, bald man who had six dots drawn in pairs in the middle of his forehead. The other was a very tall man who was also bald but had a mark in the center of his forehead that looked a lot like a third eye, if that were possible.

In the corner, Lady Chichi saw movement. Other men were exchanging coins for pieces of paper with another gentleman, an old bald man with a white beard and mustache.

"What are they doing?" She pointed to the spot as she asked.

"They're betting."

Chichi nodded. It made sense. That's why the men shouted, screamed, and roared every time one or other of the fighters landed a blow. It wasn't just for the fun of seeing the men hurting each other on purpose but for the competitiveness.

"Interesting... I know we're not betting, but if I were betting..." she muttered, watching the fighters. "I'd bet on the tall one with three eyes!"

"Why?"

"That short bald guy looks very small and fragile, but maybe I'm failing in my analysis and he's more skillful. However, I believe that the tall bald man has the advantage because he look's bigger and stronger."

Goku felt his lip curl into a smile.

"I see. Well... let's see the fight," he said. "I don't think it will take long."

Chichi was tense watching every blow, every punch, every kick. She didn't mind the blood splashing, the sweat dripping, or the saliva spewing out of the mouths of both the fighters and the spectators. She was cheering for the tall bald man and even found herself shouting along when the fighter managed to land a few blows, or complaining when the fighter got hit.

She was fully aware that what she was doing was not ladylike, but she couldn't help it. She didn't want to control herself and was happy to see that Goku was having fun with her instead of scolding her for her inappropriate behavior.

So, the fight ended with the tall bald man falling to the ground with the smaller one on top of him, twisting one of his arms.

"Oh no!" she complained and shook her closed fists in frustration.

Goku laughed.

"Tien may be bigger and stronger, but Krillin undoubtedly has a better technique."

"Do you know them?"

"I do, all of them," the Duke replied. "The previous fighters were Piccolo, the bald one; and Yamcha, the one with the scar."

"I see. Oh well, you could have told me I was rooting for the wrong man." She crossed her arms, slightly sulking.

He laughed. For some reason, her sullen expression made her even more adorable and beautiful.

"Anything can happen in a fight. Sometimes the one who looks the strongest really is the best one, but sometimes the smallest can surprise you. Krillin is quite a fighter, but Tien is also very good and gave him a hard time anyway. In any case, your analysis wasn't completely wrong for someone looking in from the outside."

Chichi didn't understand why, but she felt an enormous wave of pride wash over her at the Duke's comment.

As promised, Chichi returned to the recital before it was over, untouched and immaculate. The only thing Goku had touched was her gloved hand, which he kissed again in farewell as he left her in front of the palace and went on his way in the carriage with the promise that they would see each other again.

Fortunately, her aunt didn't notice her absence, and other people didn't mind her disappearing for a long period of time either. There were a lot of people at the recital, and it was normal not to be able to pay attention to everyone.

When the day of the next event arrived, Chichi was as excited as she had ever been in her life. Not just because she was looking forward to seeing the Duke again, but because of the promise that he would take her to the fight club again.

She was wearing his dark cape again, which he had sent her as a gift during the week, while they were exchanging notes to arrange their next meeting. Goku wanted to give her a nice cape, but he thought this one would be more appropriate, so she wouldn't draw too much attention to herself, and although he was taking her there, he still knew he had to be careful not to ruin the lady's reputation.

They had arranged to meet during the spring ball that the Marquise of Serpentine was hosting. Well, Goku wouldn't be attending, only Chichi, who would make her presence known at the beginning of the event just to make sure everyone knew she had come and then leave unnoticed to meet his carriage at the corner of Lady Hime's mansion. She would return again at the end of the event to verify her presence and not raise any suspicions about what was going on. Hopefully, her half-deaf, half-blind aunt wouldn't notice her escapade again.

As soon as she climbed into the carriage, her heart raced wildly with all the adrenaline from the escape. Again, she was fully aware that what she was doing was considered wrong and could have her life ruined, but there was no denying what her inner self was asking of her She had to go, and she trusted the Duke completely.

"Lady Chichi." Goku smiled as soon as he laid eyes on her and kissed her knuckles, a second longer than the rules of decorum would consider appropriate.

But they were already – again – alone in a carriage, and the rules of decorum no longer applied to them. Anyone witnessing it would be enough to make it a real scandal. In any case, Goku had no intention of overstepping any boundaries.

"Your Grace!" Chichi bowed slightly, wishing she could feel his lips on her hand without the glove.

"Ready to go?"

"Ready." She smiled. "And this time I want to bet!" She took out a small coin purse from her handbag. "A real bet!"

"Is that so?"

"I know it's not appropriate for a lady." Chichi explained. Not that she needed to as she knew Goku wouldn't judge her, but because she felt it was important to tell him her motivations. "And I also know the risks of getting hooked on stupid activities like this, but... I want to do it at least once. To feel the thrill of making a real bet, and I think that if I don't do it now, I may never get another chance. I need to take this chance!"

The Duke chuckled. That woman really was spectacular. He hadn't stopped thinking about her since the moment he'd met her and he doubted he would ever stop. He had been anxiously counting down the minutes until their next meeting and now that they were face to face again, he couldn't help but admire her.

He had never been against the idea of marriage, and he also believed in love. His parents had married for love, and he had grown up in a loving environment. So Goku was well aware that it would happen to him one day. Although he was in no hurry, he was beginning to strongly believe that Chichi was the one, the woman he had always been waiting for. The woman who was stealing his heart, or maybe she had already from day one.

"In that case, I'll give you a tip, so you don't lose your money," he said, taking the coin purse from her hand. "There's a fighter who's going to fight today who didn't fight the last time we were there. He's the one you should bet on. They say he's the best fighter of them all!"

"The best of all?" Chichi opened her mouth in a circle and then grinned widely. "Wow!"

"So they say!"

"Who is he?"

"You'll know!"

"You'd better be right, Lord Son," She said with a certain tone of intimidation and amusement. "I don't want to lose my money. You'll see that I'm a… competitive lady."

She chuckled.

By God, Goku would lose his mind if he continued to be around this lady, because his heart did a radical flip in his chest just by looking at the sparkle in her eyes and the smile that could light up the whole world.

However, the Duke came to the conclusion that he would rather lose his mind, because there was no force in the world that could keep him away from her.

End Notes:

And our Duke is already in love with Lady Chichi 😍 It couldn't be different. We'll see who's the fighter Goku was talking about the next chapter...

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you liked it! I'd love to know your opinion on the chapter and what you're thinking of the story. ❤️

I'm a little late, but I'll answer the comments as soon as possible.

If you liked, don't forget to comment and favorite the story.