Chương 282: Chapter 265. Weak Or Strong, Is That Really The Question?

Alice Mars's Point Of View" Well, how did that make you feel?" A familiar voice calls to me as I feel the warm salty tears leave my eyes." I- It hurts..."" Yes, well that's what you did to your sparring partner. And from what I understand, you then said something like "the Princess can do whatever she wants!", or something like that."" I..."" You just didn't want your Father and I to know? Yes, I thought as much." My Mom... Her light-blue eyes were always filled with warmth.

Her long dark-brown hair, like mine, was flowing in the wind of that spring day. This was when I accidentally hurt my sparring partner's wrist during my first sparring session. I thought I would get in trouble, so I tried to use the fact that I was a Princess to silence everyone who saw what happened. I thought I had to be perfect for Mom and Dad's sake... I was wrong of course. They've always just wanted me and my Siblings to be happy." But Mom... I can't be weak..."" Weak?

This sounds more like you don't want to get into trouble. That sounds more like fear rather than strength."" But..." Sniff! My Mom looked at me with that look that all parents can give their children when it's about something important. I couldn't handle it and started crying." No "buts", Alle." I looked at my Mom with tears filling my eyes, she wasn't going to accept anything less than the truth. After crying for what seemed like hours, I finally broke and told my Mom what happened."

I was trying to parry his blade, but I missed and whacked his wrist..."" And why would you, a beginner, think that it would be a sign of weakness to miss a parry?"" Because the other kids would laugh at me again..." Press... Press... Mom started to rub my head gently." Just because people laugh at you, it doesn't mean you're weak. And you're only 4 years old. People are going to laugh at you every now and again in life.

While that could be a problem if we were in another Country, we're here in Bestia in Canidae of all places. A bit of laugher is expected, who put these ideas in your mind that everything needs to be so serious? Was it when you were in Felidae instead?"" I... I just didn't want Mom and Dad to be sad that I'm your daughter." press... press... Wrap... She looked at me with a mix of relief and confusion. The rubbing of my head became more and more gentle. She hugged me tightly before whispering in my ear."

Alle, we'll never be sad that you're Our Daughter, no matter what you do. All we want for you is to be happy. Don't you remember why we let you start training so early in the first place?" I raised my head up from my Mom's chest and answered her question as we looked at each other." Because I wanted to get stronger..."" That's right, it was a good reason. Now tell me, does someone hiding the fact that they did something wrong, sound like something someone who's strong would do?"

"... No..."" Right." Press! Press! My Mom began to rub my head a bit rougher as I told her the truth." How about we go and apologize to the boy tomorrow, okay? That's something that a strong person will do. Admit when they're wrong, okay?"" Okay." We left to go eat sweets after that, so the next day I would be in a good mood. The fact that my Mom punched the boy's father, who asked for my hand in marriage for his son since I hurt him, was a story for another time.

My memory began to fade, darkness began to consume me, but then I saw a light... And then I saw his face, Marquess Matthew... Or should I just call him Matthew now? Why are you coming to me now? With such a simple question running through my mind, the darkness gave way to different sensations. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Tight! Press... Cold! Tightness, wind, the cold... Where... Where am I?

"... Hmm..." I... I'm awake? I'm... Alive!... I can't move though... Why? Why can't I move?" Stop pretending to be asleep, beastmen. I can tell when your breathing changes from unconscious to conscious. The same for you, demons." I open my eyes to a sad sight. I'm wrapped in a black vine, I look to see Lady Cindy, Gasha and Tana wrapped in vines as well, we're all lined up, one after the other, just like when we were placed on those tables in the basement of the mansion.

All of that work from Sarah, Matthew and Anna... Just to be back in the same position. I'd cry if not for the fact that this bastard doesn't deserve the pleasure." What's the matter? You thought you'd be safe? Don't you remember? The last thing that happened when you were conscious was my hand choking you. Just what have those mortals done to instill that kind of hope in you? Can't you accept it's over, like Little Cindy over there?" I look at lifeless eyes looking below us. She... She's given up.

Even more reason why I can't! My Dad and Mom would be ashamed of me if I were to act like that! I need to be strong for them!" It'll never be over as long as we're alive!"" If I had a gold coin for every time I heard one of you mortals spew that line from your ignorant mouths, I might spend my time in a vacation home instead of waiting on my servants to finish their commands." He nearly laughs at me for my words.

But I will never quit, I know Sarah is still down there, and if she's there, she's looking for a way to save us, because that's how she's always been. And knowing how she is, I can also believe in Anna and Matthew as well. There's no way Sarah wouldn't give her heart to someone who wasn't as kind as she was! But... There is the part of me that can't help but wonder...

I've been such a detriment to Matthew this whole time, my Dad more or less forced him to take me with him to Paradise, then with all of the antics I got up to while we were traveling to Zana... He... Even yelled at me not too long ago. Would he even want to save me? Maybe he's only thinking of saving me as an afterthought compared to the other 3 who're also captured... Am I even a priority to him?" Oh, what seems to be the issue?

Don't worry, I promise, you'll be the last one of your group to die, I just need to make sure he's around to watch me do it is all."

"No!"" Why can't you just let us go!?" Gasha and Tana screamed at him... But... He really doesn't plan on letting us go... I can't help but let the words escape me as I glare at this bastard." Just let them go at least!"" For a beastman, you sure do care about demons. There was a time, long ago, where demons would skin beastmen while they were still alive. I believe they said the screams made the color of your fur stay life-like for longer."" That has nothing to do with now!""

I should drop you and save myself the trouble... No, maybe throw you into the Barrier, I'm sure you'd make a lovely bloodstain."" No!"" Please don't!" /ZHOOOM! / A sound filled my ears, it filled everyone's ears, I looked to the source. I saw a thin white spear on the ground? Who could have launched something like that? Is it Matthew? It is! /BAM! / He fired it! It's an arrow!? It's flying towards us! /BOOM! /" What!?" Despite the question our kidnapper asked, the answer was clear to see.

Matthew used some kind of Magic to boost the speed of the arrow flying towards us! It's lined right at us! It'll cut through these vines I think! Pull! No! That bastard! He pulled us out of the way! Now Matthew will have to do something else to save us! What else coul- /BOOM! / Shake! /SWISH! SNAP! / FALL! The arrow... It turned... It shot through all 4 vines, like a holy blade cutting through pure evil... We all started to fall towards the ground after being set free.

But it's okay, the girls are screaming, even Cindy. But as for me, I was quiet, I just listened for the voice I wanted to hear more than anything right now." Okay! Sarah! Anna! Let's go! Barrier!" And that's when I heard it, he's coming to save us. Land! /Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! / All 4 of us land on Barriers that Matthew had summoned. Pull!" Stretch!"

I felt a force drag us down, but we weren't falling, we were being guided like we were in a current in a stream or river, we were falling almost like we were rolling downhill. Gasha and Tana were grabbed by Sarah, Cindy by Anna. They were all a bit smaller than me, but for some reason they were grabbed first, but looking at who grabbed them, I couldn't help but feel a touch of warmth in my chest as I continued to fall. Wrap! Grip! Warm! / Thump! Thump! Thump! / Eventually, I made contact with his warm skin.

He catches and places his hands around me... My left ear is pressed against his chest... I can feel his warmth... I can hear his heart beating. It's so... Calming... I almost don't even feel like we're falling out of the sky. I feel so... safe... I can't look at his face, so I look down, my arms are wrapped around his neck while he's lifting me from my back and legs... It's that "Princess Carry" thing that Mom always said would make a girl's heart flutter.

I didn't believe her back then, because I was going to be a Warrior, something like "feeling like a girl" was something so far beyond what I wanted at the time... But now... I... I don't ever want him to put me down." Sorry it was me who grabbed you, Princess Alice, but we really didn't get to choose who fell towards us, I summoned those Barriers hap-" Raise... Press...

"!?" I put a finger to his lips. I didn't want to hear any apologies. It's too late for an apology anyways. I finally raised my head so I could look at his blue eyes from so close a distance, our noses were almost touching. He's panicking, why do I find that so cute? I can't help but want to tease him a little... Is this my Tigerkin side from my Mom coming out of me? Shift... I moved my lips towards his ears, because I knew he would listen to me...

He would always listen to me now that I think about it, no matter how selfish I was being. I wonder how far I could take it as I thought about how to say what I wanted? Will he accept the wish I want granted the most right now? No, I'll make him accept it. It's his punishment for making me fall for him like this. With my lips nearly touching his ear, I began to speak softly to him." Don't call me "Princess" anymore... Just call me Alice. Then I'll forgive you."

I pulled my face back; our hair was flying upwards as we descended down towards the ground. His face was adorable. It was a mix of embarrassment and confusion as my dark-brown hair spilled out and covered different parts of his face, his blue eyes, his black hair, his foreign features compared to my fellow Beastmen.... Yes, I'm going to need to see more of this in the future.

For now, I need to do everything I can for him, I'll be Strong, Weak, a Princess, a Warrior, a Damsel, a Comrade, whatever he needs from me, it's no longer an issue for me. After all, he's the Man that I, Alice Mars, have Fallen In Love with.