𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘. 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐑𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍.
It's the beginning of a new age when Jaylah Imperatrix seemingly returns from the dead to reclaim her throne. And in perfect timing.
In her absence, evil has be...
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Act 1 Chapter 77 ALEXANDER
The barracks were always a mess during mealtimes, and that night seemed to be even worse due to news of the impending festivities. It was their one bit of freedom, choosing which table to eat at and who to share their forty-five minutes of company with before the overseer saw them off to their cots.
And tonight Alexander had chosen to eat with Milyena, which he knew meant more than the physical act itself. Especially since he noted she was doing her best to nervously face ahead in the food line and not meet his gaze. From what he could see, her cheeks were more flushed than usual.
Kyuwa took one look at the two of them entering the barracks together and sulkily went to sit with Tima. When Milyena was looking away, he mouthed across the room to Alexander, You said you were giving me a chance, you asshole.
Alexanderkissed the air at him, masterfully ignoring the insults Kyuwa mouthed more fervently than before.
The house servant plopped a ladle full of gruel into a bowl and thrust it into Alexander's hands. He passed it to Milyena, muttering, "A five-course meal for the lady." She smiled, but still could not look him in the face.
Though he had no intention of eating it, Alexander took the next bowl. His stomach still felt as though it had fallen straight to the floor. Not to mention that watching the servant deal out the gruel always reminded him of how they fed pigs.
"Do you think you're ready for tomorrow?" Milyena asked, lifting her spoon to her mouth as if the food wasn't inedible.
"Of course." Her brows remained knitted. "Why?"
"It's just..." She flicked her stray hairs behind her shoulders as she leaned her elbows on the table. Her voice dropped. "Please don't take offense, but you look a little worse for the wear. From the beating you got, and from, well, being here in general."
"Are you suggesting that the ladies will be ashamed of my appearance tomorrow?"
Milyena's eyes widened. "Oh, no. No, of course not. I wouldn't—"
He cut her off with a slow grin. "Relax, I was kidding." Running a hand through the gnarls of his hair and grimacing as his fingers caught in it, he added, "The bruises are still bad, I can tell. There's little more I can do for the clothing, too."
The blue of her eyes brightened as an idea seemed to dawn on her. "Please excuse me a moment," she said apologetically before jumping up from the bench. Through the other voices, Alexander heard Kyuwa's snicker as he assumed Alexander said something awful to make her leave in such a hurry.
