Awakening Domination System: But I'm a Slave?-Chapter 270: Complications [3]

Verelia was quiet, her jaw set. "I don’t sulk."

"Then stop acting like your entire worth was determined by this one outcome."

"Easy for you to say. You weren’t the one publicly rejected by—"

"I was a king who lost his entire kingdom and died in a crumbling room." The words came out before he could stop them.

Verelia’s eyes widened fractionally. "What?"

Alaric blinked, realizing what he’d said.

Shit.

"I... nothing. Forget it."

"You just said you were a king."

"I was being metaphorical."

"No, you weren’t." Her mind latched onto the inconsistency immediately. "That was too specific."

Damn it.

"Verelia—"

"What did you mean?" She stepped closer now, her cold demeanor cracking slightly with genuine curiosity. "You lost a kingdom?"

He could deflect. Should deflect. But something about her direct stare, about the vulnerability he’d been trying to address...

"In a past life," he said quietly. "Theoretically speaking."

Her eyes widened.

"You believe in reincarnation?"

"I believe in many things that aren’t provable."

She studied him with new intensity, processing this information. "If that were true, and I’m not conceding it is, then you understand this better than I realized."

"Maybe." He wasn’t going to elaborate further. "The point is, one defeat isn’t the end. It’s just data. Use it. Learn from it. Come back stronger."

Verelia was silent for a long moment. Then, unexpectedly, she said, "You’re surprisingly insightful when you’re not being deliberately evasive."

"I have my moments."

"Rare ones."

"Now who’s being evasive? I just shared something personal and you’re deflecting with criticism."

Her lips twitched, a ghost of smile, barely, then gone in an instant. "Perhaps."

They stood under the archway, luminescent flowers casting soft light, the sounds of the Academy distant and muted.

"Thank you," Verelia said finally. "For this. Whatever ’this’ is."

"This is me reminding you that you’re more than your accomplishments or failures." Alaric turned to face her fully. "You’re allowed to be human occasionally."

"I’ll take that under advisement."

"Please do."

As they began walking back toward the main campus, Alaric’s mind turned over that slip about his past life.

Careless. She’s too smart to let that go completely.

But maybe that was fine. Verelia wasn’t the type to spread rumors or gossip. If anything, she’d file it away and analyze it privately.

They reached the point where their paths would diverge, her toward the dormitory, him toward the library.

"Alaric," Verelia said, stopping.

"Yes?"

"That comment about being a king..." Her eyes were sharp, calculating. "I won’t ask more now. But eventually, I will."

"I’d expect nothing less."

In one smooth motion, he stepped forward, hand finding her waist and pulling her slightly closer.

Close enough that she had to tilt her head up slightly to maintain eye contact.

Her eyes widened. Her body went rigid, but she didn’t pull away.

Etiquette demanded tolerance for a fiancé’s proximity, even an unwanted one.

"You know," he said quietly, his voice dropping lower, "losing the election might be the best thing that happened to you."

"How do you figure?" Her voice was controlled, but he felt her pulse quicken under his hand.

"Because now you don’t have to waste time being President." He leaned in just slightly, his breath warm against her ear. "You can focus on being dangerous instead."

He pulled back, releasing her waist, stepping away with a slight smile.

Verelia stood frozen for a heartbeat, her expression carefully neutral but something sharp flickered in her eyes.

"That was inappropriate," she said, her voice steady despite the faint color in her cheeks.

"Was it? We are engaged. Technically."

"Temporarily."

"Still technically." He turned to leave, then glanced back over his shoulder. "Good night, Verelia. Try not to overthink everything tonight. Just this once."

"I make no promises."

"I didn’t expect you would."

He walked away, leaving her standing there.

And if he’d accomplished nothing else tonight, at least he’d made her think about something other than the election for a few hours.

That was worth the risk of revealing too much.

Even if it would come back to haunt him later.

Which it absolutely will.

But that was a problem for future Alaric.

Present Alaric had things to do.

The games never stopped.

They just evolved.

Just as he walked a few steps, shifting his mind back to the investigation.

He paused.

Sigh!

"What now?" he muttered under his breath.

A figure emerged from the shadows beside the path. Golden brown hair catching the lamplight. Blue eyes cold and hard, fixed on Alaric with unmistakable hostility.

He stood blocking the path, arms loose at his sides but tension coiled in every line of his body.

"What were you doing with her?" The words came out low, controlled, but vibrating with barely restrained fury.

Alaric blinked, genuinely confused. "With who?"

"Don’t." The boy’s jaw clenched. "Don’t play dumb with me."

Irritation flashed through Alaric. He’d spent the evening trying to help Verelia, dealing with mysteries he didn’t understand, and now this?

"Just spit it out or stop wasting my time," Alaric said flatly. "I don’t have patience for cryptic accusations."

"My sister." The boy stepped forward, hands clenching into fists. Fire began gathering around them. "What were you doing with Livia?"

Understanding clicked.

Ah!

"I wasn’t ’doing’ anything with—"

"I saw you." Caleb’s voice dropped even lower, more dangerous. "Holding her hand. Talking to her. Making her cry. What did you say to her?"

"She fell. I helped her up. We talked. That’s all."

"That’s all?" Caleb laughed, a harsh, bitter sound. "You think I’m stupid? I know what guys like you do. I’ve seen it before."

"Guys like me?" Alaric’s eyes narrowed. "You don’t know anything about me."

"I know enough." The fire around Caleb’s hands intensified, orange flames licking across his knuckles.

"I know you’re engaged to some Duke’s daughter but that doesn’t stop you from playing with other girls’ feelings. I saw you with those three in the gardens before. And now my sister?" 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Your sister was upset. I was being kind. That’s it."

"Kind." Caleb spat the word like poison. "Is that what you call it? Because from where I’m standing, you’re just another predator looking for vulnerable targets."

Alaric’s patience snapped. "Watch your tongue boy."