The atmosphere was surprisingly calm, the tension having dissolved far quicker than Alicarde had anticipated. Malefica had successfully convinced the witches to hear her out, which was no small feat. Only a few minutes ago, these women had arrived intent on capturing Malefica and putting an end to him.
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Yet now, they were sitting around a fire, the flames crackling softly, as they discussed their grievances.
âAre women just more civilized than men?â
Alicarde thought, observing the scene with a hint of bewilderment.
His mind drifted back to his previous encounters, like his battle with Adonis, the warlock. The two of them had fought until they were utterly spent.
âMostly Adonis⌠I had juice to spareâ
Honestly, the fight hadnât been completely fairâAdonis was weakened by Maleficaâs curse, and Alicarde himself had held back, unwilling to unleash his full power.
But here, there wasnât even a hint of hostility. These women, who had been ready to fight to the death, were now handling the situation with calm discussion instead.
Perhaps their familiarity with each other was enough to stave off the violence. As he mulled this over, he caught Vidalia glancing his way. She looked down quickly, a blush forming on her cheeks, her head tilted just enough for him to notice.
Alicarde couldnât help but give a deadpan look under his hood, though she couldnât see it.
Helga, the observant one, noticed Vidaliaâs shy expression and turned her attention to Malefica.
"Lady Malefica," she began, her tone diplomatic but firm,
"now that weâve addressed the⌠elephant in the room, perhaps itâs time to discuss something else."
She turned her gaze to Alicarde, her expression turning more severe, and Alicarde had a sinking feeling this conversation was about him.
Malefica sighed, as if she had hoped to avoid this topic altogether, and nodded for Helga to continue.
Alicarde glanced nervously at Malefica, feeling caught off guard. He hadnât expected the witches to focus on him.
Helga crossed her arms and continued to look at him as though he were a particularly troublesome pest.
Vidalia, still slightly pink, fidgeted in her seat, stealing glances his way.
Malefica met Helgaâs gaze with a resigned nod.
"Very well, then. What do you propose we do about him?"
she asked, throwing a glance Alicardeâs way that seemed both exasperated and slightly amused.
"HuhâŚwhat theâŚ"
Alicarde muttered, surprised that she was willing to leave his fate up to the witches.
Maleficaâs sharp glare silenced him.
"Youâre finally getting whatâs coming to you. Harassing women left and right does have its consequences,"
she said with a dry tone that left no room for argument. Read exclusive content at freewebnovel
Alicarde felt utterly wronged.
âI didnât even do anything on purpose this time, damn it,â he thought indignantly.
Helga nodded in agreement, glancing over at Vidalia, who seemed to be the center of whatever accusations they were forming.
Vidalia lowered her head, her cheeks tinged pink, before speaking in a small, quivering voice.
"I...I have been defiled," she whispered, her voice barely audible, yet it carried a heavy weight as the other witches turned their eyes on Alicarde with varying degrees of indignation and judgment.
âBitch, I didnât do anything to you!â Alicarde thought, barely suppressing a groan.
Vidalia glanced down again, her face a perfect mask of maidenly distress.
"Iâll never get a man now," she murmured, her voice dripping with supposed sorrow.
"No one would want me afterâŚafter whatâs happened."
Alicarde mentally rolled his eyes.
âWoman, look in a mirrorâyouâre stunning. All the men in this planet would want you in a heartbeat.â
But before he could say anything, she looked up at him with glistening eyes, her lower lip trembling ever so slightly.
"I...I demand he takes responsibility and marries me," she said with a newfound firmness, her voice carrying a hint of defiance as she looked directly at him.
âYou have got to be kidding me,â Alicarde thought, a knot of frustration tightening in his chest.
This was the second time a witch had tried to corner him into marriage over some nonsense. And this time was even more ridiculous! All that had happened was a simple, innocent wardrobe malfunctionânothing more. He glared at Malefica, knowing she couldnât see his expression beneath his hood but hoping she could feel the silent outrage radiating from him.
Malefica caught his glare and raised an eyebrow, clearly aware of his feelings but also somewhat entertained by his predicament.
"Well, it seems youâre facing the consequences of your actions,"
she remarked thorough the telepathic link, though there was an underlying hint of amusement in her tone.
"This is nonsense. Complete and utter nonsense," Alicarde mumbled,
though he kept his voice low enough that only Malefica could hear him.
Malefica, playing the role of mediator, tried to ease Vidaliaâs concerns.
"Vidalia," she said gently,
"perhaps thereâs a better way to resolve this without binding anyone in a marriage they may not want."
But Vidalia was sharp, and each word Malefica offered only seemed to strengthen her resolve.
"No, Lady Malefica," she insisted, her voice growing more resolute.
"The honor of my family, my dignityâI canât overlook such a grave offense."
Alicarde felt his patience thinning. The more they talked, the more it seemed inevitable that he was about to be dragged into a marriage with a beautiful witch. He took a breath and tried to remain calm, despite the ludicrous accusations stacking up against him.
"Vidalia," he interjected.
"I understand that there may have beenâŚa misunderstanding, but it was just thatâa misunderstanding. There was no ill intent, and no harm done."
Vidalia turned to him, a slight pout on her lips.
"Then take responsibility and prove that your intentions were pure," she countered.
"If youâre truly honorable, youâll have no problem with this arrangement."
âHonorable my ass⌠I would bitch slap you if we didnât need your help taking down Cassandraâ
Alicarde opened his mouth to argue, but Malefica raised a hand, silencing him. She looked at him with a mixture of sympathy and warning, as if to say, Tread carefully.