CHAPTER 8

The night already got deeper when Alexander returned to the guild hall. Isabella was standing at her platform and answering some warriors mobbing her. She noticed Alexander coming in so she approached the wounded warrior who looks extremely tired. "What happened to you Alexander?" Isabella touched Alexander's face. "You are badly injured... let me get you some herbal medicine to-"

Alexander put down the baskets he was carrying, removed her hand from his face and yelled in anger. "These are just minor injuries, I am training hard so what you see is just normal, fucking idiot!"

An old warrior with a long mustache dragged his feet towards Alexander. "What's wrong with you, Jerk? Do you think you are above all of us? Just because you're one of the zodiac warriors does not mean you treat warrioress with rudeness, especially someone who is highly respected as Isabella!"

Alexander has a mocking look on his face upon seeing the meddler warrior. "Get out of my sight, low-rank warrior, just mind your own fucking business!" he intentionally bumped the old warrior to leave. The old warrior fell to the ground and was provoked. He drew his knight sword to attack Alexander from behind but Alexander used his knife digger to fight the old warrior.

"I am going to put you in your fucking place," shouts the old warrior. "You've got some nerve to do that to me, asshole!"

Alexander sighed. "If you can't take the heat then don't start the fire, moron!"

Isabella weans off Alexander by hugging him. Other warriors exited the guild hall in fear of getting involved.

"Please stop fighting and don't try to ruin it!" she begged Alexander.

The old warrior scolded Isabella for being so stupid. "I can't endure sitting on the chair and watching him treat you like trash every day. Aren't you sick of this arrogant warrior? He's f*cking rude!"

"Alexander is just tired of his training so I understand where he is coming from!" defends Isabella.

"That is not an excuse for him to yell at you, Isabella!" argued the old warrior.

Isabella screamed at the top of her lungs that warriors outside could hear what she was saying. "Please get out of this place, you already got your award, old warrior. There's no more reason for you to stay here!"

Alexander put back his sword, went to the room where Charlotte was, and found her sitting and wiping her katana. Charlotte turned to him and was happy to see him back. "Hey what's with the long face, Alexander? I've heard Isabella screaming outside? Are you the reason for that?"

"Yes... she touched my face and I was annoyed... can we not talk about it? I am tired and just want to rest!"

Charlotte stopped wiping her katana and threw it on her bed, then she walked towards him and touched his face. "I am relieved you're back! Is your training too difficult?"

Alexander smiled and let Charlotte touch his face. "I was also surprised by our training, we learned and ate a lot in the kingdom. Prince Arthur invited us over because he wanted to introduce us to his father. In fact, Queen Veronina even showered us with food!"

Isabella opened the door, carrying a tray of food and stared at Alexander. "Charlotte didn't come out earlier, I was also knocking on her and she didn't want to come out!"

Alexander's veins start to appear on her forehead. "Do you expect me to believe that? For all I know, you've been irked at Charlotte without apparent reason!"

"Sorry Alexander, Isabella was right. I just don't really want to go out because I'm shy to socialize with other warriors. Isabella also knocked earlier to bring me food but I was not hungry," lied Charlotte.

Alexander kept looking at Isabella and he saw in her eyes that she was lying.

"Please Alexander, I hope you can forgive Isabella because she is innocent. Shouldn't we thank her for letting us stay in here?"

Isabella smiled at Alexander. "See, I told you already. I hope you don't think badly of me. After all, the things that are important to you are also important to me!"

Charlotte took Isabella's tray. "Thank you so much, Isabella. I'm sorry if I disturb your work, I'm gonna leave as soon as I find another place to live in!"

"You can stay in this place as long as you want, Charlotte!"

"We won't stay in this place, I want Charlotte to come with me in my trainings so I can assure she eats right!" answered Alexander.

"By the way, there is a new quest I intend to give to both of you so Charlotte doesn't have to share with you, Alexander. Although your mission will be difficult because you will save the royal warrior's daughter from the hands of the pirates for 50 gold coins. I didn't post it on the bulletin outside coz I wanted to give it to you!" said Isabella.

"What are the other details?" asked Alexander.

"They're on the island where you defeated the sea monster! And they're not just pirates, as far as I know, they're also treasure hunters from another planet so don't get easy on them!"

"I will inform Prince Arthur about this special mission tomorrow!" said Alexander.

"By the way, I have medicine that can heal your wounds right away. I just want to make you look better when we dance together!"

"Just give me the medicine Isabella, it's up to Charlotte to do that!"

Charlotte spoke immediately after placing her food on the table. "I don't know how to heal and I have no experience in such things. It would be better if Isabella treated your wounds, Alexander!"

Alexander gazed at Charlotte. "Regardless, I still want you to do it. In fact, when you caressed my face, my tiredness disappeared!"

Isabella was jealous of Charlotte and yelled at Alexander. "That is so unfair, I am way better than your fucking friend. I held your face outside earlier but you reacted differently!"

Alexander grinned at Isabella. "Your hand was heavy, it was as if you were pressing your grip on my wound so I suddenly got hurt. I guess it's not my fault. I will attend your birthday celebration so please leave me and Charlotte alone. We need privacy! "

Isabella was so desperate that she suddenly asked an insensitive question to Alexander. "What are you two doing? Don't tell me you're lovers?"

"Don't misunderstand my treatment of Charlotte. She is a beautiful young warrioress, and I just want to protect her as much as I can. Apart from that, I have no other intentions with her, but I am still open to the possibility of loving her, and only the stars in the sky can tell if we are meant for each other!"

Charlotte paled at Alexander's words while Isabella gasped as she closed the door.

"Why did you tell her that Alexander? She was hurt so much, it's her birthday today!" Charlotte said worriedly.

Alexander faced Charlotte. "That's not important anymore. I just said my true feelings for her. I'm tired of the way she treated you, and I know you're only covering her up because you thought you owed her. You shouldn't show your weakness, even to the warriors or warrioress who helped you. It's not that you don't owe them anything. They might be doing that to take advantage of you. Be smart and don't be gullible, okay?"

"Thank you so much for showing me kindness, Alexander!"

"Alright, I'll just go out to fix myself. If you have a problem, call my name and I'll be there in an instant!"

Charlotte smiled at what Alexander told her. Alexander left and immediately went to the river to take a bath. There were no warriors outside, so he took off his body armor. When he dipped his foot in the water, he felt the warm water so he continued walking until half of his body was submerged in the river. He washed his face and he suddenly remembered what Queen Veronica said about his father the moment he closed his eyes.

"So I finally met my father's old lover who betrayed him in exchange of a lavish lifestyle. I am so thankful that my father was strong enough to withstand the pain of losing someone he loved. Maybe she wants to redeem herself by helping me. What a jerk, the conscience starts knocking on her now."