Vows and Bullets
Chapter 148 - 1st week of September (Part 2)

Chapter 148: 1st week of September (Part 2)

Please DON’T READ this Chapter yet. I will update this first week of September!

Good news! My hands have healed now and I’m catching up on writing my missed Chapters. My apologies for all the delays. I will replace this Chapter with the real one soon, don’t worry, and upload a new one for the next day. I really apologize once again.

In the meantime, please enjoy the continuation of the story below titled "The King’s Beloved". This is the revised version I am planning to submit for paperback publication. Hopefully, I get a chance someday.

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(Part 11 - Continuation...)

Suddenly, someone gently pulled her by the arms, stopping her from her steps. Distracted, Rania looked at the person who pulled her and saw a gentle-looking woman with pastel pink hair. She jolted upon seeing her, thinking she was a Magi.

"Oh, I’m human," the gentle-looking woman smiled at her, noticing how she flinched at the sight of her hair. "It’s dyed. It’s not natural."

Rania’s worried expression died down. In return, she looked at her with confusion in her eyes. Both their eyes were blue, only hers was deeper in color.

Quickly grabbing her by the hands and rubbing it to calm her down, the woman introduced herself.

"My name is Azalea. What’s yours?"

Her voice was that of an angel, so soothing to the ear. Holding Rania’s cheeks with her soft and rosy hands, she ensured that the angry girl focused on her.

"... Rania," she replied, with her voice hoarse and cracking.

"Rania, I understand you may have been very frustrated or more. Everyone here feels the same way. We have all been separated from our families, from our loved ones. But please... whatever it is you’re planning to do, don’t do anything that will endanger your life. It is not worth it. Not the very least," Azalea pleaded.

With tears starting to swell up in the corners of her eyes and hatred all over her face, Rania spoke bitterly.

"That woman killed my fiancé and everyone that I love in front of me!"

Her breath turned heavy, and her body shook in great rage.

"If they didn’t need us in the first place, why bother taking us? And why in the world did they kill our loved ones? Just what did we do to them? She was saying crap about us not giving an entry or whatnot, but I bet that’s just an excuse. She’s a barbarian! A madwoman who just wants to kill!"

Azalea furrowed, and deep sadness could be seen in her eyes.

"Honestly, I am as clueless as you are. I have no idea, either. But what I know is that we must do everything to survive. We never know, but maybe... just maybe, there is hope, and we can still escape this place."

Azalea didn’t let go of Rania’s hands and held them tightly. Though she was trying to calm Rania, she herself was trembling in fear. When Rania felt her trembling hands, reason came back to her. She was outraged, yes, but she shouldn’t act recklessly and involve anyone. She was angry at the devilish Magi, not the humans.

"If that king doesn’t need us, why won’t he just return us from where we came? There are tens of thousands of us here. He can’t possibly sleep with all of these women. He should just choose whom he likes," Rania murmured, and alas, she went back to her depressed state and stared at nothingness once more.

Azalea thought for a second and nodded approvingly afterward.

"You’re right. He doesn’t need all of us."

With all the courage and bravery she could muster, Azalea walked towards the front row of the crowd. She clenched her small fists and began to speak, interrupting the king and other men near the throne who were talking to each other.

"Your... h-highness," she said. A faint tremor could be heard from her voice. Seeing that she was unheard, she continued in a louder voice, "I beg you to forgive my rudeness but... if I may interrupt for a moment!"

And there was silence.

Everyone turned to her. Even the king’s attention was caught immediately, for it was very brave indeed to dare speak in front of such a crowd. Without knowing what rules she might be breaking, customs, or traditions, without knowing what price it had to pay. Nonetheless, the king, now interested, did not speak a word but waited to listen to whatever this brave human girl had to say.

Though frightened, Azalea bowed her head.

"Thank you for letting me speak."

She breathed heavily before continuing.

"As you may have noticed, your highness, there are tens of thousands of women in this place. And hearing your conversation earlier, I believe we are gathered here to serve you. And I believe that you have your own standards and preferences. These women brought in front of you now were all chosen based on the preferences of their captors and not by you, your highness. So if I may suggest that—Why not in this sea of ten thousand women, choose your thousand. And in that thousand, choose your hundred. And in that hundred, choose your ten. And lastly, in that ten, choose your... the one and only."

The king’s eyes stared at her like a predator as she spoke.

"I may not yet be knowledgeable of your ways, but I believe these lots are too much for your highness. Therefore, for those whom you won’t be needing, will your highness, please... return them to their homes?"

Azalea’s heart pounded rapidly after finishing what she wanted to say. Would she end up dead? Would the king be angry and kill her and everyone else in that place? Half of her doubted if she had done the right thing.

A moment of silence passed by once more.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

The king laughed so loudly that it echoed through the whole court. Due to this, the crowd—both the Magi and the captured maidens, turned perplexed.

"Woman," the king said after recovering from his amusement. "What is your name?"

Azalea flinched. "M-My name is Azalea, your highness," she answered and curtseyed afterward.

"Hmm... Azalea, what a brave little human you are," the king said, still laughing. "Certainly, I do not need thousands of women to join me in bed. So why not? In return for amusing me today, I will give you what you want."