Survive As The Brute's Wife-Chapter 181: A Simple Deal

"Ah... our deal..." Calantar smiled, ever so sweetly. Fine lines formed at the corner of her eyes as her smile reached her eyes. "What was our deal again?" she asked, biting her lips. The smile on her pretty face turned to innocence.

Anyone who looks at Calantar would now marvel at the child-like innocence dripping on her face; anyone, except Alexandra.

Alexandra was not in the mood to admire the beauty in front of her. She got rather annoyed. "Calantar!" she raised her voice. "Give my friends back!"

"My oh my, look how highly you think of me, daughter of Aredil! I am flattered!" Calantar did a little spin and a dramatic bow, letting her pale green dress flutter around. "Do you believe that I can reverse time?"

Holding her hands behind her back, Calantar skipped and got to Alexandra with her innocent smile still on her face. Alexandra saw the unrepentant and uncaring attitude of Calantar. She got madder.

But Calantar did ask a good question. Can time be reversed?

Alexandra observed Calantar. In the innocence of her smile, she was hiding a lot. Maybe it was just her impression since she is biased against Calantar, or it might be just her instinct. But she had a feeling that she should not let herself be tricked by Calantar.

She does have a lot to ask for.

Alexandra’s eyes met with Calantar’s and it was then she started feeling dizzy. She could sense that something is trying to get inside her.

[Ah... Calantar... Are you trying to get into my thoughts? Sorry, I do not appreciate that...]

Alexandra tried to cast blocking spells, but she found herself getting weakened to cast spells. The courage she garnered some time ago started to shake as she stood on metaphorically unstable ground. She did the next best thing she could.

[Father! Help me!]

She tried to call for her father, but she could not get through. She tried to call for her mother but to no avail. There was dead silence everywhere as if in this whole wide universe, only she and Calantar are the ones left.

[Is everyone gone? Even my father and mother? Am I the only one left? Or is Calantar blocking my communication with everyone else?]

She hoped for the latter. Because she didn’t want to be in a place where there is no one but her. She hoped someone is watching over her to offer aid when she needs it.

But another thought popped into her mind. And that sent a chill through her spine.

[What if my father is not responding to me? What if I was forsaken and am left to fend for myself?]

The previous time she fought with Inanis, her father didn’t come to her aid. He never stopped Calantar/Inanis. And that should only mean that...

Alexandra winced as something cold grazed over her chin. Calantar’s cold fingers flicked Alexandra’s chin. Her innocent smile still hasn’t left her face. "You look troubled, daughter of Aredil," Calantar pouted. "Aww, I don’t like that," she leaned at Alexandra.

"I am sad, Calantar. You took everyone from me," Alexandra said swallowing her tears. She believed that for Calantar to talk about reversing time by herself... there should be something more to it.

She asked Calantar to bring her husband and her friends back because she thought that Calantar is hiding them from her, or that she might have shifted them to some other place. Maybe that was her wishful thinking. She did see Maximus disintegrating right in front of her. And that only means that...

"It does not feel good, right? Losing someone dear to you?" Calantar asked. Her smile was lopsided and for the first time, Alexandra saw the real face of Calantar. Her eyes turned dark and her voice sounded like she was speaking from an abyss."But your mother..."

Alexandra let out a sigh. She could fairly understand that the talk with her father did not go as she pleased. Calantar is still mad at her mother. She is still jealous.

"How about a new deal, daughter of Aredil?" Calantar asked. "In exchange for everything returning to how it was?" 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Alexandra squinted her eyes. She wanted to accept the deal without any questions. If everything went back to the way it was, she will get back her husband who is free of darkness, and all her friends.

But a sharp prick in her heart stopped her mouth from uttering the dreadful words—Yes.

[There should be more to it...]

Calantar didn’t mind the apprehension apparent on Alexandra’s face and she continued, "In exchange for what you want, will you come with me?"

"What?" Alexandra was shocked. "Go with you? To where?"

What kind of deal is this?

Only after asking this did Alexandra realize what Calantar means. She wants her to leave everything she loves and follow Calantar and become her apprentice or whatever she wants her to be. She wouldn’t lie, she was a little tempted by this deal. All she has to do is follow Calantar and everyone she loves will be living their best lives where they want to be.

Not everyone... Maximus won’t be able to...

"You can bring your husband with you too if that’s what is bothering you," Calantar said as if she had read her mind.

Alexandra’s eyes widened.

If she and Maximus could spend the rest of their life together with Calantar, and that is what Calantar wants to bring back to everyone, then it should be an easy task, right?

Everyone wins in this deal, right?

The more she thought about it, the more she could see that this deal would benefit her. And after some contemplation, she could see that there is no downside to this deal.

But something in her stopped her from accepting the deal. She didn’t want to trust Calantar.

[Is this her big plan to get back at my mother?]

"Because I’m free, I want to explore the universe. I would like to have your company. Aren’t you honored?" Calantar said, having her innocent smile returning to her face.

[No, this is not about my mother... It is something more...]

"Free?" Alexandra let out a snort. She got what Calantar’s plan is.

Calantar is asking for her freedom in exchange for her love. Just like she trapped Inanis in the Orb, Calantar wants to trap Alexandra with her.

And Calantar has reasons to believe that Alexandra would agree to this insane request. She was the one who did a lot of stupid things in the name of love after all.

But this one... This seems like a simple exchange. Both parties will get what they want. Alexandra will get her loved ones back and Calantar will have her revenge.

[Should I take this deal..?]

Alexandra contemplated.

Is freedom worth losing? She has learned that all her life, although she wasmaintained the vanity of having her choice, she was not allowed to do what she wanted. She couldn’t even choose her partner as she wished. Her father never gave her the freedom she needed.

And is it wise to willingly lose her freedom to Calantar?

But in the end, without Maximus, what is she going to do with her freedom?