bookpower Chapter 163 - 163: Valkyrie's Feelings
Chapter 163 - 163: Valkyrie's Feelings
Alex studied the tablet with interest, analyzing the data that looked peculiar: the readings seemed to overlap, shifting chaotically like waves on a stormy sea. When he had designed the
Alex's words sparked a flare of emotion in Brunhilde's eyes. She sharply turned her head towards him, clearly not expecting him to know about such a delicate situation.
«Oh, you know about that?» Buddha asked with interest, looking at Alex. «Did Bru-chan slip up?»
«No, not at all,» Alex replied with a light smirk. «I just don't interfere in other people's business unless it concerns me. But, you know, walls have ears. Drop a few rumors, and voilà, everything becomes clear.»
Buddha hummed in surprise, crossing his arms and leaning closer to Alex.
«Well then, my new friend, surprise me with your conclusions,» he said with a challenge in his tone.
Alex didn't rush to respond, savoring the moment and preparing to put everything in its place.
Brunhilde watched Alex, still surprised by how he had figured out her plan involving Buddha. Deep down, she felt a growing unease. She feared that Alex might be disappointed in her for using such a cunning method to win Buddha over to her side.
«Actually, Bri's plan is quite simple,» Alex began, thoughtfully stroking his chin. «As a Valkyrie, she knows the gods' personalities better than anyone, including you, Buddha. Your character is both simple and complex. You're a free-spirited god, and that's easy to take advantage of. Bri did exactly that. She came to you under the guise of wanting to discuss your philosophical views.»
Buddha listened intently, holding a lollipop in his hand.
«One visit was all it took for the rumors to start. Especially since she showed up just before the meeting. Naturally, the gods had questions: Why did she come? What was her purpose? These doubts made them start suspecting you as a potential traitor. Brunhilde knew very well that if someone forced you to act, you'd just tell them to get lost. But in this case, she created a situation where you ended up playing the game yourself.»
Buddha smirked, offering Alex the lollipop:
«Well, in that case, here's a candy for your detailed analysis.»
Alex rolled his eyes but still took the lollipop, unwrapping it and popping it into his mouth. Brunhilde tried to regain her composure, returning her face to its usual seriousness, though she was still stunned by Alex's perceptiveness.
Buddha laughed loudly, throwing his head back. Meanwhile, Alex continued:
«Actually, she's understandable. When you don't have strength but have a goal, you use every available means to succeed. I don't think she should be blamed for that.»
Alex's words made Brunhilde's eyes widen. She tried to find lies or judgment in his gaze, but instead, she only saw kindness.
«Why?» Buddha asked, stroking his chin.
Alex paused for a moment before responding:
«Honestly, I don't approve of such methods. But Bri could have done the same to me. When I first arrived at the Coliseum and saw my brother killed by Zeus, she could have used my anger against the gods, turning it to her own advantage. But she didn't. She loves humanity as much as you do. Her position forces her to make sacrifices, becoming an enemy to the gods for a chance at victory.»
Alex looked directly at Buddha.
«For us, this is just a battle. For her, it's an endless series of tragedies. Her brother Heracles died, her sisters are sent to their deaths, becoming weapons for the fighters. She watches those she chose die, and feels that pain deeper than anyone else here.»
At Alex's words, tears of sorrow began to fall from Brunhilde's eyes. She couldn't hold back the grief weighing down her heart. Buddha looked into Alex's eyes, then turned his gaze to Brunhilde, who was mourning. That day, she had already lost two sisters and a brother. Buddha was most struck by Alex's words, calmly explaining Brunhilde's actions, what she had to endure, and the heavy burden this Valkyrie carried.
Buddha watched the scene with interest before sighing:
«Honestly, after hearing you, I feel like the worst of assholes.»
Alex said nothing and walked over to Brunhilde to comfort her. In truth, Alex hadn't wanted to reopen old wounds for Brunhilde, but the situation unfolded differently. Alex embraced Brunhilde, who immediately clung to him and began crying mournfully. Buddha watched Alex helping Brunhilde calm down. A sigh escaped from Buddha's mouth.
«You know, it feels like you're doing this on purpose, trying to tug at the heartstrings.» Buddha said, looking at Alex.
«Maybe. Or maybe I just don't want to watch my new friend die. We haven't even tried many sweets yet.» Alex replied with a light smile.
Buddha laughed and nodded.
«You're right, my friend. It would be a shame to miss out on all those pleasures.»
A slight smile appeared on Buddha's face, and a warmth filled his heart that he hadn't felt in a long time.
Alex and Buddha exchanged friendly smiles. Alex thought to himself: would Buddha follow the original plot, or had his appearance changed everything? Too many factors could influence the outcome of this event. Even a random word or glance could turn everything upside down. Alex wanted to avoid a tragedy—he had no intention of killing Buddha. He liked him, found him amusing, and he had already become a friend.
«Alright,» Buddha said, patting Alex on the shoulder. «I'll follow your Valkyrie's plan. But you owe me, my friend.»
«If you want your payment in sweets, come to my waiting room. I'll treat you,» Alex replied with a smile.
As Buddha left, he gave a thumbs-up. Alex watched his retreating figure before lowering his gaze. Brunhilde was still quietly crying, though her sobs had softened. Alex sighed and looked up at the ceiling, reflecting on a strange pattern: why was he always encountering women whose fates were filled with pain?
He thought of the women he had saved in Orario, the girls from Night City who lived in the darkness of that cruel world. And now, once again, the same story—this time with Brunhilde. Alex even started to think about getting a degree in psychology, so he could charge people for helping to heal their broken hearts.
He continued gently stroking Brunhilde's back, comforting her.
«Bri, how are you? Feeling better? Or should I hold you a little longer?» Alex asked, tilting his head slightly.
Brunhilde pressed herself tighter against him, unable to hold back her tears. Today, she had lost so much. No matter how hard she tried to stay strong, the pain of loss overwhelmed her. Her two younger sisters were already dead, her brother Heracles had fallen as a hero. If it hadn't been for Alex's intervention and help, she might have lost even more.
Bearing a burden heavier than she could have ever imagined, Brunhilde continued to fight. Her soul was torn by memories of fallen warriors, her sisters who became weapons for humanity. Even humanity's ancestor, Adam, had fallen because of her decisions.
Her heart ached more than anyone else's.
Finally, Brunhilde stopped crying and pulled back slightly, looking at Alex.
«Thank you...» she whispered. «You were here again when I needed it.»
Tears still streamed down her cheeks, and Alex gently cupped her face in his hands, wiping them away.
«Ugh, I feel like crap. I think I need a vacation,» he muttered, distracted by his own thoughts.
The warmth of Alex's hands touched her cold cheeks, and Brunhilde, unconsciously pressing closer to them, felt the heat. She raised her hands and covered his palms with hers, soft and gentle.
«Why do you say that?» she asked, embarrassed, lowering her gaze.
Alex sighed heavily. He gazed into her emerald eyes, full of sorrow, and honestly answered,
«Because I made you cry. And because I opened wounds that should've healed.»
Brunhilde shook her head.
«You're not to blame,» she replied softly. «I needed this. Sooner or later, it would have happened, and I'm glad you were here to support me.»
Her eyes sparkled with a moist gleam, but there was no reproach in them. Alex felt her sincerity and knew he had made the right choice.
Alex and Brunhilde stared into each other's eyes, as if trying to read each other's thoughts. Strange yet surprisingly familiar emotions flared between them. It could have been the feeling of loss that united them, or something deeper—a soul connection. These feelings slowly, but surely, brought them closer.
Their faces began to inch closer. Alex felt her warm breath and heard the gentle beat of her heart. When their lips were almost touching, their moment was interrupted by a distant cry:
«SISTER! I FINALLY FOUND YOU! LOOK, I MET ANOTHER BROTHER ALEX!» The voice of Göll echoed as she rushed toward them at full speed.
The romantic atmosphere vanished as if it had never existed. Alex and Brunhilde simultaneously turned their heads toward the source of the noise. Brunhilde felt a flash of irritation—her younger sister had ruined the moment she had decided to give Alex.
Alex, too, felt indignation, but for an entirely different reason. His gaze landed on his own clone, who appeared to be the one causing the situation. The clone grinned slyly, seemingly enjoying the moment.
«Oh, how I hate myself!» thought Alex, fully aware that his clone had done exactly what he would have done in the past: ruined the romantic moment just on principle.
Brunhilde glared at Göll, who began to sweat nervously under her piercing gaze. The girl felt that, under such pressure, even steel might melt. Meanwhile, Alex glared furiously at his clone, who responded with a mock grin.
«Sister, look, I found another brother of Alex!» Göll exclaimed cheerfully, trying to divert attention.
«I already saw,» Brunhilde replied coldly, not breaking her scorching gaze from her sister.
Göll froze, realizing that her innocent interruption had been the worst decision of the day.
Meanwhile, Alex, unable to bear it any longer, dispelled the clone. Before disappearing, of course, the clone managed to flash a victorious expression, as though he had won some kind of battle. Alex gritted his teeth in anger but held himself back.
«Damn double, how I hate you!» he thought, letting out a heavy sigh.
GIR, who had been watching, wisely jumped off the clone's shoulder to avoid a possible slap. Alex tousled Göll's hair, which made her look embarrassed.
«You little brat, how poorly timed you are,» he sighed, barely concealing his disappointment.
The romantic moment was hopelessly lost, but Alex understood that he and Brunhilde would still have another chance. For now, the main thing was not to let his sister see how much her scream had ruined what could have been a kiss.
Alex continued messing with Göll's hair, almost as if expressing his frustration. She tried to pull away, but his hand was relentless.
«Brother Alex, stop messing with my hair!» Göll protested, dodging. «If you keep doing this, I'll be bald!»
Alex laughed, finally letting go of her head.
«Alright, I won't. Let's head to the arena, the fight will start soon,» he said, giving her a gentle nudge forward.
Göll nodded, eager to escape the intense gaze of Brunhilde, which continued to occasionally pierce through her. Quickly scooping up GIR in her arms, she dashed ahead, as if running away from the potential wrath of her older sister.
Brunhilde watched Göll flee with a heavy gaze, but instead of anger, she only sighed. However, her thoughts were suddenly interrupted. She felt something warm on her lips. Her eyes widened in surprise as Alex leaned in and softly kissed her.
«If we were interrupted earlier, it doesn't mean I'll leave you without a kiss,» Alex said with a slight smile, pulling away.
Brunhilde froze for a moment, processing what had just happened. Her face reddened slightly, but seeing Alex's genuine smile, she couldn't help but smile back.
«You're hopeless,» she said quietly, taking his arm.
Together, they headed toward the stands, where Buddha's fight was already beginning. Alex looked pleased, but deep inside, he felt a slight unease. Now he had to explain to Brunhilde about... the other fiancées.
His thoughts involuntarily took a darker turn. He imagined Brunhilde's icy gaze, the cold fury in her eyes, and... the sudden desire to cut off something very important.
I hope she doesn't take this as a personal insult... and doesn't grab a knife, Alex thought, feeling a cold shiver in his lower stomach.
He shook his head, trying to push away the grim thoughts. Now was the time to enjoy the moment, and he'd deal with the problems later.
To be continued...