Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Hill thought it over and then nodded decisively, "But I need to be present, Alice. I can't rest easy leaving you alone to communicate with him."

Alice smiled awkwardly, "I don't have any issue with Hill's Dad knowing about it.

But, Hill's Dad, can you really guarantee you won't burst in halfway through?

I also don't know how Merkel will react.

Or if he says something, will it upset me, or even anger you?"

"If I get angry, why should I restrain myself? There's no need for guarantees, Alice." Hill went straight into his bedroom, leaving a gap in the door, "That's his problem to worry about, not mine."

Alice looked helplessly at Marsha, the ever-meddlesome Tower Spirit, who floated cunningly in the corner, silent as a ghost, obviously not planning to leave either.

Just now, when Alice was leaning by the window, gazing into the distance, she felt a familiar dark light streaking from the south, which made her accidentally knock over her juice cup.

Marsha had been by her side all along. When she noticed that Alice was startled, she too looked outside. She must've guessed it.

Isn't she usually very strict with etiquette and rules? Why is Marsha suddenly speechless now?

Come on and tell the Hill's Dad, who's not planning to be reasonable, that the girl has grown up and needs to live independently!

Alice pouted unhappily at Marsha.

In return, Marsha gave her an innocent smile.

But Alice could only sigh and accept it; she knew in her heart that for Hill's Dad to allow her to confront Merkel on her own was already very understanding.

She had thought that Hill's Dad would first peel off a layer of Merkel's skin.

Ever since she returned to Hill's side, her dad would often play with that extremely sharp dagger, his eyes always glinting with cruelty.

In just these few months, the murderous aura emitted by Hill had exceeded that of the past several decades.

The door was quietly pushed open, and List stood outside, beckoning the guest in without expression.

The black leopard hesitated for a moment before walking resolutely through the door.

Then he was almost shocked to find that in the study there was only Alice, in human form.

The two Tower Spirits had silently concealed themselves; although it was impossible for them not to listen to the conversation, at least superficially they left space for the two to converse alone.

The resolute look on the black leopard's face upon entry vanished, replaced by sorrow spreading across his features.

Merkel was very familiar with Alice's scent and recognized at once that this was not a transformation spell, but that Alice had truly become human completely.

They had been intimately close for years, and Merkel knew that once a Spirit of Nature transformed into another form, it was very difficult to go back.

The little white cat he cherished was truly lost.

The current Alice, in changing forms, had already discarded her past.

"Alice!" Merkel fell silent for a while before speaking solemnly, "It was my mistake. Your growing strength doesn't mean you no longer need my protection.

I was the first to forget the vow to keep you safe forever, but I never abandoned my love for you.

I just thought you could handle those things.

But I forgot that it's my responsibility, not yours.

Magical Beasts were never your responsibility.

Sorry, Alice."

Alice sighed, "Merkel, I've never doubted your love for me; otherwise, I would have left long ago.

My patience was built on our love.

Our biggest problem is, Merkel, I no longer believe in you.

The moment I learned you gave up everything to come back to me, my first thought was whether you would regret it in the future. No, you don't need to deny it hastily. I know the present you wouldn't, but that moment, that was my reaction.

I lost faith in our future.

It's just that I once thought I would always be your top priority, yet that wasn't the case!

I never needed you to bestow glory upon me. Spirits of Nature hold no such desires for luxurious riches or noble status.

Merkel, are my ambitions and your love for me merely things that can be mentioned in the same breath in your heart?

But when you gave up your ambitions time and time again for me, doesn't love wear away as well?

My sadness lies in the fact that perhaps our current separation is due to various conspiracies, but I've found that this indeed could be a glimpse of our future.

Merkel, I never really understood why all the demigod beasts who follow you stand against me.

After reading many of Hill's books, I finally realized it was because of the oath you made to earn Hill's approval, the one about never starting a war against humans first."

Alice gave a bleak smile, "I know they don't want to go against humans right now.

But if just those words can make your followers, even if they don't act against me, choose to look on indifferently...

They worry about what they would do if one day they want to be enemies with humans, and you as the Beast God forbid them from acting first!

Only when I'm gone, can the vow be broken, right?

That's why, even if Hill's Dad is fuming over the schemes and treachery of the human deities, he only curses verbally, alienates the friends he wanted, but never thinks of doing anything to those gods.

I can feel that he only wants the God of Nobility to lose face, without the intention of starting an all-out war.

Back then, I wondered why.

My dad is definitely not afraid of those deities. If there were no issues on my end, even if it meant falling out with the Gods of Time and Space, Hill's Dad wouldn't give up on taking revenge for me."

Is it because the Magical Beasts never considered coexisting peacefully with humans?

That's why they don't want a queen who will surely favor humans, and even less, one who will bind the hands and feet of the Beast Kingdom.

The actions of the God of Nobility, although they hurt me, turned out to be a good thing.

He tore away that thick curtain that was veiling my eyes.

I really believed that as long as we stayed together forever, humans and Magical Beasts could maintain peace.

Unfortunately, both humans and Magical Beasts don't want this false peace.

You know it too, but all you can do is kill those families that struck at me.

As for those who watched indifferently, you wouldn't possibly deal with them.

So, as long as you still love me, your only choice is to give up the position of the Beast King.

But Merkel, this has been your family's dream since ancient times, are you really sure you won't regret it?"

The leopard growled lowly: "No! Alice! That's the family's dream, I am willing to give up everything for the legacy in my blood, except for you.

I really thought that as long as I remained strong, as long as the vast territories of the Dwarf Kingdom weren't completely parceled out, Magical Beasts wouldn't set their sights on human lands.

By that time, you and I would already be standing above the starry sky, and even if we couldn't stop small skirmishes, at least it wouldn't turn into a war of species!

But someone, tempted those Magical Beast families and demigods!

They made them believe that the World Will of Teraxil wouldn't care if Magical Beasts became the masters of the world, as long as they defeated the humans.

And those deities of the Nature System would only remain neutral in such a war.

Only the Human God is the enemy of Magical Beasts, but the World Will wouldn't possibly allow these deities to enter the Earth in their true forms.

The Undead Tribe will leave sooner or later. In the end, the world belongs to the one with the biggest fist.

Those fools, they were tempted.

And their wavering hearts let the observant God of Nobility discover them.

Conspiracies and intrigues, who could outdo him!"

The leopard growled lowly: "The King of Saral believes I came out not knowing anything. How could I possibly be unaware!

Even in death under my claws, they would tell me the truth!

Alice, I will never regret giving all this up.

Even if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't create another Beast Kingdom!

No, it never was for you! My abandonment of power and ambition is not your fault.

Teraxil, and other hidden enemies, I won't let myself become a criminal to the world."

The leopard lifted its head, and a paw gently raised: "I know, whatever I say now is useless. Alice has always been a stubborn girl.

When I saw you become human at that moment, I understood.

Alice, are you willing to sign a contract with me and make me your Magical Beast?"

He spoke very calmly, not caring about the terrifying magical pressure coming from behind the concealed door: "Alice, in the past, you gave up everything for our love.

I've thought about it for a long time. The Beast Kingdom is something I gave up myself, and now I'm just a lonely Demigod Beast.

The only thing I can give up for you now is my freedom."

When Hill appeared at the door, Alice swiftly patted the black paw raised in mid-air.

Merkel, saved by the pre-arranged contract, was struck by a single sword cut and had a large piece of flesh and skin directly sheared off his back.

Alice opened her mouth slightly in shock.

My God! Had Hill's Dad gotten so angry that he'd forgotten about the dagger he'd been sharpening for months?

He had directly taken out a long sword from the Demi-God Artifact!

Wait a minute!

Alice stood up and looked at the leopard lying on the ground: "Merkel, what is the added spell?"

The leopard didn't make a sound.

Alice lightly kicked it with the tip of her foot. It was stiff, apparently a Petrification Spell.

She smiled wryly and waved a Healing Spell.

Merkel had made an oath of allegiance with his soul, completely different from those signed contracts, it was unbreakable.

"Why?" Hill asked as he slowly walked out, "What's the point of this?"

"Hill's Dad never understands a girl's heart." Alice revealed a sweet smile, "Merkel is much better at that."

Hill looked at his eldest daughter indifferently: "Tell the truth."

"Hill's Dad, it's not that I don't trust him anymore, it's just that I can't stand the thought of it," Alice put away her smile, "Merkel still loves me now, but the longer he is away from me, the sooner he will forget me one day.

And the thought of that is unbearable.

How can he fall in love with someone else while I still love him?"