Awakening Domination System: But I'm a Slave?-Chapter 34: Resolve

"Pathetic."

She said it again, softer this time.

Alaric didn’t say anything.

Just sat there, watching her.

Her head still rested on his shoulder, her eyes still distant.

Then, slowly, she spoke again.

"I’m really pathetic, Alaric."

Her voice cracked.

Hoarse. Barely above a whisper.

"My whole life has been pathetic."

She didn’t look at him.

"When I was five, my parents abandoned me. My father remarried... someone else."

She paused. Swallowed something that didn’t go down right.

"Then after a while, he left me with her. My new mother. And she? She found another man. Got married again."

Another breath.

"They didn’t treat me like family. Not even like a burden. Just... something to use."

Her hand curled slightly on her lap.

"I did the cleaning. Cooking. Every damn thing. Day and night. Every day. Like a servant."

She closed her eyes for a second, her breathing shallow.

"Then one day I retaliated. Just once. Over something small. Something that was mine."

Her lips trembled.

"And they sold me."

A pause.

"Said I’d be trained to serve nobles. That I was lucky to be chosen."

Just said it like she’d finally coughed up something that had been choking her for years.

The silence after felt heavier than her voice.

She drew in a shaky breath.

"Then they sent me here."

Her voice barely held together now.

She laughed once, dry and bitter.

"Told me if I was good, if I was perfect, things would be better."

Tears welled again in her eyes.

She blinked fast, trying to hold them back, but they clung to her lashes anyway.

"So I did it. I listened. I obeyed. I smiled when I had to. I worked harder than anyone else."

Her hands clenched the fabric of her skirt.

"But now..."

A pause.

"Even after all that..."

She shook her head.

"I’m still getting traded off like... like I’m nothing."

A single tear slipped down her cheek.

"Maybe it’s my fault."

Alaric looked at her then.

Really looked.

But she wasn’t looking back.

"Maybe I wasn’t a good girl. Maybe that’s why my parents left me. Maybe that’s why no one wanted to keep me. The reason why I keep ending up like this."

The words spilled like a confession, like she’d never said them out loud before.

"I tried, Alaric. I endured."

She wiped her face with the back of her hand, roughly.

"I tried to be perfect. I wanted to be perfect. So people would keep me."

Her voice broke then.

"But I still wasn’t enough."

Then quieter.

"I don’t get it. Why am I like this? Why can’t I just be... better?"

The silence afterward was sharp.

And she didn’t expect an answer.

Because part of her already thought she knew it.

Hearing all of that, seeing her like that, vulnerable, something in Alaric’s chest twisted.

Tight.

He’d only known her for a few weeks. Not long.

But in a place like this, moments stretched when you had no one else.

And maybe that’s why it felt like... something familiar.

She was the only one who even stood beside him in this damned place.

Both of them were servants in a world that forgot they were people.

He took a slow breath. Then another.

And looked at her.

Her eyes were red, her cheeks wet. But she was still trying to keep her spine straight.

And that made something snap inside him.

His voice came quiet.

Low. But steady.

"No, Iris. You’re not."

He paused. Letting the words settle.

"You’re not some broken thing. You’re not a mistake. You’re not pathetic."

He shifted slightly, turning to face her more.

"You’re the most annoying girl I’ve met."

The corner of his mouth twitched, just slightly.

"Always asking things. Hovering when I don’t want company. Talking too much when I want quiet."

He looked into her eyes.

"But you’re also the only one who bothered. The only one who didn’t treat me like I was invisible."

He paused, then said it plainly.

"You’re sweet. Kind. A little stubborn."

Another breath.

"The ones who left you, sold you, traded you off, they didn’t see that. And maybe they never wanted to. That’s on them, not you."

His voice lowered further.

"You’re not broken, Iris. You just got caught in one of fate’s cruel jokes. Trapped in wrong hands. Wrong people."

His tone softened.

"You’re not the problem. You never were."

Then she looked at him, tried her best to not let the tears spill, but.

Threw her arms around him.

Buried her face into his shoulder.

Trembling.

Breath hitching.

The Tears spilled again like they’d never stopped.

She held onto him like he was the only thing keeping her from slipping under.

And maybe he was.

Alaric didn’t move.

Didn’t speak.

He just reached up and began stroking her back, slow, steady, like she might fall apart if he didn’t.

His jaw tightened.

Inside him, something coiled, hot and sharp.

I’m sorry...

The thought came before he could stop it.

But then he scoffed, under his breath.

Why the hell am I sorry?

I didn’t ask for this. This body isn’t even mine. I wasn’t the one who got her into this.

He exhaled through his nose.

A bitter sigh.

Still holding her in place. Still steady.

But that doesn’t matter now, does it?

Being weak in this world... it’s a sin. The strong rule. The weak get trampled. That’s all there is to it.’

He closed his eyes, felt her fingers gripping tighter into his shirt.

Forgive me, Iris... I can’t do anything. Not yet.

His hand paused for a heartbeat.

Then resumed, stroking her back again.

His grip around her tightened, just a little.

You’ll have to accept this fate... or die protecting your dignity.

Though I don’t think you will. You’re human, after all. And being afraid of death... it’s normal.

He gritted his teeth.

But I promise you this.

His stare turned cold.

He won’t live for long.

Just once—

Let me out of this cage.

And I’ll destroy him.

Utterly Crush him.

The thought came and stayed.

And for the first time since being thrown into this hell,Alaric felt something close to purpose. ƒreewebɳovel.com

They stayed like that for a moment longer.

Just the sound of her breathing.

****

Morning came.

The estate stirred to life.

Maids moved with urgency, skirts swaying as they passed through corridors.

Servants carried crates, fetched cloth, polished boots and silver, all without a single word out of place.

The sun filtered through the tall windows.

Selene stood in the main hall, arms loosely folded, her gaze sharp.

She was dressed immaculately, as always, deep green silk dress, her raven-black hair tied into a clean braid.

As usual Ferick wasn’t there.

Renard sat comfortably on the long cushioned sofa, one leg crossed over the other.His guards flanked both sides of the room.

And just beside him—

Iris.

She stood still, eyes lowered, body too quiet.

Selene glanced her way once. Then addressed Renard.

"The carriage is ready, Milord."

Renard smiled lazily.

"Of course, Lady Selene. You’ve been a gracious host."

Selene’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Lord Renard, you had requested two servants. You’ve chosen her—"

She motioned toward Iris.

"Who’s the second?"

Renard didn’t answer right away.

Instead, he let his eyes drift across the room.

Lingering on every servant, every quiet figure trying not to draw attention.

Then he stopped.

His grin widened as he lifted a single hand and pointed at the boy, standing near the pillar.

"Him."

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