Chereads / I BECAME THE VILLAIN OF A NOVEL / Chapter 39 - Searching in a haste.

Chapter 39 - Searching in a haste.

"Alexandra, the special education course system will make you responsible for the growth of Nasrin until Nasrin differentiates to an Alpha, are you aware of the consequences that you might face?" Penelope said, staring at Alexandra sitting next to her on the sofa.

Alexandra nodded as she replied, "I'm well aware, Penny."

Hearing Alexandra's response, Penelope narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure about this, Alex? If you mess this up, you'll face a trial in court and be held responsible for whatever that happens," Penelope said, staring at Alexandra sitting beside her on the sofa. 

Alexandra nodded firmly, staring at Penelope's red bloody eyes. "Yes, I know and I'm sure, Penny." 

Penelope pursed her lips, seeing the determined eyes of Alexandra. "May I ask…why?"

Why? 

For a long moment, Alexandra didn't answer as she remained quiet, grabbing her chin as she pondered to herself. 

Alexandra also asks herself why she is so concerned with this lass, Nasrin. 

At first, Alexandra was only interested in Nasrin's dark attributes, and it was the reason why she made a deal with the lass. 

However, the other reason was because the girl reminds her of herself back when she was young. 

The girl was ignorant of how the world works, naive with people's intentions, and has a dumb way of approaching things. Nasrin is so much like her back then. 

Seeing how Nasrin desperately begged her during the registration day, Alexandra only felt pity; she is actually not planning to make Nasrin as her assistant. 

Alexandra just wanted to help, and she just wanted to teach someone her skills. To pass her knowledge to someone who has the potential, and that person is Nasrin. 

If possible Alexandra would pass all of her knowledge to her own child, but she can't. 

It was because a beta can never have a child, and it has always been Alexandra's dream to have a family of her own, then teach her child everything she knows about this world. 

However, she can never have those things, and that's why when Alexandra saw how Nasrin appears like a blank sheet of paper. Like a toddler that hasn't been taught anything yet. 

It was then that Alexandra had the idea of making Nasrin as her apprentice, but being a beta made Alexandra change her plans, so she offered a deal to Nasrin instead. 

Alexandra found meaning in her life again. Alexandra wants to teach Nasrin everything. Including her beliefs, principles, and morals. She wants to raise Nasrin like her own child, and it gave Alexandra some purpose in her life again. 

Alexandra plans on raising Nasrin like a good parent, but when she discovers how much potential Nasrin has; it makes Alexandra want to unleash it and push Nasrin to her limit. 

Yet, it seems that Nasrin is a stubborn child. Despite being stabbed in the chest, Nasrin still wants to continue with how she approaches things. Alexandra had no problem with that, however she knew this world is cruel to people with a good heart, and Alexandra feels responsible in teaching Nasrin how this world works. 

That's why despite Alexandra liking how ignorant and naive Nasrin is; Alexandra decided to teach Nasrin the reality of this world. 

What they encountered a few days ago made Alexandra change her way of teaching and raising Nasrin. 

Alexandra discovered that she needs to harden her heart in raising Nasrin. If she doesn't do that, then Nasrin might end up in the same situation again. Like what happened during that training. 

Recalling what happened that night, Alexandra became more determined with her plan. 

Alexandra turned her head to Penelope with a soft smile. "Why? Well, she reminds me of who I used to be, Penny," Alexandra answered. 

"That's all?" Penelope asked, squinting her eyes probingly. 

Alexandra smiled wryly as she added. "Well, you know how I can't have a kid on my own, right?"

Penelope widened her eyes in surprise at this. "Are you saying that you want to adopt Nasrin?"

Alexandra chuckled, then she smiled bitterly and helplessly, then she said, "I'm a beta, Penny, you know that I don't have the right to adopt a child or raise a child."

"Right," Penelope said, nodding her head. "But…"

"Penny," Alexandra interrupted, then she continued, "Teaching Nasrin every bit of my knowledge would be my life's greatest achievement, so…"

"I see," Penelope replied, then she stood up and took some papers to her desk. "Call back Nasrin, you two will need to sign a waiver."

Alexandra's dark eyes lit up as she stood up. "Thank you, Penny," she said. 

Penelope only smiled softly as a response. 

Alexandra hurriedly walked towards the door excitedly. Before opening the door, Alexandra fixes the expression on her face. She wants to appear dignified in front of Nasrin, because a certain mother once told her that kids often copy their parents as a model. That's why Alexandra feels the need to be at her best in front of Nasrin. 

After fixing the expression on her face, Alexandra finally opens the wooden door calling for Nasrin, and afterwards, Penelope makes them sign a waiver form. 

Signing the waiver form made Alexandra feel like she was signing a certificate of the adoption paper. It made her feel excited. It had always been her dream to have a child on her own. A family of her own. 

In this trip, Alexandra will strengthen her bond with Nasrin, so Nasrin will trust her more and rely on her. 

After signing the papers, Penelope opens a portal for them. Alexandra already told Penelope everything about her teaching course, and that's why Penelope offered to open a portal for them. 

"It will lead you straight to a nearby alley on that place," Penelope said.

Alexandra smiled at Penelope, and said, "thank you Penny," then her dark eyes turned to Nasrin, and said, "after you lass…"

Alexandra noticed how Nasrin would always hug the red rabbit for comfort. Looking at this habit, Alexandra feels like Nasrin is just really a child who knows nothing of the world. It made Alexandra feel both distress and bless. Distress that Nasrin was not taught in their Urduja Clan, and at the same time, Alexandra felt blessed that Nasrin knew nothing. It was because she is the one who would teach Nasrin about these things. 

Alexandra resisted the urge to smile to herself as she waited for Nasrin to enter the portal. 

"Hurry up, it's not easy to hold a portal," Penelope said urgently.

This made Nasrin slowly enter the black hole, and as soon as Nasrin entered, Nasrin disappeared from Alexandra's sight.

Alexandra turned to Penelope and said, "thank you, Penny…for helping me."

"Always a pleasure," Penelope replied.

Alexandra nodded. "Then I'll be going in too, Nasrin is waiting for me on the other side," she said, walking to the portal.

"Be careful, Alex…"

Alexandra heard Penelope say as she entered the portal, then she got transported to a dark alley near the slums, and afterwards, the black hole slowly disappeared. 

"Let's go," Alexandra said as she started walking. 

Nasrin followed obediently beside her. Alexandra notices Nasrin looking around the slum with worried pulled up brows. 

Alexandra sighs quietly seeing how Nasrin would always wear her emotion in her sleeve. With one glance, Alexandra could tell what Nasrin was thinking. 

She bet that Nasrin would ask her where they are currently at, so Alexandra already prepared to lecture the lass. 

"Professor, where are we?" Nasrin said, roaming her light brown eyes around the alley. 

Alexandra raised her hand, flicking Nasrin hard on the forehead, and immediately, Nasrin fixed the expression on her face.

Alexandra smiled to herself seeing this. At least Nasrin can react fast by instinct. She knows that Nasrin is not stupid. Just a little slow is all, but sometimes, Nasrin chooses to do dumb things. 

And Alexandra couldn't understand why. Perhaps it's the mindset. So Alexandra plans on changing Nasrin's set of mind through this trip.

"This place is now often called the City of the Dregs, but its original name is Nilad City; it was named after a Nilad plant. A type of flower shrub adapted to harsh marshy conditions, and it typically grows near the river bank or any wetland areas," Alexandra explained.

As they walked more, they slowly came out of the dark alley as they reached the street market. 

The street market is crowded with a bunch of different people. Some are locals and some are foreigners. Most people that come here are pirates, criminals in exile, and illegal dealers. 

After all, this Nilad city used to be the trading port for all kingdoms in the east ocean, but after being conquered and colonised by Maple Kingdom; the city and the island became a garbage land for leftovers and prisoners. Slowly, the city became a dark market gathering people for shady dealings. 

Alexandra brought Nasrin here to teach Nasrin about the reality of this world. She plans on bringing Nasrin to train in this city for a while before traveling to another place. 

"So are we still at the Maple Kingdom?" Nasrin said, beside Alexandra.

Alexandra turned her head to look at Nasrin, then she saw the lass staring around with wide open eyes and mouth. 

Alexandra sighs again seeing this ignorant lass. She raises her hand again, flicking Nasrin in the forehead. Nasrin hurriedly closed her mouth as she fixed the expression on her face.

"Yes and no," Alexandra answered, then she smiled to herself and continued, "this was one of the conquered and colonised lands of the army of our kingdom, so technically speaking, you could say that we're still at the domain of the Maple Kingdom," Alexandra explained to the curious Nasrin.

Despite fixing the expression on her face, Nasrin still can't hide the curiosity in her light brown eyes. 

Alexandra hopes that Nasrin will open her eyes and see the dark side of the world. Nasrin is living like the world is only filled with butterflies, flowers, and unicorns. That is a dangerous way of living in a cruel bloody world. 

Somewhere far ahead, Alexandra notices a huge crowd of armoured people about to come their way. 

With knitted brows, Alexandra continued to walk as she warned the curious ignorant lass beside her. "Walk close to me, or you might end up getting lost, it would be hard to find a lost child amidst this huge crowd," she said, staring cautiously ahead of her. 

"Thief! Someone catch that thief!"

Alexandra saw a man clad in leather armour yelling and pointing at a certain little girl. The little girl ran somewhere from the crowd. People turn everywhere in chaos, bumping into each other as the armoured men and women run after the little girl. 

Alexandra continued to walk ignoring this scene with an indifferent gaze. After all, that man's face is familiar to Alexandra; that man is Jabez Iscariot; he used to be Alexandra's school mate when she was still studying at Mystic Academy. But what makes Alexandra feel indifferent about the situation was how Jabez seems to be an accomplice with the little girl.

Actually, some of the armoured men and women are probably also accomplices. That's what Alexandra thinks assuming how only a few armoured men and women tried to really run after the little girl. 

Based on how buff their bodies are, Alexandra could feel that they could run even faster to how they are running now. Yet, Alexandra observes that these people are running slow on purpose. 

Alexandra has no idea why these people are making a scene, but the best thing to do here is to ignore it. 

"Don't get dragged in with these chaotic people lass, and walk closer to me," Alexandra said as she continued to walk while her eyes remained indifferent with what was happening. 

As Alexandra walks more, she soon notices how quiet Nasrin is beside her. Alexandra turned her head beside her and said, "are you liste…huh?" 

"Lass?" Alexandra called, looking around her searching for an ignorant lass. Slowly, her eyes widened as she found Nasrin missing beside her. 

Rubbing her temples, Alexandra looked around her muttering, "I told her to stay close to me…"

With a deep sigh, Alexandra went back to where she and Nasrin came from. She thought that Nasrin would be smart enough to go back to where they came from if she got lost. 

When Alexandra got back to the dark alley in the slum area, her brows furrowed seeing that Nasrin is also nowhere to be found there. 

However, she still waited for a few more minutes, hoping that Nasrin would get back there. She waited and waited but Alexandra didn't see the walking figure of Nasrin. 

Her heart pounded in panic as she hurriedly went back to the street market. Alexandra finally started asking people for Nasrin. 

"Excuse me, sir, have you seen a girl holding a red rabbit walking around here?" Alexandra asked a man passing by. 

The man shook his head and went to continue his way. 

Alexandra sighs rubbing her temples feeling a headache. As she continued to walk more, Alexandra got hungry and she remembered that Nasrin doesn't have any money or food with her, making Alexandra even more worried. 

With her stomach growling in hunger, Alexandra went to a nearby skewer stall, and it's also where they walked before Nasrin got lost beside her. She decided to go ask the vendors here since they might have seen Nasrin. 

"Excuse me, have you seen a girl holding a red rabbit walking around here?"

"A girl holding a red rabbit? You mean the thief?" The old man asked back, flipping the skewered meat, grilling them on top of a charcoal. 

Alexandra shook her head and said, "no, she's not a thief."

The old man furrowed his brow and said, "then I don't think I've seen the one you're describing, anyway, if you're not going to buy then go bother other stall vendors instead, I'm busy here!"

Alexandra sighs, but Alexandra didn't give up as she persuaded, "please tell me if you saw a girl holding a red rabbit, I'll buy twenty skewers if you could provide me with any information."

The old man smirked at Alexandra and said, "pay first then we have a deal!"

Alexandra rolled her eyes as she took ten copper coins. "Here," she said, paying for twenty skewers. 

"Good," the old man mumbled, snatching the ten coppers with a smirk. 

Alexandra narrowed her eyes on the old man. 

The old man remained unfazed as he cleared his throat and said, "I did see a girl holding a red rabbit, but the garrison army took her with them branding her as a thief."

"What?" Alexandra gasped in shock as her eyes widened. "How is that possible…?"

The old man shrugs as he wraps twenty skewers. "I'm not sure how they came to the conclusion, but if they say she's a thief then she must be one, here I've wrapped up your skewers," the old man said, handing them to Alexandra.

With complicated furrowed brows, Alexandra accepted them. "Thank you," she said. 

"No worries, anyway, if you want to look for that thief, you should go look in the Dregs Arena," the old man said as he added more skewers to the grill. 

"I see, thank you," Alexandra said as she left the stall, running hurriedly towards the Dregs Arena.

[Dregs Arena? That's a place only for prisoners!]

Alexandra's furrowed brows deepen as she runs more in haste.