Chapter 315 The Villain Lady Arrives 144
As the battle continued, the tacit understanding and affection between Alice and Tariq also grew quietly. Whenever night fell and the stars dotted the sky, the two would unconsciously get close to each other, sharing each other's thoughts and visions for the future. Alice found that she was increasingly relying on Tariq's solid shoulders and warm eyes, and Tariq always appeared by her side when she needed help the most.
Once, during a tense rest period, Alice was exhausted from continuous fighting and took a nap under an old tree at the edge of the camp. Seeing this, Tariq came over quietly, took off his cloak, and gently covered her shoulders. His movements were so delicate, as if he was afraid of disturbing Alice's dream. Alice opened her eyes slightly and saw Tariq's gentle smile and the care in his eyes. At that moment, her heart was deeply touched.
"Thank you, Tariq." Alice said softly, with a hint of imperceptible tenderness in her voice.
"It's what I should do, Alice. You've given so much for us, and I just hope to do my best to make you feel a little warmth." Tariq's words were full of sincerity, his eyes fixed on Alice's face, as if he wanted to engrave this moment in his heart forever.
As time went by, Tariq's care and concern for Alice became more and more obvious. He began to unconsciously ignore the kindness and care of other female confidantes around him. Those partners who once fought side by side with him and talked about love with him gradually felt his changes. Among them, there were many smart and perceptive people who soon noticed Tariq's special feelings for Alice.
One evening, several close friends gathered together, and they looked particularly melancholy under the moonlight. They sat around the campfire and talked in low voices, and the topic naturally turned to Tariq.
"Have you noticed? Tariq has been paying less and less attention to us recently." A woman said softly, with a hint of loss in her eyes.
"Yeah, he always revolves around Alice, as if we don't exist." Another woman echoed, with a hint of sadness in her tone.
"We can't just give up like this. Tariq is our friend and our comrade-in-arms." An older woman stood up, her eyes gleaming with determination. "We should find a chance to have a good talk with him."
Everyone nodded in agreement. So they decided to find Tariq the next morning when he was training alone and express their feelings to him.
The next morning, when the first rays of sunlight penetrated the mist and shone on the training ground, Tariq was sweating profusely while practicing swordplay. His movements were vigorous and powerful, but his eyes seemed to lack the spirit of the past. At this time, several confidantes slowly walked over, with complex expressions on their faces, both expectant and uneasy.
"Tariq, can we talk?" The older woman spoke first, her voice gentle but powerful.
Tariq stopped his sword and turned around. Seeing them, he was a little surprised. "Of course, what's the matter?" he asked, with a hint of doubt in his tone.
"This is about you, Tariq." The other woman stepped forward and looked him in the eye. "We've sensed that you've been growing more distant from us lately. Is it because of Alice?"
Tariq's face flashed with embarrassment, but he quickly regained his composure. "You misunderstood. I didn't intentionally alienate anyone." He explained, "It's just that Alice needs more support and help now. As her friend and comrade-in-arms, I can't just stand by and watch."
"We understand your feelings for Alice, Tariq." The older woman spoke again, "But don't forget that we are also your partners and we also need your care and company."
"I..." Tariq hesitated, he never thought that his actions would hurt them. He knew that these confidantes were equally important in battle, and the friendship and trust between them were his precious wealth.
"Tariq, we're not asking you to change anything right away," another woman said gently, "We just hope that while you're paying attention to Alice, you won't forget about us. We're a team, a family, and we need to support each other and move forward together."
Tariq listened to their words and felt deeply guilty and touched. He realized that he had indeed inadvertently ignored their feelings. "I'm sorry, I neglected it." He apologized sincerely, "I will pay attention and will not let this happen again in the future."
Upon hearing this, the confidantes all smiled with relief. They knew that Tariq was a man who valued friendship and loyalty, and his promises were trustworthy. So, they sat together and continued to chat, sharing each other's stories and dreams, as if they had returned to the carefree time when they fought side by side.
All of this was seen by Alice who was not far away. She stood aside silently, feeling mixed emotions.
Alice's eyes passed through the soft morning light and fell on the harmoniously chatting figures, and her heart was filled with ripples. She had never thought that her existence would become an invisible barrier between Tariq and them. The words of those confidantes were like fine needles, piercing her conscience one by one, making her reflect on her relationship with Tariq.
She knew that everyone had made great sacrifices and efforts in this long battle, and although Tariq's care for her was out of sincere friendship, it also deprived him of the attention and companionship that other comrades should have. Alice's heart was full of contradictions and struggles. She was grateful for Tariq's selfless dedication, but also felt guilty for the troubles that her existence might have brought.
Just as she was immersed in complicated thoughts, a breeze blew by, bringing the occasional sound of Tariq's sword during training. That sound once made her feel at ease, but now it became extremely harsh. Alice took a deep breath and decided to face her heart and everything that might happen.
She slowly walked towards Tariq and his confidantes, each step seemed to carry a heavy burden. When her figure appeared in everyone's sight, the air seemed to freeze for a moment. Tariq was the first to notice her, and a flash of surprise flashed in his eyes, but was soon replaced by confusion.
"Alice, why are you here?" There was a barely perceptible hint of nervousness in his words.
Alice did not answer immediately, but scanned everyone present with her deep eyes, finally stopping at Tariq's face. Her voice was gentle but firm: "Tariq, I have something to say to you."
Tariq was slightly stunned, then nodded, motioning her to continue. Her female friends also stopped talking and quietly waited for Alice's next words.