Chapter 54: Like a Moth to a Flame (1)

 

-Thud!

 

With the final swing, the wooden sword slipped out of my hand. Twirling in the air, it landed at a distance.

 

“Phew...”

 

Gallias exhaled deeply at the same moment.

 

“...Who is your master?” he asked, pointing the wooden sword at my bare neck.

 

Accepting my defeat, I slumped to the ground.

 

250 years of experience proved insurmountable. I had never encountered such skillful swordsmanship.

 

The last time I felt up against a wall like this was long ago, when I fought with Adam Hyung.

 

“...Our captain.”

 

Gallias took another deep breath and sat beside me, his expressions were far from pleased.

 

“...Talent really is unfair. You, who have held a sword for barely ten years, have given me this much trouble.”

 

He glared at his own hand, clearly frustrated but not trying to make empty excuses for my benefit.

 

Nevertheless, I couldn’t help but feel deflated.

 

“You’ve been holding back all this time, so why...”

 

“I thought I could afford to hold back more. What has all my past years amounted to?”

 

“...”

 

“Is it because you’ve faced more life-or-death situations?”

 

I offered no reply to Gallias’ words.

 

I didn’t have the audacity to offer advice after losing the duel.

 

“...”

 

As I catch my breath in silence, Gallias lightly patted my back.

 

“It was fun, vice-captain. Let’s have another match if the opportunity arises. Who knows? I might even visit your village.”

 

With that, Gallias cleanly concluded our encounter.

 

He seemed like someone who thinks of nothing but the sword.

 

I nodded my head.

 

It was indeed a valuable experience. New techniques to emulate and perspectives to consider had emerged.

 

Picking up his wooden sword, Gallias said,

 

“And congratulations on your marriage. Arwin and...”

 

And then, he closed his mouth abruptly.

 

“...?”

 

“Live happily with Arwin, without any problems. It’s easy to misunderstand her, but... she’s a good person.”

 

Soon after, he left with an unexpected piece of advice woven into his farewell.

 

“...Thank you.”

 

I accepted his parting words and watched Gallias’ retreating back.

 

****

 

Just like that, the day turned to evening.

 

The estate of Celebrien was quiet. Since it was a small, private wedding, there was no crowd gathered for spectating.

 

Perhaps the somewhat independent disposition of the elves also played a part.

 

Or maybe, from an elf’s perspective, someone marrying a human wasn’t necessarily a cause for celebration.

 

Regardless, every time the elves saw me, they expressed their gratitude for protecting the World Tree.

 

In any case, I head back to my temporary lodging to make final preparations.

 

-Knock, knock.

 

In the lodging, Ner sat quietly, gazing out the window.

 

“You’re here, Berg?”

 

Ner raised from her seat upon my arrival.

 

“The wedding ceremony will be soon, won’t it? I saw Arwin-nim earlier; she looked beautiful.”

 

For some reason, her mood appeared elevated. Her expression wasn’t bad, and her voice had a certain strength to it.

 

“...”

 

Perhaps I had been worrying too much.

 

Continuing to chat, Ner even approached to adjust my clothing.

 

“You’ve got something on you here.”

 

“...”

 

“We’ll be living with Arwin-nim from now on. It’s exciting. I’ll gain another close friend, right? Ah, but you’re my first friend, Berg.”

 

But as her words continued, an awkward tension became evident.

 

Given that she usually didn’t talk this way, the strangeness felt even more pronounced.

 

Curious, my eyes found her white tail.

 

“...”

 

As expected, her drooping tail was sweeping the floor

 

Ner seemed to be straining herself, in her own way.

 

She wasn’t expressing dissatisfaction, given that it was her own choice, but... she clearly had reservations about the polygamous situation.

 

Maybe it was more pronounced because she belonged to a werewolf tribe, traditionally inclined to love just one person.

 

A faint smile escaped my lips.

 

There was something poignant about her failing to hide her true feelings while pretending to be cheerful.

 

I kept realizing just how inept Ner was at disguising her emotions.

 

Unaware that I’d caught on, she continued her façade of cheerfulness.

 

“Ah, but I don’t have to attend the wedding, right? That would be a bit weird... the main characters are you and Arwin-nim, after all—”

 

“Ner.”

 

“...”

 

Her mouth stopped at the sound of her name.

 

She couldn’t meet my eyes and looked at the floor instead.

 

I let out a long sigh, and flicked her nose upward.

 

“Ugh...!”

 

Startled by the playful gesture, she finally looked up at me.

 

I chose not to bring up Arwin.

 

“Is there anything you want to do once I’m back?”

 

Instead, I asked her about her future plans.

 

“...Huh?”

 

“Like, is there something you want to eat, or something you want to learn, or a place you’d like to visit?”

 

Aside from the polygamy, Ner seemed to have no qualms about being here.

 

She even wrote a diary just yesterday.

 

“All of a sudden...?”

 

“It’s not sudden... I’ve been thinking about it.”

 

I have been working on making some changes lately.

 

Ner herself had expressed feeling stifled. I couldn’t let her suffocate like that.

 

I wanted to do something that would pique her interest.

 

Ner’s eyes rolled around, filled with uncertainty.

 

“...I don’t... really know.”

 

Only now did her true emotions begin to surface, evident in the listlessness of her voice.

 

“Take your time. Think about it. Anything you want.”

 

“...Anything?”

 

“Yes. Anything.”

 

“...”

 

Ner finally nodded her head.

 

The wedding ceremony was drawing near.

 

It was the moment when I would have to leave her behind.

 

We felt each other’s presence but maintained a silence.

 

I was unsure how to bring this to a close.

 

However, It was Ner who broke the silence.

 

“...As I said yesterday, you don’t have to feel sorry. I’m fine.”

 

Perhaps this was her way of indirectly saying that she didn’t yet love me.

 

But her drooping white tail seemed to more accurately reflect her true feelings.

 

She said she was fine, but she didn’t look like it.

 

Ner looked at me and spoke.

 

“It was my choice, wasn’t it?”

 

“...”

 

“...But, I’ll stay here anyway. Attending the wedding ceremony would be weird.”

 

Hearing that, I let out a long sigh.

 

Worrying about it now wouldn’t change anything.

 

What was done was done; I decided to accept it with a clear mind.

 

“Alright. Got it. Just take it easy.”

 

“Okay. See you la—”

 

“...”

 

For a moment, Ner seemed to forget that I wouldn’t be coming back later.

 

Today, I would spend the night with Arwin.

 

I didn’t feel the need to vocalize this fact aloud.

 

“...No, let’s see each other tomorrow.”

 

Ner concluded as such, staring at the ground.

 

Almost as if guided by instinct, her perked-up ears turned toward me.

 

“...”

 

-Shhh, shhh.

 

Just like last night, I gently stroked her hair.

 

If I were to think of her as Lady Blackwood, it would be inappropriate...but such formalities didn’t matter to me.

 

Because she was Ner, my wife, so I could do this.

 

Ner’s body flinched slightly.

 

However, she didn’t push me away.

 

A smile crossed my face.

 

After stroking her one last time, I turned and left the room.

 

****

 

The wedding ceremony would take place in front of the World Tree.

 

Given our decision for a simple ceremony, only Adam Hyung and I attended from our side.

 

From the Celebrien side, only Ascal and Arwin would attend.

 

Whether we would go through a more complicated process following a human marriage ritual later on, we weren’t sure. But for now, we agreed to proceed in the Elf way.

 

Before the ceremony began, Adam Hyung and I had a brief conversation.

 

“So, did you do well in the duel?”

 

Hyung asked.

 

“...Gallias?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I lost. I don’t think I could ever beat him with a sword, no matter how long I train.”

 

At that, Hyung burst into laughter.

 

“Hey, the fact that you even tried to win is hilarious. The man has devoted 250 years solely to the sword.”

 

I shrugged my shoulders.

 

Looking up at the sky, I noticed the sunset.

 

Perhaps because it was the day of the wedding, even these trivial things seemed worth remembering.

 

It was certain to become a day to reminisce about in the distant future.

 

“...Hyung, this is the last time,” I muttered, gazing at that sky.

 

“Last time for what?”

 

“...Taking a wife.”

 

I could feel Hyung’s gaze land on the side of my face. Slowly nodding his head, he chuckled and promised, “Alright, I got it.”

 

My gaze shifted back to the World Tree.

 

It was a simple ceremony, but getting married under this tree felt profoundly significant to me.

 

Not everyone gets to marry here, after all.

 

Like the sunset I had seen earlier, it was going to be an unforgettable moment.

 

“...Here they come,” Adam Hyung whispered.

 

Turning my head, I saw two figures walking towards us, just as Hyung had said.

 

One was Ascal Celebrien, the elf elder.

 

Next to him was the woman who would become my new wife.

 

Arwin Celebrien.

 

She approached, dressed in flowing attire.

 

We had never spoken even once before, yet here we were, about to be bound in a marriage.

 

Her beauty, befitting an elf, was evident. The more closely I looked, the more striking it became.

 

Arwin’s gaze very slowly found mine.

 

Our eyes met.

 

“...”

 

“...”

 

This time, she didn’t look away. For a long while, our eyes remained locked.

 

At the same moment, I was etching into my heart that this was the woman for whom I would be responsible for the rest of my life.

 

Even if there was no mutual affection between us, it was my duty to protect her now that she had become my wife.

 

While I was lost in such thoughts, Ascal touched his forehead lightly as he greeted us.

 

Arwin followed suit, offering us her first greeting.

 

Both Adam Hyung and I slightly bowed our heads to accept the greeting.

 

“Vice-captain, no...Berg,” Ascal called out to me.

 

“How are you feeling?”

 

“I’m fine.”

 

Then he said with a kind smile.

 

“Good. If there’s anything uncomfortable, let me know. The procedures might be simpler and more modest compared to those among humans, but they carry deep meaning. On a day when you’re becoming a couple, it’s important to proceed with the ceremony without any discomfort.”

 

For a moment, I sensed the leisurely pace of the elves, as if they felt there was no rush to hold the ceremony.

 

Given that the ceremony was special even within their long lifespans...they must choose the best day for it.

 

“Today, the weather is good, everything is good. Arwin, if you have any discomfort, speak up.”

 

Arwin shook her head. Her eyes were still focused on me.

 

“None.”

 

“Very well. Let’s proceed with the wedding ceremony.”

 

Adam Hyung stood next to Ascal, following his lead.

 

The two of them agreed to oversee our ceremony.

 

“Come stand facing each other.”

 

Ascal directed the ceremony.

 

Following his instructions, I stood near the World Tree and looked at Arwin.

 

She continued to meet my gaze.

 

Soon, the elf elder standing next to us reached into his robe and pulled out two fresh leaves as if conducting a ritual.

 

One leaf was handed to me, the other to Arwin.

 

The leaf he handed me radiated a warm heat.

 

Catching his eye at this curiosity, he spoke.

 

“These are leaves from the World Tree. Hold the leaves you’ve both received in your right hands.”

 

Briefly setting aside my wonder, I followed his instructions and placed the leaf in my hand.

 

Arwin did the same.

 

It was as if we were exchanging these leaves, standing face to face.

 

“Now, hold each other’s hands.”

 

Following the procedure, I took Arwin’s right hand with my left.

 

Between our clasped hands was nestled the leaf from the World Tree.

 

Perhaps it was because the leaf from the World Tree was warm, but her hand felt even colder by contrast.

 

Arwin similarly placed her left hand over my right.

 

“Maintain this posture until the ceremony concludes,” Ascal advised.

 

“Understood.”

 

Arwin lightly nodded, as if she already knew.

 

Then, Ascal moved on to the next step.

 

Taking a deep breath, he spoke softly.

 

“...Before the World Tree, the seeds of a new couple have been planted. Berg of the humans, and Arwin Celebrien of the elves.”

 

Arwin’s clasped hand twitches nervously. Sensing this, I grip her hand even more firmly.

 

“May this couple grow healthy and upright through the fertilizer of happiness and laughter. Berg, as the husband, you must be the root, and Arwin, as the wife, you must be the flower. May the fruits that come forth between the two someday make the world a better place.”

 

I steady my heart, taking Ascal’s words to heart. I needed to understand that there was now another person I must cherish.

 

“The two will become a single entity, bound together in destiny. You both must vow to deeply love and cherish each other until death does you part.”

 

Ascal then turned to me.

 

“Berg?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Make your own vow to Arwin. The World Tree is watching, so no lies.”

 

I looked up momentarily at the World Tree.

 

Then my gaze fell back on Arwin.

 

Her eyes, cold and slightly downcast, meet mine.

 

It was awkward, but this was part of the process, so I had to speak my vow.

 

“... As long as I live, I vow to make you happy and to protect you.”

 

I etched this vow, which felt unreal, into my heart. These were the things that one must naturally do when married.

 

Ascal nodded his head and turned to look at Arwin.

 

“Arwin?”

 

“...”

 

“It’s your turn.”

 

“...”

 

For the first time, Arwin’s gaze left me. For a moment, she looked down at the ground.

 

Through our joined hands, I felt as if her emotions were being conveyed to me. They seemed far from happy.

 

Then Arwin spoke quietly, yet simply.

 

“...I will live for you.”

 

Ascal closed his eyes and began chanting something. His hand radiated a blue light, and a small magical circle filled with intricate runes materialized before him.

 

Recalling Ascal’s instructions to maintain our posture until the ceremony concluded, I stood still, focusing solely on Arwin’s eyes.

 

She did the same.

 

She had avoided my gaze for days, but she didn’t look away during this sacred moment.

 

“...Whew.”

 

Finally, Ascal’s incantation came to an end.

 

He explained, “The ceremony is now complete. The two of you are now husband and wife. You may let go of each other’s hands and inspect the leaves from the World Tree.”

 

The ceremony concluded more easily than I’d thought. Following Ascal’s instruction, I released Arwin’s cold hand.

 

My leaf, unlike when I first received it, had little tears here and there.

 

“From now on, you can gauge each other’s conditions through these leaves. Depending on your partner’s mood or health, the leaf will also change.”

 

According to him, the state of my leaf seemed to reflect my physical condition. It had changed in response to the wear and tear from battles.

 

“Now, it’s time to exchange the leaves.”

 

Ascal announced.

 

It was somewhat like our culture of exchanging rings, although decidedly more practical.

 

I handed my World Tree leaf to Arwin, and she gave me hers.

 

“...”

 

I caught my breath for a moment as I observed the form of Arwin’s World Tree leaf.

 

It had withered, entirely dried up.

 

Even at a glance, she appeared to be struggling.

 

My eyes found Arwin.

 

Once again, she looked at me with steady eyes.

 

But now, after seeing the leaf, her eyes seemed lifeless.

 

Whether she was struggling because of this marriage or whether there was some issue before that, I couldn’t tell.

 

“...”

 

What was certain was that a surge of compassion for her welled up within me.

 

It might have been the leaf, looking as if it would crumble at any moment, that was the problem.

 

Or perhaps it was the coldness of her hand.

 

Though I didn’t yet harbor any deep emotional attachment to her, she was now my wife.

 

I didn’t want to leave her in this deteriorating state.

 

But I buried those feelings deep within my chest.

 

I pretended not to have seen the leaf, tucking it away.

 

After all, there was nothing I could do right now.

 

I didn’t even know why she was in such a state.

 

I looked up at the sky.

 

The sunset had faded, and darkness was setting in.

 

“...Let’s go inside,” I suggested.

 

Adam Hyung and Ascal nodded.

 

Arwin also looked up at me and, with a nod, turned away.

 

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –