Chapter 82: An Unresolved Curiosity (4)
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After Berg departed to converse with Adam, Ner and Arwin made their way to Berg’s house amidst a palpable tension.
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They were left speechless at the sight of Berg, driven by rage, expelling members of the Hea Church.
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Witnessing a side of him they had never seen before only deepened their confusion.
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-Creak... Thump.
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Without a word, the two stepped into Berg’s tranquil home.
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With one less presence, the house felt eerily empty.
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Only now did they seem to truly sense the home’s innate atmosphere.
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The image of Berg charging towards the paladins was still vivid in Arwin’s mind.
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She felt it during the Gallias incident... and now, the same questions resurfaced.
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Was he not afraid of dying?
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Why did he engage in such a reckless fight?
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It seemed as if Arwin had inadvertently absorbed the fear Berg should have felt.
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Her racing heart still hadn’t subsided.
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“...What just happened?”
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She wasn’t the only one stunned.
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Ner cautiously inquired.
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Arwin delicately took a seat nearby and shook her head.
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“...I’m not sure.”
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“...”
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What kind of relationship did he have with the Hea Church that this happened?
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Why on earth did the Hea Church seek out Berg?
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Why did Berg react so vehemently upon seeing them?
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Could his disregard for religion be a reason?
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How did the paladin recognize Berg?
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She struggled to piece together the myriad puzzle of questions.
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Could Berg have been in the midst of preparing to become a paladin?
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Were his parents perhaps high-ranking members of the Hea Church?
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Had the Hea Church ever tried to pursue Berg before?
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Could Berg possibly be privy to the Hea Church’s confidential information that shouldn’t be leaked outside?
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“...”
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Nothing could be ascertained.
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There was an overwhelming amount of missing information.
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“...I think we need to talk to Berg to find out.”
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Arwin finally concluded.
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Ner nodded in agreement to her words.
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Thereafter, the two sat silently, waiting for the yet-to-return Berg.
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Tension gradually eased in the quiet passing of time.
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Come to think of it, it had been a long time since the two were left alone like this.
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Friends who shared their true feelings with each other.
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As Arwin quietly fiddled with her ring, questions directed at Ner surfaced in her mind.
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There were things she couldn’t ask when Berg was around.
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Even the journey back to the village was a testament to that.
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In a situation that didn’t require any pretense, the sight of Ner wrapping her tail around Berg’s waist was unforgettable.
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Several other awkward moments also lingered in her memory.
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Arwin silently wrestled with whether to ask those questions or to hold back.
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“…Isn’t the ring uncomfortable?”
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However, while she contemplated, Ner broached the subject first.
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Arwin glanced at Ner once, then looked back down at her ring.
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She pondered on how to answer such a simple question.
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“...It feels better than I expected.”
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Arwin responded to Ner’s inquiry with a light tone.
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Ner nodded, replying, “I see. Unlike me, you seem to adapt quickly.”
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“...Perhaps our rings are a bit more comfortable?”
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“...Ours? I’ve only just gotten used to mine...”
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Arwin corrected herself, “Ah, I meant mine and Berg’s rings.”
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“...”
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Ner gazed intently at Arwin, then settled down on her tail before asking, “...You haven’t already fallen for Berg, have you?”
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Arwin swallowed hard at that question. It was an abrupt and piercing query. Was it because a member of the werewolf tribe was asking? The question seemed tinged with a hint of scorn towards those who fall in love quickly.
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Arwin maintained her composure. Given the tone and atmosphere with which Ner posed the question, there was no other way to respond.
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“...What do you mean? Why would you ask something like that all of a sudden?”
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“The vibe you give off... it feels different from before.”
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Arwin replied calmly, “...Didn’t I say I couldn’t love a short-lived species?”
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At her response, Ner nodded firmly, “Right, you did.”
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“...”
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However, seeing Ner nodding like that, Arwin felt a peculiar unease. It felt as if Ner was subtly steering the conversation.
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Silence lingered for a while.
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Eventually, drawing in a slow breath, Ner whispered, “Arwin-nim?”
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“Yes?”
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“...Should I continue to sleep together with Berg?”
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“...”
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“...I’ve grown accustomed to it now.”
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Upon hearing Ner’s proposition, Arwin felt as if a weight had been added to her heart. She recalled the nights with Berg. Just a few days ago, he had awakened her from a nightmare and soothed her. She couldn’t fathom the depth of the warmth she felt from him then.
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Subsequently, their conversation that dawn led to her learning archery from him.
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...For Arwin, those were moments turning into irreplaceable memories.
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Thus, she wanted to decline Ner’s proposal.
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Nights spent with Berg were no longer actions met with Arwin’s aversion.
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...In fact, nights without Berg felt almost dull.
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But maybe it was because she had just said she couldn’t love a short-lived species?
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Declining Ner’s proposal might make her seem hypocritical.
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It would sound like she was lying earlier.
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“...”
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So instead of answering, Arwin posed a question.
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“How about you, Ner?”
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“Huh?”
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“...Have you fallen for Berg?”
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“...”
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“Did you give up on your destined partner who is a noble, from your grandmother, a fortune teller, prophecy?”
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“...Why do you ask?”
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“You mentioned wanting to sleep together earlier.”
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“It’s not that I want to sleep together... I just thought it might not be as hard for me as it is for you.”
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“I can handle it.”
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“Well, that’s a relief then.”
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Arwin wasn’t about to let Ner sidestep the questioning.
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She was curious too, after all.
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“So, have your feelings about Berg changed?”
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Arwin recalled the sight of Ner snuggling into Berg’s arms, giggling, “You even wrapped your tail around Berg’s waist earlier.”
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“...He asked for some pretense.”
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“But even after we left the village, you kept it wrapped.”
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“...”
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“If the person destined for you had such a past, wouldn’t you dislike it?”
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“Berg is my first friend. It’s natural for me to feel a bit more special about him.”
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Hearing Ner’s words, Arwin decided to conclude her own justifications for her actions.
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“Same for me. I’ve never had a friend as close as Berg... that’s probably why, to you, I seem to have changed.”
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The two looked at each other, then looked away.
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That topic came to an end.
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Arwin quietly heaved a sigh without Ner noticing.
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After a while, the sound of someone approaching the house could be heard.
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“It seems Berg has returned,” Ner remarked.
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Arwin nodded, “It seems so.”
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****
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Though Arwin had a plethora of questions for Berg, he expressed a desire for rest and headed to his room with Ner.
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Arwin felt a growing sense of frustration she couldn’t quite place.
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She yearned to resolve her questions about the Hea Church swiftly.
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She wanted to understand why such a perilous event had occurred.
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“...”
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Yet, the sight of Berg disappearing with Ner left a bitter taste in her mouth.
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Was it due to her recent conversation with Ner?
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Her frustration only intensified.
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Wondering if Berg might come out of his room again, Arwin chose to remain seated in the living room.
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It was still too early to retire for the night.
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Involuntarily, Arwin found herself concentrating on any noise echoing through the silence of the house.
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“...”
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But there was an absolute stillness.
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It didn’t seem like Ner and Berg were engaged in conversation.
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At least, she couldn’t be certain.
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But with the unseen came a heightened imagination.
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Arwin slowly rose and approached the window in the living room.
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She opened it, letting in the cool night air.
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Before she realized it, she began casting a spell, and her eyes glowed blue.
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After a short moment, with a flutter, a bird flew in.
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It was magic she had learned from Sylphrien, the mage in the Hero party.
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Arwin whispered a request to the bird, “...Could you briefly check what they’re doing in that room?”
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It was mere curiosity.
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After waiting for Berg for such a long time, his abrupt retreat to his room made her uneasy.
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If the two of them were having a private conversation, she felt it might upset her.
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With that, the bird took off.
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Suddenly, Arwin found herself pondering what she was doing.
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Still, having made the request, Arwin quietly waited for her bird.
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She looked down at her hand.
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The ring on her left ring finger.
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The fingertips scuffed while practicing archery with Berg.
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His marks were already left on her.
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Arwin thought of Berg.
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...Would she be able to spend time with him tomorrow?
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Come to think of it, she had to teach him how to read and write.
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-Tap, tap, tap.
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Lost in her thoughts, she was interrupted by the bird, tapping on the window frame.
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Snapped from her reverie, Arwin tilted her head.
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-Chirp! Chirp!
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The message from the bird made Arwin involuntarily furrow her brows.
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“.........What?”
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Her throat tightened.
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The bird conveyed that Berg was holding Ner tightly from behind.
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Just like a real couple.
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“...”
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Hadn’t Ner said Berg was just a friend?
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Then why would they be in that position?
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...Berg had never held her like that, not even once.
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She was continually reminded of the image of Berg, putting a ring on her finger in a beautiful sunset.
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Biting her lips slightly, Arwin let out a sigh and stood up.
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...In reality, there was another way to know Ner’s true feelings.
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Considering the circumstances, effective strategies filled her mind.
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There wasn’t a particular need to ask Ner directly.
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Making sure neither Ner nor Berg could hear her, Arwin slowly headed towards Ner’s room.
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A personal space she shouldn’t invade.
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Once inside, she lightly snapped her fingers.
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-Snap!
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Suddenly, the position of everything inside the room was revealed to her.
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“...”
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What Arwin was looking for was specific.
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The item Ner had newly brought from the Celebrien estate.
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Her diary.
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Arwin lifted the diary she found amidst Ner’s belongings.
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Her true feelings would surely be written here.
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Why was it essential to know this?
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Arwin didn’t know.
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But her curiosity about those feelings grew, and Arwin couldn’t resist it.
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Those new emotions she was experiencing drove her to extremes.
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With her magic, Arwin’s eyes shone in the darkness.
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She opened the book in a familiar manner.
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When was the last time she read a book? She couldn’t remember.
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“.............Huh?”
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But from the very first page, Arwin was thrown into confusion.
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The information she expected to find was nowhere to be seen.
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There was nothing written about Ner’s true feelings.
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Instead, there was detailed information about the Stockpin, the base of the Red Flames.
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This was information that others shouldn’t know.
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For example, the Hea Church intended to harm Berg.
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Arwin blinked.
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She couldn’t even breathe.
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She had come to understand Ner’s true feelings more clearly than if she had heard them directly.
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And, unmistakably, she was reminded of what Ner’s race was.
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Werewolves.
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A race that deeply loves just one individual.
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Did she write this hoping to meet her destined partner?
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In the face of love, does even a first friend become meaningless?
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Perhaps Ner had been quietly waiting for her moment all along.
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“.......”
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Arwin realized she had underestimated Ner.
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Beneath her naive appearance lay a hidden blade.
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Seeing her always smiling happily by Berg’s side, Arwin never suspected this.
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Arwin silently closed the book.
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Her feelings were in turmoil.
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...It seemed that everything Ner said about Berg was not a lie.
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It appeared she didn’t truly love him.
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If that was true, then maybe, just maybe, Ner, who was currently nestled in Berg’s embrace, might also be going through a tough time.
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Ner’s earlier words about wanting to sleep with Berg might have been out of consideration for Arwin.
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She felt foolish for doubting her.
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Arwin restored everything to its original state and left the room.
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She approached the living room window.
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Trying to process the shocking revelation, she sat in a chair.
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-Chirp! Chirp!
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The bird chirped, capturing her attention.
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Arwin gently petted the bird and then... looked back toward Ner’s room.
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...Whatever the case, it seemed she couldn’t leave Ner alone any longer.
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Arwin bowed her head once more.
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Then, she made another request to the bird.
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“...Could you keep an eye on Ner from now on?”
– – – The End of The Chapter – – –
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