Chapter 85: The Mercenary Meeting (1)

 

A few days passed.

 

Ner spent peaceful times upon returning to Stockpin.

 

She was waiting for the moment to embark on her next journey with Berg.

 

These were the days when no major events unfolded.

 

Sleeping every other day with Berg.

 

Eating meals together.

 

Exchanging jokes.

 

Going for night walks... The daily life of waiting until Berg came looking for her.

 

Ner realized that she had unconsciously become accustomed to the culture of the human race.

 

Berg’s restraint, which once felt like a leash, was now not so unpleasant.

 

Sometimes, for fun, she would slightly step out of their meeting place and wait for Berg to find her.

 

That day, Berg searched through the forest for a good while, and finally burst into a hollow laugh when he found her hiding behind a tree.

 

Scoldings followed afterward, but Ner laughed heartily at such a sight of Berg.

 

Indeed, there were many more laughs after being with Berg.

 

It was astonishing how much she found herself laughing.

 

When she was in the Blackwood territory, she used to wonder whether she’d laugh even once a year...but now, it seemed like she laughed at least 5 times every day.

 

It was entirely different from the married life she had feared.

 

Of course, that was so far.

 

A profound cultural difference still existed, and there was no telling what new issues might arise in the future.

 

Today, too, Ner spent her day in comfort.

 

In the process, Berg began to prepare to step outside.

 

Hearing that noise, Ner, who was sitting in the room, hurriedly opened the door and came out.

 

Sure enough, Arwin, with her bow, was beside him.

 

“…Where are you going?”

 

Ner threw a question at that seemingly obvious situation.

 

Berg turned his head, smiling in response.

 

“Training. And practice bow shooting with Arwin while we’re at it.”

 

“...When will you be back?”

 

“Seems like around evening.”

 

“Just the two of you...?”

 

“We’ll train with the members.”

 

“Ah, I see.”

 

There was a nagging feeling when the two of them left like that.

 

Ner couldn’t identify its essence.

 

“Do you want to come?”

 

But with Berg’s following question, that uneasy feeling lightened significantly.

 

The mere fact that he offered showed that he wasn’t trying to exclude her.

 

So, Ner shook her head.

 

“No. I’ll stay here.”

 

“Alright. Come visit if you get bored.”

 

So, Berg and Arwin left.

 

Ner remained quietly in the house, now settled into silence...heading towards her room.

 

She’d noticed it recently, but when Berg disappeared, boredom abruptly came calling.

 

Even when doing nothing with him around, she didn’t feel this kind of boredom.

 

So, Ner sat like that, sighed, and began cleaning the house.

 

It was awkward in the past, but it had now become familiar.

 

Wandering around the house, recalling memories of repairing this marital home with Berg, was somewhat enjoyable in its own way.

 

The floor material they replaced together. The dishware they threw out and newly brought in. The rats in the basement.

 

If others saw her doing these household chores, they might have laughed at her appearance.

 

Who would have thought that the noble young lady of the Blackwood family would fall this far?

 

But at this moment, Ner felt more liberated than when she was living within the Blackwood territory.

 

There was no need to look good in front of anyone.

 

No need to mind her siblings’ views.

 

Even cleaning had its own kind of enjoyment.

 

The house, repaired with Berg, perhaps felt particularly so.

 

Memories had already begun to nestle here and there.

 

Except for Arwin’s room, Ner had cleaned every nook and cranny of the house.

 

Having finished the housework, she planned to take a short break and returned to her room with a cup of tea.

 

Ner gazed out the window for a moment, planning the rest of her day.

 

It seemed like it would be nice to go for a walk in the evening.

 

Then Berg would come looking for her.

 

As Ner whiled away the time thus, she suddenly found her diary.

 

“...”

 

Her heart jumped at that diary.

 

Its very existence was momentarily forgotten, having not looked at it recently.

 

Ner’s startled heart didn’t easily calm.

 

Only after sighing deeply a few times... could she face its venom.

 

“...”

 

Ner slowly opened the diary and looked at it.

 

With each page she turned, strength entered her lips.

 

Information about betrayal and... the key to the future that her grandmother had told her about.

 

But Ner couldn’t face that key for long.

 

Eventually, she closed the book and shoved it aside.

 

She knew now, too.

 

It was becoming clearer.

 

Berg could not be betrayed.

 

At first, it was because she was indebted to him, but now affection had built up.

 

The time spent with him was joyful.

 

The accumulating memories were fulfilling.

 

...Then perhaps it was right to discard this diary too.

 

“...”

 

But the answer regarding him could not be hastily concluded.

 

It had a significant relationship with her heart.

 

Discarding it, that meant something else.

 

It would mean accepting a life with Berg.

 

It would mean deciding to spend a lifetime with him.

 

It meant abandoning the person her grandmother had pointed out.

 

It was also letting go of the imaginary friend who had become her support when she was young.

 

“...”

 

Maybe because the time spent with her siblings in the past was too painful.

 

She didn’t want to make a choice that she would regret again.

 

So, she became frightened by that fear, and could not rashly make a choice.

 

Numerous anxious imaginations ate at her.

 

What if Berg changes?

 

If he welcomes many wives after her?

 

What if, at some moment on the battlefield, he falls?

 

Had she wholly given her heart then, what would have become of her?

 

Any thoughts of it...just imagining was so tough that Ner ceased to think further.

 

Ner knew well, having often heard, that friendship and love were different.

 

With the present Berg, it could be considered friendship.

 

Neither kisses nor hugs...not even intercourse had occurred yet.

 

There was still a chance to naturally distance herself from him.

 

The best scenario would be not writing this book and parting as good friends.

 

“..............?”

 

But the moment she thought of parting with Berg, Ner’s heart tightened.

 

The thought of distancing from him caused her heart to ache sharply.

 

A daily life without hearing his jokes, without being teased by him.

 

A daily life without seeing his face, without hearing his voice.

 

Thinking of Berg, who would gradually forget her...spending happy times with Arwin, even her breath halted.

 

“...”

 

But Ner hastily shook her head.

 

No matter what, for now, there was no instance where Arwin established a home with Berg. She did not love him.

 

So, those futile imaginations were unnecessary, and there was no need to consider other collateral thoughts yet.

 

Ner put the diary back into her luggage.

 

In truth, there was no need to think about it now.

 

Time, in any case, was overly abundant.

 

Hadn’t a marriage already not been established, whatever the situation?

 

There was no need to wrestle with these complicated thoughts right now.

 

Berg liked her.

 

At first, it might not have been that Berg liked her... but lately, it showed.

 

The fact that he looked at her with affectionate eyes.

 

The more he complimented her tail, the more he called her pretty, those praises sounded all the more genuine and were pleasing.

 

Didn’t he tightly hug her and fall asleep just a few days ago?

 

It was fair to say that the choice was in Ner’s hands.

 

Berg, considering the situation after the war, and the Red Flames also found her existence vital.

 

So, Ner took a breath again.

 

While drinking tea, she decided to look forward to Berg, who would find her on her night walk.

 

****

 

I roughly finished the archery training with Arwin.

 

“Let’s stop here for today. I think I might hurt my finger.”

 

At those words, Arwin looked at her own fingers.

 

She rubbed her fingers which had swelled red

 

She stood still for a moment and then, as if recalling something, she asked me.

 

“Berg. One more thing. Sometimes the arrow still goes in a direction I don’t want it to. Can you check my posture one more time?”

 

The occasional misdirection of the arrows was more a matter of proficiency than posture.

 

But as Arwin seemed so fervently passionate, I didn’t point out that fact and checked her posture instead.

 

Arwin, now comfortably drawing the bow.

 

Her transformation over the past few days had been astonishing.

 

She enjoyed learning so much and possessed such talent.

 

How boring and painful it must have been for her to remain confined in one place.

 

She still had moments where she was tormented by nightmares.

 

So, perhaps that was why she seemed even more radiant while enjoying this freedom.

 

“...Berg?”

 

“Ah.”

 

Momentarily losing focus, I looked at Arwin, searching for something to correct.

 

Just as I thought there really wasn’t anything to point out, her right arm slightly lowered.

 

“Lift this again. And don’t twist the arrow.”

 

“...”

 

Despite my correction, Arwin couldn’t adjust her posture.

 

“Berg, I don’t understand.”

 

Uncharacteristically, she sent a whine my way.

 

“And...um, I’m losing strength...can you help me?”

 

“How and what?”

 

“...Why, like last time...”

 

I, noticing Arwin’s left hand beginning to tremble, eventually moved behind her.

 

I held the bow for her, and I drew the arrow for her.

 

Her back touched my body.

 

While lending her strength, I spoke to her.

 

“Now. Try correcting your posture.”

 

“...”

 

Arwin shudders slightly at the words, loosening her neck and lifting her elbow.

 

“Is this enough?”

 

“Yep.”

 

Then I slowly released the tension.

 

Arwin grabbed her bow again.

 

After waiting a little, Arwin fired the arrow.

 

-Thud!

 

The arrow flew and accurately hit the target.

 

The squad members who were watching us from the side sent a round of applause.

 

“Arwin-nim, a bullseye!”

 

“As expected from the vice-captain! Stern but teaches well!”

 

The members chuckled as if teasing us.

 

Seeing them, I smirked slightly.

 

Arwin, perhaps now getting used to these playful antics, also wore a smile.

 

Soon, we began to get ready to leave.

 

Arwin alternately looked at my fingertips and me.

 

I spoke to her.

 

“I’ll visit Adam Hyung before I go home.”

 

“For what?”

 

“It’s time to choose the next travel destination.”

 

At that, Arwin snickered.

 

“Travel destination? Wasn’t it to resolve a request?”

 

I too responded with a smile.

 

“Two birds with one stone.”

 

As we began to walk, Arwin spoke.

 

“Ah, Berg. Today...”

 

Then she looked around and spoke.

 

“...we’re sharing a bed, aren’t we?”

 

Today was the day to sleep with Arwin

 

I nodded at her words.

 

“That’s right.”

 

“Starting tonight, how about learning from me every night we spend together?”

 

“...What?”

 

“Letters.”

 

“Ah, letters.”

 

I stroked my chin as I replied.

 

“Alright. Let’s do that.”

 

Then, I warned her.

 

“...But I really don’t know anything, so you might get a bit frustrated.”

 

“Don’t worry. I’ve thought it through and prepared. Learning words and letters simultaneously, you’ll improve quickly. I didn’t know anything about archery either.”

 

“...Words.”

 

Curiosity leading, I asked.

 

“So, what word are we looking at today?”

 

Perhaps I should glance over a few while meeting with Adam Hyung.

 

So that Arwin doesn’t get too frustrated.

 

She looked up at me, swallowed, and then looked forward.

 

“Starting with names is good at the beginning... I was thinking of starting with ‘Berg’.”

 

“It’ll be my first time seeing my name.”

 

“Next, the captain, Adam. Then my name... Arwin. If possible, up to Celebrien as well. And...”

 

Arwin paused for a moment before continuing.

 

“...Stockpin.”

 

“...”

 

“...Up to the name of the village. How about it?”

 

I chuckled and requested.

 

“Also teach me ‘Ner’. Seems like it’ll be the easiest.”

 

Arwin nodded.

 

“...Yes. That too.”

 

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

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