Chapter 532: Chapter 530: Man, I Want to Marry You!
Narlyd blinked after listening to a long speech from Richard, feeling that what she understood was about as much as what she didn’t. However, she really did feel her body heating up rapidly, as if on fire, uncontrollably breaking into a sweat. Her clothes stuck to her body, uncomfortable and terribly wrinkled.
The next mont, she hesitated no longer, got up from the bed, supported herself against the wall, and walked outside to the bathroom.
…
Inside the bathroom.
With a “plop,” Narlyd stepped into a bathtub filled with clear water, the intense heat suffusing her body subsided.
After a good while, the burning sensation on her skin dissipated, but the distress inside her heart only grew.
Narlyd realized she faced a problem that seed almost unsolvable: if she wanted to be responsible, she had to repay the life-saving favor. But in such a short ti, she couldn’t possibly repay it all. Staying until she repaid the favor before returning to the Jungle Hut was out of the question. To just leave without a word also wasn’t sothing she could accept in her heart.
What should she do?
Was her na really ant to be spelled backwards?
Clark Delaine?
That sounded awful. She didn’t want that.
Then…
Narlyd thought long and hard while hiding in the bathtub and finally ca up with an idea: she decided she would return to the Jungle Hut and still be responsible.
So…
The next mont, Narlyd called out, addressing the outside, “Hey!”
…
In the courtyard.
As Richard was considering the best way to extract the tal from Molybdenite, he suddenly heard a voice from inside the bathroom: “Hey, hey, hey!” calling out several tis.
“What’s the matter?” Richard responded.
“Uh, that…” The voice from the bathroom went silent for a mont, then said, “There’s sothing, co in for a mont.”
Standing in front of the bathroom door, Richard confird, “Do you really want to co in?”
“Yes.” ca the definitive answer from inside.
“Okay, then.” Richard pushed the door open and saw Narlyd soaking in the bathtub.
“Do you feel unwell? Or is it sothing else?” Richard asked.
“No.” Narlyd shook her head as the water in the bathtub rippled slightly, making a “whoosh” sound. She then looked over very seriously, “I just want to clear up sothing with you.”
“Clear sothing up? What is it?”
“Whew—”
Narlyd took a deep breath, “You should know that I’m soone who repays my debts, right? No matter what, I take responsibility.”
“So?” Richard watched Narlyd’s head and collarbones rise above the water. “You aren’t going to bla for saving you when you fainted earlier and thus owing a favor, are you?”
“Of course not!” Narlyd frowned, “How could I be that kind of person! You saved , and naturally, it was for my own good. I should thank you, not bla you. Nevertheless, I owe you a favor and I must repay you.”
“You really don’t need to do this.”
“Hmm?”
“You got hurt because you were fetching the Gray Moonstone for , right? So, it’s only right that I saved you.”
“No, that’s not how the account should be settled.” Narlyd’s thoughts were clear, “I retrieved the Gray Moonstone for you because you saved the first ti. I managed to get it back on my own, so that clears the favor I owed. Your second rescue constitutes a new favor, which can’t be offset.”
“So you’re just giving yourself troubles?” Richard couldn’t help but say, “You should leave Florence today, right? With your logic, how will you repay the favor, how will you be responsible?”
“I’ve already found a way to be responsible,” Narlyd said earnestly.
“Found a way to be responsible?” Richard grew curious, “What way?”
“Splash!”
The sound of water erupted as Narlyd suddenly stood up in the bathtub, completely naked. Her wet hair cascaded behind her, nurous silvery droplets sliding down her wheat-colored smooth skin and trickling back into the tub with a pleasant “ding dong” sound, like music.
Richard’s eyes beheld a sight:
On the vibrant fields, two small hills rose up, with pink blossoms erging from the bushes at their tops, quite adorable. Below the hills was a golden paddy field, radiating a faint aroma of rice, with smooth lines forming neat furrows, making it look exceptionally delicate and beautiful. Beyond the paddy, there lay a pond where sparse reeds swayed, a few teal fish swimming leisurely, occasionally blowing bubbles, then, as if startled, quickly diving deep beneath the surface, out of sight…
“Hmm…” Richard vocalized, slightly surprised, but not shocked. To be honest, Narlyd’s behavior, though sowhat unexpected, was far from inconceivable.
It was still sowhat odd, though. Richard spread his hands, asking, “What is this supposed to an?”
“Splash!”
Narlyd sat back down in the tub and looked up seriously, “Just now, that was my guarantee to you! You saved my life, but I can’t repay your favor. However, it doesn’t matter, I can marry you.
You’ve just seen my body; that’s my way of being responsible to you—according to the traditions of my clan, only the man I am to marry can see my entire body.
I can’t marry you right now because I have many things to do back at the Jungle Hut and I have much to learn from my master, and I also need to help a cat junior learn. So, I propose a three-year wait. Three years later, when I’m almost an Official Wizard, I’ll co and marry you. You must wait for .”
Richard: “…”
After a long silence, he asked a question, “Are you sure ‘marry’ is the right word? What’s with your clan’s traditions?”
Narlyd answered seriously, “I am from the Assyrian Clan. Among us, won hold a much higher status than n. It’s usually the won who engage in everything external—war, diplomacy, and so on, while n are responsible for cultivation, farming, and herding.
Thus, a woman must take on more responsibility to be worthy of bearing everything. Therefore, in our clan, it is the won who marry the n.
In fact, according to so legends, at the beginning, our clan had no n, only won. When they needed to bear children, they would buy male slaves from slave traders. After giving birth, if it was a girl, she’d be raised, if a boy, he’d be discarded.
Of course, we’ve changed now, we wouldn’t do as the legends say. And I won’t be like the other won in my clan—marrying several n. I will only take responsibility for you—one person—three years later, I will surely co to marry you. This is my promise, how about it—it’s okay, right?!”
Richard: “…” Once again silent, he couldn’t help but think, does this count… as a three-year promise???
…
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