There was nothing Ner could do for Berg.
It felt as though a lifeti of waiting had ended, yet lying beside him in bed felt just the sa.
Berg slept deeply, his eyes closed, without uttering a word.
He neither stole away to cry nor sighed.
Ner could only be there for him, that was all she could do.
She held his hand tightly, sharing in his pain.
The funeral that followed the next day.
The departed comrades were laid to rest atop neatly stacked logs.
Ner watched Berg, who endured it all silently, her throat tight with emotion.
She couldnt understand why tears kept coming on his behalf.
It was hard to look at Bergs expressionless face.
She wanted to comfort him, to be soone he could rely on... yet she felt she was failing.
Berg had always been a pillar of strength during tough tis.
Fighting alongside her, enhancing her reputation in the territory, praising her tail, defending against those who slandered her, being told she was beautiful...
Through Berg, Ner had healed all her pain.
Now was the ti to reciprocate, but Berg showed no weaknesses.
In the end, Berg lifted up Captain Adam, placing him on the funeral pyre.
...
Berg stared at the laid-out Adam for a long ti.
Ner felt she could hardly grasp what was going through Bergs mind.
How much pain and difficulty must he be feeling?
How painful must it be to lose soone you depended on?
She wiped her tears away again, steeling her expression for Bergs sake.
If she showed her tears, it would only make it harder for Berg.
Thus, Ner stayed close by Bergs side during the funeral service, along with Arwin.
Berg watched the fiercely burning cremation altar in silence.
Even as endless mourning surrounded him, Berg alone stood still.
It wasnt that he didnt appear to be in pain.
It just seed like he was postponing it, enduring it.
Ner planned to hug him tightly and pat his back if Berg began to cry.
She knew she wouldnt be able to hold back her tears from that mont on... but still, she wanted to be strong for Berg.
...
Suddenly, as if struck by a thought, Bergs eyes reddened. Tears welled up on his expressionless face, and he let out a long sigh.
For hours, he watched the great fire like that.
****
I buried Adam Hyungs ashes in the ground.
I covered his grave with the last of the dirt.
The comrades had brought a tombstone and placed it beside it.
Yet the epitaph was still blank.
Only the simple words, Here lies Adam, were inscribed.
Had I not learned from Arwin, perhaps I wouldnt have been able to read even this.
I stood silently in front of Adam Hyungs tombstone.
Baran approached and asked,
the epitaph is
I couldnt respond.
Nothing ca to mind.
I still couldnt accept this farewell.
Had I ever imagined that Adam Hyung, stronger than I, would depart like this?
You decide.
I told Baran that, but then Ner grabbed from behind.
.....
Her eyes still brimming with tears.
Ner swallowed hard and then said to ,
no, Berg. You you must suggest the epitaph.
I shook my head in response.
I cant think of anything.
Arwin chid in beside .
It might take ti, but you must do it. It will it will make Captain Adam happy.
Baran also spoke up.
I agree, Vice-Captain. Even if it remains empty for a while... it should be you who decides.
I looked down at Adam Hyungs tombstone.
Here lies Adam.
I clenched my teeth and closed my eyes.
Then, I nodded.
****
From that mont, Ner worked tirelessly for the Red Flas group.
There were endless casualties and injuries.
It was natural for her, with the most dical knowledge in Stockpin, to be running around.
In this process, a book of dical knowledge given by the saintess proved to be very helpful.
A book containing diverse knowledge from various races.
Combined with Ners knowledge, it was proving to be extrely useful.
Ner had initially been uncomfortable with the book after learning about Berg and the saintess relationship, but right now, there was no more useful book than this.
Probably, several comrades were spared severe complications thanks to this book.
Ner worked even harder, hoping Berg wouldnt suffer more pain.
If he were to lose more people here, it was obvious he would be devastated.
Berg was pushed to his limits.
Even from the side, it was clear.
She was the only one who could support him now.
Aaaahhhhh!!!
As she cald the screaming comrades, Ner shouted,
Just... hold on a little longer!
As she excised the decaying flesh, Ner steeled her heart.
Under normal circumstances, the sight alone would have made her gag.
But thinking of Berg, she found the strength to endure even this.
After tending to the wounded for a long while, she returned ho.
The busy day had passed, and it was already evening.
After washing off the blood-soaked gri, she found Berg silently resting in the living room.
...
Ner looked at him and said,
Im going to take a walk.
With that, she left the house.
There was no ulterior motive.
It was done to coax Berg outside.
She hoped that being outside would help him catch his breath.
Ner took a spot outside, away from Bergs sight, and sighed deeply.
....Haa...
She had worked all day for Bergs sake, but she felt it wasnt enough to truly support him.
She looked at her hands and wondered,
What could she do to truly be his strength?
...
It wasnt that she had no ideas at all.
Before Berg left, they had discussed having a child.
Maybe starting a family could give him strength.
Ner placed her hand on her lower abdon and let out a short sigh.
Right now, that was a ridiculous thought.
To suggest such a thing to Berg, who was drowning in grief over Captain Adams loss, would be insulting.
Rather, her role was to help smooth this process as much as possible.
So, Ner opened the book she had brought.
The book of dical knowledge given by the saintess.
Right now, it was right to manage the injuries of the Red Flas group mbers.
This ant it was ti to study.
She pushed her troubled thoughts aside and filled her mind with new knowledge.
Dwarven healing techniques. thods of disinfection.
Lizardman surgical techniques. Anesthesia thods.
Elven extrusion techniques. dicine, poisons, and more...
As she flipped through the book, Ners eyes locked on a particular entry.
....................?
Ner blinked as she processed the information.
....huh?
She read it over a few tis, hardly believing her eyes.
Information marked in a different handwriting.
She read the information internally.
Tears of l.
A potent poison used by elven trackers.
Extrely rare to obtain, and not well-known among many beings.
...
Ners thoughts froze for a mont.
She couldnt understand why, at this mont, she rembered the vial of dicine hidden by Arwin.
But the more she continued reading, the more all the information seed eerily similar.
The poison was said to be colorless and odorless.
Ner rembered opening a vial and slling itthere was no scent and no color.
Tears of l, on its own, had no effect... but when mixed with Bardi liquor, it beca a poison from which death was inevitable.
Days later, it would lead to a silent, evidence-free death.
Bardi liquor.
It was the first liquor Arwin had given to Berg.
It remained the liquor Arwin brought to Berg to this day.
Ner recalled the sight of Arwin pouring Bardi liquor for Berg.
It had since beco Bergs favorite drink.
................
All the conversations Arwin had had from their first eting spun in Ners head.
-Thud...
Unaware, Ner dropped the book, frozen in place.
-Snap!
She suddenly sprang up and ran out.
She sprinted ho with all her might.
Haah...haah...
She burst through the door as if to break it down, rushing inside.
Berg, startled by her appearance, asked,
Whats wrong, Ner?
...
Seeing Berg struggling, she said,
...Its nothing.
She shook her head and moved on.
She couldnt say anything just yet.
Ensuring Arwin was not around, she headed to the storage.
Swallowing hard, she searched for the hidden vial.
Her hands quickly found the vial.
It wasnt difficult.
The vial in her grasp still sparkled clear and bright.
..............
Could it be? Could it not?
But the circumstances pointed unmistakably.
It could only be ls Tears.
It was Arwin who wished for Bergs death.
It was she who longed for freedom from Berg.
A poison only elves possessed.
Being a noble, Arwin could have easily obtained it.
Only a natural death for Berg would grant Arwin his freedom, she had heard.
ls Tears promised a death more natural than any other.
ls Tears had to be mixed with Bardi liquor... and Berg now drank only Bardi liquor.
......haah...haah...ah...
Ners breath shook violently as it left her.
A chill ran through her body.
The thought that Arwin was targeting Bergs life shook her heart more than anything else.
It might not just be a funeral for the comradesit could be Bergs funeral anyti.
It was too sudden, too hard to accept.
In such turmoil, another piece of information added to the confusion.
At the sa ti, she felt a fury so intense it seed her head might ignite.
Berg, who had been her only ally.
Berg, her hero, her love.
The man she planned to spend her life with... the father of her future children.
The idea that she almost lost Berg to this elf was unbearable.
She had known that the long-lived races took the short-lived ones lightly, but never imagined it to this extent.
Unable to contain her exploding anger, Ner gripped the vial and headed outside.
She tried to stop her scattered thoughts.
-Tap...tap..tap tap...
Her stomach churned as she walked.
She dreads the uncomfortable conversation they may have to endure.
But it was a necessary thing, sothing that had to happen.
She hoped that what was in this vial was not ls Tears.
She wished it was all just a misunderstanding.
...But if this isnt ls Tears, what could it be?
Why would Arwin have hidden it secretly in a luggage box?
Berg.
With a trembling heart, Ner called out to Berg.
.........
Berg turned his head.
...Ner?
........................
Seeing Bergs eyes... Ner froze in place.
Berg looked so worn out.
The once strong man was clearly in pain.
Despite this, Berg managed a weary smile and asked,
...Whats wrong, Ner? Youve seed unusually anxious.
Ner gripped the poison vial, pondering.
How much would this hurt him?
Ner knew Berg had feelings for Arwin.
Even after she had spoken ill of Arwin, Berg had embraced her.
Ner continued to think.
What would be best for Berg?
Should she reveal this cruel truth to him... or should she just let it go?
..............Now, polygamy might even be abolished.
If only Berg would stop drinking Bardi liquor, he wouldnt be in danger.
Arwin had longed only for freedom all her life.
Soon to leave, maybe it was best not to bring up such matters.
Maybe it was better to let Berg part ways with Arwin unknowingly.
Her decision was swift.
Ner hid the vial behind her back and whispered,
...Lets go for a walk, Berg.
...
The weather looked so nice earlier.
At her words, Berg struggled to smile.
...Shall we?
Seeing his smile, Ner forced a laugh as well.
The End of The Chapter
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