“...Help .”
“...”
It was the first ti Ascal had ever heard Arwin ask for help.
The desperation in her voice left Ascal speechless.
He could feel how cornered she was through this simple phrase.
They had spent 170 years together.
He had never seen her like this before.
Moreover, Ascal was not a good father to Arwin, not even in empty words.
Ascal knew well that Arwin resented him.
She had wanted to sever their ties.
Her pride was so high that he thought she would never bow first... How desperate must she be to ask him for help?
“...What... what on earth did Berg do?”
“...”
“Tell , Arwin. I will help you as much as I can...”
“...Hic...”
With those words, Arwin began to crumble.
The cold woman who never showed tears was now clenching her fists, tears streaming down her face.
Ascal felt a mix of frustration and anger.
What had Berg done to make her like this?
He couldn’t fathom what she had experienced to be in this state.
The fact that Berg was a human only fueled his anxiety.
Arwin seed to be holding back, but sobs leaked through her tightly shut throat.
Her cries were irregular and childlike, like a bird chirping.
She was biting her knuckles, trying to hold back her tears, but she couldn’t.
Ascal couldn’t even grasp the extent of her pain.
Especially since she was soone who endured pain well.
Seeing Arwin like this was enough to shock Ascal.
“...Father... please help ...”
Arwin pleaded again.
“I will help you, just tell ...”
“...Hic...”
Ascal asked in her stead, as she was too overwheld by her sobs.
“...Is that human making you suffer so much?”
-Grab.
Arwin clutched Ascal’s sleeve and shook her head.
She shook her head vigorously, insisting that it wasn’t the case.
“...”
Then why was she acting this way? Ascal wondered, just as Arwin whispered.
“...It’s the opposite, Father.”
Arwin looked up at Ascal.
With eyes filled with despair, she spoke slowly.
“...I was so... happy...”
Ascal seed montarily unable to follow her words.
He blinked repeatedly, trying to make sense of the situation.
But everything fell into place with Arwin’s next words.
“...The l’s Tears...”
At her whisper, Ascal let out a sigh.
“...Ah.”
“...It was discovered.”
-Knock, knock, knock.
At that mont, a knock echoed through the room.
Ascal turned around.
A voice ca from outside.
“Captain Berg of the Red Flas is here to see you. Shall we let him in?”
“J-just a mont!”
Uncharacteristically stuttering, Ascal helped Arwin to her feet.
Even he couldn’t decide what to do.
-Tap.
Arwin grabbed onto Ascal.
With eyes full of endless desperation, Ascal’s daughter pleaded.
“...I heard polygamy... is being abolished...”
“...”
“...I don’t want to lose to Ner... Father... I don’t want to be abandoned...”
Ascal didn’t know what to say.
Since the discovery of l’s Tears, wasn’t it inevitable who would be divorced?
While he hesitated, Arwin begged.
“...Ner betrayed Berg too.”
“...What?”
“So there’s still a chance. There’s still...”
With Berg waiting outside, Arwin didn’t go into details.
Instead, she summarized her plea.
“Tell Berg that Celebrein can endlessly support the Red Flas group.”
“...”
“...Father, please do this for ...”
Ascal had never been able to protect Arwin throughout her life.
He had to bear her wrath as a result.
Now, that sa Arwin was desperately pleading with him.
Begging him not to let her be taken away from Berg.
...Perhaps this was a mont to atone for his past sins.
After all, no father could refuse his daughter’s tearful request for help.
Ascal wiped Arwin’s tears and nodded.
Then he spoke.
“Let him in.”
-Thud.
With those words, Berg opened the door and entered.
Ascal had noticed it before, but now it was even clearer—the atmosphere around Berg had changed.
Unlike before, he seed exhausted.
He no longer had the appearance of a war hero.
Ascal looked into Berg’s weary eyes, contemplating what he must have gone through.
The death of his captain... the betrayal of his wives.
Although Ascal had promised to help Arwin, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sympathy for Berg.
“You said you wanted to talk.”
Despite his pain, Berg seed to be hiding it within.
His eyes briefly glanced at Arwin, who was still struggling to hold back her tears.
Ascal saw Berg’s gaze waver for a mont.
But it was just a fleeting mont.
Ascal pondered how to continue this difficult conversation and decided to be honest.
“...Berg, I’ve heard.”
“...”
“l’s-”
“If Arwin wasn’t a noble.”
But Berg cut him off.
His wounds seed more visible now, and it felt like he genuinely cared for Arwin.
“...She would have been punished for treason.”
At those cold words, Arwin bowed her head.
She cried silently beside him, like a sinner.
Whether Berg ant it or not, Ascal couldn’t say anything.
Swallowing hard, Ascal whispered.
“...We understand our mistake. We will provide compensation accordingly.”
“You should. This could ruin Celebrein’s reputation.”
Though his words were harsh, Berg hinted at wanting to bury the issue.
They needed the power of the nobles, so it was understandable.
It seed he didn’t want the issue to escalate.
Among the many things Ascal wanted to say, he focused on Arwin for now.
“Berg, I know it’s a mistake... but Arwin understands her wrongs too. Can’t you give her another chance? Didn’t you make a vow before the World Tree? Breaking that sacred promise isn’t right.”
Berg broke his gaze from Ascal and looked down at Arwin.
“...I am not the one who broke the sacred promise first.”
“........”
Arwin trembled slightly.
Ascal looked at Berg, thinking to himself.
...It’s already too late.
Whether it was due to intense anger or a complete loss of affection, the truth was unclear, but Berg’s displayed hatred seed genuine.
For now, no matter what was said, Berg wouldn’t listen.
Berg continued.
“...And isn’t the World Tree sothing Arwin detested? What aning does a vow before it holds?”
“...”
“Didn’t the elders support the abolition of polygamy in the first place?”
Neither Ascal nor Arwin could say anything in response.
Ascal still tried to persuade Berg, but Berg shook his head, signaling that there was nothing more to say.
With a sigh, Berg looked down at Arwin.
“...Arwin.”
Hearing her na, Arwin lifted her head.
Despite her tear-filled eyes, a faint glimr of hope appeared.
“...Yes?”
How well must Berg have treated her for her to react like this?
Berg spoke.
“...Stay with your father from now on.”
Arwin’s eyes quivered.
“...What...do you an...?”
“Unless there’s a reason, don’t co looking for .”
“.............................”
“...I need ti.”
Arwin slowly clutched her chest as if she couldn’t bear the pain.
Still, hiding her anguish, Arwin spoke.
“...Husband and wife are supposed to be together, aren’t they...?”
She seed to know how shaless her words were.
But still, she seed desperate to cling to any hope.
Berg remained unresponsive.
Eventually, Arwin, who had bent first, spoke again.
“...If I give you ti...”
“...”
“...Can we go back to how things were before?”
“...”
“...Berg...”
Feeling utterly insignificant, Arwin bowed her head and whispered.
“...Can’t you choose instead of Ner...?”
“...”
“...I know you don’t want to see us the sa way, but... I’ll do better...”
Berg closed his eyes.
After taking a deep breath, he turned and left the room.
No one could stop him.
****
Afterward, I spent ti by myself.
I sat in the room, staring out the window without thinking.
Usually, my mind would be filled with countless worries... but now, for so reason, it felt peaceful.
Maybe my mind decided to stop thinking due to the overwhelming pain.
As I sat there, ti passed.
Night fell, and darkness descended.
A full moon hung high in the sky, illuminating the night.
I didn’t eat or move to et anyone.
I just sat there in the room.
Fortunately, the king seed to be considerate of my long journey to the capital and didn’t seek out.
After all, I heard that tomorrow, they would begin the end of the war.
Announcing the achievents and distributing the rewards.
At that mont, the future of the Red Flas seed to be decided.
I glanced around the room.
It felt unusually spacious, perhaps because it was a space I usually shared with Ner or Arwin.
It had been a long ti since I felt such emptiness.
The emptiness was even harder to bear amidst the difficult circumstances.
A laugh, ant to hide the sadness, kept escaping my lips.
-Knock, knock, knock.
Then, soone knocked on the door.
“...”
I sat there in a daze, not responding.
The knocking resud.
-Knock, knock, knock, knock.
I still didn’t answer.
Then, a faint voice reached my ears.
“...Berg, it’s ...”
It was Ner’s voice.
“........”
-Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock...
“...Can I co in...? Please...”
-Thud... thud... thud...
“.................”
Even her desperate voice didn’t move to respond.
Still, with a sigh, I spoke.
“...Go back.”
Silence followed.
Thinking she had left, I turned my gaze back to the window.
-Creak...
Then, the door opened on its own.
Ner stood in the doorway.
Her white hair and tail shimred in the moonlight.
Quietly, she entered the room and closed the door behind her.
-Thud.
“...Didn’t you hear ? I said go back.”
I didn’t have kind words for her.
The betrayal still felt fresh, tornting .
I wanted to keep my distance.
But Ner shook her head.
“...I can’t... go back.”
“...”
“...I can’t even... breathe like this...”
With each step she took closer, her form beca clearer.
Her flushed cheeks, tear-streaked eyes.
And the scent of alcohol that lingered around her.
-Swish.
Ner approached and cupped my cheeks with her hands.
-Thunk.
I brushed her hands away.
-Snap!
“Hah... hah...”
Ner gasped, her breath uneven.
Then, as if she had lost all reason, Ner climbed onto with a rough motion.
Her hips settled on my thighs, and her arms wrapped around my neck.
-Thud...
Tears fell from her eyes onto my body.
“...Please... don’t push away...”
Ner whispered, her voice filled with regret.
She lifted her head.
“...I love you... Berg, please don’t do this to ... okay...?”
She reminded that, true to her race, she could only love one person.
“We’re married...”
She grabbed my left hand and started rubbing it against her cheek and head.
“There’s no one closer than us...”
I could feel her tear-soaked face.
“Like before... please stroke ...”
“...”
“Like before... please... take care of ...”
She kept pressing her lips to my palm.
Tears continued to flow from her eyes.
Maybe it was her desperation, but my body froze.
I wanted to push her away roughly, but my body wouldn’t move.
Slowly, Ner buried her face in my neck.
She inhaled deeply, taking in my scent, and then lifted her head to whisper in my ear.
“...I’m in heat, Berg.”
Her voice trembled, her desperation overcoming her sha.
At the sa ti, sothing warm and prickly touched my neck.
Ner started licking my neck.
“...Tonight... I want to have a baby with you...”
She whispered between her licks, her voice breaking with sobs.
“...I love you, Berg... okay? I love you... you’re the only one...”
“...”
In the end, I had to push her away.
I grabbed her shoulders and separated her from .
A long string of saliva hung from her lips.
I frowned and spoke to her.
“...Go back, now.”
I pushed her feelings away too.
“...............”
Tears continued to fall from Ner’s empty eyes.
Her drunken breath repeatedly dampened my face.
Blinking as if she couldn’t believe it, she awkwardly grabbed her tail and showed it to .
“...Ah...ri-right... Be-Berg... this tail...”
“...”
“...The tail you said was beautiful... I grood it today...”
It was clear that her fur was more neatly arranged than usual.
“...Is it pretty...?”
“...”
“...Can’t you tell it’s pretty...?”
“...”
“...Today... I won’t complain... even if you touch it... please...”
-Slide.
Ner suddenly shrugged off the clothes hanging from her shoulders.
Her bare skin from her neck to her shoulders was exposed.
Her clothes slipped further, almost revealing her chest.
“...Miss Blackwood.”
I called her by her surna.
At that, Ner froze.
No curse would have made her react like this.
She seed unable to believe the words coming out of my mouth.
“...Step away.”
At the sa ti, I stood up.
Unconsciously, I supported her back to prevent her from falling.
But she seed too shocked to notice.
Ner, frozen and unmoving, sat down on the floor.
I adjusted her slipping clothes and then grabbed her arm to help her stand.
Slowly, I led her to the door.
I set her down by the door and let go of her.
“...I...”
Ner whispered, not even looking at with vacant eyes.
“...I’ll wait outside as I always do.”
“...”
“I’ll go for a walk and wait... until you co.”
Ner slowly looked up at .
Finally, with a twisted smile, she left.
The sound of her weak footsteps echoed endlessly down the hallway.
“.......”
After sending her away, wrestling with my heavy emotions, I saw her through the window.
Ner briefly looked up at , then sat down where she could see .
In a place she would never usually sit, she spent the night there, waiting for who would not co.
– – – The End of The Chapter – – –
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