I wake up from a long slumber.
At my stirring, Sien begins to wriggle beside as well.
She curls up as if cold, then, still half-asleep, reaches out to .
She grasps my bare waist and gently pulls towards her.
“...”
I chuckle softly at the sight and hug her.
A smile spreads across Sien’s face too.
“How are you feeling?”
I ask her once she’s fully awake.
Recently, in Stockpin, this is how we would check in on each other.
With the plague spreading, we made sure to check on the health of our loved ones daily.
Despite our efforts, we couldn’t completely stop the plague.
Even now, countless people suffer from relentless coughing fits.
Every day, the number of patients grew, and more people collapsed.
I was just thankful we had requested swift support from Blackwood.
Sien, still hugging , quietly says,
“I’m fine. How about you?”
“I’m fine too.”
We stayed like that, holding each other for a long while.
We savored the small happiness that only mornings could bring.
After lying there for a long ti, I decided to start my day.
With a sigh, I sat up.
Sien, realizing I was leaving for work, let go of .
I got out of bed and started putting on my clothes.
Sien approached and began changing out of her pajamas.
As I watched her, I asked,
“...You’re not going anywhere, are you?”
She didn’t respond.
Frowning, I said,
“I told you to rest at ho.”
Sien paused in her dressing to look at .
She complained,
“…How can I?”
“...”
“…How can I when the villagers are all collapsing…”
It seed she couldn’t let go of her old habits as a saint.
She showed more concern for others than for her own well-being.
She could catch the plague while nursing afflicted villagers.
While her dedication was appreciated, it also made worry.
“…Bell, there aren’t enough people to care for the patients.”
“But why does it have to be you?”
“Then should we ignore the suffering people…?”
I sighed and pulled Sien into my arms.
She buried her face in my chest and hugged tightly.
“I understand how you feel, Sien.”
“...”
“But as you said, your health isn’t great.”
“...”
I patted her back and added,
“…And we have to think about the child in your belly too.”
Sien couldn’t refute my words.
It was as if she was persuaded.
Still, seeing her discomfort, I added,
“Blackwood is arriving today.”
I patted her back once more and said,
“So you should rest.”
“…Blackwood…”
Hearing the na, Sien bit her lip.
Despite trying to hide it, a slight discomfort was visible.
Even though she understood why they had to co, she wasn’t entirely at ease with it.
We all understood the reason well.
Even I felt conflicted.
I wasn’t sure if Ner would co.
Honestly, a part of hoped she wouldn’t.
I wasn’t ready for everything that would follow.
What would happen if she did co?
I couldn’t predict.
Sien nodded, released , and continued dressing.
“…Sien.”
“You’re not dressing to go nurse anyone.”
“…”
She then sat in front of the vanity and started applying light makeup.
“I’m preparing because we have guests coming.”
“…”
I nodded.
Once I finished getting ready, I headed out to speak with Gale before Blackwood arrived.
“I’m heading out, Sien.”
I said as I was about to leave the bedroom.
“Bell?”
But Sien called out, stopping .
“…?”
“I love you.”
She conveyed her feelings to .
Words we had exchanged countless tis.
Yet, they never felt cliché.
Today’s ‘I love you’ had a hint of jealousy.
No one had even arrived yet, but she was already feeling this way.
I smiled at her and responded,
“I love you too, Sien.”
****
“There they co.”
Gale and I watched the carriages approaching from a distance.
They were larger in scale than I had expected.
It seed they were bringing substantial support.
“…”
I tried to calm my racing heartbeat.
It had been over a year and a half since I parted ways with Ner.
We parted ways in the autumn two years ago, and now spring is approaching.
We spent a lot of ti without knowing how the other was living.
If Ner didn’t co... then it would be ti to let her fade from my mory.
But if Ner did co, what should I do?
I continued my thoughts to steel my resolve.
...If Ner ca, perhaps it would be best to let go of all lingering feelings for her this ti.
A clean end might be the right choice.
Gale and I rode out to greet them.
Many people followed behind us.
Sien was among them.
I saw Blackwood’s second son leading at the front.
His na was...
“…Garan Blackwood.”
Gale, as if reading my mind, reminded of his na.
I nodded.
Soon, the Blackwood procession halted in front of the village.
Only Garan rode forward.
I did the sa and approached Garan.
We dismounted simultaneously and faced each other.
I extended my hand for a handshake, and Garan grasped it firmly.
“It’s been a while, Lord Reiker.”
“It has been.”
“We haven’t seen each other much since the subjugation at Blackwood. I still rember your swordsmanship from back then...”
“…You flatter .”
We started with a light conversation.
Then Garan noticed Sien approaching and spoke.
“…Saintess-nim.”
“I’m no longer a saintess, just Sien Reiker.”
“…My apologies, Lady Reiker. Please forgive my rudeness at our first eting...”
“It’s fine. Was your journey peaceful?”
“Yes, it was. Your estate is truly beautiful.”
Garan then turned to Gale.
“Greetings, Master Warrior.”
“I’ve left that title behind. I’m not as strong as I used to be.”
“But until a successor appears, you remain the Master Warrior, don’t you?”
Gale shrugged, a hint of pride showing through.
It was as if a remnant of the fierce personality he had in his youth lingered.
After exchanging pleasantries, Garan turned and gestured towards his group.
He seed to signal them to bring forward the rest of their party.
At the sa ti, our next guests were getting ready to appear.
A wolfkin soldier approached a magnificent carriage and opened the door.
Garan’s eyes, mine, and Gale’s all turned in that direction.
It was ti to see who had co to visit us.
-Creak...
Finally, a woman with gray hair and tail erged.
Lan Blackwood.
She was the eldest daughter of the Blackwood family.
Standing atop the carriage, she bowed her head towards .
Gale, Sien, and I returned the gesture.
It seed Ner hadn’t co.
And I secretly sighed with relief.
Whether the feeling in my chest was relief or sothing else, I couldn’t tell.
-Creak...
But then, the sound of soone stepping out of the carriage followed.
I raised my head and saw a figure appear after Lan.
A tail as white as snow.
Hair like winter frost.
Perked ears.
A curvaceous figure.
Striking beauty.
And vacant eyes.
...It was Ner.
The woman I thought wouldn’t co stepped out after all.
She stood there on the carriage, looking even more beautiful than before.
I couldn’t greet her as I had Garan and Lan.
Unconsciously, I froze, unable to react to her presence.
Ner’s empty eyes slowly searched and found .
“…”
“…”
We looked at each other in silence for a long ti.
Ner’s vacant gaze gradually gained a spark.
She stared at , ignoring Sien and Gale.
It was as if I was the only one left in the world.
-Step... Step...
Ner slowly descended from the carriage.
Step by step, she approached .
“…”
“…”
She still didn’t greet anyone or look at anyone else.
Everyone was drawn into the unique atmosphere she carried.
There was no one here who didn’t know about our past.
Everyone knew we were once married.
As she drew closer, her breathing grew harsher.
It was as if she had been running for a long ti, struggling to steady her breath.
Eventually, she reached Garan’s side.
We stood within a step of each other, looking into each other’s eyes.
Before she could get any closer, I bowed my head slightly in greeting.
-Step... Step...
But Ner didn’t stop.
Breaking the appropriate distance, she continued to approach.
Her trembling eyes looked up at .
Slowly, she reached out her hand.
As if she was going to touch my face like she used to.
“…Be...r...”
-...Thump.
I gently stopped Ner’s hand from reaching my face.
I held her wrist and looked down at her.
“…”
“…”
We were no longer a married couple.
Everyone knew this fact well.
But Ner seed confused by this obvious reality, looking up at .
-Swoosh.
At that mont, Sien slowly moved to my side.
“…”
She intertwined her fingers with mine, as if to show Ner who my wife was.
Ner’s eyes finally turned to Sien.
There was a clear boundary between Ner and us.
Even our race were different.
Sien and I were both humans.
“....”
Ner finally seed to co to her senses and cautiously lowered her arm.
At that sa mont, I noticed sothing.
...Ner was still wearing our wedding ring on her left ring finger.
And she even wore my ring, the one I had discarded, on her thumb.
She had always disliked wearing rings that much.
But before I could dwell on it, Ner spoke.
Her tone was calr, as if she had regained her composure.
“I received your letter. You ntioned the plague was spreading?”
Ner took a deep breath.
She glanced at Sien briefly and then said,
“I’ll help, Berg.”
****
Ner followed Berg as they walked deeper into Stockpin.
Now, they had to discuss various matters related to the plague.
When did it start? What was the current situation? How many were infected? Were there any recoveries? Were they using any dicine, and so on...
They needed to align their understanding.
...Ner also had so requests for Berg.
“…”
Ner couldn’t take her eyes off Berg, whom she was seeing after a long ti.
A mont ago, she almost cried when she saw his face.
It felt like there was nothing in the world except Berg.
mories of their glorious past together seed to co alive.
If he hadn’t stopped her, she would have forgotten everything and embraced him.
But reality wasn’t so forgiving, and she had to face the forr saintess by his side.
Seeing Berg holding the forr saintess’ hand as they walked together made her chest tighten painfully.
She still couldn’t completely shake off the feeling that Berg was hers.
She knew it in her head, but her heart couldn’t understand the situation.
That place next to Berg... was definitely supposed to be hers.
She was the one who first received Berg’s love and beca his first wife.
Why did things turn out this way?
Even after a year and a half, she still couldn’t accept it.
Perhaps it was because she hadn’t witnessed it with her own eyes.
Were Berg and the forr saintess truly happy together?
She and Berg had once pretended to be close, deceiving everyone.
Maybe, just maybe, they were doing the sa.
Ner knew well that Berg was trying to elevate the reputation of the humans for Captain Adam’s sake.
Perhaps, in that process... he had gotten involved with the saintess.
Unconsciously, Ner found herself hoping.
‘Cough! Cough!!’
As they walked, coughs echoed around them.
Ner finally took a mont to truly look around at the state of Stockpin.
The plague-ridden Stockpin.
The place had expanded significantly due to its endless developnt.
It made her realize how long she had been apart from Berg.
She ca to understand that a ti she could never get back had passed.
Eventually, the crowd stopped in front of Captain Adam’s house.
Berg’s servants appeared and bowed deeply.
Garan and Lan acknowledged their greetings and entered the house.
Those not involved in the eting began to disperse.
It seed the forr saintess was also saying her goodbyes to Berg.
They were smiling and talking as they parted.
“…”
Why was even watching that so painful?
Suppressing the ache in her chest, Ner swallowed hard.
She was about to follow Garan and Lan into the house.
At that mont, she overheard Berg and the saintess’ conversation.
‘…Yes. Go ho. I’ll co after the eting.’
‘Will you co quickly? I feel... a bit lonely today.’
The saintess flirted with Berg, her tone playful.
Ner found herself gritting her teeth.
But Berg responded with a bright smile.
‘I will. I’ll co back earlier than usual... go ho and rest safely.’
-Smooch.
Then he kissed the saintess on the forehead.
“.................”
For Ner, it was a heart-wrenching sight.
As a married couple, such actions might have been expected.
But Ner hadn’t shared many such monts.
‘It’s not enough.’
At that mont, the saintess wrapped her arms around Berg’s neck.
She pulled him close and kissed him deeply.
“....Ugh.”
Unable to bear watching any longer, Ner turned and walked away.
She forced herself to suppress the wild pounding of her heart.
She fought back the tears that threatened to spill.
She had already shed enough tears to last a lifeti.
...It was ti to act, to endure.
Until she reclaid Berg’s love, she would face countless pains.
“…”
...But at the sa ti,
Hatred for the saintess grew within her, an emotion she couldn’t control.
– – – The End of The Chapter – – –
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