Ner, Im ba...
I opened the door and stepped inside.
There was no sign of anyone being here.
Ner, who usually greets with a bright voice, was nowhere to be found.
...
The profound silence, which I hadnt experienced in quite so ti, felt unsettling.
Hoping it was just my imagination playing tricks, I called out louder.
...Ner?
I check the living room and even headed upstairs.
Ner?
She was not in the basent either.
One thing was certain: she was not in the house.
I glanced outside of the window.
It was getting dark.
Where on earth could she have gone?
Of course, I knew the werewolves people dont like to inform others about their whereabouts.
I knew that their sense of freedom was paramount.
I knew that she would return if I wait.... but the anxiety didnt go away.
Considering Ners significance to the future of our Red Flas, if she had run away... the dismay would be indescribable.
From my perspective, her actions felt wrong.
Leaving without notice, especially at this hour, was unacceptable.
For the first ti, I realized the mont had co, where I might have to impose human culture onto her.
...Haaa.
With a heavy heart, I stepped outside.
I made my way toward the village center.
.
.
.
.
I couldnt figure out how to find Ner here.
If people had gathered around her, spotting her wouldve been simple. But there was no such crowd anywhere in the village.
The more ti it took to find her, the more my anxiety deepened.
It wasnt just that I was worried that she might have run away.
While Ner might not be unaware of it, there were people in our village who bore animosity toward her.
Especially the families of the seven mbers who died during the Blackwood expedition harbored strong resentnt towards her.
Although there was no reason for them to bla Ner, it was hard to be rational when it ca to those who were desperately searching for soone to bla, for the loss of their loved ones.
To be honest, my fear that sothing bad might have happened to her outweighed the possibility of her running away.
So, I first tried to locate the families of those seven fallen mbers who were sacrificed this ti.
Vice-captain...?
As I approached each family, ensuring Ners absence, I also tried to offer words of solace.
At the sa ti, I wondered where Ner really went.
Facing this practical problem, I felt the imnse cultural gap between us.
I road every corner of the village.
So mbers looked at with puzzled expressions.
Vice-captain! Do you need sothing?
...
I couldnt bring myself to ask them if they had seen Ner.
Such an inquiry might imply that we have a strained relationship.
It might hint that the prize for which theyd risked their lives was wanted to escape.
I shook my head and continued searching for Ner with my head down, feeling the pressure mounting.
Berg!
At that mont, soone called out to .
I turned around and saw Paul standing there wearing leather gloves.
Paul, why havent you gone back to the orphanage yet?
I was just about to. What about you, Berg?
...
I avert my eyes, trying to avoid answering.
Just head back to the orphanage now. Its getting late.
Cant I stay out a bit longer? Arent you staying out too?
Paul, listen to m-
- I saw your wife still outside too.
Every nerve in tensed up at Pauls words.
A sense of relief washed over , knowing Paul had seen her. Yet, alongside that relief, a surge of anger erged.
I never realized that cultural differences could be this challenging.
I asked Paul.
...Where did you see her?
Huh? Ner?
I leaned in, catching every nuance of his words.
In a hushed tone, Paul whispered, ...She was in the forest behind your house.
*****
Before entering the forest, I decided to go back to the house.
Ner was still missing.
If the werewolf culture permitted ones spouse to remain out so late without any word, it was a norm I found hard to embrace.
I proceeded into the dark forest.
Since the forest wasnt that vast, I found Ner sooner than expected.
Her white tail shimred under the moonlight.
She was conversing with soone, gazing at the moon.
...thats why its tough. Berg is kind, but-
-Ner!
I blurted out without realizing it.
Caught off guard, Ner was startled, and seeing her genuinely surprised face made regain my senses.
I tried to calm my emotions.
Slowly, Ner turned to look at .
Her yellow eyes, glead in the darkness, t mine.
...Berg?
Why are you here?
...Huh?
How can you just leave without saying anything...!
The emotions I tried to subdue flared up once more.
There were various reasons mixed together.
I was anxious she might have run away and scared she might have been hard by the victims families.
Ner blinked her eyes in embarrassnt and confusion.
...I... Im sorry...
As I approached her, she started to apologize but then tightly closed her mouth.
After a mont of reflection, she spoke.
Do I even have to say this?
...?
Berg, I never once asked you wherever you went. Do I have to report even a simple stroll to you?
Its late. I was worried...!
Whats there to worry about!
Ner also raised her voice slightly.
Are you afraid I will run away? How can I run away from here! How can I escape from a village surrounded by barriers!
...
I too need so freedom...!
With that, she slowly poured out her suppressed feelings.
I stay at ho every day. No place to go for a walk. There is no one of my kind around! Its scary because the culture is different! At least I can take a walk like this!
You shouldnt do it late at night.
I said.
...
I dont know about your kind, but for humans, its worriso.
Upon hearing this, Ner lowered her gaze and stayed silent.
After a while, she mumbled.
It feels like Im on a leash...
She fidgeted with the ring on her left hand.
Seeing her like this, a wave of sympathy arose in .
I could sowhat empathize with her.
After all, I had been with the rcenary group where Adam Hyung and I were the only humans.
I had a rough idea of what it felt like to be the odd one out in a group.
Staying still at ho often brings about a feeling of heaviness.
She must have felt that too.
Perhaps this was my fault.
I approached her.
I knelt in front of the tree stump where she sat.
Covering her left hand with mine, I spoke.
It might feel like youre being leashed.
...
Ner remained still, and I continued.
But youre my wife. I cant help but act this way.
...
How would I know if sothing happened to you outside? Im just worried about you.
Ners expression wavered.
I looked up at her, and her face seed downcast as if she was about to cry, yet she didnt pull away from my touch.
If this was the past, she would have pushed away.
Despite these conflicts, I felt ambiguous emotions, sensing that Id definitely gotten closer to her.
Seeing Ners expression, pity surged within once more. She looked even more beautiful sohow.
I let out a deep sigh and said,
...Alright, then.
...
You can go out for a walk at night, just promise one thing.
Hope shimred in her eyes and her expression began to relax.
Clearly, she must have felt trapped. I needed to understand that about her.
...What?
Only co to this spot. Dont go anywhere else, just here.
...
I need to be able to find you...
Ner blinked a few tis, then nodded.
Although she didnt seem completely on board, she seed more at ease.
Then, she fidgeted with her hand under mine and extended her hand to lightly grip my wrist.
...Im sorry.
As I stepped back, she imdiately apologized.
It felt less like she was apologizing for thinking she did sothing wrong, and more like she wanted to reconcile.
Seeing her act this way, I chuckled.
Then I sat next to the tree stump she was sitting on.
Our thighs lightly touched.
So, you were looking at the moon?
I tried to steer the conversation away from the awkward topic.
Ner, catching onto my intention, imdiately joined in.
Yes. Lately... I havent been able to see it.
From ho-
-I cant see the moon from ho.
She affird.
I learned sothing I didnt know through her.
The angle is strange... I cant see the moon well. Trees block it... I have to co here to see it like this.
I always knew that the moon was special to the werewolf tribe.
I was surprised to learn she couldnt see it.
Once again, guilt bubbled up with .
Im sorry.
No, its fine.
I scratched my head again.
It seed like you were talking to soone?
When I asked again, Ner blinked and... bowed her head.
She gently grabbed her tail and stroked it slowly.
...
If you dont want to talk, you dont have to.
Upon hearing that, she nodded her head.
Perhaps the moon might have been her only friend.
Even I, at one point, had casually spoken to the bugs roaming around in our house, so I sowhat understood.
...Vice-captain! Vice-captain...!
Then, from a distance, I heard soone calling out to .
At first, I thought it might just be my imagination and looked at Ner.
However, even Ners ears twitched, turning towards the direction of the sound, and her expression changed.
Upon hearing that urgent voice, we both imdiately rose from our seats and headed toward ho.
As we erged from the forest, the voice beca clearer.
Vice-captain! Please open the door-
-Im here.
Baran, who had been knocking on the door, looked at Ner and as we erged from the forest.
Seeing his urgent deanor, I asked with a puzzled expression, What happened?
He took a mont to catch his breath.
Wetting his lips, he finally spoke, You should quickly go see the captain. We have a visitor.
A visitor?
I wondered who would co to see us at this hour.
How urgent must it have been to co in the middle of the night.
Baran quickly resolved my curiosity.
An Elf... from the Celebrien family has co.
An Elf?
Ner, standing beside , also repeated the na with surprise.
...Celebrien?
Her tone carried a hint of nostalgia, as if recalling an old friend.
Baran urged on.
Vice-captain, please follow .
...
I nodded in response.
End of Chapter
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