A few days passed.
Ner spent peaceful tis upon returning to Stockpin.
She was waiting for the mont to embark on her next journey with Berg.
These were the days when no major events unfolded.
Sleeping every other day with Berg.
Eating als together.
Exchanging jokes.
Going for night walks... The daily life of waiting until Berg ca looking for her.
Ner realized that she had unconsciously beco accustod to the culture of the human race.
Bergs restraint, which once felt like a leash, was now not so unpleasant.
Sotis, for fun, she would slightly step out of their eting place and wait for Berg to find her.
That day, Berg searched through the forest for a good while, and finally burst into a hollow laugh when he found her hiding behind a tree.
Scoldings followed afterward, but Ner laughed heartily at such a sight of Berg.
Indeed, there were many more laughs after being with Berg.
It was astonishing how much she found herself laughing.
When she was in the Blackwood territory, she used to wonder whether shed laugh even once a year...but now, it seed like she laughed at least 5 tis every day.
It was entirely different from the married life she had feared.
Of course, that was so far.
A profound cultural difference still existed, and there was no telling what new issues might arise in the future.
Today, too, Ner spent her day in comfort.
In the process, Berg began to prepare to step outside.
Hearing that noise, Ner, who was sitting in the room, hurriedly opened the door and ca out.
Sure enough, Arwin, with her bow, was beside him.
Where are you going?
Ner threw a question at that seemingly obvious situation.
Berg turned his head, smiling in response.
Training. And practice bow shooting with Arwin while were at it.
...When will you be back?
Seems like around evening.
Just the two of you...?
Well train with the mbers.
Ah, I see.
There was a nagging feeling when the two of them left like that.
Ner couldnt identify its essence.
Do you want to co?
But with Bergs following question, that uneasy feeling lightened significantly.
The re fact that he offered showed that he wasnt trying to exclude her.
So, Ner shook her head.
No. Ill stay here.
Alright. Co visit if you get bored.
So, Berg and Arwin left.
Ner remained quietly in the house, now settled into silence...heading towards her room.
Shed noticed it recently, but when Berg disappeared, boredom abruptly ca calling.
Even when doing nothing with him around, she didnt feel this kind of boredom.
So, Ner sat like that, sighed, and began cleaning the house.
It was awkward in the past, but it had now beco familiar.
Wandering around the house, recalling mories of repairing this marital ho with Berg, was sowhat enjoyable in its own way.
The floor material they replaced together. The dishware they threw out and newly brought in. The rats in the basent.
If others saw her doing these household chores, they might have laughed at her appearance.
Who would have thought that the noble young lady of the Blackwood family would fall this far?
But at this mont, Ner felt more liberated than when she was living within the Blackwood territory.
There was no need to look good in front of anyone.
No need to mind her siblings views.
Even cleaning had its own kind of enjoynt.
The house, repaired with Berg, perhaps felt particularly so.
mories had already begun to nestle here and there.
Except for Arwins room, Ner had cleaned every nook and cranny of the house.
Having finished the housework, she planned to take a short break and returned to her room with a cup of tea.
Ner gazed out the window for a mont, planning the rest of her day.
It seed like it would be nice to go for a walk in the evening.
Then Berg would co looking for her.
As Ner whiled away the ti thus, she suddenly found her diary.
...
Her heart jumped at that diary.
Its very existence was montarily forgotten, having not looked at it recently.
Ners startled heart didnt easily calm.
Only after sighing deeply a few tis... could she face its venom.
...
Ner slowly opened the diary and looked at it.
With each page she turned, strength entered her lips.
Information about betrayal and... the key to the future that her grandmother had told her about.
But Ner couldnt face that key for long.
Eventually, she closed the book and shoved it aside.
She knew now, too.
It was becoming clearer.
Berg could not be betrayed.
At first, it was because she was indebted to him, but now affection had built up.
The ti spent with him was joyful.
The accumulating mories were fulfilling.
...Then perhaps it was right to discard this diary too.
...
But the answer regarding him could not be hastily concluded.
It had a significant relationship with her heart.
Discarding it, that ant sothing else.
It would an accepting a life with Berg.
It would an deciding to spend a lifeti with him.
It ant abandoning the person her grandmother had pointed out.
It was also letting go of the imaginary friend who had beco her support when she was young.
...
Maybe because the ti spent with her siblings in the past was too painful.
She didnt want to make a choice that she would regret again.
So, she beca frightened by that fear, and could not rashly make a choice.
Nurous anxious imaginations ate at her.
What if Berg changes?
If he welcos many wives after her?
What if, at so mont on the battlefield, he falls?
Had she wholly given her heart then, what would have beco of her?
Any thoughts of it...just imagining was so tough that Ner ceased to think further.
Ner knew well, having often heard, that friendship and love were different.
With the present Berg, it could be considered friendship.
Neither kisses nor hugs...not even intercourse had occurred yet.
There was still a chance to naturally distance herself from him.
The best scenario would be not writing this book and parting as good friends.
..............?
But the mont she thought of parting with Berg, Ners heart tightened.
The thought of distancing from him caused her heart to ache sharply.
A daily life without hearing his jokes, without being teased by him.
A daily life without seeing his face, without hearing his voice.
Thinking of Berg, who would gradually forget her...spending happy tis with Arwin, even her breath halted.
...
But Ner hastily shook her head.
No matter what, for now, there was no instance where Arwin established a ho with Berg. She did not love him.
So, those futile imaginations were unnecessary, and there was no need to consider other collateral thoughts yet.
Ner put the diary back into her luggage.
In truth, there was no need to think about it now.
Ti, in any case, was overly abundant.
Hadnt a marriage already not been established, whatever the situation?
There was no need to wrestle with these complicated thoughts right now.
Berg liked her.
At first, it might not have been that Berg liked her... but lately, it showed.
The fact that he looked at her with affectionate eyes.
The more he complinted her tail, the more he called her pretty, those praises sounded all the more genuine and were pleasing.
Didnt he tightly hug her and fall asleep just a few days ago?
It was fair to say that the choice was in Ners hands.
Berg, considering the situation after the war, and the Red Flas also found her existence vital.
So, Ner took a breath again.
While drinking tea, she decided to look forward to Berg, who would find her on her night walk.
****
I roughly finished the archery training with Arwin.
Lets stop here for today. I think I might hurt my finger.
At those words, Arwin looked at her own fingers.
She rubbed her fingers which had swelled red
She stood still for a mont and then, as if recalling sothing, she asked .
Berg. One more thing. Sotis the arrow still goes in a direction I dont want it to. Can you check my posture one more ti?
The occasional misdirection of the arrows was more a matter of proficiency than posture.
But as Arwin seed so fervently passionate, I didnt point out that fact and checked her posture instead.
Arwin, now comfortably drawing the bow.
Her transformation over the past few days had been astonishing.
She enjoyed learning so much and possessed such talent.
How boring and painful it must have been for her to remain confined in one place.
She still had monts where she was tornted by nightmares.
So, perhaps that was why she seed even more radiant while enjoying this freedom.
...Berg?
Ah.
Montarily losing focus, I looked at Arwin, searching for sothing to correct.
Just as I thought there really wasnt anything to point out, her right arm slightly lowered.
Lift this again. And dont twist the arrow.
...
Despite my correction, Arwin couldnt adjust her posture.
Berg, I dont understand.
Uncharacteristically, she sent a whine my way.
And...um, Im losing strength...can you help ?
How and what?
...Why, like last ti...
I, noticing Arwins left hand beginning to tremble, eventually moved behind her.
I held the bow for her, and I drew the arrow for her.
Her back touched my body.
While lending her strength, I spoke to her.
Now. Try correcting your posture.
...
Arwin shudders slightly at the words, loosening her neck and lifting her elbow.
Is this enough?
Yep.
Then I slowly released the tension.
Arwin grabbed her bow again.
After waiting a little, Arwin fired the arrow.
-Thud!
The arrow flew and accurately hit the target.
The squad mbers who were watching us from the side sent a round of applause.
Arwin-nim, a bullseye!
As expected from the vice-captain! Stern but teaches well!
The mbers chuckled as if teasing us.
Seeing them, I smirked slightly.
Arwin, perhaps now getting used to these playful antics, also wore a smile.
Soon, we began to get ready to leave.
Arwin alternately looked at my fingertips and .
I spoke to her.
Ill visit Adam Hyung before I go ho.
For what?
Its ti to choose the next travel destination.
At that, Arwin snickered.
Travel destination? Wasnt it to resolve a request?
I too responded with a smile.
Two birds with one stone.
As we began to walk, Arwin spoke.
Ah, Berg. Today...
Then she looked around and spoke.
...were sharing a bed, arent we?
Today was the day to sleep with Arwin
I nodded at her words.
Thats right.
Starting tonight, how about learning from every night we spend together?
...What?
Letters.
Ah, letters.
I stroked my chin as I replied.
Alright. Lets do that.
Then, I warned her.
...But I really dont know anything, so you might get a bit frustrated.
Dont worry. Ive thought it through and prepared. Learning words and letters simultaneously, youll improve quickly. I didnt know anything about archery either.
...Words.
Curiosity leading, I asked.
So, what word are we looking at today?
Perhaps I should glance over a few while eting with Adam Hyung.
So that Arwin doesnt get too frustrated.
She looked up at , swallowed, and then looked forward.
Starting with nas is good at the beginning... I was thinking of starting with Berg.
Itll be my first ti seeing my na.
Next, the captain, Adam. Then my na... Arwin. If possible, up to Celebrien as well. And...
Arwin paused for a mont before continuing.
...Stockpin.
...
...Up to the na of the village. How about it?
I chuckled and requested.
Also teach Ner. Seems like itll be the easiest.
Arwin nodded.
...Yes. That too.
The End of The Chapter
[TL: Join Patreon to support the translation and to read up to 5 chapters ahead of the /readingpia
Join Our Discord for regular updates and have fun with other community mbers: /invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ]
Reviews
All reviews (0)