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Chapter 134: Face (1)
As the crowd around me grew, murmurs and whispers filled the air.
Speculation and suspicion flourished, fueled by the recent exchange of words.
The mercenaries of the Red Flames were cautious, keeping silent, but the royal soldiers and the villagers who had seen me with Sien couldnt stop whispering.
- Did he have a connection with the saintess?
- It looked like they were in love... Surely, its more than just an acquaintance?
- I never expected the saintess to cry like that...
- Were they childhood friends?
I drove my horse forward, unresponsive to any of the comments.
My heart felt oppressively heavy.
My mind lingered on Sien, replaying our last moments together, yet I also realized this was not the time for such thoughts.
My two wives glanced at me with concern, their silence speaking volumes.
Their displeasure was evident, and understandably so.
My past had been exposed in the most unflattering light.
I was not without fault. I should have confided in them when the opportunity arose.
...
I took their displeasure for granted, considering our efforts to grow closer, now marred by the revelation of this hidden relationship.
We were entangled in the polygamous culture of the Humans, which may have made Ner and Arwin feel like mere possessions.
Despite my efforts to prevent such feelings, the reality was different, especially for them, being nobles married to a commoner like me.
Now, another connection of mine had come to light.
How could they possibly take this well?
If they hadnt been bothered by my relationship with Sien, that would have been even stranger.
So, I knew a conversation with my wives was inevitable.
But right now, it was impossible.
Too many eyes were upon us.
Suddenly, the procession came to a halt.
Adam Hyung, leading in front, turned around to look back.
In my distraction, it seemed someone from behind had stopped us.
Sure enough, a figure made his way through the Red Flames, approaching us.
The members parted to let him through, and he rode straight up to me on his horse.
It was the king.
Berg.
He called out as he approached on horseback.
Adam Hyung turned his horse and took up position beside me.
Standing by my side in solidarity.
...?
Ner and Arwin did the same.
Despite their confusion, they took their places by my side, yet they didnt stop glancing at me.
I could feel the weight of their unspoken words.
Youve caused quite the stir.
The king spoke in a quiet voice as he drew near, barely audible even a short distance away.
It seemed he was mindful of the surrounding gazes.
...
I didnt respond.
There was nothing to say, after all.
The king didnt seem to have much to say either.
He just looked at me intently.
There was no sign of surprise regarding my relationship with Sien.
As if he had known all along.
He drew his horse even closer and said,
Youll have to follow us to the capital, Berg.
Adam Hyung frowned at this.
Ner and Arwin stiffened in surprise at my sides.
...Yes?
Adam Hyung raised his voice, speaking for us.
The king did not retract his words.
Leave the Red Flames for a while and come with me.
Adam Hyung urged his horse a bit forward, positioning himself between me and the king.
May I ask why?
Dont be on guard, Adam. This isnt meant to harm.
The king explained,
Weve been put in this situation. How can a mercenary, known to have a deep connection with the saintess, simply return without any action taken?
...
Coming to the capital and at least making a show of conversation... It will make this news more palatable to those who hear it. Think about it. If word spreads that the saintess, a paragon of purity, had a man...
Ner clenched her dress.
Arwin glanced at me.
The king continued,
Many would feel uneasy with such rumors. And as king, I must manage that unease to win the war.
I felt an immediate sense of validity in the kings explanation, but also an unease.
I sighed internally,
...Realizing, despite the discomfort, that I couldnt defy the kings command.
One unexpected event followed another.
Even wanting to rest, I found myself unable to.
It was a familiar feeling,
This relentless pace.
...Lately, I had found rest through Ner and Arwin, but now, that wasnt an option.
Adam Hyung, having paused, seemed to find some validity in the kings words too, as he slowly turned to look at me.
Our eyes met.
His expression was one of concern.
It was a look Id been seeing all too often on Hyungs face lately.
I just felt sorry.
Gale appeared behind me, saying,
Itll be alright, Berg. For now, its wise to follow His Majestys wishes.
...
It could ease the situation. Given the unpredictable pressures that might come to the Red Flames. Being under His Majestys protection is safer for the moment.
His presence and words were genuinely reassuring.
Ill be by your side to help, so lets head to the capital without worry for now.
I gave a brief nod.
What Im worried about is...
I glanced at my wives for a moment.
Only now could I truly see their expressions.
...
...
...Their faces held more emotion than I had anticipated.
Ners ears were pinned back, her lips tightly pursed.
Arwins long ears drooped, her face full of confusion.
I let out a heavy sigh through my nose and said,
...Hyung.
...
Adam Hyung nodded in response.
Please, take care of Ner and Arwin.
He nodded again.
Dont worry-
-No.
At that time, Ner suddenly raised her voice.
Her grip on the hem of my clothes tightened.
Where do you think youre going alone...?
Her words had the tone of a plea, as if she feared being left behind.
A hint of anger was also present.
Arwin felt the same.
...I wont go to Stockpin without Berg either.
Arwins eyes, for some reason, seemed to betray a hint of sadness. Considering how hard it is to discern such an atmosphere from her usually stoic expression, I was reminded again of the ripple effects of my actions.
...Besides, we still have things to discuss.
I looked around and then whispered to them in a low voice.
It could be dangerous. Dont follow me.
Given that the trip to the capital wasnt for a positive reason, I had hoped my wives would stay and rest in Stockpin.
I dont care. Im coming with you.
But Ners gaze was fixed on me, her breathing slightly ragged.
...
Arwin, too, silently watched me, her stance indicating she wouldnt change her mind.
The king, observing this, spoke up.
Make your decision quickly. But dont worry. Theres no reason or justification to punish you. After all, even if it were true that you and the saintess shared a childhood love, thats hardly a crime, is it?
At his words, a slight change of expression appeared on my wives faces.
With that, the king surveyed the surroundings and then nodded at me to move forward.
...Lets go. I no longer wish to remain here.
Following him, numerous soldiers and knights moved forward.
I mulled over the kings last words.
Sharing love couldnt possibly be a crime.
...But for some reason, my heart felt heavy right now.
As the king moved away, Adam Hyung called out to me.
Berg. Look at me.
Even in the suddenness of departure, he maintained his composure, providing a sense of stability amidst my turmoil.
With things having come to this... take the Head Hunter unit with you.
...
Its an order.
I slowly nodded.
If my wives insisted on following, having the Head Hunter unit with us would ease my mind.
Adam Hyung let out a short sigh.
...
...
We blinked at each other, a silent farewell, and I grabbed the horses reins.
I promptly guided my horse to fall in line with the kings procession.
My wives and Gale followed closely behind me.
There was an unexpected shift in our schedule.
****
Arwin couldnt identify the source of the sharp pain that had started to emanate from her heart after witnessing that shocking scene.
But one thing was undeniable: the pain was intense.
Having endured torture from the World Tree for decades, she thought she had grown resistant to pain. Perhaps this was a different kind of pain.
Her breathing became increasingly difficult.
She found herself constantly holding her breath with a grunt.
Arwin looked at Bergs back, feeling this unresolved ache.
She wondered if hearing anything from him might ease her pain, considering Berg always managed to alleviate her suffering.
Yet, the opportunity for any exchange had not yet arisen.
It seemed they would have to wait until they set up camp.
Meanwhile, Arwin kept replaying the scene in her mind.
The weeping saintess.
The arms stretched out for an embrace.
The name Bell being called out.
Berg, in an expression she had never seen before, looked pained.
...Ha.
Arwin frowned again, gripping the reins tightly.
...In truth, she could piece together the situation even without Bergs explanation.
All her past questions were gradually being answered.
Ner had mentioned that Berg knew the saintess name.
Berg had brushed it off as a mistake, but that was likely a lie.
Berg had said he was from the slums.
According to what she heard from Sylphrien, the saintess seemed to be an orphan as well.
Even their impoverished backgrounds seemed to align.
Berg had once shown extreme anger when the Hea Church appeared in their village.
Now, that reaction seemed to make sense as well.
...It was said that the saintess had a man she loved with all her heart, for whom she had gone to the battlefield.
The reason why the saintess had shed tears in the Jackson familys garden in the past now became clear.
She had been weeping upon hearing that the man she loved had taken a wife.
...Who that man was, and who his wife had become, she now realized.
......Then how about just getting a divorce...?
..................
Arwin clenched her teeth as she recalled the saintess words.
Fury began to surge within her, causing her fists to tremble.
Was it to wedge herself between her and Berg that she had said those words?
Seeing such intense emotions arise, Arwin finally admits to herself.
Who has taken a place in her heart, who has become precious to her.
Whom she has come to love.
In such a negative situation, she comes to realize this.
But perhaps it is this realization that causes her pain now.
Though her heart has recognized it, she feels the gap between her and the target of her affection all the more acutely.
Maybe it was because she saw someone so similar to him that she couldnt help but compare.
The saintess was so much like Berg in every way.
The same race.
The same lifespan.
The same origins.
The same background.
The same spirit of sacrifice.
The same hair color.
The same eyes.
...On the other hand, Arwin was the opposite in every aspect.
An elf, with a long lifespan, of noble birth, even her hair and eye color differed.
She feels inferior knowing that her relationship with Berg might not have started if not for a political marriage.
It seemed as if the love between the saintess and Berg was purer and more genuine.
Her relationship with Berg felt contradictory and forced.
Now that she was aware of her feelings, even these trivial facts became obstacles.
Could wanting to resemble the other person also be a part of love?
.......Above all, the hardest part was knowing that Berg had genuinely cared for someone else.
Even if there was Ner... She had never thought that there might be another someone.
She had heard that Berg always kept his distance from women.
Until he married Ner, he had pushed away any woman for the past 7 years, according to what the Red Flames members had said.
...It was 7 years ago when the warrior chosen by the five gods appeared.
This too fits perfectly.
......
Arwins heart wouldnt stop racing.
Not even on the eve of the sacrificial ritual, when the World Tree was about to take her lifespan, had she felt this unsettled.
The thought that Berg might have loved the saintess so much that he had pushed away other women for the past 7 years was overwhelming.
...She had known he was such a man.
She had known that was Bergs nature.
She knew all too well that he was someone who cherished his partner deeply.
But the fact that there might have been a woman he loved perhaps even more than her... infuriated her.
...No, it wasnt anger.
It was jealousy.
Intense jealousy.
The jealousy was so profound it surprised even her.
She too wanted to receive such love from Berg.
She wanted to leave such marks on Berg.
But the thought that a woman had already left such marks in Bergs brief life before her was painful.
Arwin was astonished by her own possessiveness.
Was it because she found happiness in being by Bergs side, more than in her freedom?
Was Berg, worth giving up dreams for, someone she couldnt bear to share with anyone else?
It seemed as if desires, suppressed for 170 years, were slowly being directed toward a single individual.
...
A conversation was necessary, first and foremost.
Arwin had no idea how to resolve this issue with Berg.
But one thing was clear.
She had made up her mind about her feelings for Berg.
He was someone she couldnt concede to anyone.
...It was a decided matter.
****
Ner kept swallowing hard, holding back her tears.
She couldnt understand why they threatened to fall, but a sense of indignation kept welling up within her.
Her head throbbed, and her heart seethed with anger, yet there was no outlet for it.
She had never considered the possibility that her partner might have been involved with someone else.
She had firmly believed that she would be Bergs first woman.
But that wasnt the case, and even now, she couldnt be sure who held the primary place in his heart.
This uncertainty drove Ner to distraction.
Perhaps it was the vague belief that Berg loved her the most that made it so.
Ner watched Bergs back as he rode ahead.
They would surely have a clear conversation later... but even now, she didnt know what to say.
A nagging insecurity that had been in Ners mind resurfaced.
She had fallen in love with Berg... but what if Berg hadnt?
What if he told her to not take this matter too seriously and just move on?
It might be a cultural difference that allowed for such an outcome.
For Humans, loving various individuals might be natural.
But for Ner, it wasnt.
The notion that Berg had been involved with another woman was a shock, and the possibility that it might still be open was frightening.
There was no evidence to suggest that the saintess was the last woman Berg had loved.
The thought that Berg might treat another woman kindly was frustrating.
He had to be hers.
Exclusively hers.
For her people, love was just that.
As souls bound together, they should only have eyes for each other.
They should live on the same day, and if need be, die on the same day.
To Ner, this was natural.
...................
Suddenly, Ner recalled the soul-binding ceremony she had initiated with Berg.
The soul-binding that hadnt been properly completed.
...Could this misfortune be because of that incomplete bond?
A discomfort settled in her chest.
...Lets stop.
Just then, Berg called out from the front.
Ner looked up to see the royal soldiers preparing the campsite.
Berg spoke to the Head Hunter Unit.
Lets get ready to rest.
Ner averted her gaze as Berg turned his head.
She couldnt bring herself to meet his eyes just yet.
Yet she knew.
...The moment for conversation was drawing near.
The End of The Chapter
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