Chapter 135: Face (2)

 

Ner followed Berg into th]e temporary lodging.

 

Berg had instructed Baran to ensure that no one approached them, aware of the sensitivity surrounding this topic.

 

He might have anticipated the whispers and rumors that could arise.

 

“........Ha.”

 

Berg let out a barely audible sigh in secrecy.

 

After catching his breath, he turned around.

 

Ner, faced with Berg, found herself at a loss for words. Although she had much to say, nothing would come out.

 

Silence ensued.

 

For a while, they stood there - Ner, Arwin, and Berg - without uttering a word.

 

Finally, it was Arwin who broke the silence.

 

“...What happened?”

 

It was a question that demanded a clear answer from Berg, even though much was already understood.

 

“...What was your relationship with... the Saintess?”

 

“...”

 

Berg suggested in response to the question.

 

“...Shall we sit down?”

 

Ner shook her head vigorously.

 

“...No.”

 

She was angry.

 

She wanted to express and manifest her anger in this manner.

 

It might have seemed childish, but she didn’t want to agree with anything he said.

 

Perhaps this resistance was all she could muster, given that there was no real justification for her anger.

 

Ner had never given any reason to behave this way before.

 

Their relationship was still at a stage where it was appropriate to consider them friends, advancing steadily to the next level when this incident occurred.

 

Despite knowing there was nothing to say, she couldn’t help but think that as a wife, perhaps this was her rightful prerogative.

 

“...Start explaining, Berg.”

 

She demanded, fists clenched tight.

 

Berg struggled with her words for a long while.

 

To Ner, the sight of struggle was a wound.

 

To him, it might have been a matter of course... but the sight of him being hurt over another woman was unbearably distasteful.

 

For Berg, Ner herself was the only woman who held such significance.

 

Hiding such sticky emotions, Ner was engaged in a tough battle.

 

Meanwhile, Berg seemed to have sorted out his feelings and spoke.

 

“...She was a friend from my hometown.”

 

.

.

.

 

Berg shared everything.

 

From their meeting to their parting.

 

He explained the many events that had happened in between.

 

How often he had gone to see the Saintess.

 

How the Saintess became an orphan.

 

How he had taken care of her thereafter.

 

What kind of relationship they had developed.

 

How she became the Saintess.

 

Even why Berg disliked the Hea Church.

 

It was clear that some parts of the story were omitted.

 

Berg was hiding how close their relationship had been.

 

But that omission only fueled Ner’s imagination and tormented her even more.

 

Could they have possibly kissed?

 

Embraces must have been a given.

 

They might have held hands, even interlocked fingers.

 

Had they seen each other bare?

 

Berg, who undresses when he sleeps, could the Saintess have seen that too?

 

“...”

 

...Could the Saintess have been Berg’s ‘fated one’?

 

The thought brought a sharp pain to Ner’s heart.

 

Upon reflection, her bond with Berg seemed nothing more than forced.

 

Their connection was made because their factions aligned.

 

In contrast, the Saintess and Berg grew close naturally.

 

Even a brief overview revealed their memories were far deeper than hers.

 

It was easy to see which relationship was more genuine.

 

The realization was almost too much to bear.

 

She grew to despise the Saintess, who had formed such a natural bond with him.

 

The jealousy was overwhelming.

 

Why couldn’t her fated one be Berg?

 

She loved him so deeply.

 

And yet, she wondered if she was intruding on the love between two others.

 

First, she had come between her family and her mother.

 

Now, was she coming between Berg and the Saintess?

 

The more she dwelled on these thoughts, the more her head throbbed with blood.

 

The surging emotions were too much to handle.

 

Amidst this, she didn’t know how to release the anger she felt.

 

Ner saw who Berg truly loved.

 

It was the first time she felt such a sense of crisis.

 

She was frustrated, wondering if his heart still belonged elsewhere.

 

Berg then said to her,

 

“Sorry to bring up such a conversation. But... there won’t be more situations like this.”

 

Ner blurted out in response,

 

“How can I believe that?”

 

Even she was surprised by her own words, swallowing a gasp.

 

“...”

 

“...”

 

But when she locked eyes with Berg, her emotions surged and burst forth.

 

Still, she forced herself to maintain a calm tone.

 

She pretended to be logical.

 

“It’s not the first or second time. There was that time in Dems village, the Catwomen there, and the Dragonian leader at the mercenary meeting.”

 

“...”

 

“And now the Saintess. How can you say there won’t be more situations like this?”

 

In reality, Ner had no reason to say such things.

 

Berg had always sharply cut off any involvement with other women.

 

In fact, Ner had sometimes felt smug about this.

 

Berg wasn’t at fault in any of these situations.

 

Perhaps she should even be grateful for him pushing away someone with whom he had such deep memories.

 

But she didn’t want to feel that way.

 

She was angry and didn’t want to ignore this anger.

 

So, she wielded every fact she could as a weapon.

 

She didn’t want to be like this, but these sticky emotions tormented her.

 

Was it because of memories of being unloved in the past?

 

Ner held Berg to a stricter standard, the first time he showed deep affection.

 

Berg clenched his fist and said,

 

“...Because I promised. I won’t take any other wives besides you.”

 

Ner, hiding her sobs, responded,

 

“That’s obvious. Unless one is from the Human race, everyone has only one wife.”

 

Berg remained silent.

 

Perhaps he had no words to respond.

 

Maybe he couldn’t understand this situation.

 

After all, loving someone isn’t a crime.

 

Ner knew this, but she couldn’t help being angry.

 

She forced the irrational conversation to continue.

 

Perhaps she wanted to hear Berg’s declaration of love for her alone as a form of apology.

 

Even though Ner hadn’t revealed her feelings to Berg yet, selfishly, she might have wished for him to come closer.

 

She might have hoped for him to be brave on behalf of her own cowardice.

 

It was a tantrum to confirm his affection.

 

She wanted to hear it in words.

 

That he loved her, not the Saintess.

 

She wished Berg loved her as much as she loved him.

 

Only then, it seemed, would her heart be at ease.

 

With those thoughts, Ner turned her head away.

 

Without looking at him, she continued coldly,

 

“...I’m trying to play the role of a congenial wife for you. Why do you keep having issues with other women? Even if you are from the human race, I still consider our culture—”

 

“—I am.”

 

Berg interrupted Ner’s words.

 

Lifting his head, he looked at them with sad eyes and said,

 

“...Now, only you two are precious to me.”

 

Ner’s heart was startled by his words once more.

 

Sure enough, Berg had given the response she most wanted to hear.

 

She was left speechless.

 

“...I want to envision a future with you.”

 

In Berg’s eyes, there was also an unwavering resolve.

 

She could feel how sincere he was.

 

“...This time, I was just settling that last part of my past.”

 

“...”

 

Ner knew it too.

 

Berg had made a choice to prioritize them in the given situation.

 

Logically, he had chosen her, someone he had been with for only a few months, over someone he had been with for years.

 

Knowing this difference might be why she felt this way.

 

The fear of losing Berg.

 

All of it was driving her.

 

Berg slowly approached.

 

Reaching out with one hand, he gently took Ner’s and Arwin’s hands.

 

“...I—”

 

—Snap!

 

Ner brushed away Berg’s touch.

 

She didn’t want to show him that she had let go of her anger just yet.

 

She feared Berg loving someone else again.

 

So, this time, she needed to make a clear mark.

 

To tell him she disliked this kind of situation.

 

To look only at her.

 

It was the first tantrum she had thrown since falling in love with him.

 

The more she loved, the angrier she became.

 

The more anxious she felt, the colder her actions became.

 

It was a defense mechanism.

 

“I... don’t want to hear it right now.”

 

Ner stated.

 

She knew that by doing this, Berg would try even harder to console her.

 

Pushing Berg away was her way of setting the stage for that.

 

Ner turned around.

 

She began to walk towards the outside of the tent.

 

“...Ner.”

 

Berg, looking at her with concern, asked,

 

“...Where are you going?”

 

“...Don’t look for me. I’ll be back from a walk.”

 

Even as she told him not to look for her, Ner revealed her whereabouts to Berg.

 

She knew he would definitely come looking for her.

 

That, in itself, seemed like it would prove his affection.

 

Then, they could talk, just the two of them, once more.

 

Ner walked away, leaving Berg behind.

 

“...”

 

Then, just once more... she expressed her anger.

 

“...Human culture really doesn’t suit us, does it?”

 

It wasn’t a lie.

 

The human culture, not focused on monogamy, was incredibly difficult for her.

 

Of course, she knew Berg was different.

 

He had only ever had eyes for her and Arwin.

 

He was more devoted than anyone.

 

But the fact that he was entangled in a culture of polygamy remained unchanged.

 

If she had known this would be the case... she really shouldn’t have accepted Arwin.

 

Even this became a regret for her.

 

With that, Ner stepped outside.

 

****

 

Arwin watched Berg, who was still holding her hand, gaze in the direction Ner had left.

 

It hurt her that even now, he wouldn’t look at her.

 

With so little time to be together, why did he keep paying attention elsewhere?

 

At the same time, she felt foolish for wanting Berg’s attention even in such a situation.

 

She truly realized her own feelings.

 

How had she ended up in this predicament?

 

These emotions led her to make irrational choices time and again.

 

Yet, unable to resist them, she felt as if trapped in an emotional prison.

 

- Squeeze...

 

Arwin tightened her grip on Berg’s hand.

 

Only then did he look at her.

 

Arwin said to Berg,

 

“...I understand Ner’s anger.”

 

“...”

 

“You might not get it, Berg. Wondering why she’s so angry when she didn’t even love you.”

 

“...No, I...”

 

“But we’re people too, Berg. Even if we’re not sharing feelings of love... as a wife, I hate being in this situation.”

 

“...”

 

“I’ve said it many times... we have our dignity too. If it keeps going like this...”

 

Arwin bit her lip.

 

Should she hurt Berg here and now?

 

She had many harsh words she wanted to say.

 

Surely, Berg would be shocked, but... she knew that saying these things might make Berg act more kindly in the future.

 

They say holding back words is always the hardest.

 

To ease the pain in her heart, Arwin finally tells Berg,

 

“...If it keeps going like this, I won’t be able to have confidence in you either.”

 

Berg blinked slowly and took a deep breath, subtly shifting his gaze to convey an apology.

 

“...It’s impossible to even... make a vow.”

 

Arwin murmured softly, almost whispering.

 

Knowing that Berg wanted her heart, Arwin used it as leverage.

 

She conveyed that she couldn’t give her heart under these circumstances.

 

...Swiftly.

 

At that moment, Berg let go of Arwin’s hand.

 

“...Ah.”

 

Had she crossed a line?

 

As Arwin was startled, Berg’s hand reached up to touch her cheek.

 

“...”

 

“...”

 

His rough hand gently cradled her soft cheek.

 

“...Arwin. Trust me.”

 

He spoke firmly, hiding all other emotions, and said slowly,

 

“...I made a vow.”

 

Arwin asked at his words,

 

“Is it just because of a vow?”

 

She began to scrutinize every detail.

 

“...I don’t need it if it’s out of a sense of duty. I don’t want it if that’s the case.”

 

From the moment they were wed, Berg had been her savior, pulling her from the World Tree.

 

Back then, she remembered him as someone who honored his vows.

 

But if that was all there was to it, she didn’t want it anymore.

 

Beyond vows, she yearned for actions that sprang from the heart.

 

She blurted out a half-truth,

 

“...As I’ve said from the start, I don’t mind if things are awkward between us.”

 

This lie was something she could say because she knew Berg.

 

Despite her steadfast efforts to push Berg away, he persistently drew closer.

 

She knew that Berg wouldn’t give up so easily, which is why she could make such a heartless statement.

 

As expected, Berg shook his head.

 

“...No, Arwin. It started that way, but now, you’ve truly become precious to me.”

 

“...”

 

“...If I didn’t like you, I couldn’t have done everything that I’ve done until now.”

 

Once again, Berg provided the response she hoped for, as if it were the correct answer.

 

Arwin couldn’t bring herself to meet Berg’s eyes.

 

Amidst the discomfort, a flutter of excitement stirred in her heart.

 

Memories with Berg came flooding back.

 

The way he smiled, the moments he acquiesced to her requests...

 

...These were surely not actions devoid of affection.

 

Without affection, he wouldn’t have waited for a vow.

 

He wouldn’t have wiped away tears while holding her.

 

Arwin closed her eyes and took hold of Berg’s hand resting on her cheek.

 

“...”

 

“...”

 

Standing there, she suddenly wanted to be embraced by him.

 

This conflict made her crave comfort.

 

A vulnerable side she didn’t know she had keeps surfacing.

 

She had prided herself on developing a certain resilience while standing up to the Elven Elders for 170 years... but in front of Berg, only her hidden side seemed to emerge.

 

...Yet, the words that ultimately leave her mouth are not those.

 

“...I’ll be watching.”

 

She says this without letting go of Berg’s hand.

 

“...I was very disappointed this time.”

 

“...”

 

It was a lie.

 

There was no disappointment.

 

But Berg’s thumb, which had been caressing her cheek, subtly tensed.

 

Even this was according to her plan.

 

She wanted him to keep this memory.

 

To ensure such issues never arose again.

 

60 years.

 

To spend that time being properly loved... she believed a moment like this was necessary.

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

 

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