Chapter 165: Hidden Truths (1)

 

Even amidst the cheers of countless people, I couldn’t bring myself to relax my expression.

 

Some might sacrifice everything just to be in this position.

 

A chance to rise in status.

 

Who would refuse that?

 

But why?

 

I felt nothing but sadness.

 

Not even a hint of joy touched me.

 

Maybe it was because I knew I was receiving the title in place of Adam Hyung.

 

Perhaps that’s why his absence felt even more pronounced.

 

Or maybe it was because I could foresee what was to come.

 

I slowly turned my head to look at my wives.

 

They, too, seemed to sense how our relationship would change... shedding empty tears.

 

****

 

Once all the announcements were made, the capital erupted into a festival.

 

All the citizens sang songs and shouted the names of the heroes.

 

The food that had been saved was brought out, and everyone started to fill their stomachs heartily.

 

Glasses clinked everywhere, and laughter blended into the air.

 

Except for us.

 

I walked into my quarters.

 

Though I said nothing... Ner and Arwin followed me in.

 

-Thud.

 

The door closed naturally behind us.

 

I stood there in silence for a moment.

 

After a long stretch of silence, Arwin finally spoke.

 

“...Congratulations, Berg.”

 

Her voice held no trace of joy.

 

I turned to face them.

 

As expected, Arwin wore a forced smile.

 

“I never thought you would become the head of the house... Truly, congratulations.”

 

“...”

 

“...So, my name will change too, right? Arwin Reiker...? I’ll be giving up my long-held surname... but I’m so happy-”

 

“-Ha.”

 

I cut her off with a short sigh.

 

Arwin fell silent at that sigh. Her eyes started to waver even more.

 

As if she could predict what I would say next.

 

Ner began to move her lips, trying to persuade me.

 

“...I, I’ll help you a lot.”

 

“...”

 

“...It’s a new family. There will be many dangers moving forward without help. I’ll make sure to watch out for you.”

 

“...”

 

“Oh, right. And, congratulations. I really... didn’t expect this at all. And... and...”

 

I wanted to stop this whole charade of a conversation.

 

We were already anticipating the future that would befall us.

 

Even though the complex emotions inside me made me hesitate... there was also a certain sense of relief that I could finally let go of all this pain.

 

“...We.”

 

As soon as I opened my mouth, Ner and Arwin fell silent.

 

“The first reason I got involved with you was... to survive.”

 

I recalled my conversation with Adam Hyung.

 

I remembered why I accepted this marriage proposal... after such a long time.

 

I calmly conveyed this to them.

 

“...Now, I think we can survive on our own strength.”

 

Becoming a noble had changed everything.

 

The power of Blackwood and Celebrien would be nice to have, but it wasn’t necessary.

 

This meant they no longer needed to stay by my side.

 

“...So.”

 

So I said.

 

“Let’s divorce.”

 

Arwin’s eyes lost focus.

 

She stood there as if she couldn’t understand what I was saying.

 

“...What?”

 

“...Both of you, go back to your hometown.”

 

Ner slowly began to shake her head.

 

“...Please.”

 

In a desperate voice, she pleaded with me.

 

“...Please, Berg.”

 

“...You want... divorce...?”

 

Arwin insisted on confirming my intent.

 

“...”

 

I swallowed once and gave a small nod.

 

“Now, let’s all... go our separate ways.”

 

I had anticipated that announcing this separation would be painful from the beginning.

 

As prepared as I was, I said what needed to be said.

 

“We’ve accomplished each other’s goals. You survived the war, and now we can survive too... there’s no need to stay forcibly tied together anymore.”

 

Ner whispered after a moment of silence.

 

“...Berg.”

 

“...”

 

Like a child asking for help, she spoke to me.

 

“...I don’t understand a word you’re saying. Divorce...? We’re separating... like this...?”

 

“...”

 

“What are you even talking about? I... without you...”

 

I continued.

 

“Your families are gathered in the capital too. Let’s separate now. When the Red Flames returns to Stockpin... don’t follow.”

 

I had declared this divorce a few days ago.

 

Perhaps I had been anticipating this situation since before we came to the capital.

 

“...I’ll tell your fathers.”

 

I spoke firmly, sealing my decision.

 

“...From now on, we’re no longer husband and wife. Don’t come looking for me anymore, and don’t approach me without a reason.”

 

I made sure they understood.

 

There were no more natural meetings between us.

 

With the divorce, we wouldn’t have that kind of relationship anymore.

 

Ner was taking deep, ragged breaths, holding back her tears.

 

Her trembling hand rested on her chest.

 

Arwin’s vacant eyes looked at me.

 

“...Divorce...?”

 

She muttered something.

 

“...What?”

 

“...Who said so...?”

 

Just like when we first met, she wore an expression devoid of emotion.

 

“...Who said we’re getting divorced...?”

 

With that hardened expression, she questioned me.

 

“Why can’t I look for my husband...? Why can’t I approach you...?”

 

I shook my head and replied coldly.

 

“...You know the reason better than anyone.”

 

“No!!”

 

Arwin shouted suddenly.

 

It was the first time I’d seen her raise her voice so loudly.

 

Arwin’s face, momentarily bursting with emotion, crumbled with pain.

 

It was also the first time she had shown her emotions so openly.

 

She approached me and suddenly fell to her knees.

 

Clutching my hand, she pleaded.

 

“...Please, don’t do this. Please, don’t do this... Don’t abandon me too.”

 

“...”

 

“Berg... you were my first happiness... You were the first blessing in my life... So please, don’t do this... I’ll give you everything....”

 

“...”

 

“...We don’t have much time. The time we can spend together isn’t long, right...? Even 60 years won’t be enough... Spending hundreds of years with you wouldn’t be enough...”

 

I clenched my fist tightly, then released it as I looked at Arwin.

 

“You’re free, Arwin.”

 

“...What...?”

 

“You can find someone better than me. In your long life... you’ll soon forget the years you spent with me.”

 

-Thunk... thunk...

 

Large, jewel-like tears slowly fell from Arwin’s eyes.

 

She alternated her gaze between my eyes, trying to gauge my sincerity.

 

“...How can you say that...?”

 

Arwin, crying, held onto my hand and asked.

 

“...How can I forget you...? The past few months with you have been more meaningful than my 170 years of life...”

 

At some point, Ner staggered over to me.

 

Her face was a mess of tears.

 

“...Berg.”

 

More clearly than ever, she called out to me.

 

“...Just get angry at me.”

 

With a pained smile, she grabbed my arm.

 

“...Just yell at me... Hit me with your fists... Stomp on me if you want...”

 

“...”

 

“...But it’s okay with me... as long as I can stay by your side... just don’t say we should divorce...”

 

Ner didn’t take her eyes off me.

 

Her tail desperately wrapped around my thigh.

 

“This can’t be the end of our love...”

 

She laughed, as if she’d heard a bad joke.

 

“I still have so much I want to do with you... All I have left is regret...”

 

I wanted to break the cycle of this repeating situation.

 

They, too, were just trapped in this cycle.

 

I had to be firm to prevent this pain from dragging on any longer.

 

I shook my head and pushed Ner and Arwin away from me.

 

-Thud.

 

In their despair, they fell away from me all too easily.

 

Arwin’s hand dropped limply to the floor, and Ner, though pushed back, quickly clung to me again.

 

“...Ah...! Berg, please-”

 

-Swish.

 

At the same time, I removed the necklace hanging around my neck.

 

Arwin’s World Tree leaf.

 

The leaf had withered and dried, and I placed it on the desk.

 

Arwin couldn’t move, only watching the scene unfold.

 

I continued with my actions.

 

...I removed our wedding rings from my hands.

 

All the vows we made when we put these rings on were discarded as well.

 

Vows I had tried so hard to uphold.

 

If not for these unfortunate events... I would have kept them until my last breath.

 

“...........What are you... doing?”

 

Ner asked weakly.

 

-Click.

 

I placed the two rings on the desk.

 

Gritting my teeth, I reached out my hands to them.

 

Ner and Arwin looked at my outstretched hands.

 

“...Rings.”

 

At that single word, Arwin clenched her fists, and Ner hid her hands behind her back.

 

Ner shook her head desperately.

 

“...No.”

 

Tears scattered as she moved.

 

“...I won’t. Never... never, Berg.”

 

I didn’t withdraw my extended hand.

 

“No...! No...!! I don’t want to...! Please, Berg!!”

 

Ner began to crumble, crying out desperately while hiding her left hand.

 

She didn’t want to take off our rings.

 

Ner shook her head violently, her confused eyes locking onto the rings behind us.

 

She quickly moved to pick up her ring and mine.

 

She then forcibly grabbed my left hand, trying to put the ring back on.

 

“Don’t take it off... Ugh... Ugh... Hurry... put it back on...! Put it on!!”

 

Her actions were in stark contrast to how she once wished to take off the rings.

 

No matter how rough she acted, her strength couldn’t sway me.

 

But... it was certain that my heart was growing heavier.

 

“...Stop it...!”

 

Finally, I gritted my teeth and whispered.

 

At my words, Ner dropped the ring in surprise.

 

The ring rolled away, disappearing somewhere.

 

Ner’s shocked eyes turned to me.

 

That whisper shook them more than any shout could.

 

I ended our relationship.

 

I walked away from Ner and Arwin.

 

Stopping at the door, I spoke to them.

 

“...I really tried to make this work with you.”

 

Ner and Arwin, too exhausted, couldn’t follow me.

 

“Even if you didn’t like me... I was willing to try.”

 

They had said from the beginning that they couldn’t love me.

 

They had tried to betray me.

 

“...But now I’m tired.”

 

Weakened, I whispered my final wish to them.

 

“...Live happily.”

 

Although there were still matters to resolve... this would likely be our last conversation as a couple.

 

****

 

Arwin stood frozen in place for a long time before deciding to look for Berg.

 

She grabbed the withered World Tree leaf and the rings Berg had discarded and went outside.

 

She looked around desperately, trying to find him, but he was nowhere to be seen.

 

Tears kept falling.

 

A few people around her noticed her state and murmured.

 

Arwin, who once cared about her reputation, couldn’t think about it at the moment.

 

“Berg... Berg...”

 

She whispered the name of the man she loved as she hurriedly moved her legs.

 

She started searching everywhere he might be.

 

How long had she been running around like that?

 

Arwin’s blue bird finally found Berg, chirping to inform her.

 

Just hearing that he had been found made her emotions surge.

 

Berg had left, declaring an unbearable separation.

 

Arwin knew the fault lay solely with her... but she couldn’t accept their separation.

 

“Haa... haa...”

 

At last, Arwin spotted Berg’s back.

 

She found his broad shoulders.

 

He sat alone in an isolated clearing, his face buried in his hands.

 

It seemed like his shoulders were trembling slightly.

 

Despite leaving with a resolute expression, Berg was in so much pain here, alone.

 

Seeing Berg struggle like this made Arwin’s tears flow even more.

 

The guilt was overwhelming, knowing she had caused all of this.

 

She wanted to approach him... but then she realized.

 

She was the source of Berg’s pain.

 

She couldn’t comfort him even a little.

 

She had no right to approach him.

 

Berg had severed the marital bond with his own hands.

 

He had expressed his desire not to be together anymore.

 

Berg, who had tried so hard to improve their relationship, was now pushing her away.

 

The meaning of this was painfully clear.

 

Would approaching him now really be for his sake?

 

Wouldn’t it only bring more hurt and resentment?

 

Arwin was experiencing a new kind of torture.

 

The torture of seeing the one she loved in pain but being unable to offer a helping hand.

 

“....Ah....Ah...”

 

In the end, all she could do was cry from a distance.

 

Berg had always been there to help her whenever she was in pain... yet Arwin couldn’t return the favor.

 

-Rustle... rustle...

 

At that moment, someone approached Berg.

 

A woman walked towards the lonely Berg without hesitation.

 

Her face was also covered in tears.

 

Arwin could only watch as this woman approached her husband, her love.

 

Eyes the same color as Berg’s.

 

Hair the same color as Berg’s.

 

A hero of the same war... and a fellow human.

 

The saintess.

 

Arwin felt like she couldn’t breathe as she watched the saintness.

 

The pain in her chest was so intense that it was suffocating.

 

‘...No.’

 

Arwin thought.

 

She might be the only person who could heal Berg’s pain.

 

Even though she knew it was right to send blessings, it was easier said than done.

 

Only relentless pain tormented Arwin.

 

The saintess knelt in front of Berg.

 

Berg, with his face in his hands, showed no reaction.

 

‘...Bell.’

 

The saint whispered Berg’s nickname.

 

Berg’s trembling shoulders stiffened, and he lifted his head.

 

The two humans locked eyes for a long time.

 

The childhood friends faced each other after a long war.

 

That beautiful scene tore at Arwin’s heart.

 

“...Ah....Ah...”

 

Could there be any pain more terrible than this?

 

It was the greatest pain Arwin had ever experienced.

 

The saintess whispered again.

 

‘...Why have we hurt each other so much?’

 

Berg couldn’t respond.

 

He simply stared at the saintess.

 

‘We were enough for each other...’

 

Berg must have felt like he was back before the war.

 

All the connections he had built had been stripped away.

 

The captain he followed like a brother, Adam. His marriage with Arwin and Ner.

 

None of them were by Berg’s side anymore.

 

At that moment, the saintess, with tears streaming down her face, asked Berg.

 

‘...Why were you crying, Bell...?’

 

Arwin couldn’t see Berg’s face, so she didn’t know what expression he wore.

 

But knowing that the man who never shed tears was crying made her heart ache unbearably.

 

‘...Why are you in so much pain...?’

 

The next moment, Arwin gasped.

 

The saintess slowly reached out... and wiped Berg’s tears away.

 

The woman who shouldn’t touch anyone... was the first to reach out to him.

 

Berg accepted that touch as if it were the most natural thing.

 

The depth of the bond they had built over a long time was evident in that single gesture.

 

Berg and the saintess locked eyes deeply.

 

The saintess then spoke.

 

‘...If it’s hard, you can cry more, Bell...’

 

She cupped Berg’s face gently with both hands.

 

Berg didn’t push her away this time either.

 

Arwin knew why.

 

Berg had pushed the saintess away for their sake in the first place.

 

He had once cast aside someone precious to keep his promise to them.

 

...But now, he no longer had a reason to do that.

 

There was no vow left to uphold.

 

The saintess continued.

 

‘...You can cry... I’m here now...’

 

She tenderly pulled Berg’s head to her chest.

 

Berg, powerless, let his face be buried in her embrace.

 

‘I’m sorry... Sniff... I’ll never leave you again...’

 

Arwin, watching Berg, pleaded silently.

 

“.......Please...”

 

A contradictory feeling engulfed Arwin.

 

She wanted Berg to find peace... but not like this.

 

Perhaps her selfish heart was receiving its punishment.

 

‘I love you, Bell...’

 

Berg’s ringless hand curled into a fist.

 

That trembling fist.

 

It seemed as if he was holding on for the sake of the bond now broken with Ner and herself.

 

But the saintess kept whispering.

 

‘...Let’s start over. Just like when we only had eyes for each other...’

 

The exhausted Berg, seeking something to lean on, slowly unclenched his fist and, very slowly, embraced the saintess.

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

 

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