Chapter 168: Hidden Truths (4)

 

As Berg bid his final farewell, all strength seemed to leave Ner's body.

 

Overwhelmed with tears, she collapsed, unable to breathe properly.

 

Gidon Blackwood, who had been blocking her path, quickly moved to support his astonished sister.

 

“Ner!”

 

Berg flinched reflexively at the sight.

 

It seemed like he was forcibly suppressing his instincts.

 

Arwin was observing the entire scene.

 

Through Berg’s reaction, Arwin spoke.

 

“...See...”

 

“...”

 

“...Your body still wants to stay with us...”

 

No matter how much one tries to disguise the truth with words, the body remains honest.

 

Arwin wanted to believe there was still affection towards her.

 

As long as that affection existed, no relationship was beyond repair.

 

She wanted to believe they could return to their past relationship.

 

This couldn't be a farewell with someone like Berg.

 

She couldn't part ways with such a brilliant existence with such a short lifespan.

 

Every passing moment was too precious to waste.

 

“...”

 

Berg didn't bother to refute Arwin's words.

 

Instead, he just confirmed that Gidon was safely supporting Ner and turned away.

 

Arwin, not giving up, followed Berg.

 

No matter how far he walked away, Arwin just needed to get closer.

 

Arwin was prepared to follow him to the ends of the earth.

 

However, there was a noticeable difference in stride between a man and a woman.

 

Berg quickened his pace, as if he wanted to leave this place as soon as possible.

 

The members of the Red Flames group also quickly vanished, following his lead.

 

Arwin had to almost run to keep up with Berg.

 

It was not easy to do so while wiping away her flowing tears.

 

“Berg....where are you going...”

 

She asked, knowing he was leaving her.

 

The members of the Celebrien family followed Arwin, who was chasing after Berg.

 

“Where are you going, leaving me behind...!”

 

“...Theodore.”

 

Hearing her voice, Berg, as if he couldn't endure it any longer, called out to Theodore.

 

Theodore nodded at Berg and turned towards Arwin.

 

His tightly clenched lips and strained expression revealed that he, like Berg, was struggling.

 

But perhaps it was because they had spent the past few months together that he acted this way.

 

“...Arwin-nim. Please, stop now...”

 

Arwin, without hesitation, extended a hand towards Theodore who was trying to stop her.

 

At the same time, she cast a spell on him, a defensive magic she learned from Sylphrien.

 

A spell to disrupt balance.

 

“...Ugh.”

 

Theodore didn't fall but was momentarily immobilized by the magic.

 

Arwin seized the opportunity and ran towards Berg.

 

While the other members of the Red Flames group were torn by Arwin’s actions, she hugged Berg from behind.

 

-Pak!

 

“...Please, don’t do this...”

 

She pleaded.

 

“...Please, please don’t do this, Berg.”

 

“...”

 

Berg finally froze and came to a stop.

 

No one moved.

 

Not the members of the Red Flames group, nor Arwin, nor Berg, nor the members of the Celebrien family following them.

 

They all just watched the final moments of a divorcing couple.

 

They only watched a woman denying the end of their relationship alone.

 

The members of the Celebrien family seemed shocked by Arwin's behavior.

 

As if they had never imagined she would give her heart so deeply to someone with a short lifespan.

 

But Arwin paid no attention to their reactions.

 

“...”

 

Berg slowly turned and placed his hands on Arwin’s shoulders.

 

The warmth of his hands made Arwin's heart melt.

 

-Thud.

 

But at that moment, Arwin was pushed away from Berg.

 

He spoke.

 

“...Arwin.”

 

The man who called her name so easily.

 

Arwin looked at Berg through her tears.

 

Her vision was blurred, making it hard to see his face clearly.

 

“...”

 

After a long pause, Berg, as if showing his last bit of affection, slowly wiped away Arwin’s tears with his thumb.

 

Her face felt so small in his large hands.

 

-Swish.

 

Suddenly, her vision cleared, and she could see Berg's face.

 

Seeing it so clearly, she could tell how sincere his words were.

 

“...I think you’re right now.”

 

He said.

 

A flicker of hope filled Arwin.

 

Even though she knew it was impossible, she hoped for a miracle.

 

Could he be saying he would accept her... She dared to hope for that impossible dream.

 

“...Yes?”

 

Arwin pressed Berg’s hand, which had been wiping her tears, against her cheek and asked.

 

But Berg slowly shook his head.

 

“...Short-lived and long-lived species... shouldn’t be together.”

 

His words squeezed her heart.

 

The man who had always tried to bridge the gap was now showing signs of giving up.

 

“...Ah...no...”

 

“When we were married, I tried to overcome the differences, but... there’s no need for that now.”

 

“...B...Berg... I...”

 

Berg shook his head briefly and spoke.

 

“...Don't make a foolish choice.”

 

“..........”

 

“I no longer... have any intention of doing so.”

 

-Thud.

 

Leaving Arwin behind, Berg resumed walking.

 

Arwin was paralyzed by his words, unable to move.

 

The situation had reversed.

 

This time, it was Berg who brought up the issue of lifespan.

 

...She could barely begin to understand what Berg must have felt.

 

It was a bitter, painful feeling.

 

Her body felt numb.

 

She no longer had the strength to chase after him.

 

“...”

 

She could only watch his retreating figure.

 

Until he disappeared into a mere dot, Arwin stood there frozen.

 

****

 

I no longer wanted to stay in the capital.

 

The city where a long relationship had ended.

 

I wanted to quickly head back home so that the painful memories would no longer torment me.

 

...But perhaps, home would make it even harder for me.

 

Stockpin was filled with memories of Ner and Arwin.

 

“...”

 

Whatever the case, I needed rest.

 

Maybe I needed rigorous training to clear my head.

 

Whatever it took, I didn’t want to think about the separation anymore.

 

I was done with it.

 

Baran, who had been with me through everything, approached and called out to me.

 

“...Captain.”

 

If Adam Hyung was here... would he have acted like Baran?

 

What words should I have said to Hyung?

 

Baran frowned in disbelief and asked.

 

“Did you really... not love the ladies?”

 

“...”

 

“...Was everything... an act?”

 

I let out a long sigh.

 

Baran, interpreting my sigh as an answer, clenched his lips tightly.

 

“...Then why... did you say those things...”

 

I didn’t answer his question but asked instead.

 

“When can we depart?”

 

“...”

 

Baran blinked a few times before answering.

 

“Once a few preparations are complete, we can leave today.”

 

“Then start preparing to leave. I don’t want to stay here any longer.”

 

“...”

 

Baran remained silent for a moment before nodding.

 

I remembered something and stopped Baran as he was about to walk away.

 

“Baran.”

 

“Yes, Captain.”

 

There was still a debt to be repaid to Blackwood and Celebrien.

 

They had upheld their family honor and got their daughters safely.

 

Considering we had protected their territory in the past, it was more than enough to justify endless compensation.

 

...But I had no intention of going personally to discuss this.

 

Meeting Ner and Arwin there again... it was too much.

 

“Go to Blackwood and Celebrien and tell them we remember the debt.”

 

“...A debt...captain?”

 

I didn’t know exactly what Stockpin lacked at the moment.

 

It seemed I needed to find out after returning.

 

By making this choice, I upheld my last bit of honor toward Ner and Arwin.

 

And I managed to secure the support of two great noble families for Stockpin.

 

As I nodded, Baran did the same.

 

He then moved away with a few Head Hunter unit members.

 

“...Bell.”

 

At that moment, someone called out to me.

 

I turned to find her but couldn’t see anyone.

 

“Over here, Bell.”

 

She called out to me again.

 

“...”

 

I was at a loss for words and stood still for a moment.

 

It was Sien, no longer in her holy robe, calling out to me.

 

She wore bright casual clothes.

 

I hadn’t expected to see her like this... so I failed to spot her right away.

 

“...How... do I look?”

 

She asked, having shed her long-held duties.

 

She stood there, looking more mature than at the moment of our farewell.

 

Her expression, as she approached me, reminded me of our first meeting.

 

“...”

 

I couldn’t say anything as I looked at her.

 

Then she explained to me.

 

“...I quit being a Saintess.”

 

“...”

 

“...Bell, now I... want to be by your side.”

 

With that, she managed a difficult, bright smile.

 

I didn’t know what to say.

 

“...”

 

One thing was clear, though: seeing her relieved from her duties, a gust of wind seemed to blow into my weary heart.

 

****

 

Arwin sat dazed in the empty clearing.

 

It was the same spot where Berg had sought comfort from the Saintess a few days ago.

 

Arwin's effort was to find traces of Berg here, even if only in this place.

 

She sat silently where he had once sat, letting time pass.

 

Now her time seemed to stretch endlessly.

 

-Rustle... Rustle...

 

Then, someone walked up behind her.

 

Arwin didn’t turn around at the light footsteps.

 

If it wasn’t Berg’s footsteps, nothing else mattered.

 

“...Arwin.”

 

It was the voice was Sylphrien’s.

 

The moment she heard her voice, Arwin felt another surge of emotions.

 

She had cried so much that her tears had dried up, but the pain in her heart showed no signs of diminishing.

 

“...I heard. That you got divorced.”

 

Hearing someone else say it made the pain worse.

 

A reality she refused to accept was being acknowledged by others.

 

It felt like the world was moving on, leaving her behind.

 

Sylphrien, who had been standing still for a long while, whispered.

 

“Maybe...maybe it’s for the best, Arwin.”

 

She began to comfort Arwin.

 

“I don’t know what Berg meant to you...but this was a separation that would have come in 60 years anyway.”

 

“...”

 

“You’re someone who will live for a thousand years or more, right...? If you had spent those 60 years with him, the separation then would have been even harder, Arwin. I know it’s not what you want to hear right now, but...already-”

 

“-Whose side are you on, unnie...?”

 

Arwin suddenly asked.

 

When Berg disappeared, all the warmth he had left in her heart vanished.

 

Only sharp, icy emotions remained.

 

She was reverting to the person she was before she knew Berg.

 

No, perhaps she was even more broken now.

 

“...It seems like the Saintess is getting close to Berg again.”

 

Arwin said with a sticky sense of jealousy, questioning Sylphrien.

 

“During all this time...haven’t you only taken the Saintess’ side...?”

 

Arwin wanted to understand Sylphrien’s intentions.

 

She wanted to know if the comforting words were meant for her...or for the Saintess.

 

If they were meant to tell her to stay away from Berg for the Saintess’ sake, no matter how much she loved Sylphrien, she didn’t want to hear it.

 

Sylphrien spoke.

 

“N...no, Arwin. I’m on your side-”

 

“The Saintess gave Ner a notebook.”

 

Arwin whispered.

 

Her voice was filled with self-loathing.

 

She knew it was all her fault...but still, she wanted to question.

 

There was one suspicion she had.

 

Ever since things had taken this incomprehensible turn, a question had lingered in her mind.

 

Why was there information about Mel’s Tears in that notebook?

 

“And... on the last page... there was information about Mel’s Tears.”

 

“...”

 

“The handwriting was different for that part... just that part...”

 

“...”

 

Arwin slowly turned to look at Sylphrien.

 

Her empty eyes focused on Sylphrien.

 

There weren’t many people who knew about Mel’s Tears in the first place.

 

It was such a top-secret poison that the elf trackers had used it effectively.

 

A poison that even most elves didn’t know about.

 

How did information about it end up in such an insignificant notebook?

 

“...Did you write it, unnie...?”

 

Arwin asked.

 

“...Arwin.”

 

“You were the one who knew about Mel’s Tears. Did you... leak the information about Mel’s Tears...?”

 

Sylphrien clenched her fists.

 

Seeing Arwin in pain was causing her turmoil as well.

 

After biting her lip for a long while, Sylphrien finally confessed honestly.

 

“...Yes.”

 

At that answer, Arwin let out a hollow laugh.

 

Sylphrien hurriedly spoke, as if trying to excuse herself.

 

“I heard that man meant everything to the Saintess...”

 

“...”

 

“And at the time... you were confused about your feelings too... So, I thought maybe... Arwin, I thought maybe...”

 

Long ago, it was Arwin who had asked for Mel’s Tears.

 

It was Arwin who had brought that poison to the Stockpin territory.

 

She had given Berg the Bardi liquor on their first night, and there was a time when she had wished for Berg’s death.

 

Arwin knew clearly that all the fault lay solely with her.

 

But now that the situation had come to this, she kept wanting to blame others.

 

What if Sylphrien hadn’t written that information in the notebook?

 

How different would reality be now?

 

Maybe she would be receiving Berg’s love.

 

Maybe she could have stayed by his side for a long time, instead of being coldly abandoned.

 

Maybe they would have whispered sweet nothings to each other, exchanging deep expressions of affection.

 

Arwin understood that Sylphrien had acted out of concern, but from her perspective, it felt like a minor betrayal.

 

“...Ah... ha... haha...”

 

So, Arwin kept laughing.

 

It felt like the karma she had accumulated was finally catching up to her.

 

If being betrayed by someone she trusted felt this way... how must Berg have felt being betrayed by her?

 

Wouldn’t it have hurt much more, given the endless affection he had shown?

 

Her laughter turned into tears.

 

“...Ah...! Ah....!!”

 

Arwin couldn’t find any words to argue with Sylphrien.

 

All she could do was cry endlessly, her heart feeling like it was being torn apart.

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

 

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