Chapter 184: Request for Support (4)

I stepped into the room to proceed with the meeting.

The representatives from the Blackwood family, Gale, and Baran were already seated.

As I glanced at them, I took a seat in the empty chair and prepared to start the discussion.

As the lord of this land, I began the meeting.

“Once again, I’d like to thank you for coming all this way.”

Garan, the second son of the Blackwood family, responded on behalf of his family.

“No need to thank us. We’re merely repaying an old debt.”

At his words, Ner’s gaze briefly shifted to Garan.

She soon lowered her eyes and remained silent.

Garan continued.

“Lord Reiker, however, there is something you should know.”

“Please, go ahead.”

“...Several soldiers from the Blackwood family, myself included, will be returning to our estate. We came in such large numbers to escort the supply wagons. Furthermore, our soldiers are not well-versed in dealing with the plague. It seems wiser to return rather than risk exacerbating the situation by staying. We’ve brought ample supplies, so I hope that will suffice.”

“I understand.”

I was well aware of that.

Numerous Blackwood soldiers had entered Stockpin.

We couldn’t possibly accommodate all of them.

It would have been ideal if they could help with the tasks around the village, taking over from our fallen comrades, but that was too much to ask.

Garan elaborated.

“Lan and Ner will remain. Additionally, several personnel to assist with nursing will stay as well. Please, ensure their safe return to us.”

“...I’ll do my best.”

With the plague spreading, I couldn’t promise anything about the future.

But Garan seemed satisfied with my answer and nodded.

I looked at Ner briefly.

She was staying behind.

I didn’t know how things would unfold, but it seemed we’d continue to cross paths.

Ner was already looking at me.

We had exchanged countless glances in the past.

But now, for some reason, it felt different.

Garan soon turned to Ner.

He nodded to her.

Ner seemed to take that as a signal and spoke up.

“Berg, how long has it been like this?”

Ner asked me, disregarding the formalities of the meeting room, as if trying to recall the closeness we once had.

I pondered for a moment on how to respond, and then, with a sigh, I answered frankly.

“…It’s been 15 days now.”

Ner’s lips twitched slightly.

But she soon returned to a stern expression and asked again.

“…How many have contracted the plague?”

“103.”

Baran added from the side.

“Twelve more were infected today.”

“…So that makes it 115.”

The problem with the plague is that the number of infected grows exponentially.

For now, we were barely managing to keep it under control, but as more people got infected, the problem would worsen.

“How are you managing it?”

As our conversation continued, memories of our past, when we could talk freely, came back to me.

There was a time when there was no one I could talk to as comfortably as her.

“We have an isolation ward. We’re continuing treatment there.”

“What are you feeding them?”

“…Porridge. Those who still have an appetite are given regular meals.”

“How are you maintaining hygiene?”

I shook my head.

“We’re not able to.”

It was a regrettable answer, but for now, we were more focused on the people outside the isolation ward than the patients inside.

We couldn’t let the patients leave their rooms to wash up.

And we were also hesitant to keep the nursing staff in the rooms for too long.

“Ventilation?”

“…Only briefly, in the early morning when everyone’s asleep.”

After listening to all this, Ner looked at me and said.

“…We need to establish some rules.”

“Tell me.”

“I’m against grouping all the patients together. It’s better to separate them based on the severity of their condition.”

Ner spoke to us in a firm voice. Even though it was her first time dealing with this plague, she seemed to know the answers.

“Let’s separate the patients into five stages instead of three.”

Gale responded to Ner’s suggestion.

“…There aren’t many places to rest in Stockpin. Now that you’ve arrived, there are even fewer. In this situation, how do you plan to increase the number of sickrooms? If we spread the patients all over and the plague spreads further, what then?”

Ner answered him.

“We have no other choice. If there are no spare places, we must borrow occupied houses temporarily. Only by separating the patients based on severity can we ensure proper care.”

With that, she turned to me.

“Berg, what will you do?”

She left the decision to me.

“…”

As Gale said, there aren’t many vacant houses in Stockpin. Even though we’ve built many new homes, new residents have moved into the territory just as quickly.

Moreover, we couldn’t even open the windows of the sickrooms for fear of spreading the plague... Increasing the number of rooms would double the precautions we needed to take.

I sighed.

Then I looked at Baran and spoke.

“From now on, let’s separate the rooms.”

If I hadn’t intended to seek the Blackwood family’s help, I wouldn’t have called them here.

Ultimately, many lives depend on the decisions we make now.

I decided to follow Ner’s advice.

At my agreement, Ner nodded.

She then began proposing the new rules.

“From now on, all residents must wear masks.”

Gale asked in surprise.

“…All residents?”

“Yes. It will significantly help in controlling the plague.”

I nodded at her words.

“Let’s do that.”

It would be uncomfortable, but everyone could endure that level of discomfort for the sake of each other.

“They shouldn’t take it off even at home, Berg. They must wear it even while sleeping.”

I nodded again.

“I’ll inform the residents.”

…Ner looked at me and spoke in a lower voice.

“…At the same time… no expressions of affection…”

“…”

“…That’s the only way it will be effective.”

Gale asked at that.

“…Are you suggesting banning affectionate gestures between couples?”

“…”

“They sleep in the same bed at night anyway. Would it make a difference?”

“…I’m not saying they should do it forever, just that it’s better to restrain themselves given the special circumstances.”

Throughout the conversation, I felt as if I was receiving Ner’s emotions.

I hoped it was just my imagination, but it seemed like she was constantly reflecting her feelings to me.

Could it be an innocent remark?

Was it because of the kiss between Sien and me earlier?

“…Berg…”

“…?”

Before I could answer Ner’s question, she spoke.

“…You can restrain yourself to protect those you care about.”

Her words made me think of Sien and our child.

If I unknowingly had the plague and transmitted it to Sien through a kiss… could I bear that?

Could I endure the reality if things got worse?

…Probably not.

Considering the plague situation, it might indeed be wise to refrain from kissing.

I nodded.

It wasn’t that I was bending to Ner’s words, but rather a decision made for the sake of those precious to me.

“…”

Only then did Ner nod as well.

“Next…”

She continued to establish various rules.

Gale kept expressing his concerns about Ner’s suggestions. It wasn’t that he thought she was wrong, but rather that he was being cautious.

Even when Ner’s rules were adopted, he accepted everything without significant complaints.

Ultimately, the final decision rested with me, and Gale respected that choice.

We also discussed the treatment of the Blackwood personnel.

The deployment of nursing staff, food provisions for them, rest periods, necessary resources, and so on.

We planned everything meticulously before starting.

Of course, things would change organically as life continued, but for now, we discussed everything thoroughly.

We talked for a long time, and soon the sun began to set naturally.

Sensing the meeting coming to an end, I moved to conclude it.

“…Shall we wrap it up here?”

Garan nodded at my words.

“Lord Reiker, since our discussion seems to be over, my soldiers and I will take our leave.”

“…”

I wanted to suggest they rest before leaving, but given the plague in the territory, his choice seemed wise.

“I apologize for not being able to offer more hospitality.”

“It’s fine. No need to worry.”

We stood up and shook hands.

Then everyone began to leave the room one by one.

-Thud.

As we walked out, someone grabbed my sleeve.

“…”

“…”

Of course, it was Ner.

“…Berg, a small favor-”

“-Ner.”

I stopped her before she could continue.

Honestly, it felt like I had finally let go of the betrayal I once felt towards her.

The intense anger from back then had subsided, and I wanted to remember her as a good memory.

I wanted to think of the good rather than the bad.

I hoped that the positive feelings Ner and I shared wouldn’t fade.

Ner looked up at me when I called her name.

“…What…?”

“…Thank you for coming. The rules you’ve set will be very helpful to us.”

At those words, Ner’s eyes quickly became misty.

Her white tail began to wag gently.

She smiled faintly and bit her lip, whispering.

“…Yeah. For you, I-”

“-But.”

“…What?”

I looked down at the ring on her finger.

On her left ring finger was her ring, and on her thumb was my ring.

Looking at those rings, I spoke.

“…You need to take off the ring now.”

“…Ah…”

“For humans, rings hold a lot of meaning.”

I was already wearing the ring I shared with Sien.

For her sake, I didn’t want another woman to keep a ring I had given.

…Of course, Ner was not just any other woman, but still, I couldn’t ignore it.

Ner hid her hand behind her back and bit her lip as if holding back tears.

The fact that she still had such vivid emotions for me… stirred something within me.

Even so, this time I wasn’t going to let her hold onto it.

Instead of leaving the decision to her, I stood before her and held out my hand.

It was a gesture asking for the ring back.

At that motion, Ner gasped.

Her wide eyes looked up at me in surprise.

Her pointed ears drooped.

She shook her head slowly and said.

“…I’ll hide it where you can’t see it.”

“…Give it back.”

“…You won’t keep it, will you…?”

“I’ll throw it away.”

“…Then I can’t give it to you.”

“Ner.”

“I can’t, Berg.”

Ner shrank back.

She was still clinging tightly to our past relationship.

Seeing her hold on so desperately… reminded me of my old self.

She looked so fragile, like she might break.

“…”

I quickly lost the resolve to pressure her.

As I claimed, Ner and I no longer had any ties.

I had no justification to torment her like this.

…Maybe it was just an excuse because I didn’t want to see her cry.

“…Ha.”

I sighed.

In the end, I told her.

“…Then hide it. Make sure I never see it again.”

“…”

“…Especially make sure Sien doesn’t see it.”

“…Ugh.”

At the mention of Sien, she clenched her fist slightly.

I turned away from Ner, my former wife, to see Garan off as he prepared to return to the estate.

-Thud.

“…Berg.”

But Ner didn’t let me go.

It was as if she had to tell me the reason she initially grabbed me.

“…I… I will really try my best.”

“…”

“…I will work hard to create a cure for the plague… and I’ll keep nursing…”

I knew how significant it was for a noble like her to volunteer for nursing.

Especially given the risk of contracting the disease herself.

Ner was willing to risk her life to help me.

“…So… Berg…”

I turned to her, hearing her trembling voice.

“…Can you… give me a hug just once… to encourage me…?”

Ner closed her eyes tightly as she asked me this.

Even her arms were trembling.

“…If that’s too difficult…”

“…”

“…Can you at least pat my head…? I really… really missed you…”

Her pitiful appearance left me unable to move.

Compared to risking her life, this was a small request.

“…Like old times…”

Hugging her or patting her head were simple things I could do without much effort.

I felt my expression twist involuntarily.

I couldn’t tell if my feelings were driven by sympathy for her or by lingering affection.

“…Ha.”

-Thud.

But I reluctantly pulled her hand away.

Ner easily fell away from my grip.

As if this wasn’t her only chance.

…I left Ner behind and walked away.

****

After sending Garan off, we introduced the rules Ner had created to the village.

Many people complained about the difficult and detailed rules, but I persuaded them by saying it was the only way to save their loved ones.

The mercenaries followed my words without complaint, but convincing the newly settled humans took time.

Maybe it would have been easier to threaten punishment for anyone who broke the rules.

But I wasn’t yet comfortable with ruling others that way.

I was the first to wrap a mask around my face.

Baran, Gale, and the Blackwood party all followed suit, covering their faces with masks.

With this, the feeling of an outbreak was palpable.

But beyond the atmosphere, safety was more important.

By tomorrow, everyone would likely be wearing masks.

Next, we divided the patients into five stages.

Finding rooms for the patients wasn’t easy.

Finding new rooms was one thing, but we also needed new beds.

Moreover, we had to find accommodations for the dozens of guests from Blackwood.

It was no simple task.

As we divided the spaces, Baran approached me.

“Captain?”

“…Speak.”

Baran spoke cautiously.

“…It’s difficult to find accommodations for Miss Lan Blackwood and Miss Ner Blackwood.”

“…?”

I looked at Baran, puzzled, and he responded with a guilty expression.

“…They’re nobles from Blackwood. There aren’t any decent places for them to rest.”

“…”

“…Especially Miss Lan Blackwood, who won’t rest in a shabby place…”

I had forgotten.

The Blackwoods were high-ranking nobles.

I hadn’t thought about it when Ner was living with me, but now that our relationship was severed… I had an obligation to accommodate powerful nobles like the Blackwoods appropriately.

Especially since they had come to help us, whatever their reasons.

I moved to address the issue that Baran had raised.

I intended to speak with Lan and Ner.

I could see Lan from a distance, her expression filled with dissatisfaction.

“Miss Lan Blackwood, is there a problem?”

I approached carefully and asked, and Lan responded with a displeased expression.

“…None of the accommodations are to my liking.”

Despite her expression, she spoke with some caution.

“We came to help, but every house we’ve seen so far has a strange smell… bugs…”

I looked at Baran, who replied.

“…Even if we want to find a better place, none exist right now. The decent accommodations are being used as sickrooms at Miss Ner’s request…”

When I looked at Ner, she turned her head away from me, seemingly harboring some resentment from our earlier interaction.

Lan asked, seeing my silence.

“…Lord Reiker, doesn’t your house have any space for us to rest?”

“…Pardon?”

“…It’s customary for guests to rest at the host’s estate, isn’t it?”

As always, it was customary for nobles to stay in the manor of the hosting noble family.

The best house in the estate was typically the lord’s manor.

I had experienced this myself.

Whether it was with Ner, Arwin, or Jackson, they always stayed at the lord’s manor.

In fairness, it was only right to offer the Blackwood family, who were our guests, a room in our home.

If our house resembled more of a noble’s residence, I wouldn’t hesitate to offer it.

However, our home hadn’t changed much from before, and that gave me pause.

My relationship with Ner also undoubtedly played a role.

Seeing the accumulating discontent in Lan, I spoke.

“…I can offer you a room, but it won’t be much different from the other houses.”

“…”

Lan didn’t respond, and Ner approached, whispering to her.

I couldn’t hear what she said, but Lan spoke up.

“…If you truly don’t mind offering it, I would like to see it.”

“…”

As I remained silent, she added.

“After all, it’s the house where Ner lived all this time.”

At that, Ner and I locked eyes.

The house we had shared for a long time.

To be fair, it was a house we had renovated together.

A place filled with many of our memories.

I found myself saying to Ner, almost involuntarily.

“…You wouldn’t want to go back there.”

I didn’t know why I said it.

But Ner responded, almost in a whisper.

‘…It’s still my home.’

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

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