Chapter 226: Mixing Races (2)

I settled in a spot I had chosen beforehand and continued chopping wood.

-Thud! Thud!

To build a house, I first had to level the ground.

Thanks to my experience in leveling farmland back in Stockpin, this wasn’t something entirely new to me.

From a distance, my wives were watching me.

Perhaps it was because we all understood that we had reached this place through our combined efforts, but they were getting along quite well.

It was fair to say they’d found some peace.

Maybe it was because we had all achieved the happiness we longed for. They shared jokes, gave each other compliments, and laughter blossomed among them.

Ner and Arwin were especially attentive to Sien and her condition. They were always careful to ensure that our healthy child would be born safely.

Arwin regularly used her magic to monitor the baby’s status, while Ner consistently checked on Sien’s health.

No doubt, Ner’s medical knowledge would be of great help during the childbirth process.

As I watched my wives chatting and laughing, I couldn’t help but smile.

Then, I went back to chopping wood.

I wasn’t sure how much time had passed like this.

Eventually, stray thoughts began creeping into my mind.

The last words Flint had said before leaving a few days ago echoed in my head.

‘You don’t realize, do you? You have no idea what kind of expressions your wives are making behind your back right now, do you?’

“...”

What kind of expressions could have prompted Flint to say something like that?

-Thud.

I set down my axe to wipe the sweat from my forehead.

Then, I suddenly realized how quiet my wives had gotten.

With Flint’s words lingering in my mind, I instinctively glanced over my shoulder.

-Snap!

When I turned, I saw Arwin and Ner quickly looking away in opposite directions.

The only one who remained composed was Sien, who had already shared a deeper bond with me.

Sien gave me a half-lidded look, exuding a lighthearted jealousy.

It felt like her way of teasing me about the unspoken tension lingering between us all.

“...”

I chuckled softly and turned back around.

This new life we were building brought about challenges I had to be mindful of.

Since my wives were naturally jealous, I had been cautious about displaying affection in front of them.

For the sake of harmony, we limited ourselves to simple gestures like hugs or holding hands. Expressions of love, like confessions or kisses, were mostly avoided.

Though this arrangement worked for now, I was well aware that Ner and Arwin weren’t entirely unfamiliar with the customs of other races.

In fact, it had been a point of contention in the past.

I understood that I couldn’t impose my own standards on them.

For this reason, we had decided to divide our living arrangements.

And for the same reason, we alternated our nights together.

“...”

I swung the axe once again.

-Thud!

Another wave of thoughts washed over me.

But unlike previous worries, this one felt entirely different.

If anything, the more I dwelled on it, the warmer my heart grew.

.

.

.

.

After leveling the ground, we returned to the village.

We washed up, ate dinner, exchanged jokes, and then headed to our respective rooms.

Tonight, it was my turn to sleep with Sien.

“Good night.”

“Mm, good night, Berg.”

“Good night, Berg,” Arwin and Ner added their farewells as we each entered our rooms.

Their slightly forlorn expressions struck me as endearing.

Before long, I lay down in bed with Sien, preparing to end the day.

I took off my shirt and settled into bed first, naturally offering my arm for Sien to use as a pillow.

Sien slowly eased herself down beside me.

Placing my hand gently on her slightly swollen belly, I smiled as she let out a soft chuckle.

“I hope our baby grows healthy,” Sien whispered.

I nodded with a smile.

Despite the hard work of the day, that small moment made all my fatigue melt away.

“You worked hard today, Bell,” she said softly.

“It’s for building our home—nothing special,” I replied.

“...”

Hearing my words, Sien paused as though something came to mind.

Her quiet, blinking eyes eventually turned to me.

“...?”

Her gaze, locking onto mine in bed, was a clear signal that she was about to bring up something serious.

“...Bell.”

“Yeah?”

“It’s about... Ner and Arwin...” she hesitated, clearly unsure of how to proceed.

“...You haven’t... been intimate with them yet, have you?”

She looked at me with a faint unease.

I answered her honestly.

“No, I haven’t.”

“Have they... tried to tempt you?”

I considered the question for a moment.

Would staring at me with seductive eyes count as temptation?

If she meant approaching me boldly in bed, then no, nothing like that had happened yet.

“Not yet,” I said.

“Ah, I see... Got it.”

“Why?”

“Well... it’s just... since I can’t do that with you right now...”

Ever since Sien’s pregnancy, we hadn’t been physically intimate.

There were practical reasons for this—busyness, the epidemic—but now that those issues had passed, it was simply for the sake of stability.

Even though the baby was developing healthily and there was no issue with resuming intimacy, I couldn’t help but worry about her. Sien’s body was naturally delicate, and I didn’t want to push her beyond her limits.

“Anyway, I don’t think anything will happen before the house is built,” I told her.

After all, even birds need a nest to lay their eggs.

I didn’t want to rush into anything in such an unstable situation.

Of course, if things naturally led in that direction, I wouldn’t resist. But for now, I chose to take a step back and observe.

Despite my reassurance, Sien’s expression remained uncertain.

Biting her lip, she seemed to be holding back something she still wanted to say.

I waited patiently for her to speak.

“...Bell.”

“Yes?”

She glanced at me hesitantly—her usual manner when she was about to say something difficult.

Sure enough, Sien leaned closer, whispering as if sharing a secret.

“Lately, those two... they’ve been watching you a lot.”

“They’re my wives,” I said with a smile.

“No... it’s not that...”

At her words, I was reminded of what Flint had said:

‘You don’t realize, do you? You have no idea what kind of expressions your wives are making behind your back right now, do you?’

“...”

I quickly understood what Sien was trying to convey.

Apparently, they had been eyeing me... in a rather suggestive way.

Hearing this repeatedly, I was starting to feel like prey being stalked by hungry predators.

Sien wrinkled her nose briefly and muttered, “It’s only natural. Of course, that’s how it is, Bell.”

“...”

Her gaze locked onto mine, turning sharp with a sudden hint of possessiveness.

“Just... don’t enjoy being with them more than when you’re with me, okay?”

“...”

Her unexpected intensity left me momentarily frozen.

Do all husbands live at the mercy of their wives? Had I just taken my first step into that life?

Feeling awkward, I cleared my throat and pulled Sien into my arms.

Then, I gave her the answer I knew she wanted to hear.

“Yeah.”

****

The next day, after finishing my work, I returned to our lodging.

Today, my wives had stayed behind in the village, saying they wanted to explore it.

Since we planned to settle near the lake, it seemed they thought it would be wise to make themselves known in the village as we’d likely be visiting often.

“Have you been waiting for me?”

As I entered the inn, I spotted the three of them—Sien, Ner, and Arwin—waiting for me on the first floor.

I glanced at their expressions, gauging their moods, and quickly noticed something unusual in Ner’s gaze.

“...”

In truth, I had somewhat expected this.

Tonight was a full moon, and it was Ner’s turn to share a bed with me.

The moment I entered, Ner immediately rose and walked toward me.

I could see Sien and Arwin stiffen slightly at her impulsive action. Clearly, they were aware that it was the full moon—and that I would be spending the night with Ner.

-Thud!

Ner slipped gracefully into my arms, hugging me tightly.

“You’re here, Berg,” she murmured, her voice muffled against my chest.

I returned the hug briefly, intending to pull away, but…

-Squeeze…

Ner’s arms tightened around me, refusing to let go.

I could feel her inhaling deeply, almost excessively, as if savoring my scent.

Before the attention of others grew unnecessary, I leaned in and whispered to her.

“…Ner, I just came back from working. I’m sweaty, and I smell. Let go.”

Lifting her face slightly from my chest, Ner whispered back with a faint smile.

“…That’s the best part.”

“...”

Before I could respond, Ner let out an exaggerated yawn.

-Clap!

Then, lightly grabbing my wrist, she tugged me toward the stairs, saying, “You must be tired. Let’s go to bed now.”

“...”

I couldn’t help but find her suggestion amusing.

Even Sien and Arwin, usually quick to interject, were left speechless by Ner’s boldness.

“Ner, we haven’t even had dinner yet,” I reminded her.

“...”

At that, Ner froze mid-step.

Blinking as if just realizing it, she turned to look at me with flushed cheeks.

“…Oh, right… I guess we didn’t, huh?” she muttered sheepishly.

– – The End of The Chapter – –

 

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