Chapter 27: Building Honor (4)

When the final boss monster fell, cheers erupted from all around.

The members collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily, and enjoyed the relief of having survived.

The subjugation was completed in two days, quicker than expected due to the hard work of our group and proving to be formidable opponents.

Everyone took appropriate breaks and maintained high morale, resulting in minimal casualties.

Especially in the Head Hunter Unit, no one died. Shawn only suffered minor injuries to his arm.

Amidst the pouring cheers, I also relished the current feeling. There was definitely a sense of exhilaration after killing the boss monster. There were times when it felt like a matter of life or death to defeat them.

-Tok.

Someone approached from behind and tapped my shoulder.

It was Gidon.

The most surprising thing for me in the past two days, except for the first drive, was that he followed my orders.

Despite being reckless and dangerous, he carried out his duties to the end.

The tense atmosphere between us had also settled into a ceasefire.

There was no choice when one wandered together through death.

I didn't want to fight with him anymore.

Just breaking his momentum was enough.

“…”

Gidon quietly extended his hand to me, asking for a human handshake.

“…”

But... I didn't reach out my hand.

Reconciliation and friendship are different.

Reconciliation had already been done. I didn't want to get closer to him beyond that.

The fact that he had been bullying Ner for a long time didn't change.

It was not anger... but since I didn't know Ner's feelings, I couldn't be the one to initiate friendship.

My wife was a priority over a stranger.

So I shook my head.

“… Take care of your younger sister first.”

I said.

Gidon quietly lowered his hand at those words.

Adam Hyung came running from a distance.

A big smile hung on his face.

Seeing the smile on his face, I also smiled.

It was time to return.

****

News of the subjugation quickly spread throughout Blackwood.

"The subjugation is complete! The mercenaries are said to be returning!"

Gibson, Ner's older sisters, attendants, maids, and servants erupted in applause and let out relieved sighs.

Upon hearing the news, Ner felt a sense of liberation from the weight that had been pressing on her chest.

Her tail wagged freely.

...However, there were still more important news remaining.

"What happened to Gidon?"

Gibson shouted and asked. News about his eldest son, of whom he was most proud, was undoubtedly important.

"He's safe...! All the other youngsters are safe too!"

"Oh...! That's great...!"

The Werewolves expressed their joy by hugging each other, as if they had heard all the important news.

It was good news, but Ner still had news to be curious about.

It was absolutely not because she liked him. There was still someone else who held her heart.

But she couldn't help but worry.

The man who fought for her sake was not leaving her mind.

She could still picture him leading her to the camp and sharing a meal together when he heard that she had been eating alone.

"Hey...! What about the mercenary corps...?"

It was more convenient to ask about the mercenary corps than to inquire directly about Berg, as it seemed to hide her true intentions.

Amidst the cheers, Ner's voice resounded.

It had been a long time since she had raised her voice so loudly.

Then, as if cold water had been poured into the room, everyone fell silent.

Laan and Swan erased their bright smiles... and slowly sneered at her.

But at the same time, they also looked at the soldiers with curiosity.

Gibson also inquired.

"Yes. What's the situation with the Red Flames? Is the Captain and the vice-captain... no, my son-in-law safe?"

The soldier glanced at the atmosphere and nodded.

"Yes... yes! They are all safe. This subjugation was a complete success!"

Ner brought her tightly clenched fist to her chest.

Finally, she was freed from the emotions that had been truly suppressing her heart.

It felt like a refreshing wind had passed through her body.

As the tension eased, her body tingled.

Her blood felt like it had turned into worms, crawling through her entire body.

...At the same time, another pressure weighed on her.

“…”

Ner couldn’t stop thinking about him.

There was truly no turning back now.

After the subjugation was over, the Red Flames would return to their home.

Ner would also leave Blackwood's territory and follow them.

With the emotions running through her head, Ner didn’t know how to react.

Should she be happy or sad about having to follow Berg?

...For now, she decided to be happy about the liberation of Blackwood.

****

"Berg. Have you made up your mind?"

On the way back to Blackwood Fortress, Adam Hyung asked me.

He was bandaging a new scar on his arm.

“What?”

I asked, and he spoke.

"Are you going to establish your reputation? Or are you going to hide behind once again?"

“…”

The bustling atmosphere continued behind us, and Adam Hyung approached me, speaking forcefully.

"After all this effort? Everyone just thinks I'm the one who subjugated the boss monsters."

At that moment, I could see our destination right in front of me.

Countless werewolf people stood on the castle walls, welcoming us.

The lively atmosphere inside the castle reached us from here.

"Decide quickly. We're almost there."

Adam Hyung urged me for a response.

I was undoubtedly undergoing a significant change in my thoughts.

If I made a decision, it was clear that I would be entangled in troublesome matters.

More people would recognize me, more people would seek me out, and expectations towards me would rise.

There would be more meetings to attend, and more nobles to meet.

Undoubtedly, the attention from women towards me would increase. Although I had been good at rejecting them so far, unpredictable problems could arise as a result.

...And maybe.

Sien might hear my name too.

She might think it's just a coincidence, but she might hear my name as well.

Mercenary Berg. When she hears that name... What will she think?

“-You should also think about your wife.”

At that moment, Adam Hyung interrupted my thoughts and spoke.

“…Ah.”

His words brought me back to reality.

Once again, I was thinking about Sien.

“…”

Inwardly, I laugh at myself.

I had become pitiful to the point where I was still holding onto someone who was truly in the past.

Even after getting married, I was still doing this.

My wife wasn't Sien. She was not the one I should prioritize.

It was Ner.

I turned back for a moment.

“…”

“…”

I exchanged a glance with Gidon for a moment.

Then I looked ahead again and made a decision.

****

The members of the Blackwood family were waiting for the heroes.

Gibson, Laan, Swan, and Ner stood at the end of the path created by the crowd.

Cheers echoed from the front.

It seemed like the mercenaries and Gidon's soldiers were entering.

Laan and Swan were playing a subtle fight against Ner.

Ner was doing her best to avoid making eye contact with them.

Perhaps Ner knew as well.

That it would be difficult for Berg to shine as much as Gidon.

There were no werewolf warriors stronger than Gidon within the Blackwood territory, and there were no werewolf warriors with a higher reputation than him.

Laan and Swan had already anticipated that and were doing their best to torment Ner.

Finally, the mercenaries appeared in the distance.

“…?”

And among them was Berg, who was at the forefront.

Wearing blood-stained armor, he approached while not saying a word.

Adam was behind him, and Gidon was behind Adam.

For some reason, the vice-captain approached like the main protagonist.

Flower petals showered down on them. Cheers and applause continued endlessly. Laughter and tears filled their path.

Swan whispered.

"...Why is that person at the forefront?"

At that moment, Adam raised his hand.

The mercenaries stopped, and the crowd fell silent.

Soon, complete silence enveloped the wide square.

Everyone wondered why the procession had halted.

Then, in that place, Berg alone shouted.

“…Ner!”

Her name echoed.

When Ner heard her name, her body trembled.

All eyes turned to Ner.

The sound of countless clothes brushing against each other was so loud, indicating how many people were looking at her.

Berg gestured for her to come over from a distance.

Ner hesitated for a moment, glancing at Laan and Swan.

But Berg seemed unwilling to move if Ner didn't come.

Not wanting to disrupt the flow of the atmosphere, Ner slowly made her way toward Berg, who was already mounted on his horse.

Ner walked on the path prepared for the mercenaries.

All eyes were fixed on her.

Ner was not used to being the center of such intense attention.

She felt self-conscious about her unimpressive tail, and the blame for her mother's death weighed heavily on her.

Her legs trembled.

The cursed tail, the cursed woman—moments when she was cursed and insulted felt like an everyday occurrence.

Her tail curled.

Even though she no longer heard such remarks, it felt as though people were saying them silently in their minds.

She also lowered her head.

The attention she received because of Berg was uncomfortable for her.

It had gone too far.

The only reason she endured this was to please Berg, who had liberated Blackwood.

After walking a difficult path, she finally stood in front of Berg.

Berg, covered in blood, looking down at her with a chilling gaze, was undeniably terrifying.

The scent of fresh blood filled the air.

She felt that her recent fear of him had somewhat dissipated, but she couldn't help but still feel afraid, as she didn't completely know Berg.

It seemed like she could see at least a glimpse of what kind of life he was living.

And that life seemed even more cruel than Ner had imagined, arousing a sense of repulsion.

Berg, who had been standing at the forefront of the mercenaries, dismounted lightly from his horse.

Berg slowly approached Ner.

Ner closed her eyes tightly, her senses dulled by the smell of blood.

Then Berg whispered quietly so that only she could hear it.

“…Sorry. Excuse me for a moment.”

Contrary to his appearance, his tone was warm.

And then, just as he had done a few days ago when he forcefully grabbed her wrist and led her, Berg placed his hands gently on Ner's waist without hesitation.

"Ugh...!"

Between gasping for breath, Ner's body floated in the air as light as a feather.

When she regained her senses, she found herself already seated next to Berg, atop his horse.

“… Huh?”

Berg continued speaking from atop the horse.

And to prevent Ner, who was leaning to one side, from falling, he lightly held her waist while gripping the reins.

And at that moment, a carriage appeared from behind.

It had the enormous heads of four grotesque monsters attached to it.

They were the heads of the boss monsters.

They were so terrifying that it was hard to believe the mercenary group had subdued them.

As Ner held her breath, Baran, who had been Berg's aide, began to shout from the side.

“As requested, the Red Flames have finished subjugation!”

People began to cheer.

"There were sacrifices, but we brought down all four boss monster!"

Berg’s horse slowly walks forward.

Ner was also on the horse, so he went ahead.

The mercenaries followed behind.

"The subjugator of Draig in the northwest, Berg!"

The murmurs grew louder.

Ner looked up at Berg. She didn’t think he would have subdued the boss himself.

Especially the terrifying monster from the northwest that had troubled everyone.

"The subjugator of Kiken in the north, Berg!"

“… Huh?”

As the names were called one after another, Ner doubted her ears.

Even the honor-loving members of the werewolves had a different glint in their eyes.

Ner, who was on top of the horse, could feel it all.

But it didn't end there.

"The subjugator of Saengdium in the east, Berg!"

Exclamations and cheers burst forth, and applause began.

Berg's name continued to resound. Meanwhile, Gidon's name was not mentioned even once.

Ner looked back and forth between Berg and Gidon, who followed silently behind him.

Gidon looked at Ner for a moment... then averted his eyes.

It was an experience Ner had never had before.

“Look ahead, Ner. Straighten your back.”

While Ner was focused on Baran's unbelievable declaration, Berg, the person in question, lowered his head and whispered.

His tone sounded as if the subjugation didn't matter at all.

Without any resistance to his words, Ner followed his gaze and looked ahead.

"And finally, the subjugator of Niles in the east... Berg! With this, the Red Flames is..."

As soon as the declaration was over, she was overwhelmed by the thunderous shouts.

"Wow!!"

"We're alive! We're alive!"

"Berg! Berg! Berg!!"

Baran's voice continued, now being drowned out.

The members of the werewolf tribe erupted in cheers and applause, celebrating the liberation of Blackwood.

The atmosphere of death that had been looming over them disappeared completely.

Ner, who had been blamed her whole life, listened to the thunderous applause and cheers... and shivered.

It may not have been applause for her, but just standing on that path made her heart race uncontrollably.

She became breathless, her chest filled with overwhelming joy.

She never expected to find herself in a place where such immense happiness poured forth.

Ner didn't know what to say.

She blinked her eyes, her lips trembled... and she spoke to Berg.

"...C-Can I be here too-"

While she lowered her head and tried to hunch down, Berg lightly pressed against her waist, straightening her upper body.

Berg spoke.

"You're also being cheered for."

“…Yes?”

When Ner looked up at Berg with curiosity, Berg responded.

“You saved Blackwood too.”

“…….”

Ner cautiously turned her head again.

Finally, among the cheers calling out "Berg," she heard her own name.

“Ner! Ner! Ner!”

"Ner-nim!! Ner-nim!!"

“…..Ah.”

And from the moment she realized that, Ner couldn't say anything.

The emotions she had been suppressing surged.

In the midst of the cheers directed at her, for some reason, she felt like she was about to shed tears.

The people who had blamed her were now cheering for her.

In reality, it might have been a fickle change, but Berg seemed to reassure her from the side that it wasn't just that.

Flower petals fell from above her head.

Sunlight illuminated the path ahead.

Everyone cheered.

Ner thought that perhaps for the rest of her life, she would never forget this moment.

Berg continued.

"...It feels like we're redoing a wedding procession, doesn't it?"

Berg spoke with a smirk, as if all the cheers meant nothing.

Ner's innocent smile was also contagious.

At the same time, a small tear formed in her eyes.

She burst into laughter.

Wiping away the tears with her fingers, she asked a question that had been on her mind for several days.

"...Are you hurt anywhere?"

She couldn't even remember how long it had been since she last laughed.

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