Incompatible Interspecies Wives chapter 168

168 – The Backstory (4)

The moment Berg said his final farewell, Ner’s strength drained away.

The tears streaming down her face kept her from even properly breathing, causing her to collapse.

Gideon Blackwood, who had been blocking her way, quickly supported the fallen girl in surprise.

“Ner!”

Berg flinched reflexively at the sight.

It seemed as though he was desperately suppressing a natural instinct.

Arwin was watching the entire scene.

Through Berg’s actions, Arwin spoke,

“…See…”

“…”

“…Her body still…craves for us…”

No matter how adorned lies can be, the body is always honest.

Arwin wanted to believe Berg still had affection for him.

If there’s that much affection, there would be no relationship they could not untangle.

He wanted to believe they could go back to the relationship they had in the past.

This could not possibly be a farewell with the existence known as Berg.

He couldn’t bear to part ways with such a dazzling figure that lived such a brief life.

Every passing hour was precious, and yet, it was slipping away.

He couldn’t afford to waste time like this with him.

“…”

Berg didn’t bother to counter Arwin’s words.

Instead, after he confirmed that Gideon was safely supporting Ner, he turned away.

Arwin, relentless, followed Berg.

Even if he was moving further away, all he needed to do was get closer.

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

But the gap between a man’s and a woman’s strides was apparent.

Berg, as if he was fed up with lingering in this space any longer, hastened his steps.

The members of the Hong-Yeom-Dan following him disappeared just as quickly.

In order to keep up with Berg, Arwin almost had to run.

While wiping away his tears, it wasn’t easy.

“Berg…where are you going…”

He asked, knowing that he was leaving him.

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

“Why are you leaving me…!”

“…Theodore.”

At her voice, Berg, seemingly unable to bear any further, called out for Theodore.

Theodore nodded at Berg and turned to face Arwin.

From his tightly pursed lips and expression, it was clear he was just as strained as Berg.

Nevertheless, having spent several months together, it seemed Theodore was just as tolerant.

“…Arwin. Enough now….”

Arwin, without hesitation, reached out one hand towards Theodore who came to dissuade her.

Simultaneously, she cast upon him the magic she learnt from Sylphrien.

A protective magic that disrupts balance.

“…Uh.”

Theodore didn’t fall due to the magic, but he momentarily froze.

Arwin seized the opportunity, and rushed towards Berg.

While other members of the Crimson Flames were conflicted with Arwin’s actions, she caught Berg from behind.

– Thud!

“… Please, don’t do this…”

She pleaded.

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

“…”

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Only then did Berg come to a standstill.

Nobody moved.

Neither the members of the Crimson Flames, nor Arwin, Berg, and the members of the Celebrien family who were following them.

Everyone just watched the last moments of a couple getting divorced.

They gazed only at the woman who alone was denying the end of a relationship.

The members of the Celebrien family seemed shocked at this side of Arwin.

They didn’t anticipate she would give such deep affection to a lower ranked member.

However, Arwin didn’t care about their feelings.

“…”

Eventually, Berg slowly turned around and laid his hand on Arwin’s shoulder.

Her heart seemed to melt at the warmth from his hand.

– Thud.

But starting then, Arwin was pushed away from Berg.

He spoke.

“… Arwin.”

The man pronounced her name so casually.

Arwin viewed Berg through her tears.

Her vision was so blurry that she couldn’t see his face clearly.

“…”

After standing still for a while, Berg, seeming to show his last affection,

gently wiped Arwin’s tears using his thumb.

Her face felt so small in his large hand.

– Whoosh.

Her vision momentarily became clear, and Berg’s face appeared.

And seeing him so clearly, she could really feel the sincerity in his words.

“… I think you are right now.”

He said.

A glimmer of hope filled Arwin.

Even though it seemed impossible, he hoped for a miracle.

Could it be a promise to accept him…? He dared to hope for this ridiculous idea.

“…..Yes?”

Arwin asked, pressing the hand that Berge was using to wipe away his tears against his cheek.

But Berge slowly shook his head.

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

Hearing those words, his heart clenched.

Berge, who always tried to decrease the difference, was now showing a resigned expression.

“…Ah… Aaah…”

“It was a difference that I tried to overcome when we were a couple… But there’s no need now.”

“…Ber… Berge… I…”

Berge briefly shook his head then spoke.

“…Don’t make a foolish decision.”

“……….”

“Because I’m no longer… thinking of doing so.”

-Thud.

With that, Berge left Arwin standing and resumed walking.

Arwin, petrified by Berge’s words, was unable to move.

The situation had been reversed.

Now it was Berge who was talking about life expectancy.

…Arwin tasted a glimpse of all the feelings that Berge must have felt.

His heart was bitter and pained.

His body felt paralyzed.

He no longer had the strength to chase after him.

“…”

She could only watch the back of Berge receding.

Until Berge disappeared from sight, Arwin just stood there, motionless.

****

I didn’t want to stay in the capital anymore.

The city where my long-term relationship had ended.

I wanted to go quickly back home, where hurtful memories wouldn’t torment me anymore.

…But perhaps, going back home might be even harder.

In Stockfin, memories with Ner and Arwin filled every corner.

“…”

Regardless, I now needed rest.

Perhaps I required intense training to clear my head.

No matter what, I didn’t want to think about the breakup anymore.

I didn’t like it anymore.

Baren, with whom I’ve been through everything, unexpectedly came to me and called my name.

“…Danjang.”

If Adam Hyung had been there…would he have acted as he wished?

What should I have said to Adam Hyung?

Baran squinted his eyes as if not believing.

“…Did you really…not love these ladies?”

“…”

“…Was…everything…an act?”

I sighed heavily.

At my sigh, Baran seemed to have an answer and bit his lips.

“…Then why…did you say…”

Ignoring his question, I asked.

“When can we leave?”

“…”

Blinking for a moment, Baran replied,

“As soon as we finish a few preparations, we can leave today.”

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

“…”

Adhering to silence, Baran nodded his head.

Thinking of something again, I stopped Baran who was making steps.

“Baran.”

“Yes, Danjang.”

There’s still a debt left to be paid to Blackwood and Celebrien.

They preserved the honor of the Family, and safely returned the daughters.

Including the protection of the old territory, the endless rewards were more than enough.

…Not that I planned on personally discussing this.

Seeing Nero and Arwin there again…was cumbersome.

“Find Blackwood and Celebrien, and tell them that I will remember this debt.”

“…Debt…you say?”

I didn’t know what was currently lacking in our Staufin.

I would have to find out more about this when I returned.

I had kept my last courtesy to Nero and Arwin through my choice.

I was also able to have the backing of two noble families for Staufin.

As I nodded, Baran also nodded.

At the same time, he started walking with several head executives of Jo.

“…Bel.”

At that moment, someone called me.

I turned my head to find her, but she was not visible.

“I’m here, Bel.”

Then she called me again.

“…”

I was speechless, frozen in place for a moment.

Cien, who had taken off her saintly garments, was calling for me.

In her bright everyday clothes.

Just because I didn’t expect her to be dressed as such…it took me a moment to locate her.

“…How…do I look…?”

The girl who had let go of her long-held duties asked me.

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

The way she approached me, looking like she was about to cry at any moment, reminded me of our first meeting.

“…”

I said nothing as I looked at her.

And then, she explained to me.

“…I’ve quit being a saint.”

“…”

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

Then, she struggled to show a bright smile.

I had no idea what to say.

“…”

I felt a breeze sweeping into my weary heart at the sight of her seeming relieved to have let go of the duty.

****

Arwin was sitting blankly on the vacant lot.

It was the place where Berg had been comforted by the saint a few days earlier.

He was trying to find traces of Berg here.

He sat in the place where Berg had sat and let time pass by.

She felt her own time stretching endlessly.

-Shuffle, Shuffle…

Then, someone walked up from behind her.

Arwin didn’t turn at the light footsteps.

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

“…Arwin.”

The voice was Sylphrien’s.

The moment she heard that voice, Arwin felt another emotional whirlwind.

Her tears had dried up from crying too much over time, but the pain bubbling up from her chest showed no sign of subsiding.

“…I heard. You divorced…”

Hearing someone spit out those words only increased the pain.

Others have accepted the reality she was trying to deny.

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

After quite some time, Sylphrien whispered in the same spot.

“Maybe…maybe this is for the best, Arwin.”

Sylphrien tried to comfort Arwin as she opened the gate.

“I have no idea what Berg meant to you…but the farewell he would have had to face 60 years later came early.”

“…You are the one who will live for over a thousand years, right…? If you had spent 60 years with him, that parting would have been harder, Arwin. I know you don’t want to hear this right now, but-“

“Whose side are you on…?”

Arwin quietly asks.

With Berg’s disappearance, all the warmth in Arwin’s heart that had to do with him also vanished.

Only icy, sharp emotions remain.

She was reverting back into who she was before she knew Berg.

Or maybe, unbeknownst to her, she was falling apart even more so.

“…The Saintess…It’s like she’s getting close to Berg again.”

Arwin, feeling a sticky jealousy, questioned Sylphrien.

“Haven’t you been taking the side of the Saintess this entire time…?”

Arwin wanted to interpret Sylphrien’s intentions.

She wanted to know if these words of comfort were meant for her… or if they were for the Saintess.

If they were telling her to never approach Berg for the sake of the Saintess, then she didn’t want to hear it, even if it came from Sylphrien.

Sylphrien said,

“No… Arwin, I’m on your side-“

“The Saintess gave Ner one notebook.”

Arwin whisperingly shared.

Hatred for herself filled her voice.

Even though she knew that everything was her fault… it seemed as if she was still wreaking havoc.

There was a single suspicion she had.

After things got twisted in an unbelievable direction, this question continuously circled around her.

Why was the information on Mel’s Tears in that notebook?

“And… The information about Mel’s tears…Was in the last page.”

“…”

“The handwriting was different only for that part…..Only that…”

“…”

Arwin slowly turned towards Sylphrien.

Her empty eyes turned to Sylphrien.

Not many people knew about Mel’s Tears from the beginning.

It had been used effectively by elf trackers as it was an extremely confidential poison.

The poison that even the elves didn’t know much about.

How could information about that be written in a cheap notebook?

“…Did you write it…?”

Arwin asked.

“…Arwin.”

“You’re the one who got Mel’s Tears, right? Did you…leak the information about Mel’s Tears…?”

Sylphrien clenched her fists.

Seeing Arwin in pain, it’s also affecting her.

After biting her lips for a while, Sylphrien finally confessed.

“……Yes.”

At that response, Arwin let out a hollow laugh.

Sylphrien hurriedly tried to explain himself.

“I heard that man was everything to the Saintess…”

“…”

“And back then… you were so confused… I thought maybe… Arwin, I thought maybe… “

A long time ago, it was Arwin who had asked for Mel’s tears.

It was Arwin who had taken the poison to Stakfin’s territory.

She was the one who had given Bardy’s alcohol to Berg on their first night, and she once wished for Berg’s death.

Arwin knew clearly that all the mistakes were hers to bear.

But as the situation kept cornering her, she started to blame others.

What if Sylphrien had not written that information in his notebook?

Would the reality have been different now?

She might have been receiving Berg’s love.

Instead of being coldly abandoned, she might have been able to stay by his side for a long time.

They might have whispered to each other and exchanged deep expressions of affection.

Although Sylphrien acted out of concern, from Arwin’s perspective, it was a slight betrayal.

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“….Ah….ha…ha…”

So Arwin just continued to laugh.

It felt like all her past misdeeds were catching up with her.

Being slightly betrayed by someone she trusted felt this way…how must have Berg felt when he was betrayed by her?

The pain must have been much more for him who had given endless affection.

Her laughter turned into tears.

“….Aaah…! Ah…!!”

Arwin could not say anything to Sylphrien.

In the pain that felt like her heart was being ripped out, she just kept crying out.