Incompatible Interspecies Wives chapter 181

181 – Request for Support (1)

“You know these clans and families proficient in wizardry better than anyone else, don’t you?”

At Gail’s words, the muscles in my jaw twitched.

“…”

Instead of giving a reply, I let out a heavy, long sigh.

Intellectually, I knew Gail was correct. But, my emotions were constantly clouding my judgement.

Is there truly no way but that?

Isn’t there another way at all?

As if to admonish my momentary hesitation, Gail raised his voice.

“Verg. This isn’t a matter where you can prioritize your emotions.”

“I…I understand.”

“Then what are you thinking so hard about?”

“It’s less of worry and more like…”

I couldn’t figure out how to express my immediate emotions.

I seemed incapable of acting differently given all that has brought us to this point.

I couldn’t neatly describe my parting with Nera.

She couldn’t accept the divorce I proposed.

Tears would flow daily at my pleas for us to part ways, clinging to me.

Just like we used to, she walked out at night, waiting for me until dawn.

“Verg… please…!”

Her pleas still echo in my head.

Ultimately, she fainted at my final words in the capital.

Even as we were apart, she kept sending me letters.

But no matter how pitifully she behaved, I couldn’t act any differently.

From noble mtl dot com

Losing my brother Adam, whilst shaking on the inside, the betrayal of my wives was the biggest shock.

I tried as much as possible to win the hearts of my former wives; the backlash matched that effort.

I travelled for them; I even waged wars for them.

I suppressed my own desires, and made sure they could live comfortably by my side.

Meanwhile, Nera tried putting my precious family in danger.

Arwen tried to kill me.

The ones I trusted the most…it hurt more.

In the end, time passed and we drifted apart.

I’ve lost contact with Nera, no news at all.

Especially after my marriage to Cien, I haven’t heard anything about Nera.

I didn’t even know what she thought of me.

I did not even know how she reacted to my marriage.

With polygamy abolished now, we’ve become severed bonds of the past.

It was a relationship that could never return to what it was.

In this situation, what could Nera think of me?

Ultimately, I refused all requests from Nera and Arwen, and chose Cien.

Does she still harbor feelings for me?

Or has she forgotten me by now?

Or perhaps, does she hate me for harshly pushing her away?

These were questions for which I had no answers.

But regardless of the answer, it was no consolation to Stockfin.

If she had forgotten about me…

…She would not want to help me anymore.

If she despised me…

…She would not want to set foot in our village.

And finally, if she were still thinking of me…

…She would undoubtedly struggle at the sight of Cien and the child.

Under such circumstances, enlisting Blackwood’s help was not as straightforward as it seemed.

…Berg.

Yet, I understood that the decision was imperative.

With a sigh, I told him.

…”I understand.”

As Gaile said, there was no place for my emotions.

Countless lives might depend on this decision.

I didn’t want to regret losing many people afterwards.

The longer I hesitated to make a decision, the more I would pay for the consequences.

In retrospect, Blackwood still owed me a favor.

Returning Ner in her pure state, and not telling anyone about her betrayal.

I had not been paid for these deeds yet.

If I disregarded my personal feelings, we had just cause.

I pulled out a blank sheet of paper at my desk.

I heaved a sigh as Gaile watched.

In the end, it should suffice to ask for Blackwood’s help only.

There’s no need to meet Ner.

For a long time, I stared blankly, thinking about my comrades in the Phoenix Group, the villagers, Cien, and… my child, and dipped my quill in ink.

And then I began to write the letter.

****

“Hey! It’s time to pay for the alcohol!”

A bard turned his head at the request of the landlord while drinking in a pub.

The attention of the people in the bustling pub was focused on him.

The moment everyone had been waiting for.

The bard shrugged off the landlord’s words with a contemptuous laugh.

“Can’t I finish a round before I pay? The atmosphere is just right.”

“The atmosphere is right and therefore you should work…! What are you going to do about enjoying that atmosphere?”

The bard put down his glass, sniffling.

“…Fair enough.”

And then he stood up, picking up his small harp.

Amid the interest of people, Bard grumbled at the displeased-looking tavern owner.

“Don’t get so upset. I was just too engrossed in the delightful taste of your alcohol.”

Laughter followed from the patrons who had sought out the tavern.

The tavern owner also seemed pleased by Bard’s unexpected praise, turning his head and chuckling softly.

Cheers followed as Bard stepped onto the stage, from many patrons who came to see him.

“Play properly! We’ve been waiting for this!”

“It’s the song my daughter used to hum… let’s hear the real thing.”

“This is my second time! I just hope it’s as good as last time!”

“Ah….! I get to hear it again today…”

Bard smiled at the anticipation shown by the guests and took a sip of his water.

He’s had a nomadic life as a bard for a long time, but the song that shone the brightest among his works was the one he was about to sing.

‘Solitude and Purity.’

It was a song based on the love of two races.

It was his masterpiece, depicting the story of two childhood friends who loved only each other through long hardships.

The fact that the center of this story was a race farthest from pure love added more to its charm.

Especially, the male protagonist in the story had other relationships, but in the end, he overcame all his struggles for his first love.

Even for a bard like himself, it was such a great story.

Sometimes, some people seemed to realize whose story this was.

This was the story of Berg Ryker and the former saintess.

The fact that this story was based on a true story also stirred people’s hearts.

Especially, women loved this story so much.

Bard, holding a harp and relaxing his throat, looked at a woman he had been eyeing.

-Twinkling.

Then he playfully winked, gently strummed his harp and began the song.

.

.

.

.

After the performance successfully ended, Bard was drunkenly satisfied.

“… You did well. I’ll ask you again next time.”

The tavern owner, in a better than usual mood due to the good business, smiled at Bard.

As if it was nothing special, Bard waved his hand and headed back to his lodging.

Since he couldn’t attract the woman he was eyeing… He just thought of passing out on his bed.

-Squee…

He opened the door to his lodging and stepped into the dark room.

“… Ha… It was fun…”

-Thud!

But the moment he entered the room, someone hit his stomach with a thick club.

Short of breath, Bard keeled over.

Even though she tried to scream in horror, no sound came out.

It seemed like she needed to regain her breathing first.

With difficulty, she turned her head to identify her opponent.

-Thud!

But along with the intense heat of pain emerging from her head, she eventually fainted.

.

.

.

She opened her eyes after what felt like a very long time.

She was being dragged somewhere with a sack over her head.

She cried out, struggling to be released, but the only response she received were beatings.

She had no idea who was subjecting her to this unreasonable violence.

Could it have been Ronto, her competitor? She didn’t know.

Enduring beatings until there was not a single part of her not aching, she remained silent.

In the end, considering the fact that she was being dragged somewhere… she wasn’t going to die.

A chance would surely come.

In that way, Bard perceived that she had been traveling for a few days when she finally arrived somewhere.

-Swish!

The sack that had been covering her face for days was pulled off, and her eyes slowly opened.

The space in which Bard arrived was dark, spacious, and… inside a luxurious room.

The floor was made of marble, and the pillars supporting the ceiling were adorned with exquisite carvings.

Bard could only swallow hard.

Even if she was stupid… she knew it was the space of nobility.

And it was not just any nobility.

It had to be one of the leading noble families.

“I’ve brought her,”

The man who had beaten her for days uttered beside her.

Bard couldn’t lift her face.

She trembled uncontrollably, kneeling.

Why had this happened?

She had done nothing to incur the wrath of the nobility.

From noble mtl dot com

Nevertheless, she dared not show her injustice.

For now, all she could do was lower her posture and pray for safety to the gods.

As she waited thus, a voice echoed.

“…Are you the Bard who created the song ‘Solitude and Purity’?”

Even to Bard, it was a young voice.

At the sound of that lovely voice, Bard raised her head as though enchanted.

She couldn’t see her counterpart clearly in the dark.

But one thing was for sure… The noble’s hair and tail were glowing white silver in the moonlight.

She had white tail and white hair.

Bard could tell who the other party was by their characteristics.

Ner Blackwood.

This place seemed to belong to the Blackwoods.

“…”

Bard nodded slowly, trembling.

He wasn’t bold enough to lie.

The soldier next to him may have seen him singing.

Ner Blackwood whispered slowly in response to Bard’s agreement.

Whispers echoed in the large room.

“…Do you know why you were brought here?”

“…”

Bard shook his head, trembles running through him again.

He knew that Ner Blackwood was the ex-wife of Berg Reyker.

However, in that story everyone was happy.

In the first place, Ner Blackwood was only sold to Berg when he was a mercenary.

Everyone felt sorry for Ner Blackwood, but it was later revealed that Berg Reyker did not lift a hand against her.

Furthermore, when Berg Reyker became a nobleman and brought safety to his mercenaries, he sent Ner Blackwood safely back to her land.

A completely happy ending.

It was impossible to figure out why Ner Blackwood was behaving this way.

-Thunk!

At the same time, punishment falls on Bard for failing to give the right answer.

“Argh!”

The soldier next to him kicks his stomach once again.

Bard groans in pain…and begs for mercy as he straightens up.

“I’m… I’m sorry…”

“…”

“If… you tell me the reason, I’ll make sure it never happens again…”

“…”

Ner Blackwood was silent for a moment, then spoke in a quietened voice.

“…It wasn’t a hardship…”

Bard lifted his head to the continuing voice.

There was something captivating in Ner’s voice.

“…What?”

At the same time, Bard honestly doubted his eyes.

In the darkness, from the hidden face of Ner, something like teardrops glistened in the moonlight.

Ner Blackwood then spoke.

“….The time Berg spent with me…It wasn’t a hardship.”

Barely suppressed rage intimidated Bard.

“…Berg. Was happy with me…”

In front of him, sat a noble trying to impose subjectively true facts.

“…How much… I was loved….”

Bard was just beginning to understand why she was behaving like this.

The feelings that Ner Blackwood harbored for Berg Lyker were clear.

It seemed as if she was still unable to let go of Berg, who already had a partner.

“….”

Soon, Ner nodded her head.

-Crash!

The harp that Bard had brought over with great care shattered before their eyes.

“Ah…! No… don’t…”

Bard held his breath and whispered at the sight.

But thereafter, only Ner’s dignified voice could be heard echoing.

“If you get caught spreading that song any further…”

“…”

“….You’d better be prepared.”

With those final words, Bard was once again made to stand by the soldiers.

He was dragged away, numbly watching the scene he had been forced to witness.

.

.

.

As Bard was led away, Gideon, who had been watching everything, stepped forward.

“…Ner.”

“…”

Despite Gideon’s call, Ner remained still.

Today, again, she was merely staring at the moon that was high in the sky.

As if she didn’t want to be disturbed in her longing for Berg.

But Gideon had to open his mouth.

He didn’t know what the outcome would be, but it was a fact that he had to convey.

“…There’s a letter from Stångby.”

“…………”

Ner’s stiff head turned slowly.

“…”

Upon seeing Ner’s face, Gideon couldn’t help but be astonished.

Against her expression, which had been dead for the past year and a half, a ripple was occurring.

“…What… did you say?”

With a trembling voice, Ner asked back.

Her breathing was getting faster.

Gideon, watching her like that, spoke.

“…It’s a letter from Berg Lyker.”