Incompatible Interspecies Wives chapter 201

201 – Ner’s Choice (5)

I removed my top and laid down on the bed.

The void left by the absent one next to me was painfully apparent today as well.

However, simultaneously, memories of Ner were surfacing in my mind.

I was reflecting on the emotions I had felt through her.

“…sigh.”

I covered my face with both hands.

Subduing these emotions, I closed my eyes to prepare for tomorrow.

But just then, I sensed a commotion outside.

Starting as a minor disturbance that could’ve been ignored, the noise soon escalated to the point of it being impossible to overlook.

“…?”

Prompted by the peculiar noise, I got up and moved to the living room.

I didn’t even think to put my shirt back on.

As I stepped into the living room, Arwin, who appeared to have also heard the commotion, was descending the stairs.

She froze momentarily upon seeing me, then approached and asked,

“What’s going on…?”

“…”

After noting the torches being lit one-by-one in the center of the village, I opened the front door and stepped outside in search of the cause of the uproar.

Belatedly, I heard Sylphrien and Laan moving inside the house.

The torches were rapidly approaching us.

What reason could there be for them to cause such pandemonium?

The answer was soon revealed.

…Shen.

What could have happened to her?

I felt my blood turning cold.

‘…please.’

Internally begging, I kicked off the ground and ran towards the torches.

“Berg…!”

Arwin was following close behind me.

Instantly, we were met with an oncoming crowd, all rushing towards me.

They were coming toward me, trying to catch their harsh breath.

Baran said to me, leading the group.

“Leader, you… we need to hurry.”

“…Please, tell me it’s not true.”

Baran hastily nodded in reply.

“That… that’s not what you’re worried about. But… it’s Ner…”

At his answer, my mind went blank, and I found myself unable to say anything.

I didn’t understand what he was saying.

“…Ner…?”

What the hell happened to Ner.

Just moments ago, we were together.

“…Berg!”

Behind me, Arwin gave me a push.

Her action snapped me back to reality.

I gave a nod toward Baran.

“Lead the way.”

…

…

…

The building we entered in search of Ner was the very same building where we had been taking care of the plague patients.

I followed Baran’s direction without saying a word.

I made no assumptions or guesses at that moment.

It would only serve to increase my needless anxiety.

“…You should go in.”

Baran halted in front of a hospital room.

I glanced back at him.

This hospital room was all too familiar to me.

“…This is Cien’s room, isn’t it.”

“Go inside, Commander.”

But Baran spoke again as if to assure himself that he wasn’t mistaken.

Looking at Baran…I knocked quietly.

It was so as to not cause a disturbance if Cien were sleeping.

Rest was regarded as the most important thing for Cien, whose health had deteriorated considerably.

I didn’t know why Baran told me to go inside, but…I decided to go in.

“Commander Berg, don’t…be surprised.”

“…”

As soon as I tried to open the door, lost in Baran’s words,

-Thud!

The door opened forcefully on its own.

“…”

And there, Cien stood upright, looking straight at me.

I couldn’t remember the last time I saw her on her feet.

My body freezes at the spectacle.

Could this be a dream?

Cien, who until today, didn’t have the strength to get up.

“…Bell…!”

Cien, still wearing a mask, called my name.

Tears welled up in her eyes, as if to affirm that her presence was real, and throw herself into my arms.

I couldn’t believe the strength with which she held me.

Her strength was just as it used to be when she was healthy.

I had no idea how a person could change so dramatically overnight.

Feeling her weight against my body, I whispered.

“…What is…”

Her hands were trembling as she gripped me tightly.

Her voice was shaky.

“…Your body…?”

“…It’s recovered… Bell… it’s too…”

I couldn’t find the right answer no matter what.

I couldn’t understand why this situation was happening.

There’s no way any potion could have caused this to her.

I could only compare it to the miracles she used to perform when she was a saint.

But Siene’s face didn’t seem so happy.

“…But… But… Bell…”

At the same time, from her expression, I could finally figure out the connection between Siene’s condition and Nerwa, albeit belatedly.

I couldn’t enjoy the joy of seeing Siene without a sense of worry creeping up.

“What happened…?”

Finally, with a somewhat sinking voice, I asked.

Siene, with a distorted expression, looked at me.

She began to explain haltingly.

“I… I don’t really know either. But… Nerwa pinned me down… and I started to memorize some kind of magic…”

“…Magic?”

“And then… And then, a bright orange line was drawn out from Nerwa’s body… and entered mine…”

“….Ah.”

With Siene’s brief explanation, I finally understood the situation.

If it was called an orange line, there was only one thing it could mean.

Nerwa’s magic.

She was the one who cast that magic for me every time we set out.

I received her energy in exchange.

It was a magic I had performed many times, over and over.

Thanks to it, I could gain more strength on the battlefield, and in return, Nerwa had to take a rest, exhausted.

But it shouldn’t have had this level of effect.

It wasn’t a powerful enough spell to revive someone who had fallen.

“…Regrettable…!”

Then, from behind, Rahn shouted in frustration.

When I turned around, Rahn was standing there, blinking her eyes nervously.

She didn’t even notice my presence and asked Baran.

“Where’s Nerwa?”

There was a hint of urgency in her voice.

It was the first time I’d seen Raan losing her cool this way.

As I stood frozen at the spectacle, Shien nudged my shoulder and spoke.

“Go…go see Nerr, Bel.”

“What?”

“I….I am all right now. But…Nerr…”

“…”

Nerr, who had to exhaust herself to give me strength.

If that’s the case… how much must Nerr have struggled for Shien, who couldn’t move a muscle, to recover this much?

I finally started to understand Raan’s reaction.

I nodded to Baran.

And with that nod, Baran continued to guide us.

Holding Shien tightly in my arms, I planted a kiss on her forehead.

Shien hugged me back tightly.

No one could possibly know how relieved I was to see her getting better.

But before I could fully bask in that joy, I had to find out what happened to Nerr.

As we moved a little further, we could see a room filled with the people of Blackwood waiting.

I sensed that something out of the ordinary had transpired from the number of nurses rushing around.

“…”

I wanted to ask what was wrong, but my mouth wouldn’t open.

Fear, perhaps?

Unsure what shocking news I might hear.

But I had to brace myself.

I couldn’t just stand here.

Instead of asking the people gathered at the door, I passed them silently and moved on.

I gently pushed the door open.

Inside was already a large number of nurses tending to someone.

Everyone inside rose to their feet at our presence.

And only after they stood, did I see the person they had been taking care of.

White hair. Smooth skin. Long eyelashes.

Ner lay there, closing his eyes without strength.

He breathed shallowly, remaining still in silence.

“……………Ner.”

She, who had been walking by my side until a moment ago, now lay motionless as if trapped in the past.

Her breathing was shallow and labored.

Even continuing that small breath seemed to be a struggle.

“………….”

My heart sank at the sight.

Unconsciously, I knelt beside Ner.

“…”

My lost hands hesitated quietly before her face.

There could be no more confusing moment than this.

“…Ner.”

I called her name once again.

Ner’s eyelids quivered.

“Get up.”

I whispered.

“…She might not be able to.”

Raan, who was standing quietly behind us, whispered.

“…”

“…There’s only one kind of magic that shows such results.”

She was angry with Ner’s choice.

With tightly pressed lips, she asked Ner, who lay with her eyes closed.

“Did it have to be like this….?”

I asked, following Raan’s whisper.

“What do you mean…?”

“…”

“She might not be able to get up.”

Raan looked at me with a stern gaze. She began to explain further.

“…As a reward for Lady Lycer’s recovery, Ner has become weakened. At the same time, because the magic itself places a huge burden on the practitioner’s body… it’s a high-risk magic for the practitioner’s life.”

The story I had somewhat anticipated is confirmed to be true.

“…Originally, it was a ritual performed only for deeply loving couples. But to do it for someone who isn’t even your partner…”

“…………..”

I came to understand everything belatedly.

Why Nehr fell, and why Sien regained her health.

What decision Nehr made and executed.

Now, everything makes sense.

She sacrificed herself to save Sien and my child.

She gave up her own happiness and wished for mine.

“………”

No words came out.

How was her heart when she made this decision without a word?

With what thoughts, and with what feelings did she make this decision?

Is this also the result of my choice?

From Noble mtl dot com

Because I cherished Sien more… did Nehr hope Sien would live more than herself?

“…”

As she performed a ritual that might never happen again, what was she thinking?

She had lived her whole life as an outsider.

Perhaps she felt like an outsider until the moment that might be her last.

Did she think until the end that she didn’t deserve to be loved?

“…Nehr.”

My heart ached as if it had never before imagined such a thing.

It’s only now, after she has become like this, that my heart becomes certain.

My wandering hand brushed against her face.

Why couldn’t I do this before?

Nehr was my first wife.

We had countless memories together.

They were memories that I had tried to ignore, just to maintain a stoic attitude in front of her.

But since she didn’t look at me, I found myself unintentionally recalling those memories.

What will happen if she doesn’t wake up like this?

Having been hurt throughout a lifetime, is this how one departs?

Would I not regret this moment for all my life?

“…Wake up.”

Why did I not heed those simple words asking for my embrace?

Looking back, it was such an insignificant act.

Ner’s form vividly appeared, arms outstretched, tears dripping steadily.

What if I had hugged her just once more? What if I had held her hand one more time?

I took her hand and gently stroked her forehead.

“…Ner, wake up.”

The coolness of Ner’s skin made my chest shudder.

“…Huh?”

Then, Raan gasped in surprise behind me.

I simultaneously understood why Raan reacted this way.

Ner’s eyes began to sluggishly rise.

I calmed my trembling heart and firmly grasped at Ner’s hand.

I wished she was not opening her eyes in this manner, struggling to say her last words.

Having witnessed such instances too many times, I was more anxious than ever.

“…Be…er…”

As soon as Ner opened her eyes, she whispered my name.

I quieted my tumultuous emotions and responded to her.

“…I’m here, Ner.”

At my response, the corner of her mouth slightly curved upwards.

Upon seeing that smile, I found myself angered, well aware that this was not the situation for such.

“…who…”

“…th…

“Who made…this kind…of choice….”

“…..”

“…Who…asks me…to do such things…”

Ner merely continued to whisper a faint smile.

“…Ple…..”

And then she whispered something.

I leaned in, bringing my ear to her lips.

Her voice became clearer.

“….Please….listen…”

A plea for me to listen.

I nodded my head.

No one could refuse a request in this situation.

“Tell me.”

“I…”

Ner spoke with dry lips.

I had to focus all my attention to hear that voice.

“…Don’t…give…”

“…What?”

Ner’s eyes began to close again.

I held her hand even tighter.

“Say it again, Ner.”

And I begged her.

Ner, with her eyes closed, whispered with great effort.

“…Don’t…give…up.”

Finally understanding her request, I tightly closed my eyes.

“….Ha.”

Even after risking my life to protect my city and my child, she asked for only one thing.

To hold her.

I let out a sigh that sounded almost like a chuckle.

I answered her as she fell back to sleep, her colors swirling.

“…I understand.”

And then, I held her.

“I understand…so I’ll endure.”

And like in our past married life, I held her close.