Incompatible Interspecies Wives chapter 202

202 – Ner’s Choice (5)

I held Nerl in my arms and headed home.

I couldn’t just leave the weakened Nerl in the plague-treating building.

Nerl, who had transferred all her energy to Sien.

If such Nerl were left in that building and things went wrong, catching the plague… The weakened her would probably not be able to overcome the disease.

Even Bernz, who was healthy, had struggled with the illness.

Hence, we all agreed to return Nerl to her room.

Her feeble body seemed as though it could crumble at any moment.

Even moving her was a cautious thing to do.

In fear that she might stop breathing any moment during the move, I had to tread slowly.

I found myself focusing on her faint breathing.

Also, her tail, which I had always felt around my waist whenever I held her, was drooping as if it was sweeping the ground.

Such slight differences stirred up intense emotions inside me.

Upon reaching home, I glanced back at the crowd following me and nodded.

With my nod, everyone started to disperse.

Without waiting for the departing crowd, I headed into the house.

Arwin and Sylphrien followed me into the house, and so did Laan.

I continued to tread slowly once inside the house.

Quietly heading to Nerl’s room.

– Swish.

“…”

I laid Nerl down on the bed and gazed at her.

Death had always been a constant companion around me… but just like for Sien, it was something I found hard to get used to when the woman who was once my wife was in such a state.

Maybe it’s because I didn’t see it coming.

One comes to expect that any moment might be a goodbye with the comrades from the mercenary group.

But Nerl, Arwin, and Sien were different.

I only believed that they would never face sudden death.

-Swish.

I arranged Nerl’s arm and covered her with a blanket.

Heaving a sigh, I turned around.

Laan who was showing traces of barely subdued anger was the first to catch my eyes.

It was clear that he still didn’t understand Ner’s choice.

“…I’ll take care of Ner.”

At the same time, Raan spoke.

I understood that in her own way, this was her expression of affection.

“…”

I looked down at Ner.

A situation where it wouldn’t be odd if he took his last breath at any moment.

In such a precarious situation, I too didn’t hide my sincerity.

“…I want to take care of him.”

“…”

Raan looked up at me at those words.

“It’s… because I owe him…”

“…”

Raan pondered over something for a long time, then nodded her head.

Then, she turned towards her room.

Next was Sylphrien.

She briefly looked at Ner and then spoke to me.

“…I checked Sien’s condition.”

“…”

“…She hasn’t fully shook off the disease yet…but I think she can definitely win now. I checked and even the baby in her womb is healthy.”

Sylphrien had always been able to check the baby’s condition with her magic.

She even claimed to know the s*x of my child and Sien immediately.

I trusted her words all the more since it was her.

While feeling endless relief… my mind went back to Ner’s situation.

After delivering her message, Sylphrien turned around.

Last one standing was Arwin.

“…”

She didn’t say anything while looking at my face.

I also couldn’t say anything to her.

“…Congratulations on Sien’s recovery.”

She spoke.

I nodded quietly.

“Can Neru…overcome it…?”

Then she offered a hopeful narrative.

I nodded.

“He will overcome.”

The words, a hope of my own, were forced out.

“…”

Arwin stood there for a quite a while.

As much as I wanted to worry about Neru, I addressed her.

“…Go rest, Arwin. You must have been startled in the middle of the night.”

“…”

Arwin hesitated, then raised her head.

Taking a deep breath…she spoke lightly.

“…You still love Neru, don’t you?”

“…”

I did not respond to her.

“…Your feelings… they haven’t disappeared, have they?”

“…Go back, Arwin.”

“…”

Arwin fell silent again, and bowed her head.

Then she turned and left.

I watched the way Arwin went and closed the door to the room.

-Thud.

With a sigh, I looked around the room for a moment, aided by the lit candle.

It was a wider room than I thought.

Quieter room than I thought.

Maybe that was why.

In this spacious room, Neru lying alone on the bed seemed so forlorn.

I pulled up a chair and sat next to Neru.

“…Sigh.”

And just like that, I found myself blankly staring at her.

All the memories I made with her were coming back to life.

Our first meeting.

Our first meal together.

Our wedding ceremony.

Our first night together that passed in silence.

The conversations we had.

The rings we exchanged.

The night walks and the stories in front of the banquet.

-Swoosh.

“…”

Without even realizing it, I brushed her hair once.

I softly touched her face with my hand.

All of these were actions that were too familiar in the past.

“…Sigh.”

Once again, I let out a sigh and watched her quietly.

I couldn’t think about sleep.

Just in case there might be a problem… I just sat there.

.

.

.

Time passed and the morning came.

Through the night, I only took breaks by briefly closing my eyes, during the remaining time, I kept watching her.

From Noble mtl dot com

After observing her for a long time, I felt odd.

It’s like the option of sending her back has disappeared from my mind.

A change was occurring, slowly but surely.

Early in the morning, I handed Narr’s nursing duty over to Ryan and went to meet Gale.

After informing him about what happened overnight, I filled out some paperwork, shared some information about Krud, and then went to see Cien.

Cien greeted me with a healthier look.

In the past, I watched as she struggled to eat rice cakes, but now she ate them with gusto, showing her vigor.

A faint smile kept appearing on her face.

And with that smile, I kept pondering the miracle Ner had given me.

Finally, after checking how the farming was progressing in the field with Arwin, I returned to Ner.

*Thud.*

I tossed off my coat and approached Ner in comfortable clothing.

I asked Laan, who was standing beside her.

“…Has there been any change?”

Laan just shook her head.

In truth, I knew there hadn’t been any change in her. She was lying there the same way she had in the morning when I left.

“Go and rest. I’ll take care of her now.”

I told Laan, taking her place, and sat by Ner once again.

“…”

Seeing her, who only breathed shallowly without any movement, I made the same request to Arwin, who had followed me back home.

“Arwin?”

“…Yes?”

“Could you ask Baran to bring a bowl of porridge?”

Arwin nodded in response.

“…Yes.”

Feeding Ner was my responsibility.

When Arwin brought the porridge, I sat by Ner’s bedside, gently propping her up with my arm as if I were cradling her head.

Then, I cautiously lifted the spoon and slowly fed her.

“Ner, try to swallow.”

Ner showed a reflexive response without saying anything.

Coughing, struggling, she began to pass the food as if she were drinking water.

Despite her pitiful condition, I continued to feed her.

As Ner got more accustomed to it, she started to eat more comfortably.

After feeding her everything I had left to die, I paused for a moment.

I gazed down at Nell, who was sleeping, leaning on me.

Unconsciously, I gently stroked her face and whispered.

“Get up… now.”

That was more important than anything else.

I believed that once she got up, her body would start to recover.

But Nell didn’t respond, and I eventually gently laid her back on the bed.

By now, digesting the food should have made her somewhat comfortable.

I felt the chill as her skin, which had been in contact with mine, separated.

I realized the warmth I hadn’t noticed when we were together.

I continued to sit quietly by her side as time passed.

I waited for the moment when she would open her eyes.

****

Arwin watched Berg through Lua, the bluebird.

He still couldn’t digest Nell’s decision.

Did she expect to sacrifice herself and be prepared for death?

All for the sake of her sworn enemy.

At the same time, strange emotions welled up in him.

Nell’s selfless sacrifice was so similar to Berg.

Was it jealousy or a sense of danger he was feeling?

He felt a mix of indescribable emotions.

Berg couldn’t take his eyes off Nell for even a single moment.

“…”

Undoubtedly, the fact that she was a benefactor played a role.

Nell’s selfless sacrifice had reinvigorated Cien.

Berg could now protect two families with her actions.

Of course, there would be gratitude.

But Arwin could sense that there were more complex emotions at play.

When Berg was alone with Nell, her expressions were different.

Expressions of torment, apologies, sadness, and grief.

It was a face that couldn’t be seen without a certain emotion.

From the very beginning, the sight of Berg stroking Ner’s face occasionally proved this.

One could see his feelings from the way he gently embraced her to feed her.

“…”

But for Arwin, this only made him feel more distanced from Berg.

Though Arwin would wait till a generation passed, he understood that he wasn’t the one leaving a lasting imprint on Berg’s life.

It felt as if only Sien and Ner, who are fellow short-lived species, were influencing his life.

He also felt an uncontrollable sense of anxiety.

He couldn’t help but envy Ner, who was being cared for by Berg.

Of course, it might be fitting considering all the sacrifices he made… But equally undeniable was his envy.

“…Huh.”

Still, Arwin suppressed these emotions.

Recently, his farming work had been going smoothly.

If he waited a little longer, the sprouts would begin to show.

And when that time came…he could ask for the span of his own life.

He could ask to enjoy the next 60 years with Sien…or Ner, living happily… and enjoy life for a few hundred years thereafter.

For Berg, it was a gift with nothing to lose.

Who would welcome death?

How could he cope with the fear of the unknown that didn’t exist?

Rather, it would be smoother to live for a few hundred years together with him in this world.

It wasn’t a gift given in exchange for something.

As long as Berg didn’t leave him, Arwin was content.

Just as he did in the past…if he loved him dearly as a wife, it was enough.

“…”

Arwin looked down at Berg.

He watched Berg tenderly kissing the back of Ner’s hand, gripping it earnestly.

Tonight too, she was enduring the tingling pain, continuing to pretend to be a friend.