205 – Arwin’s Sincerity (2)
I grabbed the bottom of her top from both sides, pulling it up to her face.
Her clothes were slowly removed.
I decided to continue wiping her body as if I were unconscious.
I lightly grabbed her left hand and pulled it towards me.
Nell covered my chest with her remaining right arm.
I began to wipe her, starting from the back of her left hand.
First from the back of her hand to her elbow.
Next from her elbow to the inside of her forearm.
From the inside of her forearm to her armpit.
Continuing from her armpit to her side leading up to her chest.
Nell was receiving my touch, her eyes tightly closed as if she were embarrassed.
There was a peculiar sensation in cleaning a woman’s body.
I gazed at her unblemished, clear skin.
Her right arm was more challenging.
As I wiped her right arm, unintentionally her chest brushed against my arm.
Every time that happened, Nell continued to let out soft moans.
“…Huh.”
“…”
I simply continued to wipe her body.
Unconsciously, she had turned her head up to the ceiling.
She couldn’t face me.
This kind of interaction between us felt both natural and awkward.
It was both expected and strange.
Nell, in particular, seemed to struggle with this atmosphere.
I worried that I might be burdening her unnecessarily.
After wiping her arms and sides, I proceeded to clean her belly.
A beautifully elongated navel.
Beneath the soft skin, I could see faint traces of abdominal muscles.
I could clearly confirm her slender waist more than ever.
Occasionally, my bare hands touched her belly.
If I were to be exact, wasn’t this a sight I should have seen a long time ago?
“It feels like I’ve traveled a long, long way.
I quickly dismissed futile thoughts.
After thoroughly wiping her back down to the waist, I said to her,
“…Turn around. I’ll clean your back now.”
But Nera didn’t respond to those words.
Her body felt stiff with embarrassment.
But this couldn’t be how we’d spend our entire lives.
“…Nera?”
I called her name.
But unexpectedly, Nera responded,
“…I… It’s uncomfortable here too.”
Nera whispered with a crawling tone.
Then, she slightly raised her chest, covering it with both arms.
I could tell that she was talking about what was under her chest.
“…”
Sien occasionally spoke.
It’s a place where sweat tends to collect.
“…Are you okay?”
I didn’t mind, but Nera had been embarrassed to this extent until now.
Is she really okay?
“…”
Nera nodded her head ever so slightly.
I gazed at her and slowly moved my hand.
-Swish.
I could feel the softness of her chest.
To wipe away the sweat, I had to exert a certain amount of force.
As I applied pressure, her chest yielded and changed shape.
Nera bit her finger gently, trying to digest her embarrassment.
After pondering something for a while, Nera asked in a strained voice.
“…Is… it not strange…?”
For her, as if sensing her embarrassment, I offered my honest appraisal with a light heart.
“You’re beautiful.”
“Eugh…”
Ner’s face grew even redder.
I smiled at her discreetly.
After wiping her body clean, I spoke to her.
“Now, your back.”
Only then did Ner turn her body to give me her back.
She looked more relaxed as she hid her chest.
I gently stroked her back.
I repeated the process of putting the cloth in water and squeezing out the moisture.
“It feels… cool.”
She whispered.
She seemed to be in a good mood, and I was equally pleased.
Ner had her eyes buried in her crossed arms.
Shyly, she asked me.
“Verg.”
“Yes?”
“Can I… be by your side now?”
She asked with a hint of anxiety.
There was no other answer to that question now.
I replied to her.
“I won’t send you away now.”
Ner’s tail began to sway slowly.
I nodded slowly.
Recent events had made her anticipate my response to some extent.
To her, I said.
From Noble mtl dot com
“…But we can’t get married.”
“…”
“…I have Si-en now.”
Ner nodded.
“…Yeah. I understand that much.”
“We still have to be cautious around the royal family.”
“…Yes.”
“In reality, living as common-law spouses… it’s going to be difficult. The royal family won’t just stand by and watch.”
“…”
It’s impossible to live with the feeling of being common-law spouses.
In any case, there may come a day when Ner will have to return to her territory to avoid suspicion.
It was all expected, but some things needed to be said.
Ner’s tail stiffened slowly.
I could tell that she wasn’t entirely satisfied with this answer.
“…But it’s okay.”
But Ner had hidden her true feelings and told me.
“If you just cherish me… it’s enough.”
“…”
I stopped my gesture and closed my eyes.
Even I still didn’t know what to do.
I feel like just saying these things to Ner is a problem.
It only felt irresponsible.
“…I’ll find a way, no matter what.”
So I told Ner.
“….Huh?”
And as if she hadn’t expected such words, Ner turned her head up to look at me.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
“I’ll find a way, no matter what.”
“…”
“…”
She hadn’t given any specifics about how to handle what was coming, but Ner had sent her trust my way in our long exchange of glances.
Her previously stiff expression gradually melted into a bright smile.
It was a smile I once cherished so dearly.
“Right!”
Her voice was fuller and more energetic than ever before.
I responded to it with a smile.
I might not know how to handle things, but I was confident we could find a way.
…
…
I decided not to bathe her lower body.
There were only a few reasons, but that was the choice I made.
For now, I decided just to clean her up as simply as possible.
I tried to dress her.
“Ner.”
“…”
But now Ner refused to wear the top.
“Come lay with me, Berg…”
Whether due to her weakened body or wilfulness, she was becoming increasingly demanding.
It seemed she knew I wouldn’t easily refuse her request.
However, I shook my head.
“It’s daytime now. I need to go back out.”
“Just for a little… Huh? Let’s sleep together for a little…
I could tell that Nerga was imitating my breathing.
During all the time we spent lying on the bed together, I never wore a shirt.
She still covered her chest, but her desire towards me was more evident than before.
“…”
I smiled at her, lowering my head to press my lips against her forehead.
-Kiss.
Nerga stiffened at that gesture.
Is it really appropriate for us to lie in bed together with just this level of response?
I told her, “Let’s do that when you get better.”
“…”
“…And more than that.”
I hinted at natural acts to come.
“…….Huh…?”
Nerga took a sharp breath.
Her face continued to blush.
Her white skin showed a clearer sign.
I smiled and brushed her hair.
“…I’ll go now.”
Then I said to her.
Maybe now Nerga finally liked my answer, as she let go of the hand grabbing her clothes.
I put a shirt back on her.
This time, she didn’t resist.
****
“…Huh…. Huh….!”
Late at night.
Lizardman, Letn, gazed at the distant light.
Finally, the arduous journey came to an end, and they arrived.
Stokfin.
“Finally… Finally, it’s in sight…”
Letton grabbed his wife’s shoulder and whispered.
They were not the only ones on this journey.
Countless Lizardmen were abandoning their territories and fleeing to this place.
It was a crowd of fifty.
They had no choice.
They had no choice but to abandon their home and run away.
All the soldiers who had set out to face Krund were crushed.
Hiding in the territory and waiting could only result in death due to Krund… so they had no choice but to flee like this.
A countless number of refugees stirred, scattering the echoes of despair.
Among them, a few had decided to flee to this place, Stocfin.
There was one reason for that.
This place was a village that had a human hero.
A fair maiden who may have given up her saintly duties, but once was a saint.
A place with Berg Ryker who was rumored to have a ghost-like swordsmanship skill.
Because of their presence, they had chosen here as their temporary refuge.
That didn’t mean they were without worries.
A Lizardman who had also journeyed with Letton came over and asked.
“…Will they accept us…?”
“…”
“I heard even Stocfin isn’t doing well. There is also a plague.”
Letton bit his lip.
He looked down at his young daughter clutching his leg tightly.
Letton replied.
“…Anyway, there is no other way, we must seek help here.”
“They are humans, Letton. They are known to be selfish and cruel…”
“Where else should we go from here. My daughter is also weary and can no longer rest on the road.”
Letton was devising all the plans in his head.
This was not to say they would stay in Stocfin forever.
It was just about finding a temporary sanctuary.
Given that Stocfin isn’t that big in the first place… If Krund arrives, they would be forced to flee.
Bergr Raiker had to make the choice to flee with his fellow villagers.
The significantly powerful Lizardman clan was devastated to the point where they had lost everything, and Stahpin might not be far behind.
Laeton was aware of the Drago clan recruiting soldiers.
If they could just survive until they subdue Krund… Laeton calculated that his family would be able to withstand the last war.
So, Laeton moved a step, looking at Stahpin.
“…Let’s ask for help here for a moment.”
He suppressed his nervous anxiety as he stepped into the human village, whispering.
“It’s scary… but this is the only thing we can do in this situation.”