Incompatible Interspecies Wives chapter 219

219 – Escape(1)

“…What do you mean?”

Ner asked me a question in response to my words.

Cien just blinked silently.

She seemed to understand my intentions since she already knew my dream.

I looked at Ner and Arwin.

“…I’m going to leave.”

And then I began to convey my true feelings to them.

“I don’t want to live in constant tension. From the slums to the mercenary group…now to the lordship. It’s always been a life worrying about the next moment. I don’t want that anymore.”

I looked at the boat where my body was laid.

“…I’m as good as dead anyway. No one will look for me. It would be strange if I appeared again. Arwin, I appreciate you saving me, but…it shouldn’t be known that an elf can do this.”

Arwin’s expression hardened.

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“…That’s…”

Having made my decision, I picked up the oil that was on the boat and began to sprinkle it in.

Then I pushed the boat, soaked in enough oil, into the lake.

And so the boat began to drift towards the center of the lake.

As I watched it move, I spoke.

“…In a place as beautiful as this, I’ll build my own house, tend my own garden, and live. Sometimes I’ll drink from noon, sometimes lie down on the grass and rest, and sometimes I’ll set off on a new journey.”

The more I spoke, the more I felt this was the right choice.

I’m sorry to the members of the Red Flame who will grieve, thinking I’m dead…but I wanted to indulge in my own desires now.

Returning for their comfort would bind me with another chain around my ankle.

I didn’t want to spend the life that was given back to me by sacrificing Arwin’s lifespan like that.

I didn’t want to be engulfed in the same worries every day.

As I said, I wanted to live a happy life.

“…”

I was silent for a moment, looking down at the floor.

The upcoming request might have been selfish.

But they were things that I had to say.

I turned around and looked at Cien.

“…Cien.”

“…Yes.”

Next was Ner.

“…Ner.”

“…Tell me, Berg.”

Next was Arwin.

“…Arwin.”

“…Yes. Speak.”

I took a deep breath and asked.

“…From now on, I’ll be living in poverty. There won’t be any servants by my side, and sometimes the food might be meager. Especially for Ner and Arwin, who have lived their entire lives as nobles, it’ll be more difficult to adapt. But…”

And then, more certain than anyone else, I told them.

“…But I wish you would follow me. I don’t think I can live without you now. I’m sorry to ask you to follow me, who has nothing and is completely poor… but please. Follow me.”

I even made a promise to them. It was my own vow.

“If you do that, I’ll make you happy until the day I die.”

Cien, Ner, and Arwin all looked at me.

No one hastily responded.

As seriously as I had approached this subject, they all considered it carefully.

Cien approached me first.

“…Berg, I loved you even when you were living in the slums.”

She said with a smile.

“…I don’t need anything else. Just you.”

I gently embraced Cien, who came closer.

Next, Ner approached.

“…You still don’t seem to know, Berg.”

“…What?”

“Our race’s characteristics. I… now can’t love anyone but you… how many times do I have to tell you?”

Ner approached, and this time buried herself in my arms instead of Cien’s.

Her white hair softly tickled my neck.

“I’ll follow you even if you push me away. I’ll stick by your side even if you scream for me to disappear. I’ll be with you until I die.”

“…Ner.”

“Let’s go together, Berg. Don’t worry about Blackwood.”

With every person who approached saying they would be with me, I felt something filling my heart.

It seemed as if an unshakable, strong resolve was taking shape.

The last one was Arwin.

She looked at me and said,

“….I don’t want to follow you.”

I frowned at that answer.

“….What?”

Arwin burst into a fit of laughter at my reaction.

It was a very different side of her, who usually maintained a serious demeanor.

“Look, Berg. You also feel a bit strange now that I’m saying I won’t be by your side, right?”

Realizing that it was just Arwin’s joke, I let out a small relieved laugh.

Arwin approached me and hugged me.

“Berg. To begin with…now my life belongs to you. Who would separate from their own life?”

I hugged Arwin tightly.

Soon after, releasing the embrace, I looked at my wives and said,

“Thank you all.”

Then, I picked up Arwin’s bow from the ground.

Using the flint that Arwin had brought, I lit the tip of the arrow, wrapped with oil-soaked cloth.

I looked at my boat that was floating towards the middle of the lake.

I aimed the flaming arrow at the boat.

This could also be considered a funeral in its own way.

Perhaps it contained the meaning of letting go of my past self.

– Thump!

The flaming arrow flew in a huge parabolic arc.

-Thunk!

In no time, the boat began to burn.

My wives and I silently watched the boat emitting black smoke.

“…”

Nelle momentarily sobbed as she watched the scene.

Looking at her, it seemed as if she was trying to suppress her fear of the possibility that it could have been me there.

I gently kissed Nelle’s forehead to reassure her.

And then, I let out a long sigh.

“…Alright.”

The decision had been made, but it was clear that there needed to be a process to carry it out.

We couldn’t just suddenly disappear in such a situation.

Especially since Ner and Arwin had their families supporting them from behind.

This issue could not be allowed to escalate into a missing persons case, so some preparation was necessary.

…And I, too, had something left to do in Stockholm.

I took a deep breath and spoke.

“…Shall we make a plan now?”

****

Baran, who had been the deputy chief of the Red Flame Group, had now risen to the position of chief.

It was a position he did not want, but he had to take it in order to protect the residents of Stockholm.

He gazed quietly at the forest that led to the lake.

The situation had become quiet after the crying of Cien, Ner, and Arwin had grown louder once.

“…They’re coming.”

Gael whispered as he waited for them.

Baran looked at the three approaching women.

They were the ones who would have been the most heartbroken at losing Berg.

They were the ones who had to be protected, even if only for Berg’s sake.

“…?”

But the first thing Baran could notice among the three women who appeared was that their tears had stopped.

Whether they had all decided to be strong together, or whether they had sent all their emotions away with Berg… they approached with somewhat relieved expressions.

Even Ner, who had been shedding non-stop tears earlier, was now walking firmly.

“…”

However, it was not his place to question someone’s mourning.

Baran brushed away his thoughts and bowed his head toward the women as he approached them.

“…It’s over.”

Cien said.

“…”

With those words, Baran’s heart also sank.

He had to accept once again that Berg had truly left.

“Let’s go back.”

Baran quickly regained his composure.

Seeing Sien, Ner, and Arwin nod their heads, he turned around.

There was still much left to do.

.

.

.

.

After Berg’s funeral, Baran headed to the cemetery.

It was to find a place to set up Berg’s tombstone.

His body had sunk beneath the lake now, but there was definitely a need for something to commemorate Berg.

Berg, who contributed just as much, if not more, than Commander Adam in acquiring Stuckpfenn.

Both Baran, the woman who would become his wife, and the members of the Flame Group, were all indebted to them.

It had been a life filled with opportunities that opened up with just one choice of becoming a wandering mercenary.

Without Berg and Adam, they would have faced death as mercenaries and lived a similarly bottom-dwelling life… They would not have been able to live a fulfilling life.

So, he wanted to somehow pay his respects to Berg for all the things he had already received.

“Wouldn’t this be a good spot?”

Baran asked Gail, who had followed him.

The place Baran was pointing to was next to Commander Adam.

It seemed like a good idea to set up a tombstone honoring him here.

Gail seemed to agree with him.

“…It does seem good. We’ll ask Sien, Ner, and Arwin later. Not today…”

“…It will be hard today.”

It wasn’t the time to talk about the tombstone with them, as they had just finished the funeral.

Even if they seemed surprisingly fine on the way back.

“….sigh.”

Baran let out another sigh.

The pain of loss was still vivid, and it seemed as if he could burst into tears at any moment.

He was still dwelling on the last battle with Berg.

Baran still remembered all the actions he had synchronized with him.

The moment Berg’s stomach was pierced… everyone thought it was the end, but he managed to stand up with an odd strength and finally defeated Kruund.

Berg, who raised his voice for his teammates who were about to give up.

Barran followed suit, blowing his horn, and when Berg shouted his name in the last moment, he even threw him his sword.

In a way, it might have been a blessing to remember his fierce last moment.

Berg became a hero among mankind.

It was the last moment of such a hero that was remembered.

Barran looked down at Adam’s grave.

‘Adam, sleep here.’

“…”

The tombstone still had an empty inscription.

It was a trace of Berg, who could not finally let go of Adam.

“…Now it’s your turn to fill it.”

Gale also spoke to him accordingly.

Barran slowly nodded his head.

He answered with a heavy heart.

“…Yes. It must be done.”